4. Learning Objectives:
• Discuss the concept of multicultural
diversity in workplace;
• Describe what culture is;
• Discuss the different features of culture;
and
• Identify the different dimensions of culture.
5. Primary and Secondary Characteristics of
Diversity
Primary
characteristics
of diversity are
usually the
most visible
Secondary
characteristics
are defined by
way of
experience
7. STEPS TOWARDS MULTICULTURAL DIVERSITY
IN WORKPLACE
• First step is to recognize that one of the main goals of diversity is to
recognize people’s uniqueness.
This requires a three-step development procedure
1. Monolithic Stage- Characterized by a homogenous demographic and
cultural framework.
2. Stage of Plural Representatives- stage in which an organization, while
having a culturally varied rank and file, retains a culturally homogenous
leadership. Subcultures and groups are then expected to encourage to
embrace the leadership’s culture.
3. Extremely Diverse Model- at this point, multicultural accommodation is
visible across the company.
8. • Second, rather than being a purely technical endeavor to comply with
affirmative action or other legally required activities, diversity must
be a component of and organization’s intended business goal,
including outreach initiatives.
• Third stage, there should be a system in place to hold managers
responsible for achieving diversity objectives.
• Fourth, open communication channels must be established to enable
for the transfer of new ideas, complaints, and feedbacks.
• Finally, corporate rituals, and rites should allow for religious holidays,
dietary preference, and clothing styles that do not conflict with
organizational operations.
9.
10. CONCEPT OF CULTURE
• Culture is derived from the Latin term “cultura”
which means “cult, worship, or civilization.”
Culture, in context of International HRM, is
acquired knowledge that individuals use to
understand experience and create social
behavior.
11. Features of Culture
1. Dynamic
2. Learned
3. Non-uniform
4. Patterned
5. Social
6. Shared
7. Transferable
12. Dimensions
of Culture
1. Edward Hall and Mildred Hall Model
2. Florence Kluckhohn and Fred
Strodbeck Model
3. Geert Hofstede Model
4. Fons Trompenaars Model
5. GLOBE (Globe Leader and
Organizational Behavior Effectiveness)
Project
13. 1. Edward Hall and Mildred Hall Model
• Based on their business experience and numerous qualitative
research, anthropologists Edward Hall and his wife Mildred Hall have
defined the six aspects of culture as follow:
Time language
Space Language
Language of Objects
Language of friendship
Agreement Language
Cultures of High and Low Context
14. 2. Florence Kluckhohn and Fred Strodbeck Model
• Values Orientation Theory assumes that all people, everywhere and
through the ages, have to overcome a number of problems (universal
dilemmas) in order to survive.
What does a person think about the basic nature and beliefs about
the other person?
What does a person think about his rights and
responsibilities towards nature?
What is considered more important by the people - past,
present or future?
What is the key form of activity in a society?
What is the duty of a person towards others?
How is space considered in a business organization?
15.
16.
17.
18.
19. 3. Geert Hofstede Model
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Theory is a framework used to
understand the differences in
culture across countries, and the
ways that business is done across
different cultures. In other words,
the framework is used to
distinguish between different
national cultures, the dimensions
of culture, their impact on
etiquette and to facilitate
communication in areas ranging
from business to diplomacy.
20. • This refers to the degree of inequality that
exists – and is accepted – between people
with and without power.
• A high PDI score indicates that a society
accepts an unequal, hierarchical
distribution of power, and that people
understand "their place" in the system. A
low PDI score means that power is shared
and is widely dispersed, and that society
members do not accept situations where
power is distributed unequally.
21. • This refers to the strength of the ties that
people have to others within their
community.
• Individualism refers to a loosely connected
social network in which individuals
prioritize themselves and their closest
family members.
• Collectivism indicates a closely knit social
framework in which individuals believe in
looking after each other in the group in
return for loyalty.
22. • This refers to the distribution of roles
between men and women.
• In masculine societies, the roles of men
and women overlap less, and men are
expected to behave assertively.
• In feminine societies, there is a lot of
overlap between male and female roles,
and modesty is seen as a positive trait.
Building strong relationships with
immediate supervisors is highly valued.
23. • This dimension considers how unknown
situations, uncertainty and unexpected
events are dealt with.
• A low score or value on the uncertainty
avoidance index indicates that the
organization's managers and employees
feel at ease in uncertain situations and are
thus more entrepreneurial, willing to take
risks, and less reliant on formal rules,
whereas a high score on the uncertainty
avoidance index indicates the opposite.
24. • Those with a short-term perspective
value traditional values and aim for
quick results. In contrast, those with
a long-term perspective believe that
truth depends on circumstances,
context, and time and are
determined to accomplish their
goals.
25. • The indulgence vs. restraint dimension
considers the extent and tendency for a
society to fulfill its desires. In other words,
this dimension revolves around how
societies can control their impulses and
desires.
• Indulgence indicates that society allows
relatively free gratification related to
enjoying life and having fun.
• Restraint indicates that society suppresses
gratification of needs and regulates it
through social norms.
34. 5. GLOBE (Global Leader and Organizational
Behavior Effectiveness) Project
• The Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness
project (GLOBE) is a multiphase, multi-method project designed in
the early 1990s by Robert J. House to explore the relationships among
societal culture, organizational culture, and leadership.
