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By Doug64
#15088921
Awhile back I listened to a lecture series on the different world cultures that I thoroughly enjoyed. In that series, the world was divided up into ten major cultures differentiated on the basis of nine cultural dimensions: (1) power distance, (2) uncertainty avoidance, (3) institutional collectivism, (4) in-house collectivism, (5) gender egalitarianism, (6) assertiveness, (7) performance orientation, (8) future orientation, and (9) humane orientation. The ten groups are:

  • African
  • Anglo-Saxon
  • Confucian
  • Eastern European
  • German
  • Latin American
  • Latin European
  • Middle Eastern
  • Nordic
  • Southeast Asian

With a little research, I found an article the divvied up the world's nations into those culture clusters: Global Clustering of Countries by Culture – An Extension of the GLOBE Study

A few days ago I came across a link in another thread to Cato's Human Freedom Index, and I thought it would be fun the look at Cato's listing by culture. Scores run from 0 to 10. So, here's the results for the Anglo-Saxon culture group:

Ranking & Score
Nation / Ranking / Score
  • Australia 5 8.62
  • Canada 4 8.65
  • Ireland 10 8.52
  • New Zealand 1 8.88
  • United Kingdom 14 8.47
  • United States 15 8.46

Personal Freedom
Nation / Personal Freedom / Rule of Law / Security & Safety / Movement / Religious Freedom / Assoc., Assem., & Civil Soc. / Expression & Information / Identity & Relationships
  • Australia 9.16 7.8 9.9 10.0 9.1 10.0 9.4 9.0
  • Canada 9.22 7.7 9.7 10.0 9.0 10.0 9.5 10.0
  • Ireland 8.90 7.5 9.7 10.0 9.1 7.5 9.5 10.0
  • New Zealand 9.27 7.9 9.9 10.0 9.7 10.0 9.5 9.0
  • United Kingdom 8.85 7.7 9.3 10.0 7.6 10.0 9.3 9.0
  • United States 8.72 6.9 9.1 10.0 8.9 10.0 9.3 9.0

Economic Freedom
Nation / Economic Freedom / Size of Government / Legal System & Prop. Rights / Sound Money / Freedom to Trade Int'l / Regulations
  • Australia 8.07 7.0 7.9 9.5 7.6 8.5
  • Canada 8.08 6.5 7.8 9.6 7.9 8.6
  • Ireland 8.13 6.7 7.5 9.5 8.6 8.4
  • New Zealand 8.50 6.6 8.6 9.5 8.6 9.1
  • United Kingdom 8.09 6.2 7.8 9.7 8.4 8.4
  • United States 8.19 7.2 7.4 9.8 7.7 8.9

Averages
Rank: 8.17
Score: 8.60

Personal Freedom: 9.02
Rule of Law: 7.58
Security & Safety: 9.6
Movement: 10
Religious Freedom: 8.9
Association, Assembly, & Civil Society: 9.58
Expression & Information: 9.42
Identity & Relationships: 9.33

Economic Freedom: 8.18
Size of Government: 6.7
Legal System & Property Rights: 7.83
Sound Money: 9.6
Freedom to Trade Internationally: 8.13
Regulations: 9
#15088923
Doug64 wrote:Awhile back I listened to a lecture series on the different world cultures that I thoroughly enjoyed. In that series, the world was divided up into ten major cultures differentiated on the basis of nine cultural dimensions: (1) power distance, (2) uncertainty avoidance, (3) institutional collectivism, (4) in-house collectivism, (5) gender egalitarianism, (6) assertiveness, (7) performance orientation, (8) future orientation, and (9) humane orientation. The ten groups are:

  • African
  • Anglo-Saxon
  • Confucian
  • Eastern European
  • German
  • Latin American
  • Latin European
  • Middle Eastern
  • Nordic
  • Southeast Asian


This is wildly wrong.

Africa, for example, has over 3000 distinct language groups, which implies about 3000 different cultures.

Europe, using the same metrics, has about 160.

