13 things experts say about culture

13 THINGS

EXPERTS SAY ABOUT

CULTUREJeff Taylor

1. POWER DISTANCELevels of inequality in organisations

Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

2. UNCERTAINTY

AVOIDANCESense of threat felt by unusual

situations

Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

3. IndividualismIndividualist vs. Collectivist

Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

4. MasculinityAssertiveness/Competitiveness vs. Caring/Concern

Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

5. Long-term OrientationLong vs. Short term

CRITICAL REFLECTIONHofstede’s work has received both praise and

criticism from both scholars and practitioners. What criticisms, if any, have you regarding his work? What are the conflicting opinions? How is it possible to develop the ideas around this topic?

How relevant are cultural studies today?

Fons Trompenaars’ Cultural Diversity

6. Universalism vs. particularism

(What is more important, rules or

relationships?)

Fons Trompenaars’ Cultural Diversity

7. Individualism vs. collectivism

(Do we function in a group or as

individuals?)

Fons Trompenaars’ Cultural Diversity

8. Neutral vs. emotional

(Do we display our emotions?)

Fons Trompenaars’ Cultural Diversity

9. Specific vs. diffuse (How separate we keep our private and working lives)

Fons Trompenaars’ Cultural Diversity

10. Achievement vs. ascription

(Do we have to prove ourselves to

receive status or is it given to us?)

Fons Trompenaars’ Cultural Diversity

11. Sequential vs. synchronic (Do we do things one at a time or several things at once?)

Fon’s Trompenaars’ Cultural Diversity

12. Internal vs. external control (Do we control our environment or are we controlled by it?)

Keith Grint/George Ritzer: McDonaldization

13.  McDonaldization occurs when 

culture possesses the characteristics of a fast 

food restaurant. 

CRITICAL REFLECTION“The study of organisational behaviour is really

an art that pretends to be a science and produces some spurious research findings in a vain attempt to try to prove the point”

How far do you agree with this statement? Do you think organisational behaviour is too subjective ever to be a science? What is the value in the study of organisational behaviour?

author: Jeff Tayloremail: jeff@jefftaylor.ie

website: www.jefftaylor.ielinkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jeff-taylor/41/993/635contact via email for guest lectures and academic seminars