Premium Essay

How Does Culture Affect Work

In:

Submitted By kenster09
Words 507
Pages 3
Work plays an important part in our lives. Growing up we see our parents, grandparents and relatives work to provide for their family. In order to survive in this world, an individual has to work. A man’s basic needs; food, clothing and shelter comes with a price, and in order to have the basic needs a man has to work. Most people like us work in order to get compensated and have enough to feed the family. Some people work to succeed. They do not just have a job, but they want careers. They will challenge themselves to go higher and higher in the business world. They work not only for the money but for self-respect and gratification about themselves. Individuals, who are born rich, will consider pursuing their hobbies into work. They start their own fashion line, or perfumes, become a singer or actor, but all this is considered work.
Different cultures look at work differently. I was born and raised in India. Growing up, friends, relatives and neighbors all at some point of time dreamt about coming to America, the land of opportunities. I knew a few people who came here to work, and heard stories from them about how the working environment in America is different from that in India. It made me want to come here and take advantage of the opportunities out here and make a name for myself. When I first came here and started working at the hospital, I came across various cultures, but all had one thing in common, they all worked hard. There was no job that was inferior to the others. EVS worker sat and ate lunch in the same cafeteria as the director of nursing. Director of Engineering was good friends with the cashier in the cafeteria. It was just amazing to see how everyone was called by their names, not their position in the hospital. It was a place where employees could socially interact. Employees were getting invited for baby showers, birthdays, graduation

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Cross Cultural Psychology

...primarily on culture, and the effects culture has on the mind and behavior. Culture is the symbols, attitudes, and behaviors shared by a group of people and passed on to the next generation. Culture affects how an individual thinks and in turn affects an individual’s behavior. Cultural psychology focuses on how culture affects an individual’s mental processes and behavior within that culture. Cross cultural psychology compares at least two cultures to see how culture affects an individual’s mental processes and behavior. Cross cultural psychology not only focuses on the differences between cultures, but also on the similarities and the reasons for these differences or similarities. Cultural psychology focuses on the effects culture has on an individual’s mental processes and behavior within that culture. Cultural psychologists try to find out as much about a particular culture, and how that culture affects the individual’s that lives there. Cultural psychologists can have a better understanding of a behavior when viewed in its sociocultural context. Cross cultural psychology compares two or more cultures to determine how culture affects an individual’s mental processes and behavior. Cross cultural psychology does not focus on only one culture at a time, and focuses on the reasons for similarities or differences between cultures. Cross cultural also focuses on how these similarities or differences affects psychology as a whole. Cultural psychology sets the ground work for cross...

Words: 1000 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

International Business Cultural Analysis Preliminary Essay

...A culture can be considered a driving force behind human actions in any country of the world; it plays part in politics, economics, progression, and every aspect of a community. It is transmitted to generations and generations thereafter. I chose Japan because they appear distinctly different in business interactions than the United States, and as an accounting major, I have an interest in how various cultural traits may or may not determine a way a country conducts business in the global community. My research will include analysis of various dimensions of culture to include: communication, religion, ethics, values and attitudes, manners, customs, structures and organizations within Japan’s culture, and education. The analysis should reveal how the elements and dimensions of culture influence businesses conducted with locals of the region; how do the elements and dimensions as well as the local business interaction compare to the United States’ culture and local businesses; and, implications for United States’ businesses who wish to conduct business in Japan. Although the fore mentioned are the basis of the cultural analysis, I hope to unfold how past/ current political constraints limits Japan’s maturity within the global community, for example, the limitations imposed by the signing of Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. Over fifty years ago, Japan and the United States signed the “Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security,” to assist in the containment of Communism...

Words: 909 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Chapter 2 Quick Answer Question

...Quick Study 1 1. Q: Define culture. How does ethnocentricity distort one’s view of other cultures? ANSWER: Culture is a set of values, beliefs, rules, and institutions held by a specific group of people. Ethnocentricity distorts one’s view of other cultures by believing that one’s own culture is superior to the culture of others, tending to make people to neglect important cultural differences. 2. Q: What is cultural literacy? Why should businesspeople understand other cultures? ANSWER: Cultural literacy is the detailed knowledge about a culture that allows a person to work effectively within it. Businesspeople should understand other cultures because it would improve their ability to manage employees, market products, and conduct negotiations in other countries. It also helps managers to attend local needs and desires, improving the company’s competitiveness as globalization continues. 3. Q: How do nation-states and subcultures influence a people’s overall cultural image? ANSWER: When it comes to culture, we tend to invoke the concept of the nation-states that support and promote the concept of national culture by building museums and monuments to preserve the legacies of important events and people, and that also intervene in business to preserve national culture. While the subculture that is a group of people that share a unique way of life within a larger culture (including language, race, lifestyle, attitudes, or other characteristics)...

