TERM PAPER

ON

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

Topic: - Cultural Differences a Strategic Perception

Submitted to:
Miss Marlyn Kaul Faculty of MPOB

Submitted by: Ekta Bathla - B-28 Reg no-10905241 Sec-1904

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude towards all those people who have helped me in the successful completion of this term paper, directly or indirectly. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude towards Ms Marlyn Kaul (my term paper guide) for her guidance and help which she willingly provided at every step of my term paper. Finally, I would like to thank all my family and friends for their encouragement, support and good wishes.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Objective of study Research methodology Abstract Introduction of culture - Meaning of culture - Characteristics of culture - Types of culture Different types of cultures prevailing in India Introduction of cultural differences How differences in cultures effect an organization? Problems caused by cultural differences in an organization Conflicts due to cultural differences How cultural differences is a strategic perception Findings Conclusion

 Bibliography

OBJECTIVE OF STUDY:

To study the meaning of culture.

To study the different types of cultures prevailing in India.

To study the effect of cultural differences on the organizations.

To know how cultural differences is a strategic perception.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
Meaning of Research: Systematized efforts to gain new knowledge. Research is the process of defining and re-defining problems formulating the different hypothesis with suggested solutions by collecting, summarizing, organizing, and evaluating different datas by thus reaching on solutions with careful testing. Research is common means which refers to search for knowledge. Research is scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic. A careful investigation or inquiry especially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge

DATA COLLECTION:
Data collected in this term paper is Primary as well as secondary data. PRIMARY DATA: Primary data are those which have not been collected by someone else earlier. SECONDARY DATA: Secondary data are those which have already been collected by someone and this data has already been passed through a statistical process.

ABSTRACT:
Symbols are meaningless in themselves (intrinsically) unless they are given meaning by humans. Our values include whatever we think of as good versus bad, right versus wrong or beautiful versus ugly. Due to this we usually perceive thinking about others without knowing the things actually. Perception is nothing but making judgments about others. In this term paper I have introduced the meaning of culture, what are cultural differences and how it relates to our life and becomes a strategic perception and what are the different problems due to it.

MEANING OF CULTURE:
What is Culture? Culture in general is concerned with beliefs and values on the basis of which people interpret experiences and behave, individually and in groups. Broadly and simply put, "culture" refers to a group or community with which you share common experiences that shape the way you understand the world. Culture is the "lens" through which you view the world. It is central to what you see, how you make sense of what you see, and how you express yourself.

Culture is a system of building identityCulture is a process for identity of living creatures and cultural evolution raises the identity of society, benefit goes to its individuals Culture developed by beliefs, faith, practices, customs, way to live, art, intelligence, language, food habits, and economy etc; Cultural growth gave identity to the societies that named, Christian or Muslim or Hindu or Jewish or Buddhist etc; have different cultures. So when we come across art, customs etc; we identify what is their culture or which religion they belong. Cultural growth is community growth.

What are the characteristics of culture?

Culture has a number of characteristics. It is: (1) Prescriptive (2) Socially shared, (3) Learned (4) Subjective

(5) Enduring (6) Cumulative and (7) Dynamic. Furthermore, it facilitates communication. The individual tends to be bound by his or her own cultural assumptions. The individual thus observes foreign cultures by making reference back to personal cultural values. As a result, perception of overseas events can be distorted by the effects of the SRC (self reference criterion)

Types of cultures:
1. LOW CONTEXT AND HIGH CONTEXT CULTURES: In low-context cultures (e.g., the United States), messages are explicit and clear in the sense that actual words are used to convey the main part of information in communication. The words and their meanings, being independent entities, can be separated from the context in which they occur. In high-context cultures (e.g., Japan), the context of communication is high because, in addition to the verbal part, it includes a great deal of extra information, such as the message sender's values, position, background, and associations in the society. As such, the message cannot be understood without its context. One's individual environment (i.e., physical setting and social circumstances) determines what one says and how one is interpreted by others 2. MONOCHRONIC AND POLYCHRONIC CULTURES: Monochronic cultures (e.g., the United States) handle information in a direct, linear fashion. Schedules, punctuality, and a sense that time forms a purposeful straight line are indicators of such cultures.

