Cross Cultural Management

Term Paper # 128957

Business > International
International Relations
Sociology > Multiculturalism

An explanation of culture, and issues of cross cultural management in international companies.

2,250 words () | 10 sources | MLA | 2009 France

Paper Summary:

This paper explains what culture is and how one culture differs from another. The paper explains the theories of the two main authors on the subject: Edward T. Hall and Geert Hofstede. It then focuses on cross cultural issues that occur in international companies. Two figures are included with the paper.

Outline:
Theories on culture differences
What is culture: how does it affect our lives and how is it formed?
What differentiates cultures from each other?
Hall's high and low context cultural framework
Hofstede's "Five Dimensions of Culture"
Managing cross cultural issues in a multinational firm
Managing cultural differences inside an organization
Managing cross cultural issues when entering a foreign market

From the Paper:

"When confronted with a same situation, different people react differently. Their values (what they consider important) and beliefs (their sense of what will happen next) play an important role in the way they perceive an issue. This filter of values and beliefs leads individuals to a specific behavior. Where do values and beliefs come from? That's what we will encompass in this first part.
"Whereas animals react by instinct and their communication is mostly innate, we behave by culture, which is a major human characteristic. Culture molds our entire communication spectrum: words, gestures, tones of voice, facial expressions, the way one plays, works and makes love."

Sample of Sources Used:

KROEBER, A.L. AND KLUCKHOHN, F. Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions, New York, Vintage Books, p.181 (1952)
HALL, E., The Silent Language (1959)
HALL, E, Beyond Culture, 1976, New York: Doubleday
http://www.sv.ntnu.no/psy/Bjarne.Fjeldsenden/Articles/99/cultcom499.html, Communication and Culture: A Collection of Observations by Gerry & Elizabeth Wilson The University of Calgary
HOFSTEDE, G., Culture's Consequences, Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations. Thousand Oaks CA: Sage Publications (2001)