Culture

When we think of different cultures we often assume that you have to cross a boundary, often going to another country, to experience another culture. However, culture can vary within a country, state, city, etc. Hofstede’s is one example of a set of dimensions meant to measure and compare aspects of culture. When we work with other people, inevitably we will run into cultural differences. It is important to understand that you will encounter individuals with different cultural backgrounds and preferences, that these differences are okay, that neither side is “right” and that there are appropriate ways to deal with these differences.

For this discussion you will compare your own cultural values to those of the United States in general as well as one other country of your choosing. First, using the table in Chapter 9 titled “Hofstede’s Dimensions of Cultural Value” identify where you fall on each of the five dimensions. Then compare this to how the table depicts the United States. Lastly, choose a country, research the five dimensions (this information is readily available online) and compare those results to your first two. You can depict this in any way you wish (visual or written). Which cultural values do you believe would cause the most problems in a workplace with individuals on opposite ends of the spectrum? How would you handle these?