In polychronic cultures (e.g., Japan), people work on several fronts simultaneously instead of pursuing a single task. Perceptions of time are culture bound. In the United States, there is a direct relationship between time and the importance of a matter. In some countries, a reverse relationship exists. Space has its own meaning and is relative. What is perceived as crowded in the United States may be perceived as spacious somewhere else. Culture dictates how an agreement or a disagreement is expressed and resolved. North Americans prefer a straightforward and explicit approach. Elsewhere, one must be careful in a disagreement never to make someone lose face. The development of friendship is also affected by culture. Americans have no difficulty in developing friendship in a very short time. Friendship is not developed as fast in other countries, but, when it is developed, it tends to be deeper and to be longer lasting.

Different Types of cultures prevailing in India

India is the birthplace of many of the world's religions. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, originated in India. India also has many places of worship and holy sites of Islam, Christianity and the Jewish faith. Religions such Zoroastrianism and the Bahai also have places of worship in India, a land where people of different religions and cultures are free to live in harmony. When in India, you can travel to the holy cities of the different religions and cultures of India. You can witness the celebrations of various festivals in India, where people of different faiths come together in communal harmony. The message of love and brotherhood is expressed by all the religions and cultures of India. Whether it's the rows of the faithful, bowing in prayer in the courtyard of a mosque, or the rows of lamps that light up houses at Diwali, the good cheer of Christmas or the bonhomie of Baisakhi, the festivals of India are celebrations of shared emotion that bring people

together. People from the different religions and cultures of India, unite in a common chord of brotherhood and amity in this fascinating and diverse land. India Profile brings you a complete picture of the Religions and Cultures in India.

There are Four Cultural Dimensions

Cultures both national and organizational differ along many dimensions. Four of the most important are: Directness (get to the point versus imply the messages) Hierarchy (follow orders versus engage in debate) Consensus (dissent is accepted versus unanimity is needed) Individualism (individual winners versus team effectiveness)

MYTHS:
There are different MYTHS prevailing in India due to different cultures in India. Myth is loosely based on a real event but, more often than not, it is a story that has b en created to teach people about something very important and meaningful. Myths are often used to explain the world and major events which at the time people were not able to understand- earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, the rising and setting of the Sun, illness and death. Many of the myths relating to such events have survived for a very long time. Sometimes for thousands of years, as it is only in recent times that we have begun to understand why some of these things happen.

What are cultural differences?

In simple words we can say culture is a group which shapes a persons values and identity. Cultural identities can stem from the following differences: race, ethnicity, gender, class religion, country of origin and geographic region. Cultural conflicts arise due to differences in values and norms of a behavior of people from different cultures. A person acts according to the values and norms of his or her culture, another person holding a different worldview might interpret his or her behavior from an opposite standpoint. This situation creates misunderstanding and can lead to conflict. Cultural conflicts lead to DISCRIMINATION towards or against a person or group is the prejudicial treatment of them based on certain characteristics.

Six Fundamental patterns of Cultural Differences-

How Differences in Cultures effect an organization?

Increasingly, managers must deal with multiple ethnic groups with very different cultures. Thanks to globalization, you are likely to work with Japanese, French, Chinese, German and all sorts of other nationalities. It is important to recognize that people from different cultures have are different in a variety of ways, including Different ways of looking at things Different ways of dressing Different ways of expressing personality/goodness

In an ideal world ... the policemen would be English the car mechanics would be German the cooks would be French the innkeepers would be Swiss, And the lovers would be Italian In a living hell ... the policemen would be German the car mechanics would be French the cooks would be English the innkeepers would be Italian And the lovers would be Swiss

These differences can cause problems interpreting what the other person is doing. Some simple examples: In the US, a firm, short handshake indicates self-confidence and (heterosexual) masculinity. A limp handshake by a man can be interpreted (usually wrongly) as a sign of homosexuality or wimpiness. But in most parts of Africa, a limp handshake is the correct way to do it. Furthermore, it is common in Africa for the handshake to last several minutes, while in the US a handshake that is even a few seconds too long is interpreted as familiarity, warmth and possibly sexual attraction.