So why does Africa get a single grouping while Europe gets 5?
#15088925
Pants-of-dog wrote:This is wildly wrong.

Africa, for example, has over 3000 distinct language groups, which implies about 3000 different cultures.

Europe, using the same metrics, has about 160.

So why does Africa get a single grouping while Europe gets 5?

First, "African" really means "Sub-Saharan non-White African." And those "3000 different cultures" would be different subcultures. After all, the US alone has at least nine different major subcultures (based on population size), and we're still Anglo-Saxon. And you'll note that neither Australian Aborigines nor Amerinds are on the list, neither of which are likely to be "Anglo-Saxon."
#15088926
Doug64 wrote:First, "African" really means "Sub-Saharan non-White African."


Not according to the list you provided. The Middle East does not include northern Africa.

And those "3000 different cultures" would be different subcultures. After all, the US alone has at least nine different major subcultures (based on population size), and we're still Anglo-Saxon.


Because all US subcultures speak the same language: English.

This is why I pointed out that there are 3000 linguistically separate groups. So, no, they are not subcultures of some mythical African culture.

And you'll note that neither Australian Aborigines nor Amerinds are on the list, neither of which are likely to be "Anglo-Saxon."


Yes, the list ignores whole cultural groups while highlighting the apparent diversity of Europe.

Like I said: wildly wrong.
#15088931
It occurs to me that I ought to post more than just numbers, so here's the attributes of the Anglo cultural cluster from the lecture series outline:

Driving Themes among the Anglo Cluster
  • The cultural value dimensions that are most noteworthy for this cluster are individualism, competitive, short-term orientation, and doing.
  • Of all the cultural values, the one that most strongly characterizes Anglo cluster is individualism. The Anglo cluster is largely organized around the idea of individual rights, freedom, and responsibility. In addition, free speech is a really big deal.
  • The Anglo cluster does not want, nor does it have, an overemphasis on group loyalty and collective interests as opposed to individual goals and interests. People place great emphasis on their freedom and being able to have their say. Personal space is rooted in this long history of individualism.
  • The British Empire was a student of Greece’s Achilles, imposing its will on the world. It’s quite possible that the Anglo cluster is the cluster that has had the most pervasive influence on the modern world. The Anglo cluster is all about achievement. If the Anglo cluster as a whole is a doing and competitive culture, then the United States is at the top of the pack in demonstrating those values.
  • In part, the Anglo cluster’s short-term orientation stems from the individualist, competitive nature of the cluster. It desires quick wins and has very little patience for long-term 20-year ideas.
  • The Anglo culture is an infrastructure based on democracy, rule of law, and commercial acumen. The English language and a historical connection to the British Empire are the common threads in the Anglo cluster, but the values that thread through these globally dispersed Anglo cultures are the utmost value for individual performance and achievement—and doing whatever it can to protect that right for every person.
  • The emphasis is on what these Anglo countries have in common, but there are some distinct differences. White South Africa and New Zealand are perhaps the most different from the rest of the cluster. There is a higher power distance index in South Africa than the rest of the cluster. In addition, there is more government involvement in New Zealand than the others. Perhaps by being such a small, isolated country, it’s believed that this is necessary to be a competitive player in the global scene.

Do’s and Taboos
  • Punctuality: Time is money. Don’t be late.
  • Personal Space: There is limited physical contact between men. Kissing on the cheek is sometimes done in places like the east coast of the United States, but as a whole, it is not the norm.
  • Don’t ask people how much money they make, and don’t bring up politics.
  • Gift giving is not typically done when meeting a new business acquaintance.

Pants-of-dog wrote:Not according to the list you provided. The Middle East does not include northern Africa.

Culturally, it does. The residents of Morocco have a lot more in common with those of Saudi Arabia than they do with the residents of Mali not far to the south. The reason why is obvious to anyone that knows much of history.
#15088933
Doug64 wrote:Culturally, it does. The residents of Morocco have a lot more in common with those of Saudi Arabia than they do with the residents of Mali not far to the south. The reason why is obvious to anyone that knows much of history.


