Diversity Management SMV
HC 1
What is culture?
= a unique meaning and information system, shared by a group and transmitted
across generations, that allows the group to meet basic needs of survival, pursue
happiness and well-being, and derive meaning from life (Matsumoto).
= glasses we are constantly looking through.
= schema to help us evaluate and organize information.
Most research is based on WEIRD samples = biased, not representative.
Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic
How can we conceptualize culture?
Culture explains behavior.
When the teacher says ‘’Leave the room, there is an earthquake’’ the students
walk out the room and stay calm. While Dutch people would be in shock Japanese
lead up to this kind of behavior since they are more used to it (and thus culture).
Hierarchy of Interpretations (Poortinga)
1. Cultural values/ traits
2. Historical/ political context
3. Cultural conventions
4. Other person/ own person (group)
5. Situation
6. Behavior
How you interpret someone.
These factors influence the behavior and attitude of an individual.
It is important to understand the cultural context and how this influences behavior.
Theoretical approaches about culture: Hofstede, Markus & Kitamaya, and Gelfand.
Hofstede
Framework to classify cultural patterns on the country level.
Examination of work-related values in employees of IBM during the 1970s.
Four (classic) cultural dimensions:
1. Power distance
2. Individualism/ collectivism (loyalty, in-group).
3. Masculinity/ femininity (what motivates people).
4. Uncertainty avoidance
Now 6 (after 2010)
, 5. Long-term orientation (or happy with present)
6. Indulgence (= uitleven).
Masculinity: society is driven by competition, achievement, success hard/ stoer.
Femininity: caring for others and quality of life/ liking what you do (success) soft.
Uncertainty avoidance: how you deal with ‘unknown’ in life. Do you think it’s fine if
you don’t know something, or do you want to set rules and expectations?
Indulgence/ restraint: the extent to which people try to control (weak/ strong) their
desires and impulses, based on the way they were raised.
Indulgent optimism, they realize their desires/ impulses for joy/ leisure.
Restraint pessimism, no emphasis on leisure time actions are restrained
by social norms and indulging themselves feels wrong.
Criticism on Hofstede by Minkov
Power distance is part of IND/ COLL IND is low & COL is high power.
Uncertainty Avoidance not reliable (does not predict criteria, e.g., job security)
MAS-FEM similarly not reliable
Markus & Kitayama
‘’Culture and the Self: implications for Cognition, Emotion, and Motivation’’
Independence and Interdependence
The self as mediator of cultural differences: its construal differs across cultures.
The importance assigned to so-called public, relational and private, inner
aspects of the self can vary by culture.
Western: being different from others
Eastern: being connected to others
Independence Interdependence
Definition Separate from social context Connected with social context
Structure Bounded, unitary, stable Flexible, variable
Important Internal, private (abilities, External, public (statuses,
features thoughts, feelings) roles, relationships)
Tasks Be unique, express self, Belong, fit-in, occupy one’s
realize internal attributes, proper place, engage in
promote own goals, be direct appropriate action, promote
other’s goals, be indirect.
Role of others Self-evaluation: others Self-definition: relationships
important for social with others in specific
comparison, reflected contexts define the self.
appraisal.
Basis of self- Ability to express self, Ability to adjust, restrain self,
esteem (self- validate internal attributes. maintain harmony with social
satisfaction, especially context.
Westerns)
Assessment Example: The Twenty Statement Test
Format: I am… I am… I am… etc.
Dispositional descriptions required.
HC 1
What is culture?
= a unique meaning and information system, shared by a group and transmitted
across generations, that allows the group to meet basic needs of survival, pursue
happiness and well-being, and derive meaning from life (Matsumoto).
= glasses we are constantly looking through.
= schema to help us evaluate and organize information.
Most research is based on WEIRD samples = biased, not representative.
Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic
How can we conceptualize culture?
Culture explains behavior.
When the teacher says ‘’Leave the room, there is an earthquake’’ the students
walk out the room and stay calm. While Dutch people would be in shock Japanese
lead up to this kind of behavior since they are more used to it (and thus culture).
Hierarchy of Interpretations (Poortinga)
1. Cultural values/ traits
2. Historical/ political context
3. Cultural conventions
4. Other person/ own person (group)
5. Situation
6. Behavior
How you interpret someone.
These factors influence the behavior and attitude of an individual.
It is important to understand the cultural context and how this influences behavior.
Theoretical approaches about culture: Hofstede, Markus & Kitamaya, and Gelfand.
Hofstede
Framework to classify cultural patterns on the country level.
Examination of work-related values in employees of IBM during the 1970s.
Four (classic) cultural dimensions:
1. Power distance
2. Individualism/ collectivism (loyalty, in-group).
3. Masculinity/ femininity (what motivates people).
4. Uncertainty avoidance
Now 6 (after 2010)
, 5. Long-term orientation (or happy with present)
6. Indulgence (= uitleven).
Masculinity: society is driven by competition, achievement, success hard/ stoer.
Femininity: caring for others and quality of life/ liking what you do (success) soft.
Uncertainty avoidance: how you deal with ‘unknown’ in life. Do you think it’s fine if
you don’t know something, or do you want to set rules and expectations?
Indulgence/ restraint: the extent to which people try to control (weak/ strong) their
desires and impulses, based on the way they were raised.
Indulgent optimism, they realize their desires/ impulses for joy/ leisure.
Restraint pessimism, no emphasis on leisure time actions are restrained
by social norms and indulging themselves feels wrong.
Criticism on Hofstede by Minkov
Power distance is part of IND/ COLL IND is low & COL is high power.
Uncertainty Avoidance not reliable (does not predict criteria, e.g., job security)
MAS-FEM similarly not reliable
Markus & Kitayama
‘’Culture and the Self: implications for Cognition, Emotion, and Motivation’’
Independence and Interdependence
The self as mediator of cultural differences: its construal differs across cultures.
The importance assigned to so-called public, relational and private, inner
aspects of the self can vary by culture.
Western: being different from others
Eastern: being connected to others
Independence Interdependence
Definition Separate from social context Connected with social context
Structure Bounded, unitary, stable Flexible, variable
Important Internal, private (abilities, External, public (statuses,
features thoughts, feelings) roles, relationships)
Tasks Be unique, express self, Belong, fit-in, occupy one’s
realize internal attributes, proper place, engage in
promote own goals, be direct appropriate action, promote
other’s goals, be indirect.
Role of others Self-evaluation: others Self-definition: relationships
important for social with others in specific
comparison, reflected contexts define the self.
appraisal.
Basis of self- Ability to express self, Ability to adjust, restrain self,
esteem (self- validate internal attributes. maintain harmony with social
satisfaction, especially context.
Westerns)
Assessment Example: The Twenty Statement Test
Format: I am… I am… I am… etc.
Dispositional descriptions required.
