Business concepts and applications

Business a. What are the key elements that define a culture?

According to Ellwood, culture comprise on the one hand, the entire of human's material civilization, instruments, armory, outfits, machinery, and systems of industry as well, and on the other hand the complete intangible or spiritual civilization, like language, writings, art, religion, sacraments, ethics, regulations and administration. (Kluckhohn; Kroeber; Meyer; Untereiner, 1952) Culture can be defined as that sign of dedication and orderliness within a social setup which lets people to repose mutual confidence to work in harmony. Developing an organizational culture engages the leader in various distinct implementation responsibilities. (Fairholm, 1994)

Culture comprises of models, expressed and understood, of and for behavior obtained and conveyed through signs, comprising the unique triumph of human groups, covering their personifications in work of art; the basic nucleus of culture comprises of long-established concepts and particularly their associated beliefs, values, language, ideology, conventions, custom and allegory systems; culture systems could, on one side of the coin be regarded as results of activities, on the other side of the coin as habituating impacts on further activities. (Culture Definition, n. d.) Culture could therefore comprise establishing the base of values for common communication and giving strategic ideas regarding the organization and its future. (Fairholm, 1994) We could also symbolize culture comprising of three levels. The most perceptible level comprises of behavior as well as artifacts. This is the discernible level of culture, and comprises of behavior models as well as external expression of culture: perks given to the managers, wearing a uniform dress, stages of technology utilized, and the material design of work space. (Industrial College of the Armed Forces, 2002) b. How does a company overcome ethnocentricity?

The concept that the culture to which an individual belongs is better compared to that of other cultures is known as ethnocentrism. It is a type of reductionism which lowers the "other way" of life to an imprecise description of self's. This is especially vital during international business when a company or an individual is instilled with the notion that procedures, resources or concepts which were applicable in one's own country will be relevant overseas as well. Disparities at the environmental level are thus overlooked. (Culture Definition, n. d.) Ethnocentrism, in connection to international business, can be classified as follows:

a) Vital aspects in business are ignored due to the fascination with some of the cause-effect relationship in one's country. It is a better proposal to allude to checklist of human variables so as to be certain that all important reasons have been at the minimum taken into account at the time of working overseas. (Culture Definition, n. d.) b) Although it might be possible for an individual to be acquainted with the environmental variations and the difficulties that go with change, however might concentrate solely on attaining the goals associated to one's country. This might lead to depreciation of efficiency of a company or a person as regards global competitiveness. The goals fixed for international business must also be international. (Culture Definition, n. d.)

The variations are identified; however it is held that related changes are so fundamental that they are able to be attained easily. All the while it is a good initiative to undergo a cost-benefit analysis of the changes planned. (Culture Definition, n. d.)

The interaction evolving consequential to an organization's major form of communication might reconcile the relationship among ethnocentricity as well as organizational efficiency. (Grimes; Richard, 2003) Information regarding the type of cultural variation between societies, their origins, and their outcomes must come prior to finding and action. Compromise has increased possibility of success when the two groups comprehend the causes for the variations in perspectives. (Culture Definition, n. d.) c. How do attitudes, values, customs and beliefs shape culture?

The attitudes, beliefs, values, symbols and customs of the lifestyle of a class of people which they believe, normally without pondering regarding them, are handed over through communication and replication from a particular generation to the subsequent one which facilitates in shaping culture. (Culture Definition, n. d.) it is the leaders and followers who develop the theories, languages, symbols, customs, values, beliefs, and myths that exist in the organization. Moreover these aspects shape culture and allow members appreciate one another, believe one another, and assume personal ownership of the activities of the group. (Fairholm, 1994) There exists a link among the organizational culture as well as the cognitive, affective, as also the behavioral penchant of attitudes for organizational change. Various categories of organizational culture possess varied levels of recognition of attitudes for organizational change. This implies that a distinct category of organizational culture could ease the tolerability of change, whereas other categories of culture are unable to accept the same. (Rashid; Sambasivan; Rahman, 2004)

Placed at the subsequent stage of culture are values. Values cause and to a great deal propel behavior, however they are not openly observable as in the case of behaviors. Variations might be existent among the declared and functioning values and individuals will ascribe their behavior to declared values. In order to truly appreciate culture, we have to reach to the maximum depth level, the level of supposition as well as beliefs. It has been asserted by Schein that the basic suppositions emanate from values, till they become within the acceptance level and leave out of consciousness. Individuals might not be having the knowledge regarding of or would be incapable to express the beliefs and suppositions shaping their deepest forms of culture. (Industrial College of the Armed Forces, 2002)

Further customs like festivals commemorating household life and customs of passage, functions which allow individuals of the society to come to a common platform, holidays on sacred occasions to reinforce mutual spiritual bonds, and holidays on occasion of national importance emphasizing on the significant events of the independence period and so on shape culture. These customs enable in organizing social relationships and find out tolerable and intolerable activities in specific circumstances which give way for shaping culture. (Falola; Salm, 2002) d. What are effective strategies for a global company to adapt to a local culture?

