Cultural differences define the unique, distinctive features of a particular group, thus allowing one to gain the identity that will define one’s further development. Belonging to a specific group is empowering, yet addressing cultural differences may become rather strenuous in a diverse environment, which means that shaping one’s perceptions is critical.
Discussion and Analysis
The phenomenon of power distance manifests itself particularly vividly in the Chinese cultural setting. In China, power distance is expressed through a system of social ranks and by assigning a set of specific instructions, requirements, and expectations to each rank in question. Similarly, masculine and feminine roles are delineated very strictly in Chinese society.
Cultural Values Dimensions Analysis
Power Distance
The concept of power distance is an important notion that has to be addressed during a cross-cultural analysis. According to the definition provided by Landy and Conte (2016), power distance is the specifics of the hierarchy within a particular society. In China, power distance plays a significant role in the social context due to rigid societal roles and standards (Gao & Wu, 2017). For instance, Ho (2018) notes that direct interactions are very uncharacteristic for Chinese people since the notion of power distance has permeated their culture.
The specified phenomenon produces a direct effect on the way in which interactions between people from different social casts take place. In addition, my personal experience shows me that differences in the social status define relationships between people in China significantly, with representatives of each class having a specific place both physically and hierarchically within the designated setting.
Masculinity and Femininity
The characteristics of masculine and feminine behaviors are also clearly delineated in Chinese culture. The existing cultural values associated with the specified cultural dimensions are quite rigid. There is a noticeable tendency in the Chinese cultural setting to value masculinity over femininity as a superior phenomenon (Pang-White, 2016). The identified cultural perceptions have a direct effect on the manner in which femininity and masculinity are characterized by Chinese culture. While the latter is associated with being a leader and striving toward making a positive change, feminine behaviors typically imply a more passive role (Pang-White, 2016). The current Chinese society has witnessed certain changes in this regard, yet the principles of social interactions that have been in place for centuries still define people’s lives.
My personal experience with Chinese culture shows that certain gender-based standards of behavior are still rigid in China. For example, the contemporary Chinese etiquette is filled with behaviors and roles that are ascribed to women and define their place in the social hierarchy. For instance, the idea of women playing a rigid role in a rather patriarchal family structure deserves mentioning.
Individualism and Collectivism
The power of collectivism is also very strong in Chinese culture. While, similarly to the gender issue, recent trends indicate a slight shift in the power dynamics, the current emphasis on collectivism is baked into the political and social principles of China. As a cultural dimension, the propensity toward collectivism affects every facet of Chinese people’s lives by shaping their interactions and defining their behaviors.
For instance, the specified construct leads to the development of a strong sense of responsibility among Chinese people. Individualism as the promotion of the agency of an individual is, in turn, deemed as mostly irrelevant. Thus, the political ideology of the state is intertwined with the mindset of Chinese people in a very peculiar way, causing a curious social environment to emerge. Based on my personal experience, there is a strong tendency among Chinese people to act collectively.
When choosing to function as a single unit, Chinese people become very efficient in their performance due to the unspoken bond that they seem to have. In addition, my experience has shown that Chinese people have quite impressive skills at distributing roles and responsibilities within a team and accomplishing them by following directions precisely.
High and Low Context
The phenomenon of the high and low context is also critical to the interpretation of cross-cultural interactions. The specified dichotomy implies relying either on contextual (high) or explicit (low) communication. The understanding of the specified notions defines one’s ability to address the needs of a diverse team. Particularly, the presence of either low or high context defines the choice of a communication strategy. In a setting where the low context dominates, a manager or a team leader may need to deploy active verbal communication strategies, whereas, in high ones, a manager may need to focus on nonverbal elements.
My personal experience shows that the application of higher forms of context is particularly powerful since it helps to create an environment of immediate responsiveness and mutual understanding. Nonetheless, the application of low forms of communication is also needed to maintain the clarity of directions and guidelines.