I understand that as well, and I think it is another reason why this list is crap, since it assumes that the Berbers and Kurds are culturally similar because...both live near Muslims?

Or it assumes that Berbers and Xhosa are culturally similar.

While assuming that Germans and Dutch people are radically different.
#15088934
Pants-of-dog wrote:I understand that as well, and I think it is another reason why this list is crap, since it assumes that the Berbers and Kurds are culturally similar because...both live near Muslims?

Or it assumes that Berbers and Xhosa are culturally similar.

While assuming that Germans and Dutch people are radically different.

Actually, the Netherlands is part of the German cultural group.
#15088936
@Doug64 oh how you love that crazy ancient tribe from long ago all wrapped up in the purity of Angloness....lol.

You worship still the Nacirema. Your need to post on an almost daily basis on the Civil War and the pride of individualism and shit that is anti human keeps on going....you need a dose of truly great analysis of that strange cultish tribe you love the NACIREMA.

Here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nacirema

oops I put in the wrong copy and paste. It should be wikipedia's "Nacirema"

Enjoy seeing the defects of your clannish folk.....rugged individualism. And worship of money and corporate bucks via the Anglo perspective. You know there is a good library of literature now examining the downside of Anglo cultures. Lol.

I love playing with culture. It is part of being human.
#15088941
Tainari88 wrote:@Doug64 oh how you love that crazy ancient tribe from long ago all wrapped up in the purity of Angloness....lol.

Actually, while I think the US is the greatest nation in history, culturally I consider myself more of a variety of Neo-Confucianist, with the basic unit of society not being the individual but the family. Studying other cultures is like studying other religions--be prepared to find aspects of those cultures that you envy.
#15088953
Tainari88 wrote:@Doug64 oh how you love that crazy ancient tribe from long ago all wrapped up in the purity of Angloness....lol..


The "purity" thing that comes up every time that a white group is to be understood as proud of their blood is kind of a silly canard.

Even hardcore racialists never really thought this way, and the proof is in the pudding -- there's a rich body of physical anthropological literature developed by the Nazis which divides the Europeans broadly into different categories that are obsessed over, and at no point is there any claim that a single nationality possesses a single phenotype.

You can actually see this bad attitude transfer to things like Westerners analyzing Korean nationalism.

I've heard them say "there's no such thing as a pure Korean," but just like I've never heard a British person discuss their WASP heritage in reference to the mythological 100% Anglo, I've never really heard a Korean talk about monolithic Korean ethnicity except once...

... When it was specifically suggested that the people of Cheju (an island to the south of the peninsula) may be the closest thing to a pure Korean, as they had largely never been invaded and were a semi-autonomous region with little interaction with the outside world...

We should generally reject the argument that can be summarized as nationalism is stupid beacuse I have attacked & destroyed the 100% purity strawman I made.
#15088998
You have incredibly closed ideas about things I find totally opposite to your way of thought Verv.

All I have studied my entire academic life have been human behavior and culture. There are no people who exist outside of culture. That is an impossibility. The people who you think never discuss their purity? Because they are pure? It is a fiction. The mere idea of purity of any kind in the human race is a fiction.

Nationalism? Nation=states are a relatively new concept in human history Verv. Nationalism is something that has to do with the concept of family. A nation is like a huge extended family in the mind of some. And just like extended families you have feuds, and fights, and secrets and cover ups and problems galore. But they are internal problems.

For me the excessively Anglo based nationalists are fear based people unable to accept many aspects of differences. Great nationalists in history want to protect their native land and nation and histories and culture, not to dominate the rest of nationalities or to win wars and invade like the Nazis did--but to ensure that they have strong identities so they can share their culture with love, acceptance and respect with the rest of the nationalities in the world Verv.

Nationalism sometimes is artificial and brittle and excessive and constricting. Like stereotypes are for example.

When people often feel threatened in some way and they come from rich and powerful nations? They fall back on bullshit like purity of race, culture or national origin to be able to 'lord it over' others. I think Toni Morrison discusses the problem with the excessive nationalism of the KKK for example.

