Module 5
Module 5
Learnt from the environment and interaction at workplace and social spheres.
CULTURE CHANGE
Society strives its continuity and existence according to the environmental
conditions of its surrounding. People have been descending down from generation
to generation with the addition of new ideas and objects. This dynamic process of
society enhances culture with refreshment and for every generation a new culture
than for the previous.
Culture change is the change that occurs over time to the shared way of life of a
group. This emerges with the experiences of a society, traditional culture,
organization, super culture, or subculture. Sociologists use cultural change to
denote the manner and extent of change in society. As the society experiences
cultural change, new behavioural patterns, social traits, norms, and values emerge
and create new social structures. Innovation, invention, and contact with other
societies can trigger cultural change.
Discovery.
Discovery is a new perception of an aspect of reality that already exists. In other
words, it is the noticing of something to which no attention was previously paid,
although it existed.
Invention.
Invention is the combination or new use of existing knowledge to produce
something that did not exist before.
Diffusion.
Diffusion is the spreading of cultural traits from group to another group. Elements
of culture are taken up first, by societies, which are close to their points of origin
and later by the societies which are more remote or which have less direct contract.
Acculturation.
This process connotes the transmission of traits from one culture to another over a
sufficient time and sufficient traits as to regulate signs of similarity between the two
cultures. In this process, two or more cultures come into contact. The intermixture
of shared and learned behaviour patterns is called acculturation.
Assimilation.
It is the process of combination of two cultures in to one culture with comprising
cultural traits. In this process, one larger and more powerful culture may engulf
small culture. Usually it happens to a minority in a culture. Hence assimilation is the
fusion or blending of two previously distinct groups into one.
DETERMINANTS OF CULTURE
Knowledge: People gain knowledge from the influence of environmental factors as
well as interaction with the environment. In addition, people gain knowledge from
the readings of various books, journals, magazines and news papers and interaction
with the people at work as well as social spheres.
Level - 1: Reactive: These people react only to basic physiological needs. Therefore,
they are not really aware of themselves or others as human beings.
Level - 2:Tribalistic: These people are strongly influenced by tradition and are
dependent upon others.
Level - 3: Egocentrism: These people are aggressive, selfish and power- responsive.
Level - 4: Conformity: These people can't tolerate ambiguity and are uncomfortable
with people possessing values that are different those of them.
Level - 5: Manipulative: These people prefer materialistic gains, seek status and
manipulate others.
Level - 6: Socio-metric: These people prefer to go along with others rather than
differently from others.
Level - 7: Existential: These people tolerate ambiguity and also people with
different values than those they possess to a greater extent. They prefer flexible
policies. They don't emphasise on status symbols and use of power.
People differ in values, belief and attitudes. Therefore, they also differ in culture
which in turn results in cultural diversity of people at the work place as well as in
social spheres.
Having empathic relationship when meeting people with different culture then
there's
HOFSTEDE’S CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory (1980), developed by Dutch management
researcher Geert Hofstede, is a framework used to understand the differences in
culture across countries and to discern the ways that business is done across
different cultures. In other words, the framework is used to distinguish between
different national cultures, the dimensions of culture, and assess their impact on a
business setting.
High power distance index indicates that a culture accepts inequity and power
differences, encourages bureaucracy, and shows high respect for rank and
authority.
Collectivism indicates that there is a greater importance placed on the goals and
well-being of the group. A person’s self-image in this category is defined as “We.”
Femininity comes with the following characteristics: fluid gender roles, modest,
nurturing, and concerned with the quality of life.
Short-term orientation shows focus on the near future, involves delivering short-
term success or gratification, and places a stronger emphasis on the present than
the future. Short-term orientation emphasizes quick results and respect for
tradition.
A culture gap is any systematic difference between two cultures which hinders
mutual understanding or relations. Such differences include the values, behaviour,
education, and customs of the respective cultures. This can distress in the
workplace if not bridged carefully
The cultural gap can be effectively build by few simple steps like
Pioneer Mentality
In Culture of Excellence approach, company do not settle for mediocre. Instead,
they are focused on creating something that has never been created before,
breaking records and achieving unprecedented results. From the outside, it may
seem as if they are achieving the impossible.
MANAGING DIVERSITY
Diversity refers to the variety of differences between individuals in an organization.
Diversity not only includes how individuals identify themselves but also how others
perceive them. Diversity within a workplace encompasses race, gender, ethnic
groups, age, religion, sexual orientation, citizenship status, military service and
mental and physical conditions, as well as other distinct differences between
people.
