Cross Cultural Management: Cultural Intelligence and Decision-Making

This essay explores cross-cultural management through the lens of Trompenaars' Onion model, applying it to the author's own Nepali culture, highlighting its communitarian and particularist aspects. It discusses how demographic data assists international managers in decision-making, emphasizing the importance of understanding population size, composition, and economic trends. The essay defines cultural intelligence as the ability to understand and respect diverse cultural values, reflecting on the author's own cultural intelligence developed in a multicultural environment. It identifies six corporate values of Wesfarmers, including ethics, compliance, customer value, respect, accountability, and social responsibility, and reflects on strategies to become indispensable at work through continuous learning and cultural integration.

Running head: CROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENT
Cross Cultural Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Question 1. Explain what Trompenaar means with the “Onion model” of the seven
dimensions of culture.
Trompenaar’s Onion model of culture uses the model of nested circles represented an
onion to describe the nature of a cultures. The outermost layer represents artifacts, languages,
and objects of symbolic values. The layer below it represents behavioral patterns, followed
by behavioral norms below it. The next layer represents shared values while the innermost
core represents fundamental beliefs and assumptions. Cultures that are based on strong
beliefs and assumptions are subjective cultures, while cultures that are based on symbolism
and artifacts or objects are objective culture. The Trompenaar model provides a framework to
understand the dynamics of culture through its position within the dual and opposite values
such as subjectivity and objectivity. The Seven dimensions of the Trompenaar model also use
the same principle of opposing values on 7 dimensions or values. Any culture can be placed
anywhere between their duality using the onion model and the overall scores of these
‘dimensions’ can give an insight on the culture. Similarly, another pair of values in the onion
model is Dominant Vs Sub Culture, which can also be analyzed using the seven dimensions
model. In the age of globalization, this framework can be useful to understand the causes of
cultural conflicts (Bertsch 2014).
Question 2. Apply this model to your own culture
Using the Onion Model and Seven Dimensions Model on my culture I was able to
understand the dynamics of the Nepali culture and society. Since childhood I was taught
about the importance of family values and beliefs. Such beliefs and values show that the
Nepali culture is a subjective one and is not very objective. The culture has very high regards
about families, communities and cultures, which according to Trompenaar model makes it a
Communitarianist culture. And also, the Nepali people show high pride regarding their

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cultural histories. Circumstances play an important role in people in this culture, and
influence their decisions, which make it a particularist society. The people generally shy
away from showing their emotion and are usually very enthusiastic and optimistic, and the
culture has a rich history of arts, music and culture. It is also common that the people often
like to enjoy their time with their family and friends and community festivals are a
commonplace in Nepal. This shows that the culture is Emotional. The development and
growth of the communities were significantly supported by the nature of people willing to
share their places with other with the collectivist attitude. Such makes the culture specific.
The culture values nature as one of the most important part of their culture. Love and respect
for nature are deeply embedded within the culture and its history and the people have leant to
live and survive with nurture in harmony. It shows that the culture is directed externally and
furthermore the culture also has several distinct subcultures. Each with their distinct beliefs
and symbolisms. Thus it can be said that the Nepali culture is quite different compared to
Western cultures and its dynamics is unique in its own way (youtube.com 2018a).
Question 3. How can statistics and other data on population demographics, such as the
ABS Population clock, CIA World Fact book and others, assist International managers
in their decision-making?
Demographic information is possibly one of the most important information for
decision making process, especially in the managerial and board levels. Demographic data
helps to understand the total population size, the composition as well as distribution. This can
help the managers to estimate the potential size of the market, the sustainability of the market
as well as the possibility of success for a decision. Demography also helps to understand the
economy of the country and its growth. This can be useful for managers to determine long
term viability of the market. The demographic data can be used to understand and
contextualize trends in the market which can support the managers in their decision making

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process, developing marketing plans and identify the target crowd (australia.gov.au 2018;
abs.gov.au 2018; Wedel and Kannan 2016).
Question 4. Describe Cultural intelligence according to theory.
Cultural intelligence is the ability of individuals to understand cultural values of
others and can take their point of view and is keen towards the perceptions of others. Such
individuals have appreciation and respect for cultural diversities, and can live or work very
well and fit in culturally diverse backgrounds. With the rapid globalization of the world,
traveling and living in far off places is no more difficult, and have led to the development of
culturally heterogeneous societies. Individuals who are culturally intelligent are also
considered as culturally competent as they are able to modify their actions to exhibit their
understanding and respect for other cultures. Thus, cultural intelligence supports a
Communitarianist value in the society and helps in the development of community values
(Ott and Michailova 2018).
Question 5. Describe Cultural intelligence in your own words and reflect on your own
cultural intelligence.
I believe that cultural intelligence is the ability to understand the nature of culture
other than mine, which includes understanding of the values and beliefs (including shared
values), patterns of behavior as well as the symbolisms of the culture. Overall, my definition
of culture is based on the capacity to perceive the common mindsets and ideologies on a
different culture.
I think I have strong cultural intelligence being brought up in a culturally diverse
society. I am always keen to interact and socialize with people, and I am very comfortable in
a multicultural environment. My cultural intelligence has significantly helped me to learn

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about the Australian culture as well as the values and dynamics of the culture, which is very
different from the Nepali culture (youtube.com 2018b).
Question 6. List 6 corporate values of Wesfarmers as mentioned by the Chairman in the
video.
In the given video, the chairman shared some very valuable insights into the core
values that supports the corporate culture at Wesfarms and has helped the organization in its
success and growth. These values are:
Ethics: This is an important consideration that helps an organization to maintain an ethical
code of conduct and fulfill its legal and legislative obligations.
Compliance: Compliance to policies and protocols are important since it helps to orient the
actions of every worker in the correct direction and helps to maintain correct and best
practices.
Value of Customer: This is vital because customers are the main sources of income and
loyalty and satisfaction of the customer can help the sustenance on the long term.
Respect: Respect is an important value which is given to both the customers and employees,
and thus supports the eagerness to understand their needs and problems.
Accountability: This ensures that every worker or employee have ownership on their own
actions and accept the responsibility of any errors.
Social Responsibility: This allows the company to activrly contributes to support the society
and contribute to their development.
(wesfarmers.com.au 2016)

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Question 7. Reflect on how you could make yourself indispensable at work.
One of the most significant strategies to improve employability and chances of growth
in an organization is through further education or professional certifications. These are good
indicators of the competency of the individual to hold a job of responsibility. Increasing
certifications also provides the leverage secure a better position in the job. Therefore I aim to
further increase my knowledge and skills through higher education and certifications. I would
also use my cultural intelligence to understand and integrate with the new culture more
efficiently and thereby becoming a part of the organization’s culture in no time. I also plan to
develop self reflection skills further, which will help me, learn from my experiences and thus
help in my professional development (forbes.com 2017; Haarhoff et al. 2015).

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Bertsch, A., 2014. Representing the Concept of Culture: Has the Time Come to Replace the
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Ott, D.L. and Michailova, S., 2018. Cultural intelligence: A review and new research
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Wedel, M. and Kannan, P.K., 2016. Marketing analytics for data-rich environments. Journal
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http://2016.sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/case-studies/governance/governance-and-
corporate-culture/ [Accessed 13 Sep. 2018].
youtube.com, 2018a. Dr Fons Trompenaars on Culture. [online] YouTube. Available at:
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youtube.com, 2018b. Cultural intelligence: the competitive edge for leaders | Julia Middleton
| TEDxEastEnd. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=izeiRjUMau4 [Accessed 13 Sep. 2018].