Cross-Cultural Analysis - Are Traditional Techniques Still Relevant?

This assignment discusses the relevance of traditional cross-cultural analysis techniques in the 21st century. It includes a critical evaluation of models such as Hofstede Cultural Model, Hall's Iceberg Concept of Culture, and Trompenaars Cross Cultural Analysis. The assignment also compares these models and draws conclusions.

Marketing across
Cultures Assignment
CW1

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TOPIC: “Cross-Cultural Analysis – are traditional techniques such as Hofstede, Wills et al, Hall
and Hall, Trompenaars still relevant in the 21st Century?”.............................................................1
TASK 1 Critical evaluation....................................................................................................1
TASK 2 Comparison..............................................................................................................3
TASK 3 Relevance and conclusions......................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Cross culture is consider as a environment within business which is affecting the its
employees as well as their behaviour. In an organisation there are different employees working
with various culture in order to achieve common goals (Chomvilailuk and Butcher, 2013). Cross
culture is a concept that recognize the difference which is between the employees which belongs
to different culture, backgrounds, ethnicities. This is very helpful in learning the different styles
as well as methods to conduct business activities. When company is operating its business
operations in different parts of the world it is essential to develop a positive cross culture
environment. The respective project is based on the literature review that is conducted in order to
analyse various frameworks that is pertaining to cross culture analysis.
TOPIC: “Cross-Cultural Analysis – are traditional techniques such as Hofstede, Wills et al,
Hall and Hall, Trompenaars still relevant in the 21st Century?”
TASK 1 Critical evaluation
It is important that company should analyse the cross culture in order to develop positive
environment in workplace. Cross culture is essential when company is operating its business
operation in many parts of the world. Global business environment consist of various cultures,
beliefs and other factors which have major impact on employees behaviour as well as attitude.
By managing the cross culture environment organisation will be able to motivate its employees
as well as influences then to achieve set targets. It has been analyse there are different models
that are related to cross culture analyse that is helpful in taking consideration for gaining access
in foreign countries. Models of cross cultural is developed by individuals who have gain
specialisation in their field as well as in depth detail about this topic. These models are
developed with the motive of providing framework to company in order to gain
comprehensibility of various cultures (De Mooij, 2015). It is considered as a stepping stones for
developing better relationship with in global business environment. Some of cross cultural model
are Hofstede Cultural Model, Hall's Iceberg Concept of Culture and Trompenaars Cross Cultural
Analysis. All of these models are mention below in detail.
Hofstede Cultural Model:
This is a cultural dimensions theory that is developed by Geert Hofestde. The motive of
developing this model in to describe the effects of culture that is developed by society on the
1

values of their member. This model is developed by carry out an proper research by Hofesstde
and in this he has study more than 100,000 employees of IBM which are working in different
parts of the world (Gillespie, 2015). In this model Hodstede has categories the different cultures
of various countries as per the employees of IBM. This model is categories into six different
elements which are mention below in detail.
 Individualism - Collectivism: This dimensions of respective model is related to societal
values not individuals. This states that it is essential for company to values team
performance in order to achieve desired goals.
 Power distance: This refers to the extent in which employees with less power can
tolerate the inequality. Power distance is considered as accept and expect distribution of
power among different employees of organisation.
 Short termism and long termism: It consist of the emphases that national culture have
on time horizons. This affect the planning, performance as well as objectives of company
as some countries prefers short team performance and other emphasis on long term
perspectives.
 Masculinity Vs femininity: This is related to decision making style of the organisation.
Masculinity approach refers to hard edged as well as aggressive decision making style
where as feminine is more consultation as well as intuitive analysis.
 Uncertainty avoidance: This categories of culture refers to different attitudes of
employees of different countries in order to take risk (Hoppner, Griffith and White,
2015). In this low level of uncertainty refers to willingness to take more risk.
 Indulgence Vs Restraint: Indulgence refers to a society which allows comp free
gratifications of basic and natural human needs where as restraints stands for the society
that suppresses needs and regulation.
Hall's Iceberg Concept of Culture:
This model of culture was developed in 1976 and it was formed by Edward T. Hall.
Iceberg model of culture states that there are some aspects which is visible from the the water but
the major portion is hidden beneath surface. This model in developed in order to provide a
framework to company which will help in analysing the internal as well as external aspects. It
has been analysed that the major difference in employees is because of difference in culture,
behavioural as well as attitudes of employees. The external parts which refers to conscious part
2