I will be honest. I never liked your type of nationalism Verv. It is mostly the inferior sort.
#15089028
So, taking the culture groups in the order they were presented in the lecture series, here's the Nordic cluster.

Key Values in Nordic Culture
  • Nordic culture was developed in response to surviving harsh, natural conditions. In terms of cultural values, the Nordic cluster is very individualistic, low power distance, cooperative, high on the “being” side of the being versus doing scale, very low context, and very loose in terms of its acceptance of a plurality of ideas.
  • It can be a bit confusing to think about where Nordic culture falls on the individualism versus collectivism scale because of the insistence on doing what’s best for people as a whole. The concern with blending in and not standing out above the rest is really important and is similar to what you would see in many collectivist cultures across Asia or Latin America.
  • However, the greatest concern within that collective is promoting room for autonomy, so the reason for pursuing collective ideas is to support the strong concern about protecting the rights of the individual.
  • The Nordic cluster is very low power distance; this reflects Jante’s law. Leaders downplay directive, authoritative styles. Of course, this is not always successful. For example, there has been tremendous difficulty in Denmark assimilating the Muslim minority, but it’s also very low power distance, where there’s incredible disdain for inequality.
  • The other crucial thing to understand about Nordic culture is its strong orientation toward “being” on the being versus doing continuum. There is a strong belief in the importance of working to live rather than living to work.
  • Most Nordic businesses are closed for the month of July, and in Sweden, every employee (including graduate students) gets five weeks of paid vacation, three of which can be consecutive if desired. This is not just because they want to be generous with labor and workers; they actually believe they’ll build a better society when people have a whole life.
  • A related characteristic of Nordic culture is the commitment to protect the natural environment. Nature plays a big role in Norwegians’ lives, and a lot of their nonwork time is spent outdoors. This is one of the primary differences between the Nordic cluster and the Anglo cluster—especially the United States. Nordic cultures view environmentalism as a high value.

Dos and Taboos
  • Punctuality for a business meeting is very important, and they will expect you to call with an explanation if you are delayed.
  • If you want to blend in, dress neatly, but limit the bling.
  • Be precise and clear—don’t exaggerate.
  • People will be interested in your hobbies and interests more than your job.
  • There is a relaxed attitude toward nudity; you will find nude people at the beach or parks, and saunas are generally nude.

Ranking & Score
Nation / Ranking / Score

Denmark 6 8.56
Estonia 15 8.46
Finland 8 8.53
Iceland 18 8.41
Latvia 23 8.29
Lithuania 22 8.32
Norway 17 8.40
Sweden 11 8.50

Personal Freedom
Nation / Personal Freedom / Rule of Law / Security & Safety / Movement / Religious Freedom / Assoc., Assem., & Civil Soc. / Expression & Information / Identity & Relationships

Denmark 9.24 8.7 9.8 10.0 7.7 9.5 8.9 10.0
Estonia 9.02 7.8 9.7 10.0 8.3 9.5 9.6 9.0
Finland 9.27 8.6 9.8 10.0 7.9 10.0 9.7 9.0
Iceland 9.08 7.8 9.9 10.0 8.1 10.0 9.6 9.0
Latvia 8.85 6.7 9.6 10.0 8.5 10.0 9.4 10.0
Lithuania 8.76 6.8 9.4 10.0 8.5 10.0 9.5 9.2
Norway 9.26 8.6 9.9 10.0 7.4 10.0 9.8 9.2
Sweden 9.45 8.5 9.8 10.0 8.9 10.0 9.7 10.0

Economic Freedom
Nation / Economic Freedom / Size of Government / Legal System & Prop. Rights / Sound Money / Freedom to Trade Int'l / Regulations

