CULTURE Culture is to organisations, groups or population segments, as personality is to an individual. The culture of a group is a set of commonly held beliefs and values ref1ected in fairly predictable behaviour patterns. Some aspects of culture are universal e.g., the mother's love for her child. Others are specific to groups or nations e.g., German thoroughness, Japanese self-effacement.We absorb the culture in which we grow up and it is part of our sub- conscious. It is important to recognise what arises from our cultural roots not only to understand ourselves but how other cultures have developed individuals with different basic orientations.
Culture at the macro-level has been studied with respect to whole nations. At the micro-level, the culture of organisations can be viewed against certain parameters. We will take a brief look at culture from both levels.
CULTURE OF COUNTRIES For our purpose, we shall look at culture in the work place. Four aspects that aid our analysis are:
Psychological Distance
This is the distance between boss and subordinate in psychological terms. In Indian homes, during the period of large joint families, the children were not allowed to sit with the elders even after they grew up. In paternal style organisations, the employees tend to substitute their bosses for father figures and look up to them for guidance, correction, benevolence and even punishment.
In America, the culture is far more informal and it is not unusual for parents to be treated as "buddies". This generates a culture of first- name relationships on the shop-f1oor or in the office.
The effect of this cultural dimension on a management process like performance appraisal or a program like Management By Objectives (MBO) must be appreciated before implementation.When the distance is large, the subordinate will simply agree with whatever the boss says first to get out as fast as possible from what is basically an uncomfortable position. As there is no possibility of a frank exchange of views, the activities would tend to be ineffective.When the distance is smaller, the subordinate feels "close" enough to the boss to open up frankly. He is able to discuss matters objectively, free of tension and negotiate fairly.
Hence, it is important to develop suitable programs to reduce psychological distance so that personnel activities are effective.
Need for Detailed Instructions In our gurukulas of yore, one of the teaching methods was to leave a youngster to fend for himself in the forests and fields for some weeks. He learnt the hard way to survive, as he was thrown on his own resources, developing his own methods.
The American soldier is given detailed training in survival tactics before being abandoned in the jungle for a while. Every soldier is trained meticulously in an identical way.
In the work situation, it will be found that workers in some countries are given very detailed manuals and exact step-by- step instructions, with absolutely no leeway to deviate or opportunity to innovate. This is seen, for example, in Germany.
In other countries, there are only broad guidelines but yet people work comfortably and efficiently due to established mechanisms of inter-dependence e.g., South East Asia.It is obvious that with extremely detailed work instructions the man is only an extension of the machine. Fear of making mistakes is the dominant feeling. However, the comfort that he can never be blamed for end-result failure so long as he did his part correctly is also there.It is not as if the group without written manuals does a sloppy job. On the other hand the pride of craftsmanship coupled with the freedom to work in their own unique ways, can produce outstanding results. The relationship is akin to a family.
The Individual versus The Group In some societies, the worth of an individual is measured in terms of his personal achievements, wealth or position. Status symbols, such as a country house or a yacht, are held in high esteem. His public image is larger than life. The media adds to his stature relentlessly.
Soon he is less human and more of a legend. He may even begin to 'believe that he has superhuman qualities. Such nations are always looking for father figures. A most tragic example was Hitler leading a whole nation to madness.
On the other hand, very few people may have heard who heads the giant Japanese Mitsubishi group of companies. The ancient traditions of the Japanese put the group before the individual. Each person's commitment is for his group's success and not his personal advancement.
Individuals joining groups quickly understand the relative emphasis. In multinational companies or cross-cultural groups, it is necessary to understand and accommodate these differences right at the early stage of development planning.
Masculinity and Femininity
These terms are not used here in reference to sex, but to describe certain qualities.
Masculinity has to do with the urge to get things done, a high degree of objectivity, reasoning things out, working out solutions, using proven methods and adherence to rules & principles.
Femininity puts the priority on getting along with people, concern for the feelings of others, trusting intuition in problem solving, building a congenial atmosphere first in which people can work constructively.
Every person, man or woman, has both masculinity and femininity in varying proportions. Men have some "feminine" qualities and women have some "masculine" qualities as described earlier.The Japanese approach in spending sufficient time in building group consensus before approaching the task itself has proved very successful in their country. It is interesting to note that even in Japanese companies located in other countries, employees of that nationality have adapted to the Japanese style and succeeded very well.
CULTURE IN COMPANIES
When looking at culture at the micro-level of companies or departments, a slightly different approach is used:
External versus Internal Emphasis
In externally oriented companies, the customer IH nil important and exceptions to rules and procedures may be frequently made to please the customer. Internally oriented companies have very detailed systems and established procedures for changes. There may he may committees and a lot of memos going around. The new employee will need to appreciate while settling in.
Task versus Social Focus
When task is all important. emphasis on productivity, input- output, the end-result.Other companies are more concerned about their" public image, the philosophy being that "Man does not live by bread alone ''. Their social commitment is very high. They also create wealth, but build hospitals and schools too.
Conformity versus Individuality Companies vary in their tolerance of individual differences. To get a new project off the ground in an old established company with several committees and involved procedures, it is necessary to spin- off a small multi-disciplinary group and give them the authority and resources. Soon you will see the creative juices flowing, some breath- taking risks undertaken, with spectacular results.
Ad hoc Approach versus Planning
Some companies give tremendous freedom to their managers with the belief that the man on the job knows best what to do. In other companies, the Planning Department's writ rules supreme. Depending on the industry, it mayor may not be possible to predict future scenarios. Typically, in new industries, it may be necessary to "fly by the seat of your pants" or rely on your instincts.
Safety versus Risk
Conservative companies will stay with established lines of business and proven technologies, satisfied with known, predictable profits. Innovative companies are willing to plunge into new, untried ventures, risking a lot with the possibility of making a lot.