2 discussion post responses

Values and ethics that a person has, that start taking shape in early childhood, are beliefs of what is important, what is beneficial or what is harmful (Rose, Carausu, Crone, & Sengupta, 2014).  An organization, while an entity and not a person, cannot exist without the people that represent it; it is through this that we can view an organization’s sense of values and ethics.  These values and ethics that are adopted by an organization become their culture (Rose et al., 2014). 

            Geert Hofstede created a study of cultural consequences which has become one of the most influential works regarding cross cultural management (Fang, 2003).  In his studies, Hofstede defined four ways that cultures differ throughout the globe (Fang, 2003).  These for dimensions are: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism, and masculinity (Fang, 2003).  These differences are very important to understand in today’s global business world.  For example, if a company in the United States were to reach out to a counterpart in China, for example, and tried to put together a deal that would benefit the CEO’s individually, more than the business, the American worker would find their request denied and perhaps a word from the Chinese business canceling business deals going forward.  This is an example of cultural differences that Hofstede discussed (Watling, Driessen, van der Vleuten, Vanstone, & Lingard, 2013).  China is a country that believes in putting the good of the group in front of the good of the individual because of the cultural aspect of the individual dimension (Watling et al., 2013). 

References

Fang, T. (2003). A critique of Hofstede's fifth national culture dimension.  International Journal of Cross Cultural Management: CCM, 3(3), 347-368. Retrieved from https://saintleo.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.saintleo.idm.oclc.org/docview/221217275?accountid=4870