Session 1

Diversity is viewed more as the way a company responds to its workforce. It’s the differences that make each person unique!

Multicultural diversity is considered a trait of workplace diversity and understanding the cultural competency of the organization

• Cultural diversity can exist on a national and cross-national level.

• Often, managers assume that culture does not play an important role in shaping practices

  • Universalistic approach: “if it works here, it will work there”

• Such approach contributed to high failure rates in expatriate missions and international mergers.

• In order to manage cross-cultural differences, managers need to acknowledge and understand them.

• organizational culture affects the acceptance and impact of diversity in organizations

• Parochial: Ours is the only way

• Ethnocentric: Our way is best

• Pluralistic (synergetic): The best is combining our ways and their ways

a. In large companies, different divisions may have different sub-cultures.

b. The more complex, unpredictable and global is the business environment of a company, the more competitive advantages cultural diversity has

The Deming Philosophy: Making Things Better

The Deming philosophy is a way to help businesses and organizations make better products and services. It's like a big plan that helps everyone work together and improve over time. Here are the main ideas:

1. Working Together as a Team

• Teamwork: Think of a business like a sports team. Everyone has to work together to win. Each player (or employee) has a job, and they all help each other.

• Big Picture: It's important to see how all the different jobs fit together to make the whole team (or business) successful.

2. Understanding and Fixing Problems

• Problems Happen: Just like in school, sometimes things don't go as planned. We need to understand why problems happen and fix them.

• Use Data: Look at the information and numbers (like test scores) to see where things are going wrong and how to make them better.

3. Learning and Improving

• Keep Learning: Always be ready to learn new things and improve. Just like practicing a sport or studying for a test, we get better by learning and practicing.

• Try New Ideas: Test new ways of doing things to see if they work better, and keep what works well.

4. Respecting People

• Be Nice: Treat everyone with respect and listen to their ideas. Everyone's opinion matters, just like how you want your friends to listen to you.

• Motivate Each Other: Encourage each other to do their best. It's more fun and effective to work hard when you feel good about what you're doing.

Deming’s 14 Points for Making Things Better

Here are some simple rules that businesses can follow to get better:

1. Have a Clear Goal: Know what you want to achieve and work towards it.

2. Embrace Quality: Focus on making things well, not just quickly.

3. Build Quality In: Make sure things are done right the first time, so you don't have to fix them later.

4. Choose Wisely: Pick the best people and tools, not just the cheapest.

5. Always Improve: Look for ways to get better all the time.

6. Train Well: Make sure everyone knows how to do their job well.

7. Lead, Don’t Just Boss: Help people do their best, don’t just tell them what to do.

8. Create a Safe Space: Let people share ideas without being scared of getting in trouble.

9. Work Together: Break down barriers between different groups so everyone can help each other.

10. No Empty Slogans: Instead of just saying "Do better," show how to improve.

11. No Quotas: Don't push people to just hit numbers. Encourage them to do good work.

12. Take Pride in Work: Make sure everyone can be proud of what they do.

13. Keep Learning: Always encourage learning new skills and knowledge.

14. Commit to Change: Everyone should be ready to work together to make things better.

Why It Matters

The Deming philosophy helps businesses make better products and services by working together, understanding problems, learning continuously, and respecting people. This way, everyone can be proud of their work and customers get high-quality products and services.

By following these ideas, businesses can become more successful and enjoyable places to work.

Dimension 2: Individuals may have different relationships with nature:

1. Mastery: man has control over nature

2. Harmony: balance between man and nature

3. Subjugation: nature has control over man

It’s not about West and East.

Dimension 5: Time orientation (past, present, and future orientation) - circle scheme

#: Day of the Dead in Mexico (reminds of the past)

Forward-looking and backward-looking can create a conflict.

Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s model of culture is a way to understand how different cultures approach and solve common human problems. They identified six key dimensions that can be used to compare and understand different cultures. Here's a simple explanation for each of the six dimensions:

1. Human Nature Orientation

• Good, Bad, or Mixed?: Different cultures have different views about human nature. Some cultures believe that people are mostly good, some think people are mostly bad, and others think people are a mix of both.

2. Man-Nature Orientation

• Controlling Nature, Harmony with Nature, or Subjugation to Nature?: This dimension looks at how people relate to nature. Some cultures believe in controlling and changing nature, some believe in living in harmony with nature, and others believe that humans should accept and adapt to nature's power.

3. Time Orientation

• Past, Present, or Future?: This dimension is about how cultures view time. Some cultures focus on traditions and the past, some focus on the present moment, and others are focused on planning for the future.

4. Activity Orientation

• Being, Becoming, or Doing?: This dimension looks at what people value in their activities. Some cultures emphasize just being and enjoying life, others focus on personal growth and becoming better, and some value doing and achieving goals.

5. Human Relationships Orientation

• Individualistic, Group-oriented, or Hierarchical?: This dimension is about how people relate to each other. Some cultures value individual achievements and independence, some focus on group harmony and collective well-being, and others have a hierarchical structure where respect for authority and social rank is important.

6. Space Orientation

• Private, Public, or Mixed?: This dimension looks at how people view personal and shared space. Some cultures value private space and boundaries, some are comfortable with sharing space and being close to others, and some have a mix of both.

Examples to Illustrate

Imagine you are looking at three different cultures through these dimensions:

1. Culture A

   • Human Nature: People are generally good.

   • Man-Nature: Humans should live in harmony with nature.

   • Time: Focus on the future and planning ahead.

   • Activity: Emphasizes personal growth and self-improvement.

   • Human Relationships: Group-oriented, valuing family and community.

   • Space: Comfortable with sharing space.

2. Culture B

   • Human Nature: People are a mix of good and bad.

   • Man-Nature: Humans can control and change nature.

   • Time: Focus on the present moment.

   • Activity: Values achieving goals and being productive.

   • Human Relationships: Individualistic, valuing personal freedom.

   • Space: Values private space and boundaries.

3. Culture C

   • Human Nature: People are generally bad.

   • Man-Nature: Humans are subject to nature’s power.

   • Time: Focus on traditions and the past.

   • Activity: Emphasizes just being and enjoying life.

   • Human Relationships: Hierarchical, respecting authority and social rank.

   • Space: Comfortable with both private and public spaces.

By understanding these dimensions, we can better appreciate and respect the differences in how cultures approach life, solve problems, and interact with the world.