Chapter 16Diversity and

Global Cultures

EXPLORING MANAGEMENT

Chapter 16

• What should we know about diversity in the workplace?

• What should we know about diversity among global cultures?

16.1

Diversity in the Workplace

• There is a business case for diversity• Inclusive organizational cultures value and

support diversity• Organizational subcultures can create

diversity challenges• Minorities and women suffer diversity bias

in many situations• Managing diversity should be a top

leadership priority

DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Business and Diversity

• Diversity– Race, gender, age and many other individual

differences

• Inclusivity– Degree to which an organization is open to

any one who can perform a job regardless of race, gender, age or any other individual difference

DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Business and Diversity

• Multi-cultural organization– Based on pluralism and operates with

inclusivity and respect for diversity

DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Business and Diversity

• Organizational subcultures– Groups that share interests or characteristics

• Occupations• Ethnicity• Religion• Gender• Generations

DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Business and Diversity

• Glass Ceiling– Career advancement barrier to women and

minorities

DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Business and Diversity

• Biculturalism– Minority members adopt characteristics of

majority cultures in order to succeed.

DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Managing Diversity

• Affirmative action– Management commitment to hiring and

advancing women and minorities

• Valuing differences– Education and training to understand and

respect differences

• Managing diversity– Building an inclusive network that allows

everyone to reach his or her potential

DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Managing Diversity

16.2

Global Cultures

• Culture shock comes from discomfort in cross-cultural situations

• Cultural intelligence is the capacity to adapt to foreign cultures

• The “silent” languages of cultures include context, time and space

• Hofstede identifies five value differences among national cultures

• Country clusters show cultural differences

GLOBAL CULTURES

Culture Shock

• Culture shock comes from discomfort in cross-cultural situations

• Stages include:

Confusion

Small victories

Honeymoon

Irritation and anger

Reality

GLOBAL CULTURES

Cultural Intelligence

• Cultural intelligence includes– Self awareness– Flexibility– Sensitivity– Willingness to learn– Willingness to

modify behavior

GLOBAL CULTURES

Cultures• Low-context

– Emphasize communication via spoken or written words

• High-context– Rely on unspoken or situational

cues as well as spoken or written words in communication

GLOBAL CULTURES

Cultures• Monochronic

– People tend to do one thing at a time• Polychronic

– People accomplish many different things at once

GLOBAL CULTURES

Cultures• Proxemics

– How people use interpersonal space to communicate

• The degree to which a society accepts unequal distribution of power

Power Distance

• The degree to which a society tolerates risk and uncertainty

Uncertainty Avoidance

• The degree to which a society emphasizes individuals and their self-interests

Individualism-collectivism

• The degree to which a society values assertiveness and materialism versus relationships, feelings and quality of life

Masculinity-femininity

• The degree to which a society values short term or long term goals

Time Orientation

GLOBAL CULTURES

Culture

• Hofstede’s five value differences among national cultures:

GLOBAL CULTURES

Hofstede’s Five Values

GLOBAL CULTURES

Cultures• Ecological fallacy

– Mistaken belief that a generalization about a culture applies equally to everyone in that culture

– Example: does he represent all Americans?

GLOBE Dimensions

• Power distance• Uncertainty avoidance• Gender egalitarianism• Future orientation• Institutional collectivism• In-group collectivism• Assertiveness• Performance orientation• Humane orientation