bc ii - session 1, 2 - culture, gender and ethical issues in communication

7/29/2019 BC II - Session 1, 2 - Culture, Gender and Ethical Issues in Communication

1/27

Culture, Gender and Ethical

Issues in Communication

Sessions 1, 2


2/27

Objective

What is culture? What is the relevance of culture in business or

market?

What is the nature of the relation betweenculture and market/business?

Is the relation one of conflict/resistance? Or

Is it one of convergence?

Does culture shape the market? Or the other

way round.


3/27

What is Culture?

Even though there cannot be anysimple/definite answer, culture can be broadly

conceptualized as -

Set of convictions, framework ofunderstanding and perception, and code of

conduct of a group over a considerable period

of time.

Simply it is how we lived (time past), how we

live (time present) and how we wish to live

(time future).


4/27

What is Culture?

Essentially the culture regulates the relationbetween the individual and the larger group in

which he resides.

For e.g. an individual will be a part of a grouponly when he follows the common norms of

the group.

Thus culture helps in creating shared identity.


5/27

What is Culture?

Additionally one of the most important elementof any culture is change.

Our way of living, our beliefs, even the way we

dress ,eat or talk changes over time and they arepart of larger shift in a cultural paradigm.

Even though this change is not visible instantly,

we may ask, why or how does this change take

place?

The two vital elements that facilitate change are

Choice and conflict


6/27

What is Culture? Conflict and Change

A change takes place only when there is atension or conflict between the belief systemof the past and the changing reality andexperiences of the present.

Conflict is almost always followed by animplicit choice in favor of the demands of thepresent reality.

Almost all cultures continuously experiencedifferent kinds of conflict and thus evolve andalter itself over time.


7/27


The controversies surrounding the film TheDirty Picture can serve as an example of this

conflict.

Age-old belief system about morality, womanhood etc

vs Changing notions of morality and womanhood that

is less judgmental and appreciates boldness.

The recognition of a national award to the actor is also

an implicit choice in favor of change

Also relevant are the various legislations that try to

protect women against any harassment at workplace

and home ,etc.


8/27


It is important to remember that governmentand judiciary play significant role in bringing

about long-term change.

Also cultures which are heterogeneous andmore open to alternative belief system change

more often than those which are

homogeneous and closed.

India (diverse, historically heterogeneous) and Saudi

Arabia.


9/27

The relevance of culture in business and market

Understanding culture is relevant becauseGreater cross cultural interactions in recent years

Continuous expansion of business and market across

nations and across communities ( Ikea opening stores inSaudi Arabia for instance)

Continuous migration of workforce and labor.

Culture and market are no longer separate or insular

but are interconnected


10/27

The relevance of culture in business and market

What are the factors behind these expansionsin the recent decades?

The fall of the Berlin wall in 1988 signaling the fall of

communismThe disintegration of Soviet Union signaling a new

economic and social paradigm

Economic reforms in countries like India bringing inopen economy.

Significant change in the mindset of people- the desirefor a better living-better in terms of material comfort.

Hence the constant expansion of need.

need is driven both by market and by culture.


11/27

How Does Market interact With culture

Advertising diapers in the USA and Japan bythe same company

A best selling diaper brand in USA somehow

could not penetrate Japanese marketEssentially the were same commercial to

advertise the product - the only difference

was mother and child featured in thecommercial was Japanese


12/27

Market and Culture

While investigating the reasons behind sluggishresponse it was found out that Japanese mothersdid not respond to the core message of thecommercial which was

This diaper would save time for mothers who aremostly employed.

Japanese mothers are mostly housewives andtherefore the core message was not effective.

The company, while launching and promoting theproduct failed to understand the basic culturaldifference between USA and Japan.


13/27

Conflict

This can be an example of a resistance to a

product - not because of its quality but -

because of the interpretation of usefulness of

a product driven by cultural difference.


14/27

Convergence

Just after Sepoy Mutiny in India, for strategicreasons in defense and thus to have betterconnectivity the British Raj undertook a

massive plan to construct railways in India This project was partly funded by British

citizens at 5% perpetuity

This definitely helped the British monarchy tomaintain law and order and to sendreinforcements


15/27

Convergence

However following was the unintended

consequence

Creation of a pan Indian national identity

The Railways remain the most potent symbol of

the nation to this day

This is an example of how a market initiates a

cultural sensibility.


16/27

Conflict and Convergence

A conflict arising due to cultural difference

may force market to adapt to different culture

Convergence: Market is the driving force

behind the creation of a cultural paradigm


17/27

Further Questions

The recent controversies surrounding Ikeas

advertising in Saudi Arabia: an example of

conflict or convergence?


18/27

Gender and Communication

What is gender?

Why the issue of gender relation is important

in business and business communication?

Relation between language and gender?


19/27

What is Gender?

Male and female is biologically determined

Gender masculine and feminine is socially

determined depending on the role

traditionally played by the male and female insociety

Social perception of male = bread earner,

protection (warrior) Female = raising and nurturing family


20/27

Gender, Business and Organisation

Traditionally in primitive economies (likeagrarian economy), gender was nothing more

than a division of labour; partly because of the

nature of the job With time it turned into a hierarchy

Post-industrialisation, technology helped

many jobs to become typically gender neutral However, technology has not yet substituted

the role of motherhood


21/27

Gender, Business and Organisation

Therefore the role of women as mothers vs asprofessionals remain as the central tension to

this day in workplace, business etc.

Existing gender stereotypes create acommunication barrier in organisations

Though professional communication should

ideally be gender neutral, most often that isnot the case


22/27

Gender and Communication Barrier

Instances

What should the mode/style of

communication in a predominantly male

workforce headed by a woman superior The conventional wisdom of think manager, think

male

What should be mode/style of communicationwhen the boss is a male and there are few

female subordinates?


23/27

Gender and Communication Barrier

The efficacy and limits of informalcommunication in previous two scenarios

For instance the informal style of

communication (pat on the back forappreciation of a good work, decision making

over a cup of coffee)may not work well for a

male boss and a female subordinate or vice-versa


24/27

Gender, Communication and Market

The engagement of the market

Refer to the already mentioned case of Saudi

Ikea

Ikea airbrushed the figure of the mother from itsadvertisement following the religious and cultural

norms of Saudi Arabia

Should a company abide by its declaredmarketing principles irrespective of cultural

differences, especially with relation to gender

or should it adapt?


25/27

Language and Gender

English language which reflects and createssocial norms is obviously not gender neutral

All men are equal

Man is born free

Housewives

There is an attempt to make language more

gender neutral Homemaker not Housewives

Workforce not manpower


26/27

Ethical Communication

The attempt to encourage gender neutralvocabulary in organisations stems from an

ethical concern to reduce marked male

dominance

Tampering information which is intended for

public domain that often influence decision

making is the basic form of unethical

communication


27/27

Ethical Communication

Pharmaceutical companies often suppresspart of the findings of clinical trial and release

the part which help them obtain clearance

from drug controllers

Insider trading: private communication often

precedes public communication for monetary

benefit

Enron: tampered with the balance sheet

bc ii - session 1, 2 - culture, gender and ethical issues in communication

Documents