1. Workshop 1: Cultural Competence
Pieter van Nispen
Remco van Bebberen
Aschaffenburg, April 9th, 2019

2. Objectives and Overview
▼ Objectives
▽ Introduction on the concept and definition of culture
▽ Learning the basic knowledge of different theories on cultures
▽ Basic understanding in national cultures (countries) and organisational cultures.
▼ Overview
▽ International context
▽ Definitions and concepts of culture
▽ Culture and groups: national culture, organisational culture, individual
▽ Dealing with cultural differences
▽ Culture and leadership

3. Words
▼ Managing and Leading in Different Cultures
▼ Managing and Leading across Cultures
▼ Leadership and Management across Cultures
▼ Competence
▼ Intercultural
▼ Cross-cultural
▼ Transcultural

4. International Context
▼ Can a manager decide (on his / her own) to do business internationally?
▼ No, because …
▼ the world is organised in ± 200 sovereign states, implying ...
▼ that they have to give permission.
In addition
▼ States work together through representation, treaties, international organisations.
▼ International organisations may have authority over business
▼ A state is not a country or a nation.

5. Culture: Definition and Concept
▼ Culture is an institution.
▼ Institution: a way of thinking acting and
feeling …
▽ of a group of people ...
▽ at a given time and place
C
values &
beliefs
thinking
& feeling
time
environment
group
behaviour
On all four levels:
• search for identity
• uncertainty avoidance

6. Mind-map of Culture

7. MM - Research

8. MM – Definitions and Concepts

9. MM – Aspects

10. MM – People

11. MM – Impact

12. MM – Dealing with Differences

13. Groups; National Level
Solomon and Schell
▼ Egalitarianism – hierarchy
▼ Group focus: individual – group
▼ Relationships: transactional – interpersonal
▼ Communication styles: direct – indirect
▼ Time orientation: low – high
▼ Change averse - change tolerant
▼ Motivation/Work-Life Balance: balance – status
▼ Questionnaire

14. Scores
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Balance Status
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Change Averse Change Tolerant
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Low High
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Direct Indirect
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Transactional Interpersonal
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Individual Group
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Egalitarianism Hierarchy

15. Countries
Argentina France Netherlands Spain
Australia Germany New Zealand Sweden
Austria Greece Norway Switzerland
Belgium Hong Kong Pakistan Taiwan
Brazil India Philippines Thailand
Brunei Indonesia Poland Turkey
Canada Iran Portugal Ukraine
Chile Ireland Qatar United Arab
China Israel Romania Emirates
Czech Republic Italy Russia United Kingdom
Denmark Japan Saudi Arabia United States
Egypt Malaysia Singapore Vietnam
Finland Mexico South Korea

16. Egalitarian/Hierarchical
▼ Hierarchy/egalitarianism is the way individuals view authority and power (deference to
people in authority).
▽ whether people are entitled to express themselves
▽ how empowered people feel to make independent decisions and take the
initiative
▽ Are people in authority better or have they earned that status by merit, and is it
open to other with the same degree of effort?
▼ Hierarchy/egalitarianism refers to
▽ how people view their relationship to people in power
▽ how casually or formally people relate one another
▽ whether a culture believes all people are created equal
▽ how much social mobility exists
▽ who is responsible for decision making
▽ the degree of authority and personal initiative people feel they have

17. Egalitarian/Hierarchical
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Egalitarianism Hierarchy
Austria Brazil
China Chile
Czech
Republic
Egypt
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
Argentina Italy Brunei
Belgium Mexico India
France Philippines Indonesia
Ireland Portugal Iran
Poland Romania Japan
Australia Qatar Singapore Malaysia
Canada Finland Russia Spain Pakistan
Denmark Norway Switzerland Taiwan Saudi Arabia
Israel Sweden Ukraine Thailand South Korea
Netherlands United United Turkey United Arab
New Zealand States Kingdom Vietnam Emirates

18. Group Focus
▼ Group focus describes whether people identify themselves as part of a group or by
their individual responsibility and whether work would be a collective output or a series
of individual contributions.
▼ Group focus refers to
▽ the importance of the group in relation to the individual
▽ whether people want to be distinguished from the group or considered part of a
particular group
▽ the idea that group harmony is necessary to achieve business goals
▽ the importance of living and working together in harmony

19. Group Focus
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Individual Group
Argentina
Chile Austria
France Brazil
Germany China
Hong Kong Egypt
India Greece
Iran Italy
Australia Ireland Mexico
Belgium Israel Pakistan
Czech Portugal Philippines
Republic Romania Saudi Arabia Brunei
Denmark Russia Singapore Indonesia
Finland Spain Taiwan Japan
Netherlands Sweden Thailand Malaysia
Canada Norway Ukraine Turkey Qatar
New Zealand Poland United United Arab South Korea
United States Switzerland Kingdom Emirates Vietnam