Denmark 7.89 4.7 8.1 9.8 8.5 8.4
Estonia 7.89 6.2 7.4 9.3 8.4 8.2
Finland 7.80 4.7 8.8 9.4 8.2 7.9
Iceland 7.74 5.8 8.4 9.5 7.3 7.7
Latvia 7.73 6.8 6.3 9.3 8.4 7.9
Lithuania 7.88 7.4 6.6 9.2 8.2 8.0
Norway 7.62 4.9 8.5 9.6 7.6 7.6
Sweden 7.56 4.5 7.7 9.3 8.2 8.0

Averages
Rank: 15.00
Score: 8.43

Personal Freedom: 9.12
Rule of Law: 7.94
Security & Safety: 9.74
Movement: 10.00
Religious Freedom: 8.16
Association, Assembly, & Civil Society: 9.88
Expression & Information: 9.53
Identity & Relationships: 9.43

Economic Freedom: 7.76
Size of Government: 5.63
Legal System & Property Rights: 7.73
Sound Money: 9.43
Freedom to Trade Internationally: 9.10
Regulations: 7.96

A note about the Size of Government rating, don't forget that this is from a Libertarian thinktank, so the more intrusive the government the lower the rating is going to be. The subcategories for this rating are Government Consumption, Transfers and Subsidies, Government Enterprises, Top Marginal Tax Rate, and State Ownership of Assets.
#15089032
Doug64 wrote:Actually, the Netherlands is part of the German cultural group.


The Dutch are not Nordic? This taxonomy gets crappier and crappier.

It would be very easy for you to simply say that this arbitrary clustering of cultures is very Eurocentric, like the definition of freedom you are using.
#15090008
Pants-of-dog wrote:The Dutch are not Nordic? This taxonomy gets crappier and crappier.

Nope, not culturally. While the Dutch can sometimes be a bit of an outlier in the Germanic culture cluster, they still fit better there than they do with the Norse culture cluster.

It would be very easy for you to simply say that this arbitrary clustering of cultures is very Eurocentric, like the definition of freedom you are using.

Just what would you consider a "non-Eurocentric" definition of freedom?

And speaking of the Germanic culture cluster, they're next on the list.

The Germanic Way of Life
  • The idea that rules and policies are made to regulate life is a very Germanic characteristic. By legislating when you can mow your lawn, play your music loudly, and get rid of your recyclables, this allows a sense of predictability and order for everyone—from the Germanic perspective.
  • It’s interesting to see where the Germanic cluster falls along the various cultural values. The Germanic cluster is not as individualistic as the Anglo cluster, but it is certainly more individualist than collectivist. Giving voice to people in the workplace and through civil engagement is seen as very important. Swiss companies are highly organized around the idea of creating processes where participation of employees is highly valued.
  • The Germanic cluster is very low power distance, which is interesting because one might assume that lots of rules would mean that hierarchy and status is important. But the Germanic culture does not believe that there should be a great distinction in status between people functioning at different levels.
  • In Germanic culture, uncertainty avoidance is quite high. This is perhaps the cultural value that most characterizes the Germanic cluster. Rules and policies are created to help reduce being out of control, and orderliness is highly valued. German homes are very neat and tidy; there are many rules about how homes and yards must be maintained.
  • People in the Germanic cluster are masters of planning, and careful planning is security. High uncertainty avoidance may also explain why interactions tend to be more formal until you get to know someone better—there’s a protocol for how you should relate.
  • In addition, people in the Germanic cluster are highly competitive. They are very focused on results and winning.
  • Punctuality is king in this cluster; you don’t keep people waiting. There’s a good reason why Germans and Swiss make clocks and watches. Also, the contrast of German train schedules with French or Italian ones couldn’t be more obvious.
  • People in the Germanic cluster are very low context. Communication is direct, explicit, and blunt.
  • The Germanic cluster is very high “doing,” and they focus on the task more than the people. Work life and personal life are rigidly divided. However, like Nordic cultures, they do take vacations seriously. They don’t close down for the month of July anymore, but many employees have six weeks of holiday time.
  • The very core of Germanic culture is that rules must be applied consistently, so they are universalist. In addition, they are neutral and have limited expressiveness.
  • For being a European culture, they are fairly tight, which may explain why multiculturalism has been hard to pull off. This is a way that the Netherlands is an outlier because it is a very loose culture.

