Cross-Cultural Management and

Competences

LLSMS2065 – April 23, 2024

2 Introduction to CCM

LLSMS2065 – CCM and Competences, D1, S2

CULTURE AND DANCE
And what is the favourite dance move in your culture?
─ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOvmKHtbaUA
 Meanings Cultural 3 Per-
Introduction Exercises Conclusions
of culture dimensions spectives
INTRODUCTION

─ Why Cross-Cultural Management? Why Global leadership?

─ What is culture?
─ How can we describe culture and cultural differences?
─ What are the main cultural dimensions or cultural ‘components’?
─ How can we describe interculturality and cultural synergies?
INTRODUCTION
Claire‘s Experience Moving to Belgium:
When I first moved to Brussels, I remember struggling to adjust to the fact that
people do not talk to each other. In Ireland, we usually chat to each other, even in the
cities, and even if we are complete strangers. I will never forget the day that I was
waiting at the tram stop with one other person a few weeks after arriving in Brussels.
As is usually done in Ireland, I smiled and said hello. The other person looked at me
like I was crazy, and when we got on the tram, they sat as far away from me as
possible! […] My French and Dutch are both now at a good enough level that I can
even understand some jokes, and I enjoy Belgian/Flemish humour. I have also
learned that being invited into the home of a Belgian is one of the highest honours I
could receive! Prof. Dr. Claire Dupont, Ghent University
https://www.ugent.be/eb/publiek-management/en/team/dupont, last accessed 2024, April
INTRODUCTION
Why are CCM and CCC relevant for organisations?

─ Internationalisation/globalisation
─ Global Grand Challenges
─ Digitalisation/virtual work
─ Migration

➔Complexities of international/global leadership challenges

➔Importance for long-term and responsible organisational success
─ …
INTRODUCTION
What is the problem about ignoring/suppressing/neglecting culture?

─ Increase in critical incidents and conflicts

─ Destabilisation or destruction of (business) relationships
─ Loss of opportunities for collaboration and business
─ …
INTRODUCTION
What are solutions?

─ Understanding the impact of culture and interculturality on human behavior

─ Understanding differences is a first step, but insufficient
─ Understanding the importance of how to bridge cultures and create synergies is
necessary
WHAT IS CULTURE? SOME DEFINITIONS…
Culture is a system of collective values and norms which
are learned or internalised – consciously or
unconsciously – by the members of a social group during
enculturisation and socialisation (Stüdlein, 1997)

the human made collective

part of the programming
environment Culture of the mind
(Triandis, 1989) (Hofstede, 1991)

Culture is an orientation system for members of a group, nation,

organisation. Culture influences perception, thinking, values
and behavior of all members of a society
(Thomas, 1996)
WHAT IS CULTURE? CULTURE AS AN ICEBERG (E. SCHEIN)

explicit manners, customs,

language, history
1/9

tacit
Values, vision of
the world,
presumptions,
way of thinking
8/9
WHAT IS CULTURE? LEVELS OF ORG. CULTURE (E. SCHEIN)

https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/5-enduring-management-ideas-mit-sloans-edgar-schein
WHAT IS CULTURE? LEVELS OF ORG. CULTURE (E. SCHEIN)
Artefacts
technology, art, Visible/audible
Communication patterns, manifestations: but often
Behavioural patterns needs to be interpreted

Values and Norms Enduring beliefs:

interdictions, guidelines, partially visible; partially
standards
conscious/unconscious

Fundamental assumptions
worldview about
Reality, time, space, hidden beliefs about
Relationships to the environment, fundamental aspects in life:
Human nature,
Human behaviour Unvisible and unconscious,
Interpersonal relationships but taken for granted

Schein (1992).
WHAT IS CULTURE? CULTURE AS AN ICEBERG (E. SCHEIN)

Edgar Schein (1928-2023).

 WHAT IS CULTURE? CULTURE AS AN ONION (G. HOFSTEDE)
symbols

heroes
Also developed
initially to describe rituals
organizational culture

values

Hofstede (19).
WHAT IS CULTURE? CULTURE AS AN OCEAN (SCHNEIDER ET AL.)

