Cross Cultural Management: Trompenaar's Onion Model, Nepali Culture, Corporate Values and Cultural Intelligence

Running head: CROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENT
Cross Cultural Management
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Author Note

1CROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENT
1. Meaning of Trompennar in the ‘Onion Model’ of Seven Dimensions of Culture:
With the advent of globalization and growth in business in the modern times,
diversification of business is a commonplace. This diversification leads to organizations
involving cultural diversity in its workplace (Bowen et al. 2015). Such cultural diversity and
heterogeneity creates potential situations of conflict and cultural miscommunication. The
Onion Model provides a frame work for understanding the strategies that can be used to
resolve such misunderstanding and conflict created within a culturally heterogeneous work
environment. The model comprises of layers of culture such as Subjective versus Objective
Culture and Dominant versus Sub Culture (Humphrey and Economou 2015; Guldenmund
2017). These layers help to understand the position of individual values and beliefs within the
spectrum of cultural values within the organization, that is, where the individual values and
culture lies between Subjective and Objective cultural perspectives and between Dominant
and Sub Culture perspectives. The Trompenaars cultural dimensions comprise of seven levels
that can be used to explain a culture within an organization which can be placed within the
Onion model of culture (Frank et al. 2016). The Trompenaar Cultural Dimensions also helps
to understand the nature of the culture in the organization, which can be used to identify
whether the culture is Subjective, Objective, Dominant or a Sub Culture, therefore helping to
place the culture within the Onion Model (Bertsch 2014).
2. Applying the Onion Model to my own culture:
Since I am from Nepal, I was able to use the onion model and the Trompenaar model to
understand and explain the cultural traits, cultural dynamics and characteristics of the Nepali
culture (youtube.com 2018a). Discussed are the important cultural dimensions that were
identified:

2CROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENT
Particularism: The Nepali culture is particularist as application of ideas and practices are
significantly influenced by circumstances, and personal relationships are importance in the
decision making process. Also status is of high importance in the Nepali culture, Due to this
the people are proud of their ancestry and lineages. Moreover, situational awareness is very
high in the culture and people.
Communitarianism: The culture is based on the strengths of the communities. The values of
family, community, lineage and inheritance are important aspects that determine the position
of the individual in the society and community. The Nepali people show pride over their
cultural lineages and on the collectivist focus of the society. Such an attitude fosters group or
collective efforts and also to support each other to maintain a strong and well bonded
community.
Emotional: Nepali people are also very emotional, and they easily express their emotions to
other, show enthusiasm in what they do and are very colorful in nature. Such a trait instills
their interest in art, music and cultural festivals, and they like to enjoy themselves more.
Specific: The culture is also very specific in nature and involves large public spaces. People
here are not hesitant to share their space with others, and are welcoming to guests. The close
friends and associates additionally get to share the private space of people as well showing
that the Nepali people values friendship and relations.
Ascriptive: Social status and values of individuals are often ascribed based on their origin,
social position, age, career and family. However, the new generation is also achievement
oriented and views their personal achievements as the indicators of their value and position in
the society. Thus the Nepali culture is a mix of both Ascription and Achievements.