Culture and Multiculturalism Culture The complex mixture of

Culture and Multiculturalism

Culture • The complex mixture of assumptions, behaviors, stories, myths, metaphors and other ideas that fit together to define what it means to be a member of a particular society

Organization culture • The set of important understanding such as norms, values, attitudes and beliefs shared by organizational members.

Corporate Culture • Work, live, love and learn – rather than work, work and work • Seek meaning and money – rather than money alone • Build networks of relationships – rather than hierarchies of power • Do not harm – rather than let the buyer beware

Contd… • Sustain resources – rather than use it or lose it • Grow naturally – rather than grow fast • Embrace work and family – rather than work or family

Elements of Culture • Artifacts • Espoused Values: Dupont, teaching school • Basic Assumptions

Artifacts • The things that come together to define a culture and reveal what the culture is about to those who pay attention to them; they include products, services, and even behavior patterns of the members of an organization

Espoused Values • The reasons given by an organization for the way things are done

Basic assumption • The beliefs that are taken for granted by the members of an organization

Corporate Culture and performance • Organizational culture is a framework that guides day-to-day behavior and decision making for employees and directs their actions towards completion of organizational goals. • Acc to John Kotter and James Heskett two level of culture visible and invisible

Invisible Shared values Harder to change Group Behaviour Visible Easier to change

The study had four main conclusion • Corporate culture can have a significant impact on a firm’s long-term economic performance • Corporate culture will probably be an even more important factor in determining the successes or failure of firms in the next decade.

Contd… • Corporate cultures that inhibit strong longterm financial performance are not rare; they develop easily, even in firms that are full of reasonable and intelligent people • Although to change, corporate cultures can be made more performance enhancing

Adaptive culture and Unadaptive culture

Multiculturalism • That people form different backgrounds, and coexist and flourish within an organization

Gender Issues in Multiculturalism • • The Glass Ceiling Syndrome Sexual Harassment Stereotyping

Glass Ceiling Women in top executive positions are scare. Although more and more women have managerial positions, invisible barriers still prevent most form climbing to highest corporate levels

Glass Ceiling Syndrome • The view that even though women and minorities can get hired into organizations they have difficulty getting promoted, particularly to senior levels; it’s as if there’s an invisible barrier; they can see opportunities above, but they cannot reach them

Stereotype (unchangeable/ monotonous) • The application of an assumed characteristic of a class of people (as defined by gender or race; for example) to and individual who belongs to the class, but may or m ay not have that characteristic

Racial and Ethnic minority issues • Reaching Top • Earning Gap • Revolving Door

Multiculturalism and Organization success • • • Acc to Taylor Cox’s Arguments Cost argument Resources Acquisition arguments Marketing Argument Creativity Argument Problem solving Argument System flexibility Argument

Management of Cultural Diversity • • Organization Culture HR Management Systems Higher Career involvement of women Heterogeneity in race/ethnicity/Nationality Education problems Cultural Differences Mind sets about diversity