Dynamic view
of culture

Schneider, Stahl & Barsoux (2014).

 PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

Please write down some examples of

Symbols, heroes, rituals, values
from your culture

─ …
─ …
CULTURE AS AN ONION - SYMBOLS
CULTURE AS AN ONION - HEROES
CULTURE AS AN ONION - RITUALS
 CULTURE AS AN ONION - VALUES

Hofstede (1928-2020) and GLOBE; 98 indices in one spreadsheet: https://harzing.com/download/hgindices.xls

.
 CULTURE AS AN ONION - VALUES

See also: https://geerthofstede.com/culture-geert-hofstede-gert-jan-hofstede/6d-model-of-national-culture/.

CULTURAL COMPONENT: LANGUAGE

Athanasopoulos – Lost in Translation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_NR4-
hcUNM&vl=en
CULTURAL COMPONENT: LANGUAGE

Athanasopoulos – Lost in Translation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_NR4-
hcUNM&vl=en
 1. Language

• Vocabulary: adapted to natural environment

• Structure: adapted to social environment

 1. Language

Formal vs informal business cultures

• Status difference • Status equality
• Showing respect: titles,
dress code
• Customer is king (god in
Japan)
• Hierarchies, power,
respect
 1. Language

Status
• Age
• Gender
• Organisational rank
• Buyer or seller
• Family background
• Level of education
• Knowledge of ‘high culture’
 1. Language

Is there link between language and culture?

‘The diversity of languages is not a diversity

of signs and sounds but a diversity of views
of the world’ (Wilhelm von Humboldt, 1836)
1. Language
 1. Language

Our mother tongue does indeed affect how we think and, just as
important, how we perceive the world.
weaker version of linguistic relativity: for colour terms, spatial relation and
grammatical gender.

Guy Deutscher, Through the Language Glass, How Words colour your
World (2010)
 Meanings of marriage

USA Japan France

Love
Understanding
Partnership
Trust
Respect
 Meanings of marriage

USA Japan France

Love Trust
Understanding Compromise
Partnership Restrictions
Trust Obligations
Respect The end of life
 Meanings of marriage

USA Japan France

Love Trust Love
Understanding Compromise Passion
Partnership Restrictions Fulfilment
Trust Obligations Sexuality
Respect The end of life Reciprocity
 2. Time: How do people see time?

• Monochrony vs polychrony

• Past, present, future

• Short and long term orientation


• Polychronic/-y
– simultaneous activities
– circular
– renewable
– relationships
– interruptions
– exchanging
– punctuality relative
– lack of patience
2. Time
• Monochronic/-y
– one thing at the time
linear use
– scarce resource
– programme, ‘ money ’
– do not disturb
– property defined
– punctuality extreme
– slow, systematic
 2. Time

• Polychronic • Monochronic
– Mediterranean countries – German speaking countries
– Latin countries – Scandinavian countries
– Arab countries – Anglo-Saxon countries
 3. Space

• Close your eyes

– Imagine that you are in a room with other people
– How much space do you wish to have around you?
– What happens if someone ‘intrudes’ that space?
 3. Space

• Territoriality
– attachment
– private / public sphere
• Proxemics
– personal bio-sphere
• Space as a symbol of power
 3. Space

Derek Sievers. Japanese Adresses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1zh49J5rsg

3. Space
3. Space
3. Space
3. Space
3. Space
 Public private space

public
public

private private
 The language of business

• Formal vs informal
• Direct vs indirect communication
• Nonverbal behaviour
 4. Context of Communication

• High context, • Low context,

implicit cultures explicit cultures
– information interiorised – information explicit
– nonverbal cues – words, specific
– intuition – logic
– silence
– language, precision
– ambiguity
– transparency
– indirect
– oral – direct
– written
 High / Low Context Communications

HIGH-CONTEXT:
“Yes” means “yes,”“maybe,”“I see,”“No”…

LOW-CONTEXT:
“Yes” means “yes”
 Implicit - Explicit

Countries High context, Low context,

implicit explicit
cultures cultures
German speaking ****
Scandinavian ****
United States ***
France * *
England **
Middle East ***
China ***
Japan ****
 Direct vs indirect language

