Individual Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Individual Project - Essay Example In international business, it is interesting the very many diverse cultures that one can find in such forums; it is thus impossible that cultures from one’s own country can be carried and applied to the interaction with these other countries with the expectation of success (Hill, 2008). Management cannot be undertaken exclusively without a proper understanding of culture because it is only in this way that people from diverse cultures can truly work together. Part 1 Explain each model and how it can be used to investigate national preferences. Models of cultural dimension have been developed by several organizational experts namely Hofstede and Trompenaars who through a series of research studies developed dimensional perspectives that would enable people understand how to work with other people from different cultures and ensure that business is completed. The first dimension sought to allow for the comprehension of the two cultures of individualism and collectivism (Johnson & Turner, 2009). They stated that people from individualistic cultures had an inclination to choosing their own affiliations within the workplace and often preferring to work alone. Alternatively, those people from the collectivist cultures were often found working in varied groups aligning themselves to one another based on age and religion among other interests (Edwards & Rees, 2006). The second dimension sought to measure the element of how people within the organization perceived power differences (Johnson & Turner, 2009). There are those people who come from cultures where there are small power differences and are thus more inclined to a consultative and democratic method of handling issues. These types of people have been known to relate to their peers and others with equality and respect and when placed in subordinate positions, demand the right to contribute to decision making. In contrast, those from cultures with a large power distance have got great fear and respect for t hose in authority (Edwards & Rees, 2006). People have different ways of preparing themselves for unknown events; as such, the weak verses strong uncertainty avoidance was another dimension that Hofstede determined. Some people come from cultures where there are explicit rules on avoidance that allow them to cope with aspects of the unknown (Keeley, 2001). These people have got specific routines and structures for accomplishing tasks and in the context of employment, have got a much higher ability of sticking with one employer for a longer time that their counterparts. They have also been known to identify danger from a distance and often accredited for the development of safety regulations and guidelines within an organization. Those people who come from communities that have got weak uncertainty avoidance have got a more flexible and care free lifestyle with an inclination for engaging in life threatening and informal activities. Within the context of employment, these people often have an inclination to change not only their employers but also their employment status from time to time (Edwards & Rees, 2006). They are also more accommodative of other people’s ideas and concepts often allowing more than one concept to run simultaneously with another one allowing for variety of fresh thoughts, ideas and change within the organization. Various values are embedded into these cultures with emphasis being placed in different areas that vary from one culture to another. Sensitivity to masculinity and femininity