TEchNOLOGy TRaNSFER MODEL - Javna agencija

3
BUSINESS CULTURE
universals, in which there are certain behavioural traits and patterns that are shared
by all cultures around the world. For instance, classifying relations based on blood
relations and marriage, differentiating between good and bad, having some form of
art, use of jewellery, classifying people according to gender and age, etc., are common
in all cultures of the world.
Culture is necessary to establish an order and discipline in the society. It is not only
a means of communication between people, but also creates a feeling of belonging
and togetherness among people in the society.
When we step into a foreign culture, suddenly things seem different. We do not
know what to do or say. Using Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions as a starting point, we
can evaluate our approach, our decisions, and actions based on a general sense of
how the society might think and react to us.
The five dimensions of culture according to Hofstede are:
1. Power/Distance (PD) - This refers to the degree of inequality that exists - and is
accepted - among people with and without power.
2. Individualism (IDV) - This refers to the strength of the ties people have to others
within the community.
3. Masculinity (MAS) - This refers to how much a society sticks with, and values, traditional
male and female roles.
4. Uncertainty/Avoidance Index (UAI) - This relates to the degree of anxiety society
members feel when in uncertain or unknown situations.
5. Long Term Orientation (LTO) - This refers to how much society values long-standing
- as opposed to short term - traditions and values.
3.3.2 Corporate/business culture and its types
Corporate culture is the total sum of the values, customs, traditions and meanings that make a company unique. It represents “the
character of an organisation” since it embodies the vision of the company’s founders. The values of corporate culture influence the
ethical standards within a company, as well as managerial behaviour.
Related to corporate culture it is good to differ strong from week corporate cultures: strong culture is said to exist where employees
respond to stimulus because of their alignment to organizational values. In such environments, strong cultures help firms operate
like well-oiled machines, cruising along with outstanding performance and perhaps minor tweaking of existing procedures here and
there. Unlike strong weak culture is present where there is little alignment with organisational values and control must be exercised
through extensive procedures and bureaucracy.
Deal and Kennedy’s Corporate Cultures (1982) was inspirational and incorporated
five critical elements of corporate culture:
1. The business environment - the orientation of organizations within
this environment - for example a focus on sales or concentration on
research and development - leads to specific cultural styles.
2. Values - are at the heart of corporate culture. They are made up of the
key beliefs and concepts shared by an organization’s employees.
3. Heroes - personifications of the organization’s values, achievers who
provide role models for success within the company. (...) Heroes have
vision and go against the existing order if necessary in order to achieve
that vision.
4. Rites and rituals - ceremonies and routine behavioural rituals reinforce
the culture (product launches, sales conferences, employee birthday
celebrations...)
5. The cultural network - the carrier of stories and gossip which spread
information about valued behaviour and ‘heroic myths’ around the organization.
When having corporate culture in mind, it is also possible to get to know it from the other side – from the side of the clients. Therefore
Knox and Butzel (2010) list the following elements which help us perceive/get the impressions of culture within certain company
or institution: professional growth, rate of turnover, leadership style, dress, length of day, life/work balance, internal communication,
values of organization, value for employees, physical plant, reputation of CEO.
29