DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT.
FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS.
DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY.
DALIAN, LIAONING PROVINCE, CHINA.
DECEMBER 4TH 2014.
At the inception of the cross-cultural management course, the full cycle of learning model by prof. Lee Lu recognizes the learning by doing process which includes the concrete experience observation reflection, abstract conceptual experience and active experimentation. For me, the significant aspects of the learning cycle was taken into consideration, previously, I thought learning by concrete experience and active experimentation was all that was needed. Having analyzed the learning model, I now realize that one’s learning process has to attain the balance so as to have an in-depth knowledge of the subject.
For the purpose of learning by doing, we were shared into a group of thirteen members and put in a small room to do anything at all we wanted for a period of one hour. Initially, we were completely clueless as to what was expected of us or what should be done. After several suggestions, we decided to compare foreign cultural practices to Chinese cultural practices. It became a heated argument and the Chinese students felt offended and we stopped. However, we decided to introduce ourselves and talk about our individual ambitions, dreams and aspirations. The group organizational model described by Professor Lee Lu reveals that during the group exercise, we developed from the forming stage through to the storming stage and got to the norming stage; however we did not progress to the performing stage to become a team. Also no adjourning phase was experienced. Analyzing the individual actions in the room (group) utilizing the Johari window signifies that some members of the group were at the hidden, blind and open phases respectively. Consequently, I now realize that in a group or organization, the members need to become a team to be able to achieve their goals. And individuals have to develop and open their windows of knowledge.
The concept of culture is perceived by many in different perspectives. Browaeys & Price (2011) identifies culture as the characteristics of a particular group of people defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. It is often based on shared beliefs, values morals, law, customs etc., which results in an acceptable behavior within society. However there are three layers of culture which include; behavioral, norms and values assumptions/beliefs and they all play various significant roles in determining the culture of an individual, organization or nation. They further identify the different levels of culture namely national, organizational, corporate and professional cultures. Individuals form cultures based on the experience from family, social and physical environment and from the experiences from the four levels of culture mentioned above and it is this individuals that form the culture of an organization. Therefore it is up to management to take into account the diversity of people and manage their cultural differences. The significant element from Edgar Schein’s model for micro culture recognizes values, assumptions, symbol and artifact and the internal integration formed within. And further stated that culture is also formed from outside external adaptions i.e. other foreign or external cultures. Having learned from the text and models, I now realize that the context of culture in all levels have several determining factors including inherited, internal and external factors.
To critically study the dimension of culture in business, the Hofstede’s dimension is examined. Hofstede’s research produced a comparison between cultures on four and eventually five dimension; Power Distance (High/Low), Uncertainty Avoidance (High/Low), Individual Versus Group