Cultural Perspectives Compass
The Cultural Perspective Compass is a unique tool that helps one to define one’s cultural characteristics and the behaviors that one prefers to assume when engaging in cross-cultural communication. The specified tool embraces a vast array of aspects of communication, presenting the results that will inform one about one’s strengths and weaknesses as an interlocutor. The Cultural Perspective Compass helps one to place one’s communication skills in a context, thus enabling one to improve and gain the skills required for effective dialogue with the members of a multicultural community.
The effects of the cultural perspective on one’s productivity are large and highly significant. Due to a failure in understanding how a particular cultural environment works and what strategies one can use to collaborate with the members of a diverse community, one is likely to underperform significantly. The reasons for the observed problem include miscommunication and an overall drop in the extent of motivational and enthusiasm among staff members.
Indeed, culture clashes caused by the lack of awareness concerning the cultural specifics of one’s coworkers are highly probable in the setting where cultural competence levels are low (Borrego & Johnson, 2017). Thus, introducing employees to the idea of building cultural competence and upholding the principles of the cross-cultural dialogue should be regarded as a critical step toward reducing the threat of workplace conflicts and creating the atmosphere for knowledge sharing and cooperation.
Orientation toward Time
Employees need the setting in which they can feel comfortable to remain productive and deliver the best performance possible. Thus, when introducing orientation toward time as one of the key requirements that staff members have to face, one may encounter significant difficulties. When one sets specific time constraints in the workplace, one projects one’s concept of time onto employees, making them accept a new philosophy and tailor their performance strategies to a new variable. Thus, it is highly probable that once incorporated into the organizational setting as a cultural dimension, the concept of time will affect staff productivity negatively. However, when used as a universal construct on direct employees to a time-efficient framework of operations, the proposed change will yield a positive outcome.
Orientation toward Environment / Nature
Environmental concerns have recently become the focus of public attention. Therefore, a range of organizations has shifted toward the green economy s the basis for their work. Although there are cultural differences in the perception of environmental issues, the general consensus currently seems to be that environmental policies are a good concept. Thus, it is unlikely that a manager’s projection of their cultural perspective onto staff members will have a negative or even unpredictable effect. Quite the contrary, employees are expected to concede that a shift toward sustainable and environmentally friendly policies is the best possible solution.
Orientation toward Activity
Another important dimension that may separate representatives of different cultures is the interpretation of the activity. Being proactive is typically deemed as a positive notion, yet, given the differences between cultures, active participation may seem unusual or even confusing for staff members. For example, in the context of a Chinese workplace environment that predominantly consists of women, the idea of active participation may be unreciprocated due to the local cultural traditions and gender roles. Nonetheless, it is important for companies to encourage proactive behaviors.
Orientation toward Human Relationships
In the realm of modern business setting, the focus on human relationships has been quite consistent. Indeed, given the necessity to develop a connection to all stakeholders within an organization and invest in talent management, maintaining communication with employees is critical, hence the need for human relationships. However, the specified task may be fraught with difficulties and even failures caused by a culture clash.
The differences in the cultural perspective of a manager and employees may cause a vast negative response. However, once the goals of human relationships within a team are set properly, conflicts and confrontations will be viewed as opportunities to learn more about other cultures and the needs of the people that represent them. Thus, orientation toward human relationships is an indispensable component of workplace relationships in a diverse environment and among people with different cultural perspectives.
References
Borrego, E., & Johnson, R. G. (2017). Cultural competence for public managers: Managing diversity in today’ s world. New York, NY: Routledge.
Gao, Y., & Wu, Y. (2017). The state and society of China: A century long ensemble of “great power” and “new citizens.” New York, NY: Springer.
Ho, W. C. (2018). Culture, music education, and the Chinese dream in mainland China. New York, NY: Springer.
Landy, F. J., & Conte, J. M. (2016). Work in the 21st century: An introduction to industrial and organizational psychology. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
Pang-White, A. A. (2016). The Bloomsbury research handbook of Chinese philosophy and gender. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Publishing.