Prior to undertaking an international project, it is perhaps essential to recognize the cultural differences which might be present between one's own country and the country where the business is being carried out. The places where there is variation, an individual should choose whether and to the degree to which the customs of the country might be suited to the overseas setup. In majority of the instances, the variations are not too noticeable or real. There are some features that are capable of imbibing willfully, for instance the procedures of welcoming people, the knowledge of some other variations are taken intuitively, for example the techniques of solving problems. The creation of cultural awareness might never be a simple job, however once achieved, it surely facilitates a task completed successfully in an overseas setting. (Sutton, 2000)

Debates and readings regarding other cultures undeniably assists in the building of cultural consciousness, however views offered should be cautiously considered. Occasionally, they might symbolize unnecessary typecast, an evaluation of merely a subgroup or a group of individuals, or a circumstance which has been subject to radical alterations. It is all the time a sound philosophy to receive different perspectives regarding the same culture. (Culture Definition, n. d.) Ultimately, there is an urgency to institutionalize cultural knowledge. Its significance ought to be stressed upon by the people who are at the apex of the organization, moreover it must manifest in the group's policies and practices. (Sutton, 2000) e. What elements of other cultures (in general) must a company be aware of to operate profitably and successfully?

Several nations might share a lot of facets which facilitate in shaping their culture. The shaping agents might be religion, language, geographical place and the like. On the basis of the data received from the bygone cross-cultural studies, nations might be classified by likeness in values as well as attitudes. Very minor variations must be anticipated while moving inside a cluster compared to when transferring from one cluster to the next. Every business running on the global level is not required to possess the identical intensity of cultural consciousness. The more a business deviates from the exclusive responsibility of performing business at the domestic level, the greater it requires having knowledge regarding cultural variations. Getting outward on multiple axes concurrently renders the requirement for creating cultural awareness even more urgent. (Culture Definition, n. d.) These information's are essential for a company to operate profitably and successfully.

f. How do attitudes toward work, leisure, time, change, family, social mobility and religion shape a culture?

Attitudes toward work, leisure, time, change, family, social mobility and religion impacts the development of individuals and are involved in deciding the complete social arrangement of the society and shaping a culture. (Falola; Salm, 2002) Attitudes towards work, leisure, time and change have been seen to impact operations and efficiency inside organizations. These attitudes towards work are known to impact job satisfaction, organizational obligation, excellence of service, and employee turnover which in turn impact culture. Constructive attitudes towards work, leisure, time and change, set apart organizational models of attainment and enthusiasm, individualism as well as realization of self, and being humanistic as well as helpful that result in constructive culture that urges communications with individuals and strategies to assignments which will allow the employees to fulfill satisfaction needs of a higher plane and would bring about changes. (Aarons; Sawitzky, 2006)

As opposed to this, defensive attitudes to work, leisure and time are typified by looking for support and unanimity, being traditional and compliant, and being reliable and submissive that result in defensive culture. Defensive cultures support or completely need communication with individuals in manners that will not endanger individual safety and will not lead to changes. (Aarons; Sawitzky, 2006) Further, family, social mobility and religion are especially more vibrant that show conventional model of ancestry following and notions of family structure, as also modifications ushered by religious belief as also migration and transforming financial situations. Religion and family enjoins a pivotal position in the organization of social, political, as well as cultural life, and controls the relationship among people and their bodily and spiritual atmosphere and thereby shape culture. (Falola; Salm, 2002) g. What influence does corporate / personal verbal and non-verbal Communications have on cultural understanding?

In majority of the cultures, verbal as well as non-verbal forms of communication performs a significant part, occasionally to get along and strengthen linguistic symbols and often as an alternative for words that have a bearing on cultural understanding. (Te, n. d.) Behavior that might not be unpleasant in the country of one's origin might be considered as such in overseas business enterprises. The five most vital differences identified are urgency and articulateness, individualism and collectiveness, the impact of masculinity, the power gap within the culture, and the variations among high and low-context cultures. (Culture and Non-Verbal Communication, n. d.)