Dos and Taboos
  • As compared to many cultures around the world, Germans thrive on good debate and discussions of politics, faith, etc. Respect is often heightened when you disagree.
  • Don’t disparage academics. While there’s an anti-intellectualism that often permeates the business and professional world in many contexts, the Germanic cluster holds academic research and intellectual inquiry in high regard. Many German universities require two doctorates before one can teach.
  • Quiet hours won’t likely affect you if you’re simply a tourist, but do be conscious of volume (neutral culture).
  • When greeting someone, intense eye contact and a firm handshake with a slight nod of the head is a typical Germanic custom.

Ranking & Score
Nation / Ranking / Score

Austria 13 8.48
Belgium 23 8.29
Germany 8 8.53
Liechtenstein — —
Luxembourg 6 8.56
Netherlands 11 8.50
Switzerland 2 8.82

Personal Freedom
Nation / Personal Freedom / Rule of Law / Security & Safety / Movement / Religious Freedom / Assoc., Assem., & Civil Soc. / Expression & Information / Identity & Relationships

Austria 9.25 8.2 9.9 10.0 7.9 10.0 9.3 10.0
Belgium 9.07 7.8 9.8 10.0 8.1 10.0 9.8 9.0
Germany 9.25 8.3 9.9 10.0 7.7 10.0 9.4 10.0
Liechtenstein — — — — — — — —
Luxembourg 9.26 8.0 10.0 10.0 9.1 10.0 9.7 9.0
Netherlands 9.28 8.5 9.9 10.0 8.9 10.0 9.7 8.2
Switzerland 9.24 8.3 9.9 10.0 8.2 10.0 9.7 9.0

Economic Freedom
Nation / Economic Freedom / Size of Government / Legal System & Prop. Rights / Sound Money / Freedom to Trade Int'l / Regulations

Austria 7.71 5.7 7.9 9.4 8.1 7.5
Belgium 7.51 4.9 7.1 9.5 8.2 8.0
Germany 7.82 6.2 7.4 9.5 8.0 8.0
Liechtenstein — — — — — —
Luxembourg 7.86 5.4 8.3 9.4 8.3 7.9
Netherlands 7.72 4.3 8.1 9.4 8.7 8.1
Switzerland 8.40 7.6 8.4 9.9 7.6 8.5

Averages
Rank: 10.50
Score: 8.53

Personal Freedom: 9.23
Rule of Law: 8.18
Security & Safety: 9.90
Movement: 10.00
Religious Freedom: 8.32
Association, Assembly, & Civil Society: 10.00
Expression & Information: 9.60
Identity & Relationships: 9.20

Economic Freedom: 7.84
Size of Government: 5.68
Legal System & Property Rights: 7.87
Sound Money: 9.52
Freedom to Trade Internationally: 8.15
Regulations: 8.00
#15090042
Tainari88 wrote:
Enjoy seeing the defects of your clannish folk.....rugged individualism. And worship of money and corporate bucks via the Anglo perspective.


When I made similiar comments on other cultures you accused me of racism. Total hypocrisy.



You know there is a good library of literature now examining the downside of Anglo cultures.


Yeah, and I bet you're well versed in it.
#15090044
It is worth noting that the GLOBE researchers themselves acknowledge that their enterprise is an attempt at reducing Western, and even US bias, in the study of cultures as regards to management. Such endeavour is perhaps best presented by Chokkar et al.'s "Culture and leadership across the world : the GLOBE book of in-depth studies of 25 societies" (2007).

[...] an effective way to design a culturally balanced study is to adopt the decentered approach, which involves input from diverse cultural backgrounds to the development of conceptual frameworks and the design of empirical work. The GLOBE project exemplifies this approach. The definition and content of culture and leadership dimensions were the result of collective wisdom gleaned from the first GLOBE research conference in 1994 [...]