In Britain, men do not look at women on the streets. The French do. Recently, a French public figure mentioned in a speech that the Brits are all gay -- the evidence was their lack of overt interest in women.

Problems Caused by Cultural Differences In an Organization;

Three basic kinds of problems:

Interpreting others comments and actions Predicting behavior Conflicting behavior You greet your Austrian client. This is the sixth time you have met over the last 4 months. He calls you Herr Smith. You think of him as a standoffish sort of guy who doesn't want to get really friendly. That might be true in America, where calling someone Mr. Smith after the 6th meeting would probably mean something -- it is marked usage of language -- like "we're not hitting it off". But in Austria, it is normal. A Canadian conducting business in Kuwait is surprised when his meeting with a high-ranking official is not held in a closed office and is constantly interrupted. He starts wondering if the official is as important as he had been led to believe, and he starts to doubt how seriously his business is being taken A British boss asked a new, young American employee if he would like to have an early lunch at 11 am each day. The employee said 'Yeah, that would be great!' The boss immediately said "With that kind of attitude, you may as well forget about lunch!" The employee and the boss were both baffled by what went wrong. [In England, saying "yeah" in that context is seen as rude and disrespectful.] A Japanese businessman wants to tell his Norwegian client that he is uninterested in a particular sale. So he says "That will be very difficult." The Norwegian eagerly asks how he can help. The Japanese is mystified. To him, saying that something is difficult is a polite way of saying "No way in hell!". Dave Barry tells the story of being on a trip to Japan and working with a Japanese airline clerk on taking a flight from one city to another. On being asked about it, the clerk said "Perhaps you would prefer to take the train." So he said "NO, I want to fly." So she said "There are many other ways to go." He said "yes, but I think it would be best to fly." She said "It would very difficult". Eventually, it came out that there were no flights between those cities.

Conflicts due to cultural differences:

Cultures are embedded in every conflict because conflicts arise in human relationships. Cultures affect the ways we name, frame, blame, and attempt

to tame conflicts. Whether a conflict exists at all is a cultural question. In an interview conducted in Canada, an elderly Chinese man indicated he had experienced no conflict at all for the previous 40 years. Among the possible reasons for his denial was a cultural preference to see the world through lenses of harmony rather than conflict, as encouraged by his Confucian upbringing? Labeling some of our interactions as conflicts and analyzing them into smaller component parts is a distinctly Western approach that may obscure other aspects of relationships. Culture is inextricable from conflict, though it does not cause it. When differences surface in families, organizations, or communities, culture is always present, shaping perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, and outcomes.

How cultural differences are a strategic perception? What is Perception?

Perception is nothing but making judgments about others. Perceptions which people form about each other can be summarized by attribution theory, selective perception, Halo effect, and contrast effects and stereotyping. When we judge someone on the basis of our perception of the group to which he or she belongs. We rely on generalizations every day because they help us make decisions quickly. People in organizations are always judging each other. Culture always shapes perceptions, attitudes, behaviors and outcomes out of that. Even the organizations involve in international marketing is the effect of culture on the exchange process. Strategic perceptions shapes the behavior of employees towards their working attitude and this situation is vice versa for the managers or other employees in the organizations. When we make any judgments about others it starts reflecting in our behavior, can result in biasness also which is a drawback in the success of organizations.

Cultural differences can give positive as well as negative outcomes and can be benefited for the organization as well as can be a hurdle in the success of the organization. In most of the cases cultural differences give their outcomes in negative side as they create problems for the employees working outside of their own country.

FINDINGS: Our country is becoming developed slowly and gradually but cultural differences in us are a great hurdle in the success of our country as well as stopping our nation to become developed.

CONCLUSION: Human beings are drawn close to one another by their common nature but habits and custom keep apart. By above discussion we can conclude that we should work more to remove this cultural differences from or society and organization as well so that we can help our country to become developed as well as can help in increasing the growth of our economy as this is one of the main root cause for our economy to still remain backward and make or environment culturally very calm and pleased.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

BOOK PREFERRED: Organizational behavior -Stephen P.Robbins - L.M.Prasad WEBSITES: -Google.com -Wikipedia.com -Scribd.com