Lunes, 24 de septiembre de 2007
Organizational culture in Mexico
Archivado en: Cross Cultural Management
According to Geert Hofstede’s four dimensions I will describe both Mexican values.
Organizational culture in Mexico
Individualism/Collectivism
Mexican people usually give strong importance to Collectivism. We usually enjoy having a familiar lunch at Sundays, including when is possible, the whole family, not only nuclear, but extended. At countryside, people love party, specially those related with religious traditions. At urban contexts, we frequently like to become groups inside organizations, whit people similar in someway to us.
Power Distance
We have a strong tradition of Large Power Distance indubitably due to our hispanic domination. It can be explained in this text about The Labyrinth of Solitude of Paz (1):
“…The section "Los hijos de la Malinche" defines La Malinche for the midtwentieth century. (…) For Paz, the Conquest of Mexico was a violation, and Doña Marina represents the violated mother, the passive figure in the event--La Chingada”.
We have survived to the conquest but there are some reminiscences that had became to prejudices. This tradition of obedience are reflected inside organizations. Hierarchy is very important and have a strong influence.
Uncertainty Avoidance
The mixture of Large power distance and Strong Uncertainty Avoidance means that Mexico is this kind of Country that tend to view organizations as “The Pyramid of People” I think this paragraph describes very well the situation at office:
“The department clearly defines all procedures and tolerates little or no questioning or deviance– little or no ambiguity. When the alarm rings, fire-fighters do not stop to discuss who will drive the pumper or who will ride on the hook and ladder, because management has previously clearly defined each role and task”. (2)
Career success vs. Quality of life
Similarly to people from the United States, Mexicans tend to look for Career success. Nevertheless, we feel uncomfortable with uncertainty. Adler mentioned: “societies (…) in which extra income and others visible signs of career success effectively reward achievement” (3). For instance, people from low income that grow economically, often like to buy and show big cars as symbol of power, instead of covering other basic needs as better education or an own house.
Universalism/Particularism’s Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner
To describe different reactions to a given hypothetical situation, Adler refers a research whose findings allowed to distinguish between societies that adheres to universalistic or to particularistic values. Mexico can be identified as a Particularistic society that gives more importance to loyalty. Mexican people gives more importance to personal relationship rather than written agreements.
References
(1) Messinger Cypess Sandra. La Malinche in Mexican Literature. From History to Myth. http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/excerpts/excypmal.html Accessed September 12, 2007 10:00PM.
(2) Adler, Nancy. International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior. Cincinnati, Ohio. South-western. 2002.
(3) Idem.
