CCC Chapter 5 1

Cross Cultural Communication

Chapter 5The Group &

The Individual

CCC Chapter 5 2

Basis of Cultural Differences

Relationship with people Universalism Vs Particularism Individualism Vs Collectivism

Neutral or Emotional Specific Vs diffuse Achievement Vs Ascriptions

CCC Chapter 5 3

Individualism Vs Collectivism Individualism: Prime orientation to the self

Collectivism or communitarianism: Prime orientation to common goals and objectives

Parsons & Shills

Cultures do typically vary one or other of these approaches in their thinking processes

CCC Chapter 5 4

Individualism Vs. Collectivism

Individualism is a cultural orientation where relationships between individuals are not strong, and when individual choice and freedom is often considered to be superior to collective choices.

Collectivism prevails when people are integrated into strong, cohesive groups, and where the interests, opinions and decisions of the group or the whole are considered to be the superior to those of the individual.

CCC Chapter 5 5

Individualism vs. Collective orientations Exercise - I

Two people were discussing ways in which individuals could improve the quality of life.

A. One said : “It is obvious that if individuals have as much freedom as possible and the maximum opportunity to develop themselves the quality of their life will improve as a result.”

B. The other said : “If individuals are continuously taking care of their fellow human beings the quality of life will improve for everyone, even if it obstructs individual freedom and individual development.”

Which of the two ways of reasoning do you think is usually best, A or B?

CCC Chapter 5 6

Individualism vs. Collective orientations Exercise - I

Fig.5.1 shows the findings :

Highest scoring individualists are the Romanians, Nigerians and Canadians, closely followed by Americans, Czechs and Danish.

Some of the lowest scoring Europeans are French at 41%

Egypt, Nepal and Mexico came as highly collectivistic societies

CCC Chapter 5 7

Individualism vs. Collective orientations Exercise - II

Which kind of job found more frequently in your organization?

A. Everybody works together and you do not get individual credit.

B. Everybody is allowed to work individually and individual credit can be received.

Fig.5.2 shows the results of these answers.

CCC Chapter 5 8

Which Community? Exercise - III

A defect is discovered in one of the installations. It was caused by negligence of one of the members of a team. Responsibility for this mistake can be carried in various ways.

A. This person causing the defect by negligence is the one responsible. B. Because he or she happens to work in a team the

responsibility should be carried out by the group.

Which one of these two ways of taking responsibility do you think is usually the case in your society, A or B?

CCC Chapter 5 9

Individualism vs. Communitarianismin International Business

Representation Communitarian cultures prefer plural representations In the face of expected demands, they prefer to

confer with those back home In individualistic cultures, single representative may

represent the organization

Status Unaccompanied people in communitarian cultures

are assumed to lack status.

CCC Chapter 5 10

Individualism vs. Communitarianismin International Business

Translators

In Anglo-Saxon negotiations the translator is supposed to be neutral.

In communitarian cultures, translator may assume a significant role in negotiation. He or she may be the top negotiator in the group. Their role is more of an interpreter rather than translator.

CCC Chapter 5 11

Individualism vs. Communitarianismin International Business

Decision-making

Communitarian decision-making typically takes much longer, with sustained efforts to achieve consensus.

Communitarian society normally refrain from voting and attempts to build consensus. Final result takes more time, but it is more stable. The emphasis is on consensus and consultation in decision-making process and open conflict is avoided.

In individualistic cultures, decision-making process is usually very short, and voting is preferred to get the majority decision. Consensus is replaced with open debate and confrontation. Avoidance is replaced with combative negotiations.

CCC Chapter 5 12

Individualism vs. Communitarianismin International Business

Motivation The relationship between individual and group also

plays an important role in motivation. There are two sources of motivation :

Extrinsic monetary rewards, and, For the positive regard and support of their colleagues

In highly communitarian cultures, second source of motivation is stronger. High performers prefer to share the fruits of their efforts with colleagues.

CCC Chapter 5 13

Individualism vs. Communitarianismin International Business

Organization Structure In individualistic cultures organizations ( from the Greek

Organon) are instruments, deliberately assembled and contrived to serve owners, employers and customers.

Their ties are abstract, legal ones, regulated by contract. Each member performs a differentiated and specialized

function and receives an extrinsic reward for doing so. In communitarian societies, the organization is more of a

social context all members share and which gives them meaning and purpose.

Organizations are similar to large family, community or clan which develops and nurtures its members.

Growth and prosperity of organizations are valuable ends in themselves.

CCC Chapter 5 14

Reconciling Individualism and Communitarianism

Fig. 5.4 represents vicious circle : one value is tied to the seemingly opposite value in such a way that they avoid each other’s pathologies.

Issue is circular with two “starting points” Individualistic culture sees the individual as “the end”and

improvements to communal arrangements as the means to achieve it.

Communitarian culture sees the group as its end and improvements to individual capacities as a means to that end.

By definition, circle never end. Every “end” is also a means to another goal.

CCC Chapter 5 15

Reconciling Individualism and Communitarianism

Individualism finds its fulfillment in service to the group,while group goals are of demonstrable value to individuals only if these individuals are consulted and participate in the process of developing them.

Reconciliation is not easy , but possible. One value increases the quality of the seemingly opposite one.

Exercise –IV shows this process.

CCC Chapter 5 16

Reconciling Individualism and Communitarianism

Exercise - IV Several managers were discussing whether close co-operation or

fierce competition was the most salient mark of the successful enterprise. Below are four statements:

1. Competition is the supreme value of any successful economy or company. Attempts by major parties to co-operate usually end in collusion against one or more of them.

2. Competition is the supreme value of any successful economy or company, because this involves serving customers better than our rivals, so assuring the public interest.

3. Co-operation among stakeholders is the supreme value because this shared aim makes companies fiercely competitive towards outsiders, thereby fulfilling personal interests.

4. Co-operation among stakeholders is the supreme value. Personal rivalry and competition for self-advancement are seriously disruptive for effective operations.

Allocate “1” to the approach you prefer and “2”to the second choice. Similarly indicate what your belief would be favored by your closest colleague at work.

CCC Chapter 5 17

Reconciling Individualism and Communitarianism

Discussion on Exercise - IV Two answers represent either/ or type of answers while two

alternatives are reconciled answers. One starts with the individual and includes the group, while the other

starts with the group and then reconciles the individual. Answer 1 affirms competitive individualism and rejects

communitarian co-operation, while answer 4 is the exact opposite. Answer 2 starts by affirming competitive individualism, but by

connecting it to communitarian co-operation it reconciles into an integrity which can be called as “co-opetition”

Answer 3 suggests the same end result but the spiral is now anti-clockwise, from the co-operating group to the competing individual.

In Fig. 5.5, the results of earlier competitions are co-operatively integrated, before a new phase of competition begins.

CCC Chapter 5 18

Practical tips for doing business in Individualistic and Communitarian cultures

Table 1 /P.67 shows the difference between two orientations

Table 2 / P.67 shows tips for doing business in both cultures.

Table 3 / P.68 shows when managing and being managed in both cultures.