National & Corporate Culture Question: Q&A

As an important part of the course is focused on the readings and its comprehension this post will answer to the questions proposed for the subject National & Corporate Culture.

National Culture: when does it matters?

In order to understand why is culture important or unimportant, we must try to elucidate the  meaning of the word culture. Despite many experts have tried to give a single concept for culture according to the document "International Management: Cross-Cultural Dimensions" by Richard Mead (see further readings), the most accurate concept is that of Hofstede which considers culture as being:

"The collective programing of the mind which distinguishes the members of one human group from another ... Culture, in this sense, includes systems of values; and values are among the building blocks of culture." (Mead, Richard, 2004)

Corporate Culture: a myth?

As discussed in class the Topic of Corporate Culture includes the shares values, beliefs, symbols and behaviors of the group of people that form part in an organization, therefore to understand it is a key element when relating to an organization. But the proposed reading for this topic that is titled: "Corporate Culture: more myth than reality?", says that corporate culture is "weakening or disappear(ing)"[Gregory M.J. 2007] in the new globalized world.

Ethnographic Research: Q&A

As part of the course my lecturer has asked me to "find and explain in (my) blog 2 examples of how ethnographic research can be used for international business." In order to answer this question I have chosen to present a video and a short international marketing example.