20. Relationships
▼ The relationships dimension describes the importance a society ascribes to building
extensive connections and developing trust and how central relationships are as a
prerequisite to working with someone.
▼ Relationships refer to
▽ the importance of developing a personal relationship before conducting business
▽ the implied expectations and obligations of a relationship
▽ whether trust is assumed or earned
▽ whether rules are interpreted equally or there are special conditions for friends
▽ the value of connections

21. Relationships
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Transactional Interpersonal
Argentina Brazil
Brunei Chile
Egypt
France
Greece
India
Indonesia
Italy
Australia Japan
Czech Austria Malaysia
Republic Belgium Mexico
Denmark Germany Pakistan
Finland Hong Kong Philippines
Netherlands Ireland Portugal
Norway Israel Qatar China
Poland New Zealand Singapore Iran
Romania Ukraine Spain Saudi Arabia
Russia United Taiwan South Korea
Canada Sweden Kingdom Thailand United Arab
United States Switzerland Vietnam Turkey Emirates

22. Communication Styles
Communication styles refer to
▼ the ways societies use language, both verbal and non-verbal
▼ the amount of information people need to receive or share in order to
understand a message. Is it brief and task-relevant, or does it include
background information as well?
▼ the directness or subtleness of the language people use
▼ the way people use words or gestures to express feeling or moods
▼ the importance of harmony and saving face

23. Communication Styles
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Direct Indirect
Argentina
Brazil China
Chile Egypt
Czech Greece
Republic Hong Kong
Finland Iran
France Italy
Ireland Mexico
Poland Qatar
Portugal Saudi Arabia
Denmark Romania Singapore Brunei
Germany Australia Russia South Korea India
Israel Austria Spain Taiwan Indonesia
Netherlands Belgium Ukraine Thailand Japan
Norway Canada United Turkey Malaysia
Sweden New Zealand Kingdom United Arab Pakistan
Switzerland United States Vietnam Emirates Philippines

24. Time Orientation
▼ Time orientation is the degree to which people believe they can control time
and whether schedules or people are more important. It affects time
management, long- and short-term planning, schedules, and adherence to
agendas and deadlines.
▼ Time orientation refers to
▽ the amount of control people feel they have over time. Do you control time,
or is it out of your control?
▽ the importance society places on relationships versus keeping schedules
▽ attitude toward timekeeping and punctuality
▽ comfort level with short-range versus longer-term planning
▽ the appropriateness of assigning set times for social functions or business
meeting to start and finish

25. Time Orientation
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Low High
Argentina
Brazil China
Brunei Czech
Chile Republic Australia
Egypt France Austria
Greece Ireland Belgium
India Italy Canada
Indonesia New Zealand Finland
Iran Norway Hong Kong
Malaysia Poland Israel
Mexico Romania Japan
Saudi Arabia Pakistan Russia Netherlands
Spain Philippines Singapore South Korea Denmark
Thailand Portugal Taiwan Sweden Germany
United Arab Qatar Turkey United Switzerland
Emirates Vietnam Ukraine Kingdom United States

26. Change Tolerance
▼ Change tolerance refers to the perception of how much control we believe
we have our lives and destinies (is our life determined by us or by external
forces?) and our comfort level with change, innovation, and risk taking. Do
we see change as bringing opportunities or as threats to be avoided?
▼ Change tolerance refers to
▽ openness to change and innovation
▽ willingness to take risks
▽ if people feel they control their destiny or if their environment controls them
▽ preference for rules and structure
▽ how the organization encourages and rewards initiative and deals with
failure

27. Change Tolerance
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Change Averse Change Tolerant
Argentina Austria
Belgium Brazil
China Denmark
Finland France
Germany Greece
India Ireland
Italy Malaysia
Brunei Pakistan
Chile Poland
Czech Portugal
Republic Qatar
Egypt Romania Hong Kong
Indonesia South Korea Israel
Mexico Spain Japan
Philippines Sweden Netherlands
Russia Switzerland New Zealand
Thailand Taiwan Norway
United Arab Turkey Singapore
Saudi Arabia Emirates Ukraine United Australia
Iran Vietnam United States Kingdom Canada

28. Motivation/Work-Life Balance
▼ Motivation/work-life balance describes the emphasis that people in a society
place on achievement and status by hard work, versus the focus on personal
time and activities.
▼ Motivation/work-life balance refers to
▽ how people identify the ways they gain status, whether through
achievement or personal life; how people define their status in society,
whether from personal life or work achievements
▽ how one’s work influences one’s self-image and self-perception
▽ motivation for success: why people work and what I means
▽ how much work-life balance is values
▽ which is more motivating: time off or a promotionthe presence or
absence of laws and policies promoting family benefits
▽ what constitutes status

