Fons Trompenaar also researched value dimensions; his work was spread over a ten-year period, with 15,000 managers from 28 countries, representing 47 national cultures.29 Some of those dimensions which we are not discussing elsewhere and which affect daily business activities are shown in Exhibit 3-5, along with the descriptions and the placement of nine of the countries in approximate relative order. If we view the placement of these countries along a range from personal to societal, based on each dimension, some interesting patterns emerge.3 One can see from the exhibit that the same countries tend to be at similar positions on all dimensions, with the exception of the emotional orientation.
Looking at Trompenaar's dimension of universalism versus particularism:
the Universalistic approach applies rules and systems objectively, without consideration for individual circumstances; whereas the particularistic approach-more common in Asia and in Spain, for example-puts the obligation toward relationships first and is more subjective. Trompenaars found, for example, that peoplejn particularistic societies are more likely to pass on insider information to a friend than those in universalistic societies.
In the neutral versus affective dimension, the focus is on the emotional orientation of relationships. The Italians, Mexicans, Chinese, for example, would openly express emotions even in a business situation, whereas the British and Japanese would consider such displays unprofessional; they, in turn would be regarded as hard to read.
As far as involvement in relationships goes, people tend to be either specific or diffuse (or somewhere along that dimension). Managers in specific- oriented cultures-the United States, U.K., France-separate work and personal issues and relationships; they compartmentalize their work and private
- lives, and they are more open and direct. In diffuse-oriented cultures-Sweden, China-there is spill-over from the work into the personal relationships and vice-versa.
The achievement versus ascription dimension, the question is what is the
source of power and status in society. In an achievement society the source of status and influence is based on individual achievement-how well one performs the job and what level of education and experience one has to offer. Therefore, women, minorities, and young people usually have equal opportunity to attain position based on their achievements. In an ascription-oriented society, people ascribe status on the basis of class, age, gender, and so on; one is more likely to be born into a position of influence. Hiring in Indonesia, for example, is more likely to be based on who you are than hiring for a position in Germany or Australia.
It is clear, then, that a lot of what goes on at work can be explained by differences in people's innate value systems, as described by Hofstede and Trompenaars, based on their research. Awareness of such differences and how they influence work behavior can be very useful to you as a future international manager.
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