We can now understand the non-verbal communication differences which bring about the differences between Vietnamese culture and American culture. The smile, that is occasionally inscrutable to the American viewer, constitutes a non-verbal symbol communicating a sense of reverence in the culture of Vietnam. In case of Vietnamese people, the smile is an apposite reaction in majority of the circumstances wherein verbal expression is not required or not correct. It is uttered as an alternative for "I'm sorry," "Thank you" or "Hi!" It must be remembered that in case of some feelings, the culture of Vietnam fancies non-verbal communications whereas American culture tends to make use of verbal communication. In case of ordinary and unceremonious situations, sense of gratitude or confession are not articulated through verbal expression like "thank you" or "I'm sorry" rather by non-verbal, silence or through a smile. In accordance with the Vietnamese culture, a spoken expression of thanks in this situation is considered as an absence of humility from the individual who is at the receiving end of the accolade. Due to the variation in the mediums to articulate the sense of understanding or confession in the two cultures, misinterpretations have happened. (Te, n. d.) Through the identification and amending for cultural variations which is existent throughout the world, a person is able to attain business success overseas. (Culture and Non-Verbal Communication, n. d.) h. What impact does the physical environment have on culture?

An organization's physical environment and which it interacts, is an occasionally ignored matter. (Hartman, 2002) Acquired culture is akin to a lens which cleans all the information that we recognize by our senses; sensory information permeates by this lens of culture and is cleaned or understood, into an identifiable model which has a significance. Our viewpoint with respect to the physical environment enveloping us is a sound instance of this. The equal physical object or environmental aspect while seen by various cultural filters as a symbol can possess different significance. The manner in which we recognize and make meaning of the physical world surrounding us can impact the system of meanings that comprise culture. (Culture and the Physical Environment: Introduction, n. d.) the correlation between the physical environment as well as behaviors as also an audit record permits an enterprise to investigate its environment from a strategic outlook so as to ally its environment with its culture, image, accepted behaviors, and anticipated results. (Hartman, 2002) i. How are education and technology linked to culture?

The espousal of technology such as the internet communication by the popular culture is a symbol of things to emerge. Individuals use this technology, to understand meaning of identities and cultures in a transforming world. The rising influence which the Internet puts on our culture is even harder to overlook. Initiate a term project by undertaking some research, and one will possibly discover that the college library has almost dumped card catalog and in its place a faster, more space saving electronic system has been installed which can be accessible from one's hostel room or house. Approach your class buddies and enquire from them in case they or someone that they are familiar with has ever made acquaintances or met on a date with somebody online and it becomes almost certain they will show a friend or more. Instead of having to look beyond than the world surrounding you, you in all probability will discover the ever growing impact of the most popular technology such as the Internet in the spheres of economics, education as well as personal relationships, among others. (Smith; Wood, 2005)

Further one needs to understand the link between education and culture. Education can have its impact on culture. Gain of education can lead to changes being brought about in the cultural value systems and thinking. Education can help to avoid the wrong cultural values which are being upheld. Further a gain in education and knowledge about the culture of another country where an international company intends to invest would enable the company to correctly make strategies in its entry into that country.

j. How does the mass media shape culture, public opinion, marketing and advertising?

There are social, cultural, as well as psychological impacts of the usage of media as well as its. The cultural values of a society can undergo changes as a result of the influence of the media. Further, media has the potential to influence public opinion that is a collective agreement regarding issues of political problems that has developed in the path of informed deliberations (Perse, 2001) Media enables people to form opinions on various issues of national and international importance, on whether to buy a product or not and so on. Media has been used by several companies in marketing their products through way of advertisements. And people who see these advertisements which are being shown on the media several times feel the desire to purchase these products. Media can shape culture, public opinion, marketing and advertising and it could be understood by a study of total of 290 Japanese college students who were being interviewed in the year 2002 to promote the author's understanding of the flow of the cultural commodities between Korea as well as Japan and the influence of their usage. The study by Sora Park revealed that Japanese students' internal media application absolutely impacted their plans to buy Korean brands as their coming into contact with the Korean culture impacted their idea of Korea substantially. (Park, 2005) k. What positive and negative impact does politics and a countries legal systems have on international companies?