The framework in which the subsequent studies are inscribed is not even thirty years old. The latest installment dates back to 2014 but I have been unable to acquire it – not that I actually tried this hard to look for it. Regarding the aforementioned work, the study sample is a very narrow list of twenty-five nations with the ultimate aim being highlighting the peculiarities of their respective corporate cultures* and how these said cultures can be grouped into clusters. Ultimately, I suspect the aim is to serve corporate management and international decision-making rather than providing any kind of comprehensive sociological picture of world cultures at an academically exploitable level (it might still be able to become an asset for the latter, though).

The number of countries constituting the sample varies from study to study, which I suspect is due to the researchers attachment to work alongside other researchers originating from the studied countries. This obviously greatly limits the range of study, especially if there is a lack (be it punctual or chronic) of international academic cooperation. India and South-East Asia seem particularly neglected from what I have seen, but again this differs between studies, the book I quote here describes a South Asian cluster from the exclusive perspective of India, with no mention of South-East Asia, for example.

In all fairness, while all of this clearly is the result of a significant international intellectual effort, I wouldn't advise to take it too seriously (i.e. base any kind of world view on it) unless you work for an international corporation and have therefore a professional interest in the matter.


*Here is a relevant passage regarding methodology:
The quantitative data were collected through the administration of the standardized questionnaires to middle managers in at least two of three industries per country, food processing, financial services, and telecommunication services.
Last edited by D.U.I. on 08 May 2020 14:16, edited 1 time in total.
#15090065
D.U.I. wrote:In all fairness, while all of this clearly is the result of a significant international intellectual effort, I wouldn't advise to take it too seriously (i.e. base any kind of world view you on it) unless you work for an international corporation and have therefore a professional interest in the matter.

Or an international NGO, or diplomacy, or attending school, or for any other reason you might spend significant time in a foreign country, even if it’s just as a tourist. Which should be evidence of its validity—the more useful it is in a real-world context, the more “true” it is.
#15090079
Doug64 wrote:Or an international NGO, or diplomacy, or attending school, or for any other reason you might spend significant time in a foreign country, even if it’s just as a tourist. Which should be evidence of its validity—the more useful it is in a real-world context, the more “true” it is.

I hardly believe a country's specific managerial and overall corporate practices are as necessary to a tourist or a student as they are to an international firm's executive.

As for any position within an institution requiring a minimum amount of blending with a country's business culture, the GLOBE project's results are more to be taken as advisory rather than anything else.

I should also point out that I do not question the truthfulness of the findings.
#15090100
Doug64 wrote:Nope, not culturally. While the Dutch can sometimes be a bit of an outlier in the Germanic culture cluster, they still fit better there than they do with the Norse culture cluster.


The whole thing is foolish.

Just what would you consider a "non-Eurocentric" definition of freedom?


One that was not based on European history, the oppressions caused by European powers, and the rights exercised by the European public to defeat said oppression.
#15090122
D.U.I. wrote:I hardly believe a country's specific managerial and overall corporate practices are as necessary to a tourist or a student as they are to an international firm's executive.

As for any position within an institution requiring a minimum amount of blending with a country's business culture, the GLOBE project's results are more to be taken as advisory rather than anything else.

I should also point out that I do not question the truthfulness of the findings.

I came at this from a Great Courses lecture series that encompassed a lot more than just corporate culture, but rather the larger culture in which businesses—and other institutions such as schools—are embedded and how that larger culture can impact behaviors and attitudes of any subcultures. (Good thing, or the course would have been rather boring.) Certainly much of the focus is likely to be on how businesses involved in international trade can make use of it, that’s where most day-to-day cross-cultural friction and misunderstandings are likely to be happening these days. But it’s hardly limited to “corporate” culture.

Pants-of-dog wrote:The whole thing is foolish.

Right, because there’s no such thing as broad cultural differences.

One that was not based on European history, the oppressions caused by European powers, and the rights exercised by the European public to defeat said oppression.

I asked for the definition, not what you think such a definition shouldn’t be based on. So let me ask again, just what would you consider a "non-Eurocentric" definition of freedom?

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