This is the second of eight presentations on cultural competence. It deals with the problems of defining culture and selects one definition: culture is an institution. The voice-over may be only available after downloading the presentation.

1. Definitions of Culture
Foundation IT and Education
May 2018

2. Definitions
▼ Cultural anthropology
▽ Edward Tylor (1871)
▽ Kroeber and Kluckhohn
▼ Sociology: Vroom
▼ Psychology
▼ Business
▽ Hofstede
▽ Trompenaars / Schein
▽ Mole
▼ Paradigm
▼ A definitions’ mix
▼ YouTube
culture

3. Definitions; cultural anthropology
Edward Tylor (1871): Culture … is that complex whole which includes knowledge,
beliefs, arts, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by
man as a member of society.
Kroeber and Kluckhohn: Culture consists of patterns … of and for behaviour …
transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups …
the essential core of culture consists of traditional … ideas and … their … values;
culture systems may … be considered as products of action, on the other, as
conditioning elements of future action.

4. Definitions; Sociology, Business
▼ Vroom: the way we think, feel and do
▼ Hofstede: collective programming of the mind
▼ Trompenaars / Schein: [how] a group of people solves problems and reconciles
dilemmas
▼ Mole: the way we do things here!
▼ Barker: culture as a paradigm jungle

5. Paradigm
A paradigm is a set of rules and procedures (written and
unwritten) with two effects:
▼ the definition and indication of borders
▼ the description of how to handle with success within the defined limits
Barker: Paradigma’s, mentale modellen voor de
toekomst, Schiedam: Scriptum Management, p. 22

6. Exercise
Connect the nine dots
with four straight lines
without removing your
pen from the paper
and in such a way
that the line touches
each dot only once

7. A Solution

8. A Definitions Mix
C
values &
beliefs
thinking
& feeling
time
environment
group
behaviour

9. Sources
▼ more information on culture,
quotes and exercises on
www.culturalcompetence.eu.
▼ Here you may also order the
book Encyclopedia of Culture.
▼ 29 animated videos on the
YouTube channel on cultural
competence.
▼ e-books Culture 1 till and
including Culture 10 on
LinkedIn
▼ contact:
pieter@culturalcompetence.eu