This document discusses definitions and concepts of culture. It defines culture as the collective mental programming and way of life shared by a group. Culture has outer and inner layers, with the outer including customs and the inner including underlying assumptions. National cultures can be analyzed across dimensions like power distance, individualism, and long-term orientation. Identity is defined by group memberships and answers the question of who someone is. Different types of social identities include ethnicity, religion, politics, and relationships. The document explores concepts of culture, identity, and their layers and dimensions.
2. What is culture?
Contested: over 157 definitions between 1920 and 1950 (Johnson, 2013)
(1) ‘the total way of life of a people’; (2) ‘the social legacy the
individual acquires from his group’ (Kluckholn, cited in Johnson, 2013)
“A whole way of life, material, intellectual and spiritual” (Williams, cited in Oswell, 2006)
“The culture of the individual cannot be separated from that of the group” (Eliot, 1948)
“The basic assumptions about how the world is and ought to be that a group of people
share that determines their thoughts, feelings, their overt behaviour” (Schein, 1996)
3. “I define culture as the collective mental programming of the people in an
environment. Culture is not a characteristic of individuals; it encompasses a
number of people who were conditioned by the same education and life
experience. When we speak of the culture of a group, a tribe, a geographical
region, a national minority, or a nation, culture refers to the collective
mental programming that these people have in common; the programming
that is different from that of other groups, tribes, regions, minorities or
majorities, or nations.” (Open University, 2015a)
4. Layers of culture
The Outer Layer/Expilicit Culture: Clothes, Food, Language, Housing, Customs/Festivals,
The Middle/Inner Layer: Norms and values a society holds and the basic assumptions
people hold
5. Exploring the Inner Layers: 6 Dimensions of
society
Power Distance: Should inequalities by minimized
Individualism: Is the individual or the society considered more important
Masculine-Feminine: Relative importance of competition and success vs caring for others
and quality of life
Uncertainty Avoidance: The extent to which a society feels threatened or comfortable
with uncertainty
Long-term Orientation: Planning for the future and adapting to change vs maintaining
traditional ways
Indulgence/Restraint: how much people try to control desires and impulses
6. Comparing the Inner Dimensions of
culture: China and the UK
Source: geert-hofstede.com
7. Activity – and another definition!
According to Morrison (2002), national culture comprises several aspects, such as the
possession of a common language or dialect, shared religious or moral values, symbols
and rituals (e.g. flags and festivals), a shared history, patterns of family life and a
geographic homeland.
Now spend a few minutes writing notes about your national culture using Morrison's
definition (above) and think of examples that define it.Now spend a few minutes writing
notes about your national culture using Morrison's definition (above) and think of examples
that define it
8. The Outer Layers of Culture – A view from
Pakistan
http://www.slideshare.net/ranaumar334/pakistani-culture-national-and-regional-culture-
convergence-and-divergence?qid=6ed8110b-86fd-4753-b68d-
392018c6be58&v=qf1&b=&from_search=9 (to slide 52)
9. Discussion: China – the outer layer
Education
Music
Sports
Provincial
Language
Religion
Festivals
Clothing
Food
Life Events (birth, graduation, marriage, death)
Laws/rules in society
Characteristics of people
11. Identity: What is it?
Fundamentally: answers the question WHO AM I?
Identity involves:
a link between the personal and the social;
some active engagement by those who take up identities;
being the same as some people and different from others
a tension between how much control I have in constructing my identities and how much
control or constraint is exercised over me.
(Open University, 2015b)
12. Identity
“The term “social identity” refers specifically to those aspects of a person that are defined
in terms of his or her group memberships. Although most people are members of many
different groups, only some of those groups are meaningful in terms of how we define
ourselves. In these cases, our self-definition is shared with other people who also claim that
identity, for example, as a woman, as a Muslim, as a marathon runner, or as a Democrat”
(Deaux, 2001)
13. Types of Social Identity: Ethnicity and
religion
ABC
Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan)
Christian (Anglican/Catholic/Evangelical)
English (Northern, Southerner)
Jewish (Zionist/non-Zionist)
Muslim (Sunni, Shia, Sufi)
White (British, European, Other)
14. Types of Social Identity: Political
Anarchist
Centrist
Communist
Conservative
Environmentalist
Fascist
Socialist
15. Types of Social Identity: Vocations
Athlete
Artist
Designer
Economist
Employee/Employer
Medical Professional
Military
Student
Teacher
16. Types of Social Identity: Relationships
Colleague
Family (Daughter, Sister, Cousin, Mother, Wife)
Friend
Partner
Student
Teenager
17. Types of Social Identity: Stigmatized?
Alcoholic
Disabled
Drug Addict
Gang Member
Goth
Homeless person
Homosexual
Fat
Person with AIDS
Muslim
Nazi
18. Types of Identities: Other
Animal Lover/Pet owner
Gardener
Gamer
Gender
Income: high, middle, low income. New wealth vs old wealth?
Introvert/Extrovert
Sexual Orientation
Social Class: Upper, middle, lower, business. Others in your country?
Sportsperson (footballer, runner, snooker player – not always professional)
19. References
Eliot, .T.S. (1948) Notes towards the definition of culture. London: Faber and Faber
Deaux, K. (2001) Social Identity. Encylopedia of Women and Gender Vol 1& 2. City University of New Youk
Johnson, M (2013) Evaluating Culture: Chapter 3: What is culture? What does it do? What should it do?. Palgrave: London
Morrison, J. (2002) The International Business Environment, Basingstoke, Palgrave.Morrison, J. (2002) The International Business Environment,
Basingstoke, Palgrave.
Oswell, D (2006)Culture and Society: An Introduction to Cultural Studies. London: Sage
Open University (2015a) Business Organisations and their Environments: Culture [Online]. http://www.open.edu/openlearn/money-
management/management/business-studies/business-organisations-and-their-environments-culture/content-section-4.1
Open Univertisy (2015b) Identity in Question [Online] http://www.open.edu/openlearn/society/politics-policy-people/sociology/identity-
question/content-section-1.1.1
Schein, E (1996). Three Cultures of Management: The Key to Organizational Learning. MIT Sloan: Management Review.
http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/three-cultures-of-management-the-key-to-organizational-learning/
Willians, R (1958) Culture and Society, 1780-1950. London: Chatto and Windus