Words: 2352 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Mgt 400 Case

...What is culture; 2 – Conceptual culture models; 3 – Culture shock and expatriate adjustment; 4 – Motivation; 5 – Decision making; 6 – Ethics. Textbook: Chapter 2 (Culture & International Management), 7 (Motivation), 9 (Decision Making) Cases: (1) Foundering Expatriate; (2) Black & Decker Readings: “The silent language in overseas business”; “Right ways to manage expats”; “Value in tension: Ethics away from home” What is Culture? 1. What is the definition of culture? Acquired knowledge people use to interpret experience and actions. This knowledge then influence values ,attitude and behavior 2. What are the three levels of culture? What are the examples for each level? Surface level food holidays Underwater level economy customs Deep level value belief 3. How is culture transmitted? Both formal and informal Informal transmission occurs every day as individuals interact with each other, watch television, or read books Formal transmission occurs through efforts to socialize as an individual, such as in schools and government 4. How does culture impact communication in organizations? Culture has an impact on how communication takes place in an organization, what is communicated (e.g., only work related or including personal issues), and the manner in which information is communicated (direct confrontation vs. saving face) 5. What are high-context and low-context cultures? In high-context...

Words: 3205 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

The Importance of Accountability Paper

...facts that prove that accountability affects an organization worse than any other factors and has cost the health care industry billions of dollars and these numbers continue to rise on a daily basis. According to Porter-O’Grady (2007), accountability is the most commonly used and misinterpreted element of management now. This paper will discuss the importance of accountability, how an employee’s accountability is measured in a health care industry, how accountability applies to the ethical considerations in leadership and management, what a checks-and-balances process looks like in a successful organization, how accountability affects an organization's working culture, and how to maintain a positive working culture and avoid a working culture of blame. Why is accountability important in the health care industry? Accountability is vital since it helps improve the organization with performance management, the improvement of employees, and improvement of procedures. Organizations are able to grow when accountability is shown in the organization. This is including all departments, employees, administration staff, and units. Everyone has their own accountability role and is responsible for that role. If anyone is not taking accountability for their own roles they are putting many lives at risk including their selves, co-workers, and patients. This harm may not just be physical harm it could also mean financial harm and emotional harm. How is an employee's accountability...

Words: 1406 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Hcs514- Culture and Change

...Change and Culture Niccolo Machiavelli once said, “There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.” It is how well your organization manages change that impacts the success of the business. Change affects all areas of business- formal and informal groups, work culture and climate, and organizational design. The organization is accountable to all stakeholders, most importantly their clients. The organizational culture influences services as perceived by those clients. This paper will consider a case study where the middle manager in a health care organization has merged with a previous competitor. Up until now, employees saw the competition as an enemy that provided a poor quality of care. The new corporation, however, has in place several inpatient and outpatient services that the organization does not. This paper will address the impact of the sale on the culture of the new combined organization. It will also address how the middle manager can ensure that the combined staff will work together to provide quality care without taking on a competitive stance. Lastly, it will describe what the organization will look like in terms of systems and shape. The primary interest in mergers and acquisitions is to create or exploit synergies (Dalton, n.d.) Unfortunately most mergers and acquisitions fail because there is too much focus on finances while...

Words: 1083 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Understanding an Organization's Culture

...Understanding an Organization's Culture Goal: This activity is designed to help you identify the dimensions of an organization's culture and acquire more than a simple definition of these concepts. * Wal-Mart appears to be well structured. They do their best every day to provide the greatest possible level of service to everyone they come in contact with. Their power distribution and job autonomy is great. Their beliefs are the foundation of their culture: service to their customers, respect for the individual, striving for excellence and acting with integrity. Wal-Mart sociability is described as the importance of respect for every associate. They also have encourage opportunities for growth and rewarded employees accomplishments. The key to their success is constantly looking for ways to improve themselves and improve their business. They strive to lead not just their industry, but also each associate to the next level of success. Wal-Mart’s tolerance for risk and change is to be objective by making decisions based solely on Wal-Mart’s interests while operating in compliance with all laws and their policies. Wal-Mart’s conflict tolerance is to be honest by telling the truth and keeping your word. Last but not least, Wal-Mart’s emotional support is to be fair and open when dealing with associates, suppliers and other stakeholders. Then, answer the following questions: 1) Define the eight dimensions of organizational culture described in the text. * Sociability-...

