Global Yet Local

Global Yet local

In the 21st century, globalization has opened opportunities for companies to start operations in different geographic locations. This leads to a very important question of whether organizations can export their culture to locations with a different national culture and find success, or adapt and play safe instead. Hofstede(2001) defines culture in his book as “the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another.” Mead (1994) suggests that organizations have to modify the home country systems, structures, and values to conform or comply with local norms. (Hofstede, 1980, 1993; Kedia and Bhagat, 1988; Laurent, 1986; Schneider and de Meyer, 1991; Sutton, 1995) maintain that when national and organizational cultures come into conflict, the first is likely to override values in the second. Culture influences all aspects of human behavior, although it is difficult to examine how it impacts behavior or induces change. Sometimes it is subtle, and an underlying force, whereas at other times, it is very pronounced. It is so much of an integral part of human existence, that it is almost impossible to ignore it. The changes caused by culture can evolve in a political, societal, or organizational way (Craig and Douglas).

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