More specific look at how business processes are culturally constructed.

1. LAZ B2 Language and Culture for Business Module I The Culture of Business Processes Prof. Peter Cullen 2009

7. Periodisation and cultural learning Periodisation is a cultural production – usually post facto Periodisation in North America: Mesopotamia Renaissance Egypt Early Modern Greece Reformation/C Reformation Rome Industrial Revolution “ Dark Ages” “Modern” Middle Ages Post modern Generational

8. Questions of Periodisation Periodisation is a function of cultural understanding of significance in history. What does “antiquity” mean? What does the “renaissance” mean? What does “modern” mean? Are these useful terms? Why? Periodisation is tied to concepts of “civilisation”

9. 1900 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 2000 08 industrial growth demographic growth G1 G4 G3 G2 generational time-line Rep. presidency Dem. presidency Multi-variate change

12. Leading people In human and animal societies and communities, certain individuals or limited groups act to organise and regulate the behaviour of other group members. Conflict resolution was the prime motivator of the early functionality of leadership in human communities. It created a need for authority . This differentiation significantly changed the way primates view their cultural field , creating a culture of norms, rules and laws .

14. Language and culture The language process uses a code to communicate a message from a producer to a receiver – but: Each variable depends on its relationship to the other variables for understanding to happen. Culture operates with a similar series of feedback loops. (i.e. Bourdieu) Producer code message communication receiver understanding MEMORY Feedback loop at each stage

15. Authority and culture Authority accesses cultural feedback loops at different places for different purposes. Authority may be concentrated or distributed . Concentrated to distributed authority. Dictatorship Absolute monarchy Oligarchy Parliamentary monarchy Republican democracy Cooperatives or communes

16. Authority and culture Concentrated authority creates and imposes message, enforcing rigid interpretation of code . Why? Distributed authority creates message through active consensus, seeking legitimacy of both message and code through social accord . Why? Authority = responsibilty

17. What is the role of culture in the economy? Concepts : Production cost exchange Distribution price trade/exchange Consumption return value All of these concepts involve learning feedback loops. Some of them directly involve a relationship to the physical world . Some of them are abstractions created for the purpose of understanding the physical world.

18. What is the role of culture in the economy? The concepts and actions that we define as “ economic ” are bound by culture . What are some concepts of “economy” and “business”?

19. What is the role of culture in the economy? Value : The establishment of value is abstract, fluxuating, and dependent on the cultural feedback loop. It combines primary necessity with utility (abstract) Today, we use money to establish value. Luca Fantacci – money is: a means of exchange a measure of value a reserve of value All dependent on the cultural feedback loop.

20. What is the role of culture in the economy? “ Time is money ” – an American concept This is not true in real terms, but the metaphor guides American business practices. Can American concepts of time, expressed and learned in their business practices, be applied in other parts of the world – such as Italy? Why? Why not? How? i.e - business quarters, cost accounting, mark to market, business planning, etc., etc., etc. Why is this an important question for Italians?

21. What is the role of culture in the economy? Answers to these questions are fundamental to success in global business and teamwork. Finding functional answers requires cultural contextualisations of relationships. contractual, informal, communications consumption, service, production... History can help find explanations of culturally specific behaviour in different regions. i.e. America is not Italy – why?

22. What is the role of diversity in culturally diverse teams? Teamwork in the global arena requires RESPECT for diversity. Diversity of approach to authority, time, value, labour Respect = listen identify message contextualise meaning TOWARD team functionality establish message in team context (NOT easy!) Diversity produces strong teams since cultural and linguistic feedback loops with in the group are consciousely evaluated more often. This takes a lot of work! BE patient! Fewer cultural assumptions = stronger emphasis on current group identity . Functionality = identity-building opportunity.

23. Food for thought Businesses are culturally formed identity systems . NO single business system is the right one for everyone. Successful GLOBAL business respects identities in transit between local, regional and global arenas. Global business is in a push/pull relationship with global teamwork opportunities. Business benefits from learning about multiple existing socio-cultural and economic systems in order to build effective NEW interactional business contexts = better teamwork  better global business!

29. Planning tools: Gantt graphs processes in order schedule