Requires every culture to find a solution, pertains to the

cultural preference for : Dominance and forcefulness Nurturance and social support

Describes the extent to which people value and prefer: Tough aggressiveness Tender non-aggressiveness

Assertiveness

High-context culturesValue strength, success and taking the initiative

•Competition is good, winning is desirable and rewards should go to those who are victorious.

•People are encouraged to be competitive, visible and successful

•Representative cultures: Germany and Hong Kong

Low-context culturesValue modesty, tenderness, warm relationships and cooperation

• Competition is bad, a win-lose orientation is unacceptable and rewards should be shared among all.

• Nurturance and social support are important, a sense of solidarity.

• Friendliness is much more important than brilliance

• Typical cultures: Kuwait and Thailand

Performance orientation

1.Definition

The degree to which a culture encourages and rewards people for their accomplishments

2.The ways people are regarded as superior to others

1. Because of who they are: the “correct” family background, age, gender, birth order, school.

2.Based on personal achievements: the amount of education, success in business, physical strength, occupation…

High performance- oriented cultures(In Canada and Singapore)

Status is based on what a person has accomplished.

•Schooling and education are critical to one’s success

•People are expected to demonstrate some initiative in work-related tasks and expectations are high.

Low performance-oriented cultures

Low performance-oriented cultures(In Colombia and

Guatemala)

Status is based on who you are.

Attending the “right” school is important, as are family connections, seniority, loyalty and tradition.

3.People‘s preferred relationship to the natural and spirit world

As Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck suggested:

Some cultures view nature as something to be conquered and controlled.

Others view themselves as subjected to nature.

High performance - oriented cultures• Assert their dominance over nature and try to shape the world to fit their needs

•Getting the job done is far more important than maintaining effective relationships

•What really matters is the task-related results that show what someone has accomplished

•People value competitiveness, assertiveness and achievement.

Low performance-oriented cultures

•People feel more controlled by nature and want to live in harmony with the natural and spiritual environment.

•Maintaining effective relationships is more important than is getting the job done.

•What matters most are cooperation, integrity and loyalty.

4.Edward Hall’s conceptHigh performance - oriented cultures

Low performance-oriented cultures

Tend to be low-context

•Prefer to use messages that are clear, explicit and direct

•Have a monochronic approach to time.Time is valuable and limited, events are sequential and punctuality is preferred.

Tend to be high-context

•Use high-context messages more often

•Their intent is to avoid direct confrontations and maintain harmony in their relationships

Future orientationDefinition: the extent to which a culture plans

for forthcoming events

It describes the degree to which cultures advocate long-term planning

Deferred gratification or the deeply felt satisfaction that comes from experiencing the simple pleasures of the present moment

Cultures are high in future orientation

(Iran, Hong Kong)

Cultures are low in future orientation

(Portugal, Venezuela)

•Believe that current pleasures are less important than future benefits.

=> Believe in planning, self-control and activities that have a delayed impact

•Want to save money and other resources

=>Believe in strategic planning, value economic success

•Like to live “in the moment” and are less constrained by doubts about the past or concerns about the future

=>Prefer to enjoy fully the experiences currently under way.

•Are more likely to spend now rather than save for later

=> View material and spiritual achievements as opposing goals and prefer the latter.