Thursday, November 8, 2012

Cross Cultural Differences

Status exists in all societies but varies in fundamental ways. Cross cultural differences in they way in which we perceive status, gain status and react to status differ from culture to culture.
In this article we examine the cross cultural differences with relation to status and analyse how they manifest in certain areas in the workplace. For the sake of simplicity we identify two types of status; 'ascribed-status' and 'achieved-status'.
Ascribed-status:
Ascribed-status refers to those cultures that base status upon external qualities such as age, wealth, education or gender. If one has the right external characteristics, status is ascribed to them. In such cultures there is little room for others to gain status through actions and achievements.
Achieved-status:
Achieved-status, as its title suggests, is earned. Internal qualities are valued more than external ones. Therefore, status is achieved through accomplishments such as hard work and contributions to a company or community. In such cultures status is malleable, in that it can be lost as quickly as it is gained and status can shift to other individuals.
Status and Hierarchy:
An area that status impacts within businesses is organisational hierarchies. In ascribed-status cultures there tends to be rigid hierarchies that define roles, practices and processes. For example, employees will tend to focus solely on their own responsibilities and generally not offer suggestions to those above them in the hierarchy, as to do so would be disrespectful. In such organisations, change is very rarely bottom up.
In achieved-status cultures, hierarchies exist but are less formal. The egalitarian nature of such cultures usually means that more value is placed on development and progression rather than respect for status. Consequently, lower level employees would generally feel empowered to make suggestions directly to seniors.
Status and Formality:
The formality of a culture is usually a good indication of the significance of status. The use of names between colleagues is one of the more observable manifestations of status in the workplace.
In ascribed-status cultures colleagues will generally address each other using titles and surnames. Professionals, such as doctors, architects and lawyers, would expect to be addressed by their professional titles. First names are usually only used between family and friends.
In achieved-status cultures, people commonly use first names. This is because individuals will usually feel of equal worth with one another and see no need to demonstrate deference to a more senior ranked colleague.
Status and Management:
A manager in an achieved-status culture will usually take on the role of a mentor. The manager will be a reference point and will guide those under him/her to develop their skills and perform their duties with minimal guidance. Subordinates can and do challenge a manager's decision.
In contrast, in ascribed-status cultures, the manager is expected to give orders and know all the answers. The manager is seen to be experienced, knowledgeable and able to deal with problems effectively. Rather than a mentor, the manager in such a culture takes on more of a parental role as he/she is expected to take care of employees by ascribing duties and overseeing how they handle them. Manager's decisions are typically not challenged.
Status and Information:
The flow of information between people in companies and organisations is another area affected by cross cultural differences in status. In cultures where status is achieved, information usually flows easily between ranks. Directly approaching a senior colleague of another department for consultation, advice or feedback will have a certain amount of protocol attached to it, but is commonplace.
Conversely, in achieved-status cultures information flow is a lot less fluid. There are only certain avenues one can take to either relay or gain information. For example, if the scenario mentioned above occurred in such a culture, the senior colleague would probably feel offended. In this circumstance, the correct protocol would be for the lower ranking colleague to approach his/her manager and ask them to approach the manager of the other department for information or feedback.
As we have seen from the few examples cited above, cross cultural differences with relation to status can and do impact upon a business. If a business is multi-cultural, problems can occur where differences in hierarchy, status and protocol lead to poor communication between staff and frustration with colleagues.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

The Apprentice" Is Good For America

Donald Trump and executive producer Mark Burnett have a hit on their hands:
"The Apprentice." This NBC reality series plays rather like Burnett's old CBS hit
"Survivor"-- except that the contestants split up into teams face the challenges
of the business world, rather those of untamed wilderness. If they fail, instead
of being "voted off," they are fired by Trump, who brings his years of business
experience to bear on the strategies of the newcomers.
Those who noted the silliness of "Survivor"'s various incarnations will note
some of the same flair for melodrama here. And Trump's hairstyle is as
shudder-provoking as some of the infamous highlights of "Survivor," like the
contestants' drinking of cow's blood. Despite all the goofiness, the show's 20
million viewers also get a lesson in fundamental business principles-- more
people, in fact, will draw valuable lessons from the show than from business
school. The trappings of popular TV shows like "Survivor" provide a palatable
packaging of principles of finance and leadership for the TV-watching masses.
What kind of lessons do viewers learn?
1. Sex sells, of course, and several of the female contestants have learned this
rather quickly.
2. Results count; this sounds self-evident, but it takes failures of the sort
witnessed on the show for the supreme importance of this idea to really sink
in. In the private sector, one bears one's own costs; and it will be quickly
apparent if one's achievements are inadequate.
Lessons like these are vitally important in a nation like America, since the goal
of personal success constitutes a major part of the nation's history and
founding ideals. America is a country of immigrants. Millions of people around
the world have dreamed about moving to the United States to achieve the
"American Dream"--to start over, work hard and achieve a life of success. The
very basic foundation of America comes from the Protestant work ethic
brought by Pilgrims in the 16th century. Prosecuted for their religious beliefs,
they moved to the New World in search of a better life. In the span of only a
couple hundred years, America underwent a major transformation from being
the colony of the British empire whose "sun never sets" to an influential,
wealthy nation of its own.
It was American dollars and common sense that have made America rise from
its status as a relatively new country. Business has always been the essence
and core of America's intrigue to the rest of the world-- the means to produce
a comfortable living in a land of boundless opportunity, regardless of personal
background. Andrew Carnegie, one of the nation's richest entrepreneurs, was
an immigrant from Scotland and started working in a textile mill as a boy in the
dawn of the industrial revolution. He later founded US Steel, the largest
steelmaker in the nation to this day.
Many like him have done the same and moved up through the ranks to
become highly successful. "The Apprentice" gives us one of the foremost
modern-day examples: Donald Trump, who got his start in his father's real
estate business and quickly moved up from there. A decade ago, he found
himself in huge debt but managed to come back bigger and better than ever
before. The unrelenting drive to succeed and to maintain that success
especially in times of trouble is now dramatized in his own show.
3. Finally, "The Apprentice" fulfills the vital task of promoting
entrepreneurship in women and minorities. Contestants like Amy Henry and
the African-American Kwame Jackson provide positive examples with their
ambition and intelligence. In these days, when so many college humanities
departments teach students, minority or otherwise, to view
themselves as victims of capitalism rather than its potential masters, "The
Apprentice" provides encouraging and empowering ideas and information for
the masses of people on their way to the top. While one can get a more in-
depth training at business school, "The Apprentice," whose teams feature
"street entrepreneurs" as well as contestants with college educations,
demonstrates in an entertaining and accessible fashion that even without
technical study, holding the right values can get one far in life.