PRIORITIZE COMMUNICATION
To manage a diverse workplace, organizations need to ensure that they effectively
communicate with employees. Policies, procedures, safety rules and other
important information should be designed to overcome language and cultural
barriers by translating materials and using pictures and symbols whenever
applicable.
BE OPEN-MINDED
Recognize, and encourage employees to recognize, that one’s own experience,
background, and culture are not the only with value to the organization. Look for
ways to incorporate a diverse range of perspectives and talents into efforts to
achieve organizational goals.
HIRING
To build a diverse workplace, it is crucial to recruit and hire talent from a variety of
backgrounds. This requires leadership and others who make hiring decisions to
overcome bias in interviewing and assessing talent. If organizations can break
through bias and hire the most qualified people, those with the right education,
credentials, experience and skill sets, a diverse workplace should be the natural
result. Tips for hiring a diverse workforce:
Incorporate a diverse interview panel to ensure candidates are chosen solely
based on suitability for the position.
Get creative when recruiting. For example, if an organization would like to hire
more women in the engineering department, they could reach out to
professional groups that cater to women in engineering and ask to advertise
open positions in their newsletter or member communications.
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
Industrial relations may be defined as the relations and interactions in the industry
particularly between the labour and management as a result of their composite
attitudes and approaches in regard to the management of the affairs of the
industry, for the betterment of not only the management and the workers but also
of the industry and the economy as a whole. The scope of industrial relations
includes:
To bridge about government control over such units which are running at
losses or where production has to be regulated in the public interest.
To bring the gap, by the state, between the imbalanced, disordered and
maladjusted social order (which has been the result of industrial
development) and the need for reshaping the complex social relationships
adaptable to the technological advances by controlling and disciplining its
members, and adjusting their conflicting interests.
Community or Public relations i.e., relations between the industry and the
society.
Government: The central and state government influences and regulates industrial
relations through laws, rules, agreements, awards of court ad the like. It also
includes third parties and labour and tribunal courts.
The scope or industrial relation is quite vast. The main issues involved here include
the following:
Collective bargaining
Standing orders
High morale – Good industrial relations improve the morale of the employees.
Employees work with great zeal with the feeling in mind that the interest of
employer and employees is one and the same, i.e. to increase production. Every
worker feels that he is a co-owner of the gains of industry. The employer in his turn
must realize that the gains of industry are not for him along but they should be
shared equally and generously with his workers. In other words, complete unity of
thought and action is the main achievement of industrial peace. It increases the
place of workers in the society and their ego is satisfied. It naturally affects
production because mighty co-operative efforts alone can produce great results.
Negotiations
Drafting
Administration
The working of collective bargaining assumes various forms. In the first place,
bargaining may be between the single employer and the single union, this is known
as single plant bargaining.
Secondly, the bargaining may be between a single firm having several plants and
workers employed in all those plants. This form is called multiple plants bargaining
where workers bargain with the common employer through different unions.
Thirdly, instead of a separate union bargaining with separate employer, all the
unions belonging to the same industry bargain through their federation with the
employer’s federation of that industry. This is known as multiple employer
bargaining which is possible both at the local and regional levels.
No party should take rigid attitude. They should enter into negotiation with a
view to reaching an agreement.
It is a Group Action:
Collective bargaining is a group action as opposed to individual action. Both the
parties of settlement are represented by their groups.
It is a Continuous Process:
Collective bargaining is a continuous process and does not end with one agreement.
It provides a mechanism for continuing and organised relationship between
management and trade union.
It is a Bipartite Process:
Collective bargaining is a two party process. Both the parties—employers and
employees— collectively take some action. There is no intervention of any third
party.
It is a Process:
Collective bargaining is a process in the sense that it consists of a number of steps.
It is Dynamic:
It is relatively a new concept, and is growing, expanding and changing.
It is an Art:
Collective bargaining is an art, an advanced form of human relations.
Mediation: In this process, a neutral third party acts as the mediator between the
conflicting parties to settle. The mediator aids communication between the two
parties and ensures that it occurs fairly, honestly, and impartial. They help identify
and clarify the underlying issues of the dispute.
Arbitration: In this process, the third party, known as the arbitrator, decides on the
settlement. The arbitrator listens to the arguments of the conflicting parties and
then makes an informed decision, similar to what a Judge does in the court.
Constituents of Collective Bargaining:
Trade Union: Each labour at the individual level has poor bargaining power against
the management. Hence, the working class united to form a powerful union and
protect their interests through collective bargaining.
Advantages
The management has to deal with a small number of people (trade union
leaders).
Disadvantages