Cross-cultural Management. To manage people you need to understand them and the first step is to get to know their culture.

1. Culture and
management styles
Nicolas Bernard Masson
Juan-Manuel Corao
Ludovic Derose
Pierre-Jean Reveil

2. Introduction
-Globalization Companies are a main actor
-Cross cultural management as a solution to cultural
misunderstandings
-Cross cultural management
-Organization: individuals systematically cooperating
to conduct a business
Cultural diversity
Interaction
Economic Performance

3. Outline
I/ Culture
II/The notion of time, space and environment
A/Time
B/Environment
C/Space and distance
III/ Management style
A/ USA
B/France and Europe
C/Japan

4. I/ Culture

5. The concept of culture
 XVI century: Cultivating a field
 XVIII century: Cultivating
literature, arts or sciences

6.  XIX century: Tylor said
“Culture or civilization . . . is that complex
whole which includes knowledge, belief, art,
law, morals, custom, and any other
customs and habits acquired by man as a
member of society.””
 XX Century
Hypothesis that every culture demonstrates
a certain behavior style common to all
individuals sharing the same culture

7. The concept of culture in five
characteristics:
• Culture is a social phenomenon
• You learn culture, it’s not innate
• Culture is a changing concept
• It has a pragmatic dimension
• Culture produces shared meanings:
values, norms, behaviors

8. II: Time, Space and Environment

9. A/ Time
•A cultural data that changed with the
history of humanity
•The Influence of the three Monotheists
religions and the notion of time linearity.
•Edward T. Hall sees two conceptions
which orientate individual and collective
behaviors

10. Monochronism
 From this point of view time is use linearly
 Things are done one at a time
 An economic dimension : « time is money »
 German , North American, North European,
Japanese and Singaporean cultures are
monochronic

11. Polychronism
 Time is more flexible
 People can do many things at a time
 Importance of human relations
 Latin time, Mediterranean time, from
Maghreb and gulf countries
 The climate facilitates polychronism

12. Monochronism Vs polychronism
Polychronic behavior Monochronic behavior
Several things at time One thing at time
Interruptions are tolerated Concentration on the task in
progress
Plans can be modified Plans strictly adhered
People oriented Timeline orientation
People are not patient People are methodical therefore
slower.
Accuracy is approximate Accuracy is extreme
Tolerance of ambient noise People needs to be in a quiet
environment

13. B/ Environment.
 Environment defines a group’s culture
 Should environment be controlled by
people?
 Do people must live in harmony with
environment?

14. Three attitudes towards the
environment.
 People should and can dominate the
environment
 People must live in harmony with his
environment
 People are affected by the environment

15. C/ Space and distance
 Edward T. Hall: « people are territorial
animals »
 People can interpret space
 We live in a « bubble » that represents our
individual territory
 An intrusion in this bubble is seen as an
invasion

16. Edward T.Hall distance
interpretation
 Up to 40 / 50 cm: distance is described
as intimate
 Up to 1,20 M : distance is described as
personal
 Up to 1,80/ 2 M : distance is designated
as social
 Over 4 M : distance is described as
public

17. About these three components of
the culture.
 Time, Space and environment define the
culture you live in
 You need to understand the culture of a
group if you want to do business with
them
 Each group have a different interpretation
of these three components

18. III/ Management styles:

19. A/ U.S.A.
• North American model:

20. A/ U.S.A
 Power distance (low):
◦ « liberty and justice for all »
◦ Hierarchy established for convenience
◦ Superiors always accessible
◦ Managers and employees expect to be
consulted
◦ Communication : indirect, formal, participative
 Individualism (high):
◦ Mobility
◦ Promotion decisions on merit

21. A/ U.S.A
 Masculinity :
◦ “strive to be the best they can be”
◦ “the winner takes it all”
◦ Success and workaholic
◦ Conflict resolution
 « Uncertainty accepting »
 Short-term oriented

22. A/ U.S.A
 Government and syndicates should not be
too much involved
 Competition sense and economy efficiency
 Initiatives, risk taking opportunities and
innovation
 We must fail to learn
 More profits
 Flexibility, job insecurity
 Pragmatism
 Liberalism

23. A/ U.S.A
 Homogenization (example: dress code)
 Optimism in business
 Strict profile of the job (we don’t hire
everybody)
 Easier team-work
 No feelings involved in business
 Exchange time for money, quality of work
environment isn’t too much considered.