• Harmony and face • Clarity

– interpersonal relations – say what they mean
– avoid embarassing, – mean what they say
offending
– careful and indirect – frank and direct
– high context – low context
• ‘the inscrutable Oriental ’
– hide negative emotions
 Nonverbal communication

• Proxemics: use of space

• Chronemics: use of time
• Kinesics: body movements
– facial expressions
– gestures
– posture
 Nonverbal behaviour

• Verbal communication: words and meaning

• Paraverbal: volume, tone, silence, overlap
• Nonverbal communication: body language
 Body Language
Bill Gates and South-Korean Prime Minister
 Expressive vs reserved cultures

• Expressive • Reserved
– loud – soft spoken
– facial expression – smile
– hand gestures – minute gestures
 Remarks

• Values are not universal

• National cultural values persist
• Local values determine the interpretation
• No use trying to impose norms
• Cultural dimensions are tools for a working hypothesis
 What to pay attention to

• Observe the body language. Particular gestures/ practices? How

excactly? Space between people?

• Pay attention to what is said (and how) and what is not said

• Observe the context: Gender, formal/informal situations

• Prepare yourself for important events/trips: The visitor has to respect

local customs.

62
 Cross-cultural competence

It is by being aware of these dimensions that we can

develop culture general sensitivity, and a framework for
preparing to deal with cross cultural encounters
 Rules of International Business

• In International Business, the seller is expected to adapt to the buyer

• In International Business, the visitor is expected to observe local

customs
 Questions for review

1. Would you say that your culture tends to be more monochronic or

more polychronic? Explain.
2. Illustrate how implicit or explicit your culture is.
3. What non verbal behaviour would be considered as ‘not done’ (rude) in
your culture?
4. How do you express anger in your culture?
5. Give one or two typical expressions that reflect your culture.
 Ex. 1

Interview
 Ex. 2

Culture and
Collaboration
 PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

What were the greatest challenges that you experienced living in another
culture or interacting with people from another culture?
How did you cope with the situation?

Your answers:
─ …
─ …
 Ex. 3

Do not talk!
EXERCISE
Do NOT talk

─ You will receive a small piece of paper.

─ Please stop talking and do exactly what is written on this paper.
 Guest Speaker 23/04/2024

Ludivine Buchon
(BellaVie, IB Alumni,
IB Board member)

71
THREE CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES
─ Sit in your group and prepare a 5 min. presentation about one of the approaches
from the book.
─ Teams A, D, G: positivist
─ Teams B, E, H: interpretive
─ Teams C, F, I/J: critical
─ You have 30 Minutes to read and prepare the presentation (share the work!).
Discuss in your groups how you understand your cultural perspective and how
you are going to explain it clearly to the other groups.
─ If you want, you can prepare a PPT.
─ Team K: Please develop an evaluation sheet about the presentation and evaluate
the presentations.
─ E-mail me your presentations and evaluations: ina.aust@uclouvain.be
 Thank you

Your questions?
RESOURCES
Further Resources and Websites on Harzing.com such as…
─ Hofstede and GLOBE cultural dimensions: You can download and xls
Spreadsheet here: https://harzing.com/resources
─ Geert Hofstede http://www.geerthofstede.com/
─ Trompenaars Hampden-Turner http://ridingthewavesofculture.com/
─ World Factbook http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
─ World Values Survey http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/
─ Ethnologue: Languages of the World http://www.ethnologue.com
─ International Business Resources on the WWW
http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/ibrd.asp
─ https://harzing.com/resources/external/international-business
PREPARING FOR 24/04
─ Upload 1 page-ppt of your team by 8am on Moodle (to be presented tomorrow)
─ Read documents (Day 1 and Day 2), especially important is Romani et al. (2024)
─ Fill in the questionnaires and take notes about your cross-cultural knowledge,
skills and leadership competencies
Self-Assessment 1