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Working in a Cross Cultural Team

Group Norms

Group norms are the standards we live by. They are the shared expectations and rules that guide behaviour of people within social groups. Group norms are learned and reinforced from parents, friends, teachers and others while growing up in a society. (Sieck, 2011) – http://www.globalcognition.org/head-smart/cultural-norms/

How group norms can differ

Gelfand-

1. Ecological & Historical Threats. Some are more use to living within war torn countries and living with hostile countries.

2. Socio-Political Institutions. Different types of politics within country of origin, for example could be a different way your government in run or more harsh laws.

3. Everyday Social Situations. All kinds of interactions with fellow members of the culture. These include situations at home, the workplace, school, places of worship, parks, and others.

4. Psychological Adaptations. The way your mind is attuned to the living conditions that you grew up in.

(Gelfand, 2011)

Behfar-

1. Norms for problem and decision making: Differences in preference for a more slow-paced analytical problem solving and relationship building process versus a more efficiency focused approach.

2. Differences in work norms and behaviour: Differences about what is acceptable workplace etiquette stemming either from national

customs or national norms for separating personal time and work time.

(Behfar et al, 2011) – Managing challenges in multicultural teams

How these differences then create a challenge?

1. Ecological & Historical Threats.

a. May make individuals believe that certain actions is ok within different countries as it was a common things in their culture, e.g weapons.

2. Socio-Political Institutions. Different types of politics within country of origin, for example could be a different way your government in run or more harsh laws.

a. For example, countries in Asia such as North Korea and China and run by dictatorships and will have a lot more sensor-ship than countries such as the UK.

b. Also, different laws and legislation in different countries may mean they think they are doing something totally legal where

Group norms are the standards we live by. They are the shared expectations and rules that guide behaviour of people within social groups. Group norms are learned and reinforced from parents, friends, teachers and others while growing up in a society. (Sieck, 2011) – http://www.globalcognition.org/head-smart/cultural-norms/

How group norms can differ

Gelfand-

1. Ecological & Historical Threats. Some are more use to living within war torn countries and living with hostile countries.

2. Socio-Political Institutions. Different types of politics within country of origin, for example could be a different way your government in run or more harsh laws.

3. Everyday Social Situations. All kinds of interactions with fellow members of the culture. These include situations at home, the workplace, school, places of worship, parks, and others.

4. Psychological Adaptations. The way your mind is attuned to the living conditions that you grew up in.

(Gelfand, 2011) -https://server1.tepper.cmu.edu/Seminars/docs/Gelfand_paper.pdf

Behfar-

1. Norms for problem and decision making: Differences in preference for a more slow-paced analytical problem solving and relationship building process versus a more efficiency focused approach.

2. Differences in work norms and behaviour: Differences about what is acceptable workplace etiquette stemming either from national

customs or national norms for separating personal time and work time.

(Behfar et al, 2011) – Managing challenges in multicultural teams

How these differences then create a challenge?

1. Ecological & Historical Threats.

a. May make individuals believe that certain actions is ok within different countries as it was a common things in their culture, e.g weapons.

2. Socio-Political Institutions. Different types of politics within country of origin, for example could be a different way your government in run or more harsh laws.

a. For example, countries in Asia such as North Korea and China and run by dictatorships and will have a lot more sensor-ship than countries such as the UK.

b. Also, different laws and legislation in different countries may mean they think they are doing something totally legal where they are not.

3. Everyday Social Situations. All kinds of interactions with fellow members of the culture. These include situations at home, the workplace, school, places of worship, parks, and others.

a. This could be the way you interact with people, in one culture it may be ok but in another it could be offensive

4. Psychological Adaptations. The way your mind is attuned to the living conditions that you grew up in.

a. Could make it hard to adapt to different cultures, as it will not always be the opposite of what you are use to.

5. Norms for problem and decision making.

a. Issues created can be that some group members then feel uncomfortable in the group as they are not fully committed to the decision being made.

 

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