Questions and Answers
An idea, a thing, or a behavior can be considered cultural if it is shared by some sort of ______.
social group
Culture is associated with a ______ group or society.
social
Culture can be categorized by various levels, including national, regional, ethnic, and ______ affiliations.
religious
A gender level separates individuals born as a girl or as a ______.
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Avruch (1998) suggests that everyone is a member of several different cultural ______.
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According to Schein (1990), there are three distinguishable fundamental levels at which culture manifests itself: (a) observable ______, (b) values, and (c) basic underlying assumptions.
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At the level of the visible artifacts in the organizational setting, one can observe the physical layout, the dress code, and the manner in which people ______ each other.
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To have an analysis of why people behave the way they do, we have to look into the ______ that govern organizational behavior.
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Understanding culture means delving into underlying ______ which are typically unconscious but actually determine how group members perceive, think, and feel.
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Such assumptions are learned responses that originated as espoused ______.
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Study Notes
Layers of Culture
- Culture appears in three levels: observable artifacts, values, and basic underlying assumptions (Schein, 1990).
- Observable artifacts include physical layout, dress code, interactions, and organizational documents; they are easy to see but hard to interpret.
- Values guide behavior but can be concealed; understanding these requires in-depth interviews or analysis of documents.
Underlying Assumptions
- Basic assumptions are often unconscious and dictate perceptions, thoughts, and feelings within a group.
- Cultural norms influence various aspects of life, such as food choices, dining habits, and social conduct.
- A cultural idea is considered valid if shared among social groups (Ferraro, 1998).
Social Group Affiliations
- Multiple social affiliations contribute to an individual’s cultural perspective, including:
- National identity
- Regional, ethnic, religious, or linguistic backgrounds
- Gender, generational, and role categories
- Social class based on education and profession
- Organizational culture shaped by workplace experiences (Hofstede, 1991).
Multicultural Membership
- Individuals belong to various cultural groups simultaneously, leading to a complex multicultural identity.
- Group membership can arise from kinship, language, socio-economic status, and geographical location.
Individual vs. Social Constructs
- Culture is both an individual and social construct, reflecting norms relevant to individuals differently (Matsumoto, 1996).
- Recognizing individual differences in cultural constructs helps combat stereotypes (Avruch, 1998).
Fuzziness of Culture
- Culture is a "fuzzy" concept; group members may share similar beliefs but will not have identical cultural features.
- The lack of uniformity complicates defining culture's exact characteristics.
Universal vs. Distinctive Elements
- Culture has both universal (etic) elements, viewed by outsiders, and distinctive (emic) elements, recognized by insider perspectives.
- An etic view lacks depth in understanding intracultural variations, while an emic view offers richer, contextual insights into specific cultures.
Complexity of Culture
- Each individual possesses multiple cultures connected to various social, cultural, and institutional structures.
- Culture cannot be simplified to a single definition and comes in plural forms, indicating its diverse expression.
Cultural Custom and Timelessness
- Culture is sometimes perceived as purely superficial etiquette, focusing only on visible traits.
- The traditional aspect of culture suggests it is resistant to change and variation, reinforcing its timelessness.
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Description
This quiz explores the fundamental levels of culture as defined by Schein, which include observable artifacts, values, and basic underlying assumptions. Understanding these layers is essential for anyone engaged in creative cultural content development. Test your knowledge on how culture manifests itself in organizations.