Words: 901 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Job Satisfaction

...Satisfaction: A worker attitude towards work is directly linked to the job satisfaction; a worker who is satisfied with his job performs better and excels at what he does. It is therefore imperative for a company to understand the attitude of its workers and measure the job satisfaction of its employees, as job satisfaction is essential for productivity. Introduction Worker attitude and job satisfaction deals with how an organization behaves. It involves the management directing employees into improving organizational and personal effectiveness. It plays an enormous role in determining the attitudes of employees and their job satisfaction. When an employee is happy, it is usually because they are satisfied with their work. This also improves the quality of their work. Attitude and job satisfaction may not fall completely on the management but also on the employees. If employees enjoy their work, they will not need external motivation from management, but instead the satisfaction they attain from completing their work will motivate them (Robbins, 2004). Job satisfaction is an individual’s contentment with their work. Its effect on productivity is either positive or negative. The relationship between job satisfaction and job productivity is however not consistent. An individual may still obtain high job productivity without having the satisfaction in the work. This happens mostly when money is their motivation. Another motivator is improving in his or her work in order to receive a promotion...

Words: 2175 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Organization Behaviour

...Table of Contents Introduction 2 LO 1: Understanding the relationship between organizational structure and culture 3 1.1 Compare and contrast different organizational structures and cultures 3 1.2 Explain how the relationship between organization’s structure and culture can impact on the overall performance of the business. 6 1.3 Discuss the factors which influence individual behavior at work. 7 LO 3: Understand ways of using motivational theories in organizations. 9 3.1 Discuss the impact that different leadership styles may have on motivation in organizations in periods of change. 9 3.2 Compare the application of different motivational theories in the workplace of one of the organizations selected. 10 3.3 Evaluate the usefulness of motivation theories you have identified above for managers. 10 Conclusion 11 Introduction The two banks I have chosen for this assignment are HNB and Seylan Bank. Hatton National Bank, or also known as HNB, has been around in the country for over 120 years. It is recognized for its experience, expertise, skills and humanity, resulting in a responsible bank working for the Sri Lankan people. The bank visions itself as a leader, able to provide financial solutions through inspired people. The HNB is not simply a bank but a financial firm. It has introduced new things to the country by having two local subsidiaries; HNB Assurance and Sithma Development. The alliance of the HNB and DFCC started the program of Acuity Partners...

Words: 3666 - Pages: 15

Free Essay

How Does Media Affect Us

...manipulatable species where the media feeds off this ever-growing trait that lies within us all. It affects us in so many ways both consciously and otherwise, where half the time we aren't aware of what it is doing to us. The biggest tool in the media that generates revenue by the millions everyday, is advertising. It is a creature like no other in the media world, that reaps in the big bucks. We'll take a look at how the media affects our culture by an overview of the pros and cons. How Does Media Affect Cultures The media affects people in varied ways, some of which are good while others aren't as pretty. Let's take a look at the good and bad side of media's influence on culture. ✔ +tive Aspects ✘ -tive Aspects The media has its way of showing us constructive information when it comes to news channels, travel and other educational shows. Kids benefit from watching these, since it can boost self-esteem, heighten interest levels in a particular subject, or encourage them to ask relevant questions. Violence is a major factor when it comes to media, being a potentially dangerous instigator when it comes to young audiences. Kids are influenced easily by what they see on television or the Internet, mimicking such acts (if not as extreme, though on the lines of violence) on elders, or kids their age. We have a sense of what is happening around us, with a fair insight about how things work elsewhere on the globe. We can view the world through the television, even if we are rooted...

Words: 648 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Change in Leadership

... A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP AT THE LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITY PADM520 JUNE 2014 Introduction An organization’s culture forms over years of interaction between the persons involved in that organization. Those in the leadership positions set the tone and standards that will be followed by others involved. But what happens when that leadership fails to lead? How does an organization tackle the issues of poor communication, no defined or set policies, an inadequate administrative system and lack of leadership? This is the problem that Local Education Authority (LEA) was faced with when its new leader, Ales Rakovich, took over the organization as the LEA head when the organization had a negative culture already in place. Rakovich failed to make changes within the organization, which resulted in multiple mistakes. Mistakes made included failing to communicate with one another and failure of the secretary to handle correspondence and effectively perform her job functions. Rakovich reported to the head of the Regional Education Authority (REA). More than once, the REA expressed their dissatisfaction with the job performance and working habits of the LEA staff. As the head of the LEA, Rakovich was responsible for organizing and monitoring the organizations work. But after failing to effectively lead the organization, not only was the LEA’s reputation damaged but so was Rakovich’s reputation as a leader. Rakovich knew that...

