‘crossing the bosphurus’ a culture based approach to organisational resilience
TRANSCRIPT
‘Crossing the Bosphurus’
A culture based approach to Organisational
Resilience
UK National Security Strategy, 2010
…Britain today is both more secure and more
vulnerable than in most of her long history. More secure, in the sense that we do not currently face, as we have so often in our past, a conventional threat of attack on our territory by a hostile power. But more vulnerable, because we are one of the most open societies, in a world that is more networked than ever before.
…
In our interconnected world
what Britain needs is
“Business / Organisational resilience”
Organisational Resilience
Sub-contractors Suppliers YOUR ORGANISATION Beneficiaries
Align the culture throughout theSupply chain
Do we understand each other correctly?
Mexicans say about Germans
Germans:• Don’t have sense of humour• Don’t take risk• Are not relaxed• etc.
Japanese say about Germans
Germans:• Have sense of humour• Do take risks• Are relaxed• etc.
Different perspectives
Organisational Resilience
What is resilience?
Oxford Dictionary:“the ability of a substance or object to spring back into
shape; elasticity”
In our real world:“the ability to adapt to changing environment”*
* Changing environment includes sudden changes too, i.e. disasters, crisis, etc.
Product / Service
Manufacturing / Service provision
People
Processes
Tools / Machinery
Technology
Suppliers
Materials
Suppliers
Is there anybody in this room who works in an organization which provides products / services which didn’t change in the last:
• 1 day• 1 month• 6 months• 1 year
Our environment changes…
Can we change in the same direction as our environment changes?
Resilience in business• Facilities• Infrastructure• Technology• Information• Financial resources• Supplies• Suppliers• etc.
and
• People
We can change fairly easily
We can change if we have• Effective communication• Cultural alignment
A modern 8 storey building2000 employee’s
1 entry/ exit
Mexicans say about Germans
Germans:• Don’t have sense of humour• Don’t take risk• Are not relaxed• etc.
Japanese say about Germans
Germans:• Have sense of humour• Do take risks• Are relaxed• etc.
Do we understand each other correctly?
Working with different cultures
Communication
Communication
So let’s get familiarize with different cultures!
West vs. East
Reacting to cultural differences
Classification of Cultures
Let’s classify cultures to help you to identify
“What to say“ and “How to say”
to improve resilience in your organisation
Cultures from different perspectives
2 different types of classification of cultures are discussed:
• Emotion based• Context based
Cultures from different perspectives
• Emotion based classification :• Shame vs. Guilt
• Context based classification• High context vs. Low context
Which culture is it?
High context & Shame = Eastern = Collectivist
Low context & Guilt = Western = Individualistic
Personal behaviour in different cultures
I didn't do it I did it
I didn't do it No problemI am dishonoured
I punish myself
I did itNo problem
because no one knowsI am guilty
I have to be punished
I didn't do it I did it
I didn't do it No problemI fight against accusations
I try to prove my innocence
I did it I feel guiltyI am guilty
I have to be punished
I kno
wI k
now
People believeShame Culture
Guilt CulturePeople believe
Low context & Guilt cultures High context & Shame cultures
Organisational properties
Rule oriented, people play by external rules Multiple cross-cutting ties and intersections with others
Self organised even in the absence of severity In need of a leader
Effective in flat organisations Effective in hierarchies
Highly organized and structured High levels of formalization within small communities
Personal properties
Less humour More humour
More interpersonal connections of shorter duration More personal help to vulnerable
Personal responsibility Less verbally explicit and written/formal communication
Strong personal boundaries Strong boundaries against "outsiders"
Forward thinking Nostalgic and past oriented
Close and long term relationships
Personal tolerance to disorderliness
Process properties
Knowledge is more often transferable Knowledge is situational, relational.
More knowledge is codified and accessible Face-to-face relationships, often around a person with authority
Structures, separation of time, space, activities and relationships
More internalized understandings of what is communicated
Task-orientation
Damaging properties
Promotes self-punishment Promotes punishment by others
Personal intolerance to disorderliness Self-sacrifice is common
Can be hard for vulnerable people in economically hard times
Not keen on taking responsibility
Cannot be easily organised in the absence of severity
Seeking credit and avoiding accusation
Tendency towards opposition right in the first place
Interference in other people’s lives
Comparison of cultural types
Nationalities vs. cultureHigher context/Shame culture Lower context/Guilt culture
African Australian
Arab Dutch
Brazilian English Canadian
Chinese English
Filipinos Finnish
French Canadian German
French Hebrews/Jews
Greek Irish
Hawaiian New Zealand
Hungarian Scandinavia
Indian Switzerland
Indonesian United States (excluding the Southern United States)
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latin Americans
Nepali
Persian
Portuguese
Russian
Southern United States
Spanish
Thai
Turkish
Vietnamese
South Slavic
What to do for cultural alignment
• Embrace differences• Create effective communication lines• Carry out workshops, trainings and exercises
along with a programme• Give responsibility and guidance together• Praise people
High context, shame cultures
What to say:• The greater good behind the activities• What it means to the company, to families and all other people• Encourage people
How to say:• Be a “Leader” • Don't be very modest• Look smart• Involve mostly the influential people directly but don’t ignore
the others
Low context, guilt cultures
What to say:• Explain the process• Discuss the outputs and the outcome• Create a consensus• Encourage people
How to say:• Lead people• Be modest• Look like yourself• Involve other people in the beginning
Cultural alignment – You can do it!
You will think the same if you do the same
Achieving together
Conclusion
• Analyse the culture of your supply chain colleagues
• Create effective communication lines to achieve consensus
• Engage with them• Provide training and exercising opportunities• Always seek for feedback, either directly or
indirectly so you can adapt yourself
Questions?
