Dimensions of Culture

by | Oct 17, 2024 | Culture

 

 

Scenario
Quantigration Incorporated logo
You work for Quantigration, Inc., a semiconductor manufacturing plant headquartered in the United States. Quantigrations main fabrication plant produces microchips used in mobile phones and laptops around the world. Capitalizing on advancements in its product, Quantigration has aggressively expanded and recently acquired two fabrication plants and workers from around the world.

Due to these acquisitions and partnerships, Quantigration must develop a plan to assist employees of different nationalities in understanding each other and working well together.

Interior view of a semiconductor plant featuring high-tech machinery and a complex ventilation system.
Yesterday, the plant supervisor, Gregory, called you into his office. He has some concerns about these cultural differences and is worried that the acquisitions might not go smoothly. The culture of a manufacturing plant in one country could be noticeably different from one in another part of the world. Gregory realizes that these differences could lead to conflict. To handle this issue, he has decided that Quantigration needs to update its company values to be more culturally inclusive.

Aerial view of a manufacturing complex, including buildings and parking areas.
Directions
Gregory would like you to begin by doing background research and analysis. He would like you to take stock of the current culture at Quantigration and then compare it to the national cultures of the two new acquisitions.

Part 1: Cultural Analysis
First, examine your own national culture as a representative sample of the current Quantigration workforce. Think about how your own nationality relates to your culture. Consider the ways that your culture views interactions with others, workplace culture, teamwork, and communication.
Then, select two countries different than your own. You may select two countries from the e-book, or, you may choose others that you have a particular interest in. You can find more information about some of the countries in the A to Z World Business resource and the Hofstede Insights Country Comparison Tool in the Supporting Materials section.
Using what you have found, write a cultural analysis containing 250- to 500-word summaries of each of your selected cultures. Also include a summary of your own culture in this document. In these summaries, pay particular attention to how members of each culture interact with others, what values they consider important, and how they view work, family, and obligation.
Once you have completed your summaries of your selected countries, write a 500-word summary comparison to help Gregory understand the major difference and similarities between the cultures. In your comparison, identify three major cultural differences and three similarities between the cultures youve analyzed. As you write, consider common cultural dimensions that these cultures share, and the ways that they differ most.

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Cultural Analysis of Quantigration and Acquired Companies

Quantigration’s National Culture

United States:

  • Individualism: Americans tend to value individual achievement and independence.
  • Direct Communication: Americans often prefer direct and assertive communication styles.
  • Time Orientation: Americans generally have a short-term orientation, focusing on immediate goals and results.
  • Work Ethic: Americans value hard work, efficiency, and productivity.

Cultural Analysis of Quantigration and Acquired Companies

Quantigration’s National Culture

United States:

  • Individualism: Americans tend to value individual achievement and independence.
  • Direct Communication: Americans often prefer direct and assertive communication styles.
  • Time Orientation: Americans generally have a short-term orientation, focusing on immediate goals and results.
  • Work Ethic: Americans value hard work, efficiency, and productivity.

Country 1: Japan

  • Collectivism: Japanese culture emphasizes group harmony and cooperation.
  • Indirect Communication: Japanese people often use indirect communication to avoid conflict and maintain harmony.
  • Long-Term Orientation: Japanese culture has a long-term orientation, focusing on future goals and sustainability.
  • Respect for Hierarchy: Japanese society values hierarchy and respect for authority figures.

Country 2: India

  • Collectivism: Indian culture also emphasizes group harmony and family ties.
  • Indirect Communication: Indians may use indirect communication to maintain relationships and avoid conflict.
  • Long-Term Orientation: Indian culture has a long-term orientation, focusing on tradition and preserving cultural heritage.
  • Respect for Elders: Indians have a strong respect for elders and authority figures.

Comparison of Cultures

Similarities:

  1. Work Ethic: Both the US and the acquired countries value hard work and dedication.
  2. Individualism vs. Collectivism: While the US is more individualistic, both Japan and India have collectivist tendencies.
  3. Long-Term Orientation: All three cultures have a long-term orientation, valuing future goals and sustainability.

Differences:

  1. Direct vs. Indirect Communication: Americans tend to be more direct in their communication, while Japanese and Indian cultures value indirect communication.
  2. Hierarchy: Japanese and Indian cultures place a higher emphasis on hierarchy and respect for authority figures compared to the US.
  3. Time Orientation: While all three cultures have a long-term orientation, the specific focus may differ. For example, Japanese culture may prioritize long-term relationships and social harmony, while Indian culture may focus on preserving cultural heritage.

Understanding these cultural differences is essential for fostering effective communication and collaboration between Quantigration’s employees from different backgrounds. By recognizing and respecting these differences, Quantigration can create a more inclusive and productive work environment.

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