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Cultural dimension of China

It¶s no secret, China is experiencing a fast development!!!

A few years ago, the country initiated its take-off, like most developing countries did in

their times.

Though this take-off is bringing up many concerns because of the size of the country,

its model of development (export-led growth) and the time when it takes place

(advanced globalization era) make it a unique event!!

In a time of massive industrialization, China has become the world factory for a majority of

manufactured goods.

Its workforce is, still at this point, one of the cheapest in the world: It¶s disciplined, thrifty, hard

at work, up-and-coming, which turns the country into a formidable competitor or ± a reliable

commercial partner!

Is it worth making clear that a majority of the Western manufacturers are turning to the Middle Kingdom to look

into the future? . Importers of our industry have already set out to conquer China and its endless resources in

promotional merchandise.

The actors of our industry who want to establish direct business relationships with Chinesepartners are steadily increasing«

But the Chinese culture is far different from our Western culture, and therefore it is fundamental

to know and understand its specificities in order to communicate properly and establish lasting

business relationships. .

We will analyze the different elements existing in Chinese culture basing on criteria put forward by

Geert Hofstede, who set up a huge study about the way culture influences working relationships in a

multicultural environment. ( www.geert-hofstede.com ).

Five cultural dimensions have resulted from his study, representing the major values present in a society. These are

the following:

� The concept of power and hierarchical distance (Power Distance Index)

� The degree of individualism or collectivism (Individualism)

� The degree of masculinity (Masculinity)

� The control of uncertainty (Uncertainty Avoidance Index)

� The degree of long-term orientation in a society (Long Term Orientation)

This analysis tool will give us only an overall vision of the Chinese culture and must be used with care, because it does

not take into account the interpersonal characteristics of the individuals.

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P ower Distance Index ( P DI)Power distance measures how much a culture has respect for authority .This criterion shows the way how inequalities of all kinds are perceived and handled (physical, intellectual,wealth and power), but also the degree of acceptance of authority and distance towards it. It shows that thiscriterion is very high for China (80), while in Asian countries the average is 60, and in France it is 68. Thismeans that the Chinese society is characterized by a very high level of inequalities in power and wealth,and that these are accepted by the individuals. Also, the individual representing the authority in anyorganization (family, undertaking, etc.) is highly respected, beca use that individual has the decision -makingpower. In China there is a strong differentiation of roles, competences and respect due, according to theindividual¶s position on the hierarchic scale.

y Greetings are done in order of age ±always greet the eldest member of a group firsty As status is recognized by age, university degree and profession, use of a person¶s t itle is important.y Address someone as Dr. or Professor whenever possible. Do not call someone by their first name

until they ask you toy Put your university degree or any accreditations on your business cardy Deploy senior staff members to communicate and make announcements to general staff y Be prepared for answers like ³we will see,´ or ³let us think about it´ which in the non -confrontational

Chinese society actually mean ³no

Individualism versus CollectivismThis index represents the degree of integration within the group, family or generally speaking within acommunity. It also indicates the degree of moral implication in belonging to an organiza tion, according tothe undertaking being collectivist or individualist, and in this respect, the more the undertaking is collectivist,the more the individual will feel a moral duty towards the group, to which he is very loyal. China¶s IDV rankslower than any other Asian country. This can be attributed primarily to the Communist rule andteachings of Confucius: stresses loyalty, respect for age and seniority, emphasis on harmony, etc.Harmony is achievedby giving ³face´ to others and avoiding losing your own ³face. China is a country that has been stronglymarked by collectivism, as it shows a very low degree of individualism (20), contrary to France (71), whichis a very individualist society. Otherwise stated, the Chinese so ciety has a strong loyalty towards the group,which is strongly influenced by the importance of the role of the family and the relationships within thefamily. The individual has little autonomy and decisions are deliberated.

y Chinese people tend to ³give f ace´ to others by being overly polite at times, while they expect othersto reciprocate the level of ³face´ they give. Declining a request, offer or invitation directly may beconsidered as not giving face to others. Likewise, losing your temper, confronti ng someone, puttingsomeone on the spot, arrogant behavior or failing to accord proper respect to a person can cause aloss of face.

Some tips for the low IDV workplace«y Aim to build lasting relationshipsy Try working through an individual or an organizati on who introduces you formally ±Chinese like to

work with people they knowy Avoid asking pointed questionsy Do not expect decisions to be made at meetings as meetings are merely forums for exchange of

informationy Allow time in meetings for team members to consent and consult

Degree of Masculinity against FemininityThis criterion refers to the role share between men and women, and the differences of equality that existbetween the two genders. It constitutes a difference of values as well, depending on the fact if the society ismasculine or feminine. Indeed, Hofsted e considers masculine those societies which lay emphasis on roledivision, the carrying out of visible actions, and financial gains, while in feminine societies modest attitudesare appreciated, quality of life and assistance towards other people. China is relatively more masculine (55)and it is the Asian country that has the highest degree of masculinity following Japan. This degree isinfluenced by the tremendous discrimination in China towards girls. The policy of birth control that wasintroduced, basing on one single child, has been followed by a strange increase in girls¶ mortality.

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The strong preference of boys is due to the traditional values, but also a consequence of poverty, as in the rural areas

it is the son who will take care of his parents, while traditionally girls don¶t work and are therefore unable to take care

of the family.

For this reason, Chinese society is very chauvinistic » and there is a strong role differentiation between men and

women. Men hold most of the responsibility and power positions. The role of women in China is very limited, even

though it seems to be taking more importance in the cities and more developed regions. Especially in the rural areas

their status is inferior. The country is far from setting up men-women parity, while France is making a special effort to

take account of this principle of gender equality.

Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI)The set-up of means that may meet the uncertainties of the future are not handled in the same way by thedifferent societies. Yet, this criterion represents the degree of tolerance of a society towards uncertainty andambiguity, or even the feeling of comfort or discomfort when facing situations that have no frame or structure. China presents a high degree of acceptanc e of uncertainty, which is a characteristic of a societythat does not try to take control of the future, and that is not afraid of unforeseen situations.

Contrary to France, a society that is very sensitive to uncertainty, the Chinese society does not feel such an urge to

establish strict rules to overcome uncertainty or ambiguity. It is also characteristic of a society that is more tolerant

towards opinions, behaviors that are different from its own, and changes. And it is a more meditative society which

does not feel the need of controlling its environment.y Present a bottom line and an objective, then build your case around questionsy Expect frequent rescheduling of meetings. It is a good idea to set up appointments a few weeks in advance

and reconfirm 1-2 days before the scheduled meeting

The degree of long-term orientationThis criterion shows the perspectives of a society with regard to time and the degree of perseverance. It isthe most extreme criterion, which is the major characteristic of Chinese society.This means that perseverance and economy are the basic values in China, these values being taught by

Confucianism, which is widely established in China. Also, Chinese culture is neutral, contrary to the French culturewhich is affective. Which means that in China feelings are not readily expressed and physical contact avoided, while in

France like in all other Mediterranean cultures the behavior is expressive and gestured, and people like to express

their feelings and physical contact.

Summing it up, the Chinese culture is marked by respect and loyalty, which makes them reliable partners. They favor

the interest of the group and in particular are extremely perseverant and formidable business people.

At a time when China is attracting increasing attention, it is essential to know its culture and values, to better

understand the country and its inhabitants, to be able to work with China, not against them, which in any case would

be a lost battle«