of culture is majorly those factor what is visible easily. Where as internal or subconscious part of
the company culture consist of all those elements which can not easily visible. External elements
consist of explicitly learned, conscious, easily changed and objectives knowledge. Where as
internal factors consist of implicitly learned, unconscious, difficult to change as well as
subjective knowledge. It has been evaluated form this model of culture that individuals can only
learn about internal culture through active participations in other culture. This perception is
applied to corporate context in order to gain better understanding and knowledge about the
country culture (Magnusson and et.al., 2013). For example corporate culture of UAE and Japan
is very different from each other. This will have huge impact on employees performance as well
as their attitude towards achievement of goals and objectives. Japan believes in poly-chronic
time approach which states that more work with less time. They are very keen on relying on the
group and as well as use indirect way of communication. In other nation like UAE, they focus on
enhancing social relationships in order to develop strong communication in organisation.
Trompenaars Cross Cultural Analysis:
This culture is developed by Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden Turner in order to
analyse as well as evaluate the impact of cross culture on companies. This model is develop in
order to understand the insight about the biggest difference within organisation as well as how
business is affected by these differences. This model consist of seven main dimensions of culture
which consist of universalism versus Particularism, individualism versus communitarianism,
neutral versus emotional, specific versus diffuse, achievement versus ascription, sequential
versus synchronous time, internal direction versus external direction (Pedersen and et.al., 2015).
By analysing all these dimensions of culture, company can develop more empathy and respect
towards other cultures, rituals as well as costumes.
TASK 2 Comparison
There are three major approaches which is mention above in order to analyse the impact
of different culture on organisation performance. Three approaches are Hofstede Cultural Model,
Hall's Iceberg Concept of Culture and Trompenaars Cross Cultural Analysis which is discussed
above in detail. From the above analyses of these three models and approaches it has been
evaluated that they are very different from each other as well as provide and framework to
organisation which help in maintaining positive and friendly work environment. The first model
is Hofstede Cultural Model and it completely focus on gaining knowledge regarding the
3

approaches which citizen of particular nation have about the personal life as well as professional
life. This model consist of seven factors of culture such as Individualism Versus Collectivism,
Masculinity Versus Femininity, Power Distance Index, Uncertainty Avoidance Index,
Indulgence Versus Restraint and Long Versus Short Term Orientation. Second model was Hall's
Iceberg Concept of Culture and it is developed with the motive on focusing the emotional as
well as mental state of a person (Samaha, Beck and Palmatier, 2014). This model comprises of
the comparison between the visible as well as those parts which is not been noticed easily. The
last model is Trompenaars Cross Cultural Analysis analysis which consist of seven dimensions
that is developed in order to gain complete knowledge about the different cultures as well as their
impact on performance of organisation.
TASK 3 Relevance and conclusions
Cross culture analyses is very important concept of organisation and it is essential that
company is critically analyse as well as evaluate each and every model which is related to cross
culture management. Cross cultural is an important aspect that requires to be implemented by an
organisation in order to enhance knowledge of several aspects that relating to a country. Now a
days, most of the countries are leading to becoming digital with the help of advancement of
technology. These kind of activities are carried in the way an organisation operating their
activities in advance manner. in this process cross cultural activities are determining in different
way as communication, marketing practices, consumer behaviours and so on of a specific
country.
4

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Chomvilailuk, R. and Butcher, K., 2013. The effect of CSR knowledge on customer liking,
across cultures. International Journal of Bank Marketing. 31(2). pp.98-114.
De Mooij, M., 2015. Cross-cultural research in international marketing: clearing up some of the
confusion. International Marketing Review. 32(6). pp.646-662.
Gillespie, K., 2015.Global marketing. Routledge.
Hoppner, J.J., Griffith, D.A. and White, R.C., 2015. Reciprocity in relationship marketing: A
cross-cultural examination of the effects of equivalence and immediacy on relationship
quality and satisfaction with performance. Journal of International Marketing. 23(4).
pp.64-83.
Magnusson, P. and et.al., 2013. The role of cultural intelligence in marketing adaptation and
export performance. Journal of International Marketing. 21(4). pp.44-61.
Pedersen, P.B. and et.al., 2015. Counseling across cultures. Sage Publications.
Samaha, S.A., Beck, J.T. and Palmatier, R.W., 2014. The role of culture in international
relationship marketing. Journal of Marketing. 78(5). pp.78-98.
Song, L., Swaminathan, S. and Anderson, R.E., 2015. Differences in customers’ online service
satisfaction across cultures: the role of thinking style. Journal of Marketing Channels.
22(1). pp.52-61.
Ting-Toomey, S. and Dorjee, T., 2018. Communicating across cultures. Guilford Publications.
Voldnes, G., 2015. Buyer-seller relationships across cultures: Conceptual, empirical and
methodological issues.
5