Organizational Culture and Management: A Swedish Perspective

This assignment analyzes organizational culture, focusing on a comparison between Sweden and China. The analysis utilizes Hofstede's cultural dimensions to evaluate factors such as individualism, power distance, masculinity/femininity, and uncertainty avoidance, offering insights into how these dimensions influence management styles and workplace dynamics. The paper also explores the ethnocentric perspectives of Swedish managers, examining their approach to employee selection and its implications. Furthermore, the paper discusses specific aspects of Swedish workplace culture, including communication styles, meeting practices, and the significance of 'fika'. By examining these factors, the assignment provides a comprehensive understanding of organizational culture and its impact on international business practices. The paper also touches upon the selection process, and the benefits of ethnocentric and polycentric methods. The references include books and journals.

Online exam

Table of Contents
Question 1.............................................................................................................................................3
Question 2.............................................................................................................................................5
References.............................................................................................................................................6

Question 1
There are different cultures followed within organisations of different countries. People of different
countries have their own culture and beliefs which they have to follow while working in the company.
This strategy is viewed as a high cost strategy since it concentrates on producing products that satisfy
the need of each individual. However, many researchers argued that this is an effective strategy. Due
to the fact that people from different countries are influenced by different macro environmental
factors such as language, race, education, culture, etc. there is an assumption that people will have
different consuming behavior. Therefore, from the term of international marketing, supporters of this
approach believe that multinational companies should have to find out how they must adjust an entire
marketing strategy and, including how they sell, distribute it, in order to fit new market demands.
Hofstede (1980, p. 19) claimed that "a broad tendency to prefer certain states of affairs over others" is
worth. In addition, Smith and Schwartz (1997, p.79 quoted in Lim, 2001) find out was that morals are
just one of the concepts that are closely linked to any behavioral element. As Zawawi (2008) claimed,
its recognition for many accounts is regarded to be tradition. (1994, p.429 cited) Tayeb. In context of
Swedish organisational culture, there are different factors from Hofstede model that can be evaluated
for managing the work.
In 76 nations, Hofstede performed comprehensive research on the diversity of cultures.
. He built a four-dimensional model of cross-cultural work-related principles, consisting of
individualism-collectivism, detachment from authority, masculinity-femininity and avoidance
of ambiguity (1983). The following is a description of each dimension.
The first dimension relates to the relationship between individuals and their individuality.
The degree of individuality relies on factors like that of the organization's educational level,
size, background, and culture. Employees are supposed to act rationally pursuant to their own
interests in individualistic work environments, while in a collectivistic culture, a manager
never recruits just an employee, but a candidate who belonging to more in. The second
dimension applies to how injustice is dealt with by society. The Power Distance Index (PDI)
represents the degree of reasonable equality and inequality between individuals in a group.
Hofstede suggests as a dimensional national culture the distance of influence. "The
distribution of power to the degree to which the less powerful representatives of institutions
and organizations within a nation anticipate and recognize power is managed.
The degree of position distinctions between genders refers to this factor. Hofstede (1980)
found that, rather than the role of men, the social role of women has less difference across
different cultures. He believes that male societies are those who rely on the full distinction in

society between the positions of men and women (Hofstede, 1980). Countries may therefore
be classified as male or female cultures, China is influenced by high masculinity, success-
oriented, emphasizing the position of 66, with a score of 66,
Division, financial success. Sweden scored 5, with a culture of femininity. Therefore, a
balance exists between leisure time and the time needed to work. Collectivist culture
emphasizes the creation of good and powerful relationships,
In order to create an interconnected community, they name it guanxi. They, therefore,
emphatically, it is concluded that organisational culture of Sweden is better than China.
Power distance is another factor which is related to the organisational culture. The second
dimension applies to how injustice is dealt with by society. Distance of Power
The Index (PDI) represents the degree of appropriate equality and inequality between
individuals in a culture. Hofstede (2001, p. 98) suggests the distance of control as a national
dimension: The degree to which the less influential representatives of institutions and
organizations within a party are less powerful . The nation expects and recognizes that
Swedish culture is more suitable than Chinese culture. China's score of 80 reveals disparity in
the country's power and income. The enhancements of Power Distance in China are informed
by cultural heritage along with the past of political regulation. In addition, the Confucian
principles, emphasized on social order dependent on unequal interactions, are likely to
broaden Chinese centralized cultures. There are nations with elevated Chinese ideals that
respect the structure. Moreover, it is concluded that organisational culture can be
differentiated on the basis of feminity and masculinity. The degree of position distinctions
between genders refers to this factor. Hofstede (1980) found that, rather than the role of men,
the social role of women has less difference across different cultures. He believes that male
societies are those who rely on the full distinction in society between the positions of men
and women (Hofstede, 1980). Countries may therefore be classified as male or female
cultures. Feminine societies, on the other hand, are more concerned with the quality of human
interactions and the quality of working life. Managers are more adamant and assertive in the
male work environment, whereas managers are intuitive in feminine cultures and insist on
general agreement (Jandt, 2006). China, with a score of 66, is affected by high masculinity,
success-oriented, emphasizing a balance between balance and position. Societies with low
UAI provide a more comfortable atmosphere in the company without the need for extra
regulations and punctuality. Conversely, hard work is important in the high UAI community,
and accuracy and punctuality are required. With ratings of 29 and 30 respectively, Sweden
and China have poor UA scores. People are more open to the reality in Chinese culture, but