24. B/ France and Europe
 French model:

25. B/ France and Europe
 Power distance (high):
◦ Inequalities are accepted
◦ Hierarchy is needed if not existential
◦ Superiors may have privileges and are often
inaccessible.
◦ Power highly centralized
 Individualism (high):
◦ Individual and private opinions
◦ Direct communication
◦ Autonomy

26. B/ France and Europe
 Feminine country
◦ Welfare system
◦ Conflict resolution
 Uncertainty avoidance:
◦ French workers need planning, details,
information
 Short-term oriented

27. B/ France and Europe
 The State is involved a lot in businesses
and companies.
 Strong hierarchic culture (rules,
procedures, centric decision process).
 Rewards-sanctions system
 Discipline
 Rules and laws about the relationship
between employers and employees.
 Strikes

28. B/ France and Europe
 German model:

29. B/ France and Europe
 Power distance (low):
◦ Co-determination rights
◦ Direct and participative communication
◦ Meeting style
 Individualism (high):
◦ Direct communication
◦ “be honest, even if it hurts”
 Masculine society
 Uncertainty avoidance
 Short-term oriented

30. B/ France and Europe
 Switzerland, Germany, Benelux.
 Intense participation
 Social rules and protection
 Repartition
 « Mitbestimmung »
 Communities
 Emphasize more on formation and
experience than diplomas
 Lot of small businesses
 Family capitalism

31. B/ France and Europe
 Southern Europe model:

32. B/ France and Europe
 Power distance (medium):
◦ Hierarchy, inequalities acceptable
 Individualism (high):
◦ Own personal ideas and objectives
 Masculine society
◦ acquiring status symbols
 Uncertainty avoidance
 Short-term oriented

33. B/ France and Europe
The case of Spain
 Hierarchy
Business with strictly separated
divisions and a strong hierarchical
system
 Organization
Planning is not that important
Responsibility of the managing director
or the owner of the company
 Meetings
To give instructions to and exchange
ideas with subordinates
 Negotiations
Professional style/formal style

34. B/ France and Europe
 Decisions
Taken at senior management level
 Time perception
“Time was created by god to meet
people”
 Meeting & greeting
Greeting is an extensive ritual
Not uncommon to be interrupted while
speaking

35. C/ Japan:
• Facts and clichés
-Capital: Tokyo
-National language: Japanese
-Demonym: Japanese
-Constitutional monarchy
Emperor + Prime Minister
-Density: 337,1 hab/km2 (x3.5 France)
-Currency: Yen
-GDP (ppp): $4.497 trillion (4th )
-HDI: 0.901

36. -Other important cities:
Hiroshima, Nagasaki and more
recently FUKUSHIMA
-Japan is a combination of long time inherited
traditions and an innovative culture

37. -Patchwork:

38.  Japan Management style: Order,
Dignity and Honour
-Japanese have two communication systems:
Tatemae (mask)
Behavior and opinions
one displays in public
Honne
A person’s true
feelings and desires
-Time Notion is crucial for Japanese people
-Uncertainty avoidance (as French men)
-Authority: less submission, more respect
-Developed integration process and senpai
(respect the elder)
-Japanese machismo
-Collectivist nation

39.  Negotiating in Japan:
- Delicate Business card exchange
- Strong Client/Supplier relationship:
Mission = quality product
-The giving of gifts on first meeting often
occurs
-social talks
-Friendly relationships they will expect both
parties to be treated with meticulous fairness

40. Conclusion
 A good manager must take into account
different cultures, the diversity of a
culture and the personality of the
individuals working at his side
 Is globalization responsible for the
disappearance of languages and culture
uniformity?