29. Motivation/Work-Life Balance
5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25
Balance Status
Brazil Brunei
Chile Czech Rep
Egypt Denmark
France Finland
Germany Ireland
Greece Israel
India Italy
Indonesia Netherlands
Iran Pakistan
Malaysia Philippines
Mexico Poland
New Zealand Romania
Portugal Russia Australia
Qatar Sweden Canada
Norway Spain Ukraine Hong Kong
Saudi Arabia Switzerland United Singapore China
United Arab Thailand Kingdom South Korea Japan
Emirates Turkey Vietnam Taiwan United States

30. Groups; Organisations
▼ Definition: the way of thinking, acting and feeling of the people working for that
organisation
▼ Influence from national cultures, suppliers, customers and more
▼ Problems in international context; e.g. daughter company
▼ Hard to measure
▽ USA versus Europe – values versus practices
▽ European research: Hofstede, Dreimüller

31. Dreimüller; 4ling®
internal
primary
external
internal
proces
external
control
proces
change
control
support
change
means
task oriented
make
society
task culture aim culture
team culture process culture

32. Task Culture
▼ core: activities
▼ approach: the method, the objective
becomes clear while doing the job
▼ systems: adapting rules and
procedures
▼ allows making mistakes
▼ staff: curious, innovative
▼ organisation: initiative, freedom,
egalitarian, informal
▼ communication: open
▼ success: new products
▼ management style: innovator, mediator,
taking risk
▼ key: creativity, improvisation, future
directed
▼ examples: R&D departments,
advertising agencies, investment
companies
▼ danger: pursuing a hobby

33. Aim Culture
▼ core: results
▼ approach: use people effectively
▼ systems: rules and procedures
depending on objective
▼ failures do not exist
▼ staff: obedient, carry out instructions
▼ organisation: logical whole on basis of
power
▼ communication: one-way traffic
▼ success: market share
▼ management style: producer and
manager
▼ key: position, winning, effective
▼ examples: police stations, marketing
departments, operation theatres
▼ danger: compartmentalization

34. Team Culture
▼ core: adaptation
▼ approach: work tuned to employee
▼ systems: broad interpretation of rules
and procedures
▼ mistakes: improved, not punished
▼ staff: not controlled
▼ organisation: security and consensus
▼ communication: negotiations
▼ success: care for people
▼ management style: mentor and
stimulator
▼ key: teamwork, trust, loyality,
preventing conflicts, the human being
▼ examples: retail trade, group practices
▼ danger: anarchy

35. Process Culture
▼ core: systems, rules and procedures
▼ approach: formalised realisation of
objectives
▼ systems: optimizing rules and
procedures
▼ preventing structural mistakes
▼ staff: controlled
▼ organisation: impersonal, no individual
freedom, controls, provides security
▼ communication: set down
responsibilities, measuring and
documentation
▼ success: routine
▼ management style: controller and
coordinator
▼ key: process, ratio, plans
▼ examples: insurance companies,
government
▼ danger: bureaucracy

36. Dreimüller; Example
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
TEAM
TASK
AIM
PROCESS
Present culture
Desired culture

37. Hofstede’s Model; Dimension 1 and 2
Effectiveness
▼ Means oriented
▽ ways of doing things
▽ how
▼ Goal oriented
▽ realising goals
▽ what
Customer oriented
▼ Internal focus
▽ honesty
▽ knowing what is best for the
customer
▼ External focus
▽ do what the client wants
▽ results
▽ pragmatic

38. Dimension 3 and 4
Control
▼ Loose working discipline
▽ loose structure
▽ low predictability
▽ limited control and discipline
▽ lots of improvisation
▼ Tight working discipline
▽ the opposite
Social control
▼ Local
▽ short term
▽ internally oriented
▽ strong social control
▼ Professional culture
▽ the opposite

39. Dimension 5 and 6
Attitude towards outsiders
▼ Open system
▽ outsiders welcome
▽ everybody fits in
▼ Closed system
▽ the opposite
Management philosophy
▼ Focus on people
▽ taking the personal problems of staff
into account
▼ Focus on work
▽ putting much pressure on people to
deliver their work in time

40. Dimension 7 and 8
Leadership
▼ Autocratic
▼ Paternalistic
▼ Consultative
▼ Democratic
Identification with the organisation
▼ Degree of feeling fitting in in the
organisation

