Cross-cultural Differences and Similarities

Parochialism and Simplification

1 globalization co-operation 2 MNC (Multinational Company 跨国公司 ) :often locate in the developed country ; 3 many international managers believe that their state-of-art knowledge is more than adequate to handle the challenges of doing business in the less developed country.

Because of their education\belief\experience \the extent of self confidence and so on, they will drift( 倾向，趋势） toward parochialism and simplification. Parochialism ： the tendency to view the world through one’s own eyes

and perspectives. for example: 韩国料理店：经营各种特色的食物；东北盖浇饭：生意火爆

韩店认为应增加盖浇饭，并付出行动（他们认为自己增加盖浇饭也 会赚，而并没有，可能没有，进行具体的分析） 只看到别人的成功却看不到别人的艰难，便盲目跟随 Advantage : absorb other’s priori , broaden the road to succeed

disadvantage :lose their own character and cut down the position in the customer’s heart

Simplification: the process of exhibiting the same orientation toward different cultural groups.

for example:

significance of cultural blindness, which ignore all the

difference between cultural . The cultural blindness has its own

advantage and disadvantage.

advantage: if we find out the same context between cultural, we can

simplify the management, then improve efficiency.

disadvantage: the reaction to different behaviors\words is various as

cultural. The trouble would be made when we haven’t treat it in a

right way.

国家 料理特点 体现的性格特点日本 日本菜的特点是追求“纯正味道”，不同味

道的菜被放在不同的盘子里，即使放在同一个盘子里时，也要按照味道的不同把菜分开盛放，尽量不让不同味道的菜“混味”。

从日本料理的特点可以看出日本人喜欢纯正，喜欢秩序和统一

的性格 。 中国 中国料理就比较喜欢追求“混杂味道”。饺

子、包子等纯中国的料理就是来自混杂出来的美味，中国式便当更是直接把菜浇到饭上，酸甜苦辣一大碗。（学校食堂里的一种砂锅

饭）

从中国料理的特点也可以看出中国人喜欢混杂，喜欢自由和散

漫的性格 ( diffuse 关系散漫型）

The detial 日式便当更明显反映出这个特征，日式便当盒中划分出很多小格子，米

饭、炒菜、生菜、咸菜，分别放在不同的格子中，防止它们之间“窜味”。日本料理这样做的目的，是为了让客人品尝到各种不同菜肴的纯正味道。

日本喜欢纯粹的性格反映在做事上就是喜欢搞“统一”。学校的学生穿统一的制服上学，公司的职员穿统一的制服上班，商店的售货员穿统一的制服售货……。日本人出国旅游也搞统一，欧美人对此大为不解。日本旅行团的旅游者像小学生一样排成一个队伍跟在导游后面，统一去参观一个风景点，统一去一个商店购物，统一买同样的东西……。这样统一精神、一致行动的人群，其他地方很难看到。

similarities across cultules

It would not be possible to do business in the same way in every corner of the globe becou-ase of internationalization. At the same time, some similarities across cultures have been uncovered.

Russia & the United States

Traditional management, communi-cation,human resources, and netwo-rking activities.The relative attention given to the n-etworking activity increase the man-agers' opportunities for promotion.Communication activity was a signi-ficant predictor of effective perform-ance in both Russia and the United states.

O.B.Mod.

Another study tested whether O.B.Mod. intervention that led to performance i-mprovements in U.S. organizations w-ould do so in Russia.

The reaserchers found that this O.B.Mod. approach, which had worked so well in the United States, produced positive results in the Russia.

Korea &The United States

as organizational size increased, commitment declined;

as structure became more employe-e focused, commitment increased;

the more positive the perceptions of organizational climate, the greater the employee commitment.

Many Differences Across Culture

Despite similarities between cultures in some studies ,far more differences than similarities have been found .In particular , MNCs are discovering that they must carefully investigate and understand the culture where they intend to do business and modify their approaches appropriately

The HAIRL system of appraisal

(a) Helicopter - the capacity to take a broad view from above ( 统观全局的能力 )

(b) Analysis - the ability to evaluate situations logically and completely （合理而完善的评估状况的能力）

(c) Imagination - the ability to be creative and think outside the box （跳脱枷锁创造性的思考问题的能力）

(d) Reality - the ability to use information realistically

（将信息很好的运用于实际情况的能力）(e) Leadership - the ability to effectively galvanize and inspire personnel （有效的刺激与鼓舞员工的能力）

Netherlands France Germany Britain

Reality Imagination Leadership Helicopter

Analysis Analysis Analysis Imagination

Helicopter Leadership Reality Reality

Leadership Helicopter Imagination Analysis

Imagination Reality Helicopter Leadership

Quite obviously ,personnel in different operating companies were being evaluated differently

Other HRM differences can be found in areas such as wages , compensation ,pay equity ,and maternity leave .Here are some representative examples

1.The concept of an hourly wage plays a minor role in Mexico .Labor law requires that employees receive full pay 365 days a year .

2. In Austria and Brazil ,employees with one year of service are automatically given 30 days of paid vacation .

3. Some jurisdictions in Canada have legislated pay equity –known in the United States as comparable worth –between male-and female – intensive jobs .

4. In Japan ,compensation levels are determined by using the objective factors of age ,length of service , and educational background rather than skill ,ability ,and performance .performance does not count until after an employee reaches age 45.

5.In the Unite Kingdom ,employee are allowed up to 40 weeks of maternity leave ,and employers must provide a government –mandated amount of pay for 18 of those weeks.

6.In 87 percent of large Swedish companies ,the head of human resources is on the board of directors.

Drawing on the work of Hofstede, it is possible to link culture clusters and compensation strategies. Table 2-3 shows a host of different cultural groupings ,including some in Asia, the EU, and Anglo countries and regions. Each cluster requires a different approach to formulating an effective compensation strategy.

Suit our measures to differing conditions in terms of locality, time, issue, and persons involved 。

↓因地制宜 因时制宜 因事制宜 因人制宜

We suggest :

Additionally ,some MNCs have found that compensation plans are very attractive to their local workforce( 劳动力 ) have no value for members of their international workforce .for example ,when the Gillette Company decided to offer stock to its 33000 employees worldwide ,the firm discover that its plan was not global in terms of worker interest .other companies have had similar experiences. Some of the reasons are provided in Table 2-4 ;others include low employee disposable income and a feeling that stocks are risky investments .

Figure 2-2(P49) shows how specific HRM areas can be analyzed contingently on a country by country basis. It clearly indicates the importance of MNCs using a contingency approach to HRM across cultures.

But the figure should not be interpreted to mean that one set of HRM practices is superior to another.

In a word :Managing across cultures requires careful understanding of the local environment ,because common assumptions and stereotypes may not be valid .culture differences must be addressed ,and this is why cross cultural research will continue to be critical in helping firms learn how to manage across culture.

Aside from different approaches used in different countries, it is becoming clear that common assumptions and conventional wisdom about HRM practices In certain countries no longer are valid.