Our cultural, social environments shape who we are and how we
behave and feel in the world. Often our culture is reflected
in our organizations and communities. Many racial-cultural groups
have historically been segregated allowing for retention of
unique cultural patterns for each group as well as the development
American cultural beliefs. Experiences as members of racial-cultural
groups in society, as well as our personal understanding of
that experience, affect our self-esteem and our perception or
others.
Our culture is imbedded in our dominant cultural beliefs (some
noted below) about human behavior, learning and what we expect
of others. The models of learning and teaching we use in our
organizations operate on the assumptions of our culture. In
cross-cultural and cross-racial interactions we are not aware
of subtle racial and cultural differences and attribute many
of these types of differences to personality characteristics
of the culturally different other.
Some Dominant American Cultural Patterns Are:
· Individual social relations are preferred.
· Self-expression based on externally defined accomplishments.
· Systems of power based on hierarchy and communication
through standard English.
· Future time and mastery of nature orientations.
· A religious system based on Judeo-Christian ideals.
· Preference for nuclear family structures.
· Aesthetics and traditions that are based on European
cultures.
Our cultural reference groups (race, ethnicity, gender, religion,
language, social class and so forth) influence how we understand
and what we expect of our self and others. The circumstances
in society, such as access to work, shelter, and education
also influences our understanding of our experience and how
we function in our communities and in society.
To Develop Organizational Cultural Competence - An organization
must:
· Value cultural difference.
· Conduct self-assessment s.
· Clarify vision.
· Understand dynamics of difference.
· Learn to use cultural knowledge.
· Learn how to adapt to cultural difference.
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