Managers should recognize, of course, that generalizations in cultural profiles will produce only an approximation, or stereotype, of national character. Many countries, in fact, comprise diverse subcultures whose constituents conform only in varying degrees to the national character. In Canada, distinct subcultures include anglophones and francophones (English-speaking and French-speaking people) and indigenous Canadians. The United States, too, has varying subcultures. Americans abroad are almost always dealt with in the context of the stereotypical American, but Americans recognize differences among themselves due to ethnic, geographic, or other subcultural backgrounds. Americans should extend the same insight toward people in other countries and be extremely careful not to overgeneralize or oversimplify. For example, although Americans tend to think of Chinese as homogeneous in their culture, there are in fact considerable differences due to regional diversity-including distinct ethnic groups with their own local customs and a multitude of dialects. A study by Ralston, et al. concluded that, although adherence to traditional Confucian values was common to all regions, there were considerable differences among regions on variables such as individualism and openness to change (with Guangzhou Sand Shanghai ranking the highest on those dimensions, followed by Beijing and Dalian and then Chengdu and Lanzhou). This implies that Chinese in Guangzhou and Shanghai may be somewhat more westernized and more open to doing business with westerners.
Above all, good managers treat people as individuals, and they consciously avoid any form of stereotyping. However, a cultural profile is a good starting point to help managers develop some tentative expectations-some cultural context-as a backdrop to managing in a specific international setting. It is useful, then, to look at what cultural variables have been studied and what implications can be drawn from the results.
Subcultures : Effects of Organizations article from Culture Management Catagory Subcultures
Subcultures Effects of Organizations article from Effects of Organizations Culture Management.Free learning from data about Subcultures Effects of Organizations Culture Management Business Management,online business management,business management classes,online business management degrees