Words: 1628 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

International Business Chapter 003

...Differences in Culture Chapter Outline OPENING CASE: McDonald’s in India INTRODUCTION WHAT IS CULTURE? Values and Norms Culture, Society, and the Nation-State The Determinants of Culture SOCIAL STRUCTURE Individuals and Groups Social Stratification Country Focus: Breaking India’s Caste System RELIGIOUS AND ETHICAL SYSTEMS Christianity Islam Country Focus: Islamic Capitalism in Turkey Hinduism Buddhism Confucianism Management Focus: DMG-Shanghai LANGUAGE Spoken Language Unspoken Language EDUCATION CULTURE AND THE WORKPLACE CULTURAL CHANGE FOCUS ON MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS Cross-Cultural Literacy Culture and Competitive Advantage SUMMARY CRITICAL THINKING AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS CLOSING CASE: Wal-Mart’s Foreign Expansion Learning Objectives 1. Know what is meant by the culture of a society. 2. Identify the forces that lead to differences in social culture. 4. Identify the business and economic implications of differences in culture. 5. Understand how differences in social culture influence values in the workplace. 6. Develop an appreciation for the economic and business implications of cultural change. Chapter Summary This chapter begins by introducing the concept of culture. The determinants of culture are identified, which include religion, political philosophy, economic philosophy, education...

Words: 7579 - Pages: 31

Premium Essay

Xyz Leadership Model

...changing nature of the markets and the industry, also considering what the customer preferences are, how can they be creative and stand out by implementing flatter structures as well as cross functional teams. Although they changed their leading process they still didn't get the change they were hoping for,...

Words: 1844 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Global Business Cultural Analysis: Turkey

...tool used in order for one to become more familiar with a culture, more attune to the implications that the culture has on the business conducted by the people group of the culture, and more aware of the attitudinal and behavioral implications a member of a different culture should expect when working with members of the people group. In exploring the varying cultural elements, one examines the role and perception of women, the role and influence of religion, and the role and perspective of time. The cultural elements have an impact on business that should be considered by a U.S. American seeking to conduct business with members of this people group. Global Business Cultural Analysis: Turkey Primary sources serve to provide a foundation for definitions when pursuing a research project. They are also beneficial for defining terms and establishing reasons behind why one might pursue a particular research topic. When beginning a global business cultural analysis, it is important to understand what is meant by the term culture. Hofstede defines culture as “the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another” (Hofstede, 2001, p. 9). The people group focus for this study is the members of the Republic of Turkey. Though the culture in Turkey differs from that of other people groups around the world, this study seeks to compare this culture with the culture of U.S. Americans. Cultural similarities and differences...

Words: 5536 - Pages: 23

Free Essay

Hlt 324v All Weeks Discussions Latest

...us/product/hlt-324v-weeks-discussions-latest/ contact us at: SUPPORT@WISEAMERICAN.US HLT 324V ALL WEEKS DISCUSSIONS LATEST HLT 324V Week 1 Discussion 1 Describe the concept of “variant characteristics of culture.” Which characteristics can change and which cannot? Is equality for variant cultures typically supported in the United States? Provide examples to support your statement. HLT 324V Week 1 Discussion 2 How does cultural competency occur? What can one do to become culturally aware? Describe an effective approach to using The Purnell Model when working with subcultures (immigration status, gender, political beliefs, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, educational status, etc.). HLT 324V Week 2 Discussion 1 From your readings, which cultural difference would be most challenging for you to understand? Why? How would you prepare to work with individuals from this culture in order to respect their culture? HLT 324V Week 2 Discussion 2 If health care practitioners cannot communicate to the patients in their language, how important is it to find a translator? Whose problem is it, the health care provider’s or the patient’s? Why? HLT 324V Week 3 Discussion 1 From the 10 select cultural groups you selected for the High-Risk Nutritional Practices assignment, briefly explain an unusual high-risk practice and how it impacts your role as a medical professional. HLT 324V Week 3 Discussion 2 What factors influencing nutritional practices in the United States could be changed to improve health...

Words: 1557 - Pages: 7