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Cultural Foundations of International Human Resource Management

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Cultural Foundations of International Human Resource Management
CHAPTER 2
CULTURAL FOUNDATIONS OF
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

LECTURE NOTES

This chapter examines the role of culture in managing people across borders. It identifies the several important dimensions for gaining insights and understanding about the cultures of employees that staff organizations domestically and abroad. It also addresses the different views about how global and regional economic integration have affected and will affect the different dimensions of culture.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Understand the concept of culture, the numerous ways to define culture and the how culture influences global workforce management.
• Explain the four dimensions of Hofstede’s Cultural Model and their implications for managing a global workforce.
• Explain the 7 dimensions of Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner’s Cultural Model and how it varies from Hofstede’s Cultural Model.
• Explain the different views about how global and regional economic integration have affected and will affect the different dimensions of culture, including convergence, divergence and crossvergence.
• Know how to plan for cultural challenges in various business contexts, such as, international mergers and acquisitions.

I. INTRODUCTION

Culture is central to the study and preparation for effectively managing a global workforce. Culture is often a source of conflict than of synergy. National and organizational culture can have a pervasive, powerful influence in organizations, and in various aspects of global workforce management. Without proper knowledge of different cultures, a merged company will not be able to achieve the expected synergy.

II. UNDERSTANDING CULTURE

Culture is defined as the socially transmitted behavior patterns, norms, beliefs and values of a given community. Culture affects and governs all facets of life by influencing values, attitudes and behaviors of a society.

A. Scope

It should be noted that culture is not just a national phenomenon.

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