A tool to analyze a culture effectively

1. Schedule of the workshop:
1.Introduction Lecture & Group division 40m
Read country info & select variables 120m
2. Create categories 30m
Connect & Draw 45m
Present & Discuss 30m
Joseph Roevens Ph.D
http://organizewithchaos.ning.com/

2. Grounded Culture Snapshot
© Roevens, 2010
What?
A grounded method to visually represent what you
find important in a specific culture, viewed from a
specific perspective (e.g. Hotel Industry), AND to
explain to an audience which may hold different
ideas about that culture.
Based on Noel Tichy’s work at the University of Michigan,
School of Business Administration

3. Grounded Culture Snapshot
© Roevens, 2010
How? 7 Steps
1. Read a lot of country specific information, e.g.
culture, economics, geography, specific FM
issues, …
2. Identify several important variables (min 20).
These are the ‘keyholes’ through which you view
that culture.
3. Cluster these variables together under a
specific category. These are the basic ‘building
blocks’ of the model.

4. Grounded Culture Snapshot
© Roevens, 2010
4. Name them, e.g. The Economy, The Culture,
The Money Makers, Whatitsallabout, …
5. Study the causal connections between the
model components. Ask yourself, how strong is
the effect of a change in one category on
another, e.g. if The Economy changes will it
have no/small/medium/great influence on The
Government, …
6. Create a graphic representation of the model. It
visualizes the information.
7. Explain the model to an eager audience.

5. Grounded Culture Snapshot
EXAMPLE: Congo 1999
1. Read a lot of country specific information, e.g.
culture, economics, geography, specific FM
issues,…
www.rdcongo.org www.congonline.com
www.congo2000.com CIA factbook 2010
TV5 Africa; New Africa Magazine

6. Grounded Culture Snapshot
Congo 1999
2. Identify several important variables (min 20). These are
the ‘keyholes’ through which you view that country.
The Army, Government (democracy, socialism,…), IMF,
Worldbank, Political stability, Military conflicts, Regional
cooperation, Labor unions, Business clubs, Currency,
Monetary policy, Fiscal policy, Infrastructure, Religion,
Technology, Traditional society, Media, Climate,
Geography, Population distribution, Language,
Urbanization, Legal system, Culture, NGO; USA,
Belgium, France, Urbanization, Income & wage, Natural
resources, ONU, Power distance, Men-women, R&D,
Investment rate, Crime rate, Organized crime, EU, …

7. Grounded Culture Snapshot
Congo 1999
3. Cluster variables together under a category.
1. natural resources, population distribution, urbanization,
income, monetary & fiscal policy
2. president, army, government, legal system
3. IMF & WB, UNO, USA, Belgium, France
4. Labor unions, Business clubs, Student organisations,
Legal unions, church
5. media, technology, infrastructure
6. language, traditional society & customs, nationalism,
climate, geography
7. political & military stability, cooperation, democracy
level

8. Grounded Culture Snapshot
Congo 1999
4. Give it an appropriate category name
1. The Economy
2. The Regime
3. International policy
4. NGO
5. Communication
6. The Culture
7. Regional policy

9. Grounded Culture Snapshot
Congo 1999
5. Study the casual connections between
the model components. Ask yourself, what
is the effect of a change in one category
on another, e.g. if The Economy changes
than it will have great influence on The
Government, …

11. Grounded Culture Snapshot
Congo 1999
6. Create a graphic representation of the
dynamic model.
7. Explain the model to an eager audience.

13. Grounded Culture Snapshot
Other examples:
Poland 1999, France 1999