Meaning of Culture

Culture is a framework of behavioral patterns, values, assumptions and experiences shared by a social group, Culture is a mostly automatically or unconsciously applied orientation system of collective values, which makes its group members behavior comprehensible and to a certain degree predictable for each other, Culture is communication, it impacts how we send and interpret messages, Culture shapes human conduct within a cultural group, Culture is something we learn.

Definitions of Culture
V. de Robert viewed: "Culture is the body of thought and knowledge, both theoretical and practical, which only man can possess."

Characteristics of Culture
(1) Culture is learnt:
Culture is not in born. It is learnt. Culture is often called "learned ways of behaviors". Unlearned behaviors is not culture. But shaking hands, saying thanks' or 'namaskar', dressing etc. are cultural behaviors.

(2) Culture varies from society to society:

Every society has a culture of its own. It differs from society to society. Culture of every society is unique to itself. Cultures are not uniform. Cultural elements like customs, traditions, morale, values, beliefs are not uniform everywhere. Culture varies from time to time also.

(3) Culture is dynamic:

No culture ever remains constant or changeless. It is subject to slow but constant change. Culture is responsive to the changing conditions of the physical world. Hence culture is dynamic.

(4) Culture is social:

Culture does not exist in isolation. It is a product of society. It develops through social interaction. No man can acquire culture without association with others. Man becomes a man only among men.

(5) Culture is transmissive:

Culture is transmissive as it is transmitted from one generation to another. Language is the main vehicle of culture. Language in different form makes it possible for the present generation to understand the achievement of earlier generations. Transmission of culture may take place by imitation as well as by instruction.

(6) Culture is shared:

Culture is not something that an individual alone can possess. Culture in sociological sense is shared. For example, customs, traditions, beliefs, ideas, values, morale etc. are all shared by people of a group or society.

Elements of culture
(1) Language:
Language is the medium through which message is sent. It may be verbal or non- verbal .When a manager of multinational company gives instruction to his subordinates, the instructions must be understood by them.
(2)

Customs:

Customs and manners very from one society to another. In the United States of America, silence is taken as no , while it is not so in Japan.
(3)

Religion :

Religion is another element of culture. Religion sets the ideals of life and the values and attitude of individuals living in a society. These values affect the behaviour and performance of an individual.

(4) Attitude and Values :

Values are beliefs which are found in a particular society. They determine the attitude and behaviour of individuals towards work, change and so on.

(5) Social Organisation:

Social institutions form an integral part of culture. They are concerned mainly with the size of the family. In USA and UK the size of the family is small. But in many countries, specially in developing countries grand parents too are a part of family.

(6) Education:
The level of education in a particular culture depends upon the literacy rate. This element has close relationship with availability of skilled manpower availability of workers and managers who can be sent to home country for training .If the level of education is high in a particular society, it is easy for multinational firms to operate there.

Cross Culture and International Business

Different countries have different cultures. Thus international businesses are warehouse of multicultural. Every multinational enterprise has a home country and several host countries where subsidiaries are located with different cultures. An understanding of cultural diversity or cross culture across the world can be seen from the following examples: Many Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia prohibit alcohol for religious reasons. Drinking alcohol in public places, such as parks, streets, is against the law in most of the United States and in some European countries .But is legal in others such as Belgium and Germany. The eating habits very widely. Chinese eat fish stomachs, Japanese eat uncooked see food. American and Europeans eat mostly non vegetarian food. Indians eat mostly vegetarian food. Dressing habits also very from country to country based on their culture .Wearing saree by Indian women in influenced by the culture. Similarly, wearing burka/ parda by the women of the Middle East.

Cross Cultural Challenges or Problems

(1) Cross Cultural Communication Process : In
some countries like the USA, Canada, Germany, the messages that the people convey are clear .They use actual words to give the information. These cultures are called low context cultures .In countries like India, Japan ,Saudi Arabia ,communication is mostly indirect .Such culture is called high context culture . If a company belonging to a high context culture (a country in which messages are indirect such as USA, Canada, Germany) to a low context culture country (a country in which messages are clear) the problem of communication arise .The top managers face problem of giving instructions to subordinates in cross cultural environment.

(2) Language: Differences in the language are a very

important problem area in business. The estimates of number of languages in the world range from 4000 to 10,000. In Switzerland, there languages are spoken French, Italian and German .In South America, there are more than 40 languages .Thus; language and communication are very sensitive and big challenge in international business.

(3) Challenge Concerning to Advertisement :

Multinational companies face a serious problem relating to advertisement due to religious sentiments of certain host countries .In Islamic countries, showing a girl with far less clothes for advertisement purpose is not allowed, while it is common in western countries .

(4) Problem Relating to Innovated Product :

The American company Mattel innovated new dolls , known as Barbie dolls, and collaborate with Japanese firm for their production and marketing .But these dolls were not accepted by Japanese children because their face , eyes and general look was similar to American children and not their own .

(5) Buying Pattern of Consumers: Buying pattern

among consumers may not encourage large scale production. For example, consumers living in smaller towns and villages in Japan and some European countries prefer to buy daily and so do not in bulk .This affects the production on large scale basis.

Dealing with Cultural Differences

(1)

Communication : Communication plays an

important role while doing business in various foreign countries .Businesses should be careful in spoken and written language, translation and silent language .Following are important points in international communication : Keep ideas separate and make only are point at a time. Avoid use of technical words. Adjust your language according to the level of your foreign person. Discussions should be in writing.

(2)

Making Adjustments: Host country culture, in

certain areas in not suitable for foreigners to adjust .However there is a need for adjustment on the basis of host countrys culture .For example, Whirlpool is successful in Indian market only after modifying its washing machine to suit to wash India sarees.

(3) Adaptation to Local culture: Three types of adaptation are important and relevant. Adaptation in product policies Institutional adaptation The third type of adaptation relates to individual adjustments.