Features of Culture and Corporate Culture
Introduction
Culture is the characteristics of a particular group of people, distinguished by everything from language, religion, cuisine (food), social habits, music and arts. In other words, it is defined as the “ the collective programming of the mind of one category of people which is different from other category of people where mind refers to the way of thinking, feeling and behaving”. This gives people a sense of who they are, their belongings and social behavior. Different anthropologists have their own ways of defining about the culture.
In the words of CLIFFORD GEERTZ, culture is “the means by which people communicate, perpetuate (carry on) and develop their knowledge about attitudes towards life”. “Culture is the fabric of meaning of meaning in terms of which human beings interpret their experience and guide their action”.
In this essay I am going to explain about various forms of culture. How is Culture formed? Its values,cultural diversity, understanding of culture in an organization and how is Corporate culture helpful in a workplace or in a management. I am going to discuss about Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions and Trompenaars cultural dimensions. Finally I will focus on significance and themes of cultural Intelligence. 6 CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE
1) LEARNED : Culture is not inborn. It is learnt. Culture is often called "learned ways of behaviour". Unlearned behaviour is not culture. But shaking hands, saying thanks ' or 'namaskar ', dressing etc. are cultural behaviour. Culture is acquired by sharing and learning through family, friends, religion, education and society.
2) SHARED: This is shared among the society. For example, customs, traditions, beliefs, ideas, values, morale etc. are all shared by people of a group or society. If it is something that an individual alone possess, then that is personality .
3) TRANSGENERATIONAL: Culture is transmitted from one
Culture is the characteristics of a particular group of people, distinguished by everything from language, religion, cuisine (food), social habits, music and arts. In other words, it is defined as the “ the collective programming of the mind of one category of people which is different from other category of people where mind refers to the way of thinking, feeling and behaving”. This gives people a sense of who they are, their belongings and social behavior. Different anthropologists have their own ways of defining about the culture.
In the words of CLIFFORD GEERTZ, culture is “the means by which people communicate, perpetuate (carry on) and develop their knowledge about attitudes towards life”. “Culture is the fabric of meaning of meaning in terms of which human beings interpret their experience and guide their action”.
In this essay I am going to explain about various forms of culture. How is Culture formed? Its values,cultural diversity, understanding of culture in an organization and how is Corporate culture helpful in a workplace or in a management. I am going to discuss about Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions and Trompenaars cultural dimensions. Finally I will focus on significance and themes of cultural Intelligence. 6 CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE
1) LEARNED : Culture is not inborn. It is learnt. Culture is often called "learned ways of behaviour". Unlearned behaviour is not culture. But shaking hands, saying thanks ' or 'namaskar ', dressing etc. are cultural behaviour. Culture is acquired by sharing and learning through family, friends, religion, education and society.
2) SHARED: This is shared among the society. For example, customs, traditions, beliefs, ideas, values, morale etc. are all shared by people of a group or society. If it is something that an individual alone possess, then that is personality .
3) TRANSGENERATIONAL: Culture is transmitted from one
References: • Trompenaars and Charles hampden turner, Riding the waves of culture: Understanding cultural diversity in business.2nd edition. Nicholas brealey publishing, London. • Mc Graw, International management: Culture, Strategy, and Behavior. 7th edition. • Schein(1992), Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco, pp no.15-20. • Peters and Waterman(1982), In Search of Excellence.