41. colour
Groups; Individual Culture
Hoffman
sports
profession
sex
religion
family
parenthood
sexual
preference
education
political
preference
socio-economic
status
age
physical
mental
vitality
ethnicity
national
organisation
team
individual

42. Dealing with Cultural Differences
Cultural Competence
Skills
Attitudes
Knowledge

43. Golden Rules
▼ Respect, politeness
▼ Mentality, background, development
▼ Give time, opening
▼ Question yourself, never be satisfied about yourself
▼ Transfer of information: form and content, interactive, variation
▼ Language!
▼ Jokes: yes and no
▼ Know your own culture
▼ Sensitivity for status
▼ Collectivism versus own responsibility
▼ Obedience versus initiative
… and ultimately your own list!

44. Bridging Differences

45. Culture and Leadership
▼ GLOBE: Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness; builds
(originally) on Hofstede; www.globeproject.com
▼ Studt 2004: country visualisations
▼ CEO study 2014; over 1,000 firms in 24 countries
▽ How does national culture influence the kinds of leadership behaviors expected in a
society?
▽ What CEO behaviors generally lead to success?
▽ What are some distinctions between the high-performing CEOs (i.e., superior), and
underperforming CEOs (i.e., inferior)?
▽ How important is it that CEO leadership behaviors match the leadership
expectations within a society?

46. Finding National Culture
NB no direct link between national culture and CEO behavior

47. Finding Behaviour and Success
▼ Six global leadership behaviors
▽ Charismatic leadership behavior most impactful leadership behavior (both TMT
Dedication and Firm Performance); all six of the primary dimensions of Charismatic
leadership are important
▽ CEO Team-Oriented behavior
▽ Humane-Oriented leadership
▽ Participative leadership is moderately related to TMT Dedication but not Firm
Performance
▽ Autonomous and Self-Protective leadership are generally ineffective.
▽ Administrative competence also proved to be quite significant in impacting both
TMT Dedication and Firm Performance

48. Finding CEO Performance
Part of chart; dark blue: superior CEOs, light blue inferior

49. Finding Leadership and Society
▼ The “fit” (or match) between the CEOs behavior and the leadership expectations within
a society predicts the level of TMT Dedication and Firm Competitive Performance.
Better fit with expectations gives the CEO better results in terms of the TMT
Dedication and Firm Performance.
▼ In addition, GLOBE findings speak to leadership effectiveness in terms of leaders
matching, failing to match, or exceeding societal expectations. Superior CEOs exceed
their societies’ expectations … also exceed their societies’ expectations regarding
administrative competence
▼ CEOs who lead extremely dedicated TMTs and extremely competitive firms are
substantially more visionary, performance oriented and administratively competent
than expected by their societies.

50. MM - Research

51. MM - Research
▼ Culture affects everyone (part of culture)
▼ Stereotypes cannot be avoided
▼ Stress commonalities for staff and stakeholders but spot the differences that may
benefit the performance

52. MM – Definitions and Concepts

53. MM – Definitions and Concepts
▼ An understanding of culture
▽ one definition
▽ one concept
▼ Awareness of basic perceptions, stressing communicative moral universalism and
avoiding monism and relativism
▼ Need for cultural competence for everyone (in different degrees)

54. MM – Aspects

55. MM – Aspects
▼ Values versus practices (in organisational culture)
▼ Working with or against nature (e.g. pollution, climate change, energy)
▼ Focus on task or person (national and organisational culture)
▼ Degree of showing emotions – business like versus human scale
▼ Degree of following rules and taking circumstances into consideration
▼ Stressing appropriate symbols and heroes
▼ (In)formal power, soft controls, positive management
▼ Functional versus social hierarchy (positions, job titles); egalitarianism
▼ Work-life balance: relates to involvement with company
▼ Change tolerance (in itself and over time)
▼ Gender (role patterns): playing up and suppression

56. MM – People

57. MM – Dealing with Differences
▼ Body language: kinesics (greetings, gestures, facial expressions), touching, clothing
and physical appearance
▼ Tone of voice; pitch!
▼ Direct and indirect communication
▼ High and low context
▼ Attitudes
▼ Adaptation

58. MM – People
▼ Organisational culture
▼ Teams
▼ Individual and group (the relation as such)
▼ Identity

59. MM – Impact

60. MM – Impact
▼ Functioning in multicultural society
▼ Globalisation and its impact
▼ Transformation in Central and Eastern Europe
▼ Effects of organisation of society
▼ Time (from appointments to long-term vision)
▼ Media relations
▼ Accommodation of religion; e.g. prayer times, ceremonies, key days
▼ Habits and traditions
▼ Geographical background

61. MM – Dealing with Differences