are versatile. Centered on a true scenario. Swedish culture within organisation is more
versatile. The Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) deals with the degree to which a culture
can accept uncertainty and ambiguity. Countries with a high rating for avoidance of
ambiguity attempt to eliminate unstructured conditions. In order to minimize the degree of
uncertainty, these rule-oriented communities establish laws and regulations. Such cultures
seek violence, emotion and protection (Jandt, 2006). Furthermore, it is seen that
organisational culture affects the country’s perspective. There are few rules in the Swedish
culture which are mentioned below –
Actually, first names - Skip the formality. It is common, no matter how senior, to call your
Swedish colleagues by their first names, including your bosses and even their bosses. Formal
greetings such as Mr. or Ms. are often not used in written correspondence. The general
salutation of "Hej!" or, instead, "Hej (first name)" is used.
Management by meetings - Sweden has a wide tradition of meetings, mostly meetings are
scheduled within this country and all managers and staff members are pre informed about the
discussion topic.
Polishing your preparation ability - Swedes just want plan carefully, what making it a
necessary prerequisite for planning skills. In business life, spontaneity is seldom common nor
valued and it's natural to prepare meetings weeks or even months in advance. Since a lot of
Swedish workplace environment is expended in discussions and time is well organized, it can
be seen as strange to have a lot of useful or unplanned time.
Find out how to "fika" - An important part of Swedish company culture is coffee times or
'fika'. Normal fika consists of coffee, usually cinnamon buns, and something sweet. Fika
breaks are clients chance to socialize and imprecisely close the gap on office news with your
peers. Normally, they continue to take place once a day. Although attendance is not officially
mandatory, there is still a lack of interest.
Question 2
Evaluate the extent to which some Swedish managers adopted ethnocentric perspectives in
the article. In your answer, you should draw on your knowledge of related theory and practice
The countries with branches in different countries need to conclude on how to choose
the employees at level which are important for the organization. Ethnocentric selecting of the
employees is focusing to recruit the employees that are of same ethnicity of parent

organization. The Swedish managers are focusing when an organization follows the process
of selecting the employees from the residents of the parent countries to work in countries and
it is called an ethnocentric method. The more important factor for the organization is that they
should focus on the skills of the employees from the parent country. The main factors behind
the ethnocentric method is that the employees from the parent country would increase the
interests of the people who are giving them good products and connection with the parent
country. The selection process in the methods includes four factors like self-choice, making a
competitor pool, skilled employees appraisal and settling on a common choice. The
employees have the skills that include the options of the employees on the plan in the
methods of the organisation. In the stage, the employees are set as indicated by the employees
necessity of the organization for worldwide performance. The process used by the employees
for picking the best and most reasonable people for the performance of the organization and
this process is called skilled employees appraisal. The best employees is recognized for
improving the performance and sent to another country where the organization is having
customers. The employees of the Swedish organization are focusing when they are increasing
the performance of restricting the work to the people of the organization in the country they
are and neighborhood individuals and it is known as a polycentric methods. The organisation
is embracing the methods and it is decreasing the cost of the factors that are affecting the
performance of the organisation. The customers of the organization which at first are
increased by the ethnocentric methods can be transferred to the polycentric methods. The
most important factor is giving the products of the organisation to the employees is to
increase the factor that the organization includes in the neighborhood economic factors,
political factors, social and legal factors. The organizations that are increasing the
performance have a restricted HR office, which deals with the HR of the organization in that
country.

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