This document discusses cross-cultural dimensions that are important for organizational development, including power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism, achievement orientation, and context. It provides definitions and examples of how organizations tend to operate in cultures with different levels of each dimension. For example, it states that organizations in high power distance cultures tend to be autocratic with clear status differences, while organizations in individualistic cultures encourage personal initiative and competition. The document also discusses how organizational development has grown globally with the increasing interconnection of economies and availability of resources worldwide.

1. Cross-cultural Dimensions of OD
OD Process

2. Prepared By
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Manu Melwin Joy
Assistant Professor
Ilahia School of Management Studies
Kerala, India.
Phone – 9744551114
Mail – manu_melwinjoy@yahoo.com

3. Growth of OD in Global Settings
• The rapid development
of foreign economies.
• The increasing
worldwide availability
of technical and
financial resources.
• The emergence of a
global economy.

4. Cross-cultural Dimensions
• Power Distance
• Uncertainty
Avoidance
• Achievement
Orientation
• Individualism
• Context

5. Power Distance
• Extent to which members
of a society accept that
status and power are
distributed unequally in
an organization.
• Organizations in these
cultures tend to be
autocratic, possess clear
status differences, and
have little employee
participation.

6. Uncertainty Avoidance
• The extent to which
members of a society
tolerate the unfamiliar
and unpredictable.
• Organizations in these
cultures tend to value
experts, prefer clear
roles, avoid conflict,
and resist change.

7. Individualism
• The extent to which people
in a society believe they
should be responsible for
themselves and their
immediate family.
• Organizations in these
cultures tend to encourage
personal initiative, value
time and autonomy, and
accept competition.

8. Achievement Orientation
• The extent to which people
in a society value
assertiveness and the
acquisition of material
goods
• Organizations in these
cultures tend to associate
achievement with wealth
and recognition, value
decisiveness, and support
clear sex roles

9. Context
• The extent to which
meaning in
communication is carried
in the words.
• Organizations in high
context cultures tend to
value ceremony and ritual,
the structure is less formal,
there are fewer written
policies, and people are
often late for
appointments.

10. Cultural and Economic Contexts of
International OD Practice

11. Worldwide Organizations
• Offer products or services
worldwide.
• Balance product and functional
concerns with geographic
issues.
• Coordination must address
complex personnel and cross-
cultural issues.
• Its competitive position in one
national market is affected by
its competitive position in
other national markets.