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Trompenaars’s Cultural Dimensions - Coggle Diagram
Trompenaars’s Cultural Dimensions
Neutral/ Emotional
Whether the person within a culture expresses
one's emotion openly or not
Emotional
Definition: culture in which emotions
are expressed openly and naturally
Characteristics
it's welcome and accepted to show emotion
It is common to see people smiling a lot, talking loudly,
and greeting one another excitedly
Example: Mexico, Netherlands
Tips
It is important not to be deterred by scenes or
boisterous behavior on the other side
should try to respond warmly to the
emotional affections of the other group.
Neutral
Characteristics
control their emotions
Reason influences their actions
people act stoically and maintain composure
don't reveal what they're
thinking or how they're feeling
Definition: culture in which emotions not shown
Example: Japan, UK
Tips
put as much as they can on paper
and submit it to the other side
put as much as they can on paper and submit it to the
other side not like to show their hand
Universalism/
Particularism
Whether a culture is a based on rules and
standards or relationship and trust
Particularism
Definition: the beliefs that circumstances dictate
how ideas and practices should be applied
Negotiating
To each according to his/her needs
Focus on the relationship, not the rules and be flexible
Take circumstances into account
The contract is always in flux, even after signing
Insiders are treated differently
Characteristic: often modify contracts, focus on
relationships, working things out to suit the parties
Tips
Update your knowledge
Don’t be following rules that are not current
Try to be flexible while you stay within the rules
Be willing to make adjustments
Example: China, South Korea
Universalism
Definition: the belief that ideas/practices
can be applied everywhere without modification
Characteristic: formal rules, close adhere
to a business adhere to business contracts
Example: Canada, U.S., Netherlands,
Negotiating
They may not be very flexible
Explain why it fits the rule and is not an exception
They know the “right way” to do things
Treat everyone the same – no exceptions
Don’t expect to modify the contract later
“A deal is a deal”
Tips
Learn the normal operating
procedures and industry practices.
Do not expect to change them
Work within the rules
Try to avoid renegotiating a completed contract
Exceptions to the rules might not
be welcomed or tolerated
Individualism/
Communitarianism
Whether a culture focuses more on the group or individual
Communitarianism
people regard themselves as part of a group
Characteristics
joint responsibility
value group-related issues –
committee decisions
Example: Malaysia, Korea
Tips: be patience and aim to build lasting relationship
Individualism
Characteristics
stress personal and individual matters
assume great personal responsibility
believe in personal freedom
and achievement
Definition: people regard
themselves as individuals
Example: U.S., Canada,
the U.K, New Zealand
Tips
–only one negotiator: is respected by his or her organization
and has its authority and esteem
be prepared to make quick decisions and commit their
organization to these decisions
Specific/ Diffuse
Public and private lives are closely intertwined or not
Diffusion
Definition: Comparable in size to the private spaces,
but the public spaces are guarded as they are shared
with the private spaces
Example: Venezuela, China, Spain
Characteristics
people often appear to be
indirect and introverted
work and private life often
are closely linked
Tips
should respect a person’s title, age, and background connections
should not get impatient when people
are being indirect or circuitous
Specific
Definition: large public space shared
with others and small private space guarded closely
Characteristic
people are more open and extroverted
Work and private life are clearly separated
Example: Austria, U.K., U.S
Tips
should try to get to the point and be efficient, learn to structure
meetings with the judicious use of agendas
should not use their titles or acknowledge achievements
or skills that are irrelevant to the issues being discussed
History
Fons Trompenaars and Charles
Hampden-Turner: Riding the Waves of Culture (1997)
Research was conducted over a
10- year period. They sent questionnaires to more than
46,000 managers in 40 countries