• The GLOBE study is truly global, expanding its reach across the entire
world’s cultures
• It explored key traits of successful leadership not only within each
society, but cross-culturally
35. 9 Dimensions of Culture (GLOBE)
1. Performance Orientation: It reflects the degree to which society
encourages and rewards group members for improved performance.
2. Uncertainty Avoidance: It indicates the extent to which a society,
company, or organization attempts to reduce uncertainty about future
occurrences by depending on rules, social norms, and so on.
3. Humane Orientation: It assesses how much people are rewarded by
society for being generous, fair, compassionate, unselfish, and kind to
others.
4. Institutional Collectivism: It shows the degree to which organizations
reward and promote collaborative resource allocation and collective
action.
36. 9 Dimensions of Culture (GLOBE)
5. In-group Collectivism: This refers to how much pride and
commitment people have in their organizations or families.
6. Gender Egalitarianism: It shows the degree to which the
community strives to reduce gender inequality.
7. Future Orientation: It reflects the extent to which the
organization's workers participate in future-oriented behaviors such
as postponing indulgence, planning, and investing in the future.
8. Power Distance: It denotes the degree to which members of society
anticipate equitable distribution of power.
9. Assertiveness: This metric measures how much self-confidence and
aggression workers display in their interactions with others.
Participants need to mingle and find someone who matches a fact or experience on their Bingo card. When they find a match, they should ask that person to sign or initial the corresponding square.
Set a timer for 10 minutes
First 5 persons who successfully fill in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) on their Bingo card will gain plus five points during my long quiz by the end of the term.
BRIEF DISCUSSION:
Ask participants if they were surprised by any of the facts or experiences they learned about their peers.
Discuss the value of learning about different cultures and the importance of cultural diversity.
Conclude by emphasizing the significance of multicultural diversity and the role it plays in our interconnected world.
Multicultural means consisting of or relating to people of many different nationalities and cultures. (According to Collins dictionary)
Diversity is the range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values system, national origin, and political beliefs.
Globalization is the word used to describe the growing interdependence of the world's economies, cultures, and populations, brought about by cross-border trade in goods and services, technology, and flows of investment, people, and information.
Second step:- diversity should be more than just a legal requirement and instead be a part of an organization's core business goal.
Imagine a company, ABC Widgets Inc., that produces widgets. They want to increase diversity within their workforce. Here's a simple explanation of why diversity should be a business goal rather than just a legal requirement:Legal Requirement: Let's say there's a law in ABC Widgets' country that requires companies to have a certain percentage of employees from diverse backgrounds. So, ABC Widgets hires a few diverse employees just to meet the legal requirement. However, they may not fully integrate these employees into their company culture or utilize their unique perspectives effectively.
Business Goal Approach: Instead of treating diversity as a legal checkbox, ABC Widgets decides to make it a core business goal. They understand that having a diverse workforce can bring a range of benefits:
Innovation: ABC Widgets realizes that people from different backgrounds can offer fresh ideas and perspectives.
Better Problem Solving: Diverse teams tend to be more effective at solving complex problems. For instance, a team with members from different age groups might approach a problem differently and come up with more comprehensive solutions.
Customer Understanding: If ABC Widgets serves a diverse customer base, having employees who understand different cultures and languages can help them connect with customers and market products more effectively.
Talent Attraction: When ABC Widgets prioritizes diversity, they become more attractive to a wider pool of talent. Top professionals from various backgrounds may want to work for a company that values diversity.
Cultural dimensions summarize the extent to which cultural groups are found empirically to differ from one another in terms of psychological attributes such as values, beliefs, self- construals, personality, and behaviors.
Dimensions of culture refer to specific aspects or characteristics that help in understanding and comparing different cultures. These dimensions provide insights into how societies differ in terms of values, behaviors, and social norms.
Last-High context cultures have a communication style based on body language, tone, and overall context; while low context cultures are more straightforward and explicit in communication.
Space-
In a masculine society, men might typically take on leadership roles in workplaces and organizations, while women are expected to focus more on family and caregiving responsibilities. This can result in less overlap in the roles and behaviors expected of men and women, with men being encouraged to assert themselves more confidently in various aspects of life. For instance, in business meetings, men might be expected to take the lead in discussions and decision-making, while women may play more supportive roles.
In a feminine society, both men and women might share responsibilities at home and work, and being humble is considered a good quality. People in such cultures often prioritize developing close and positive connections with their immediate supervisors, which can lead to a more collaborative and less hierarchical work environment. For example, in a workplace, both male and female employees may be encouraged to work together on projects, and employees may emphasize building strong bonds with their immediate bosses to foster a supportive atmosphere.
Someone with a short-term perspective might prioritize following established rules and traditions in their workplace and want to see immediate outcomes in their projects. They value conventional values like punctuality and adherence to norms.
On the other hand, a person with a long-term perspective might be more flexible in their thinking, believing that truth can change depending on the situation and context. They may be determined to achieve their goals over time and be willing to adapt their strategies as circumstances evolve. For instance, in a business setting, someone with a long-term perspective might focus on building lasting relationships and adapting strategies based on changing market conditions, while someone with a short-term perspective might prioritize immediate profits and strict adherence to established practices.