Developing Cross-Cultural Capability
Developing Cross-cultural Capability
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
Research Question
Literature Review and Discussion
Edward T. Halls Three Dimensions
Geert Hofstedes Five Dimensions
Fons Trompenaars and Hampden-Turners Seven Dimensions
Analysis and Key Findings
Characteristics of These Cultures
Key Findings
Recommendations
Conclusion
References
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A high-tech company, in the business of innovative solar technology solutions, is in the process of developing a new solar panel. The company is based in United Kingdom (head office) and the engineers at head office will be working closely with their Indian and Chinese colleagues because of their high and tested technical skills.
Cultural differences need to be taken care of efficiently to get the desirable results within given deadlines and without compromising the quality of project. British are culturally very different from Indians and Chinese. However, the latter two share most of the culture dimensions. We need to arrive at a conclusion that is a Win-Win solution for engineers from all the three countries.
These differences are identified in this report for analyzing the issues that may arise during cross-cultural team work and furthermore solutions suggested to avoid confusions and conflicts.
INTRODUCTION
Culture is defined, according to Hofstede (1980:25) as ‘the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one human group from another (Browaeys & Price, 2008).
Culture is also defined as a body of behaviour, set of beliefs and traditions followed by people and transferred to the new entrants in society (Mead, 2005).
I understand culture as a set of acts or practices followed by a group of people. So any group of people sharing similar practices may be termed as from same culture, like doctors, accountants, artists etc. The concept of culture has spread from geographical level to organizational level.
Every culture has three layers which are as follows:
the first or outer layer which is the behavioral or explicit level,