CORPORATE CULTURE

elenagalichkina
16 янв. 2018 г.
10 мин. чтения

Обновлено: 6 февр. 2020 г.

UNIT 1. C U L T U R E

Task 1. What does the word “culture” mean to you?

Task 2. Watch the video 1 “What does culture mean?” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SidKFCZ65ik

Choose the ideas you agree with.

Task 3. Watch the video 2 “What is culture” and translate the given sentences in the video.

Task 4. Read the text “Culture” and speak on different definitions to the word “culture”, common elements and complex dimensions that make up culture.

CULTURE

Culture, as defined in Kroeber and Kluckhohn's book «Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions», is the "patterned ways of thinking, feeling, and reacting, acquired and transmitted mainly by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts.

The essential core of culture consists of traditional ideas and especially their attached values" (1952). In international management research, Hofstede defined culture as "…the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from those of another" (1991).

There are several dimensions or frame-works of culture that identify international differences in culture. First, anthropologist Edward T. Hall (b. 1914) classified cultural differences in five different dimensions: time, space, things, friendships, and agreements. Second, Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck identified six issues: relation to nature, relationships among people, mode of human activity, belief about basic human nature, orientation to time, and use of space. Third, Hofstede's framework is one of the most prominent one in international management. He identified four major dimensions of cultural values: individualism-collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity-femininity. Fourth, Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner extended Hofstede's classification with seven dimensions that include universalism versus particularism, collectivism versus individualism, affective versus neutral relationships, specificity versus diffuseness, achievement versus ascription, orientation toward time, and internal versus external control.

The four different classifications provide different and overlapping approaches to organize complex dimensions that make up culture.

Task 5. Read the definitions of the term “corporate culture” taken from different dictionaries and find common ideas, key components in these definitions.

1) Cambridge dictionary:

corporate culture: ‘the beliefs and ideas that a company has and the way in which they affect how it does business and how its employees behave’.

2) WhatIs.com Dictionary:

corporate culture: “Corporate culture is the pervasive values, beliefs and attitudes that characterize a company and guide its practices”.

3) Collins Dictionary and Thesaurus.com:

corporate culture: “the philosophy, values, behavior, dress codes, etc., that together constitute the unique style and policies of a company”.

4) Thefreedictionary.com:

corporate culture: “the distinctive ethos of an organization that influences the level of formality, loyalty, and general behaviour of its employees”.

Task 6. Read about the main concepts of culture: artifacts, values, assumptions.

· Artifacts: the things you might see, hear, or feel when you walk into an organization. They would be the first things you would notice around a room of active workers or participants. There is a difference between simple tangible objects (office supplies, pictures) and the idea that artifacts can also come in the form of behavioral norms like rituals, traditions or custom practices significant to the organization itself.

· Values: the main ideas of how to handle certain situations that have been planned or put into place that are articulated somehow. These are the written laws or mandates (can usually be found in a mission statement) that the organization uses to dictate how things are to be done.

· Assumptions: these are usually reflected by the artifacts themselves and can be considered a general guide to behavior within the organization itself. These can be the most difficult to recognize unless they themselves, are embedded somehow in the organization because they are usually taken for granted and not talked about openly. They are assumptions, therefore, they happen in a more natural sense like instinct – but this instinct is directly related to the organization and its practices. Ex.: an assumption might be that one could actually eat at their place of work (desk) and this would be assumed ok for that culture but others have specific break rooms for their place of eating.

Task 7. What kind of artifacts, values and assumptions might be found in these types of organizations, establishments or associations?

Call centerLaw firmFast food restaurantDaycareClassroom

Task 8. Home task. Watch the Video in YouTube “How Culture Drives Behaviours. Julien S. Bourrelle. TEDxTrondheim” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-Yy6poJ2zs

A. Translate the following words and word combinations:

turned to, socialization takes place in a much more framed, organized manner, French-speaking part of Canada, mental programming, my brain has been rewired, confront, complaint, conform; observing and learning the behaviors of others, region of Catalonia, cava, she took a step aside, shook him, emotional feedback, see the world through cultural glasses, neutral face, the lens through which your brain see the world shapes your reality, perceive behaviors, cultural differences, embedded within that statement , diversity, academic staff, leadership for women, naïve, gender equality adviser of the university, I was denied education based on my gender, professorship, equality of result, enforce diversity, problem-solving ability, creativity, affects the way people behave, to be independent and self-sufficient, friendship, live in symbiosis with each other, basic human needs, reject somebody, cultural misunderstanding, subtle physical differences, politeness is a culturally related concept, to benefit from diversity; it is not about what you see, it is about what you perceive; help the world to truly benefit from diversity.

B. Use the words and word combinations from Task 8 Part A to speak on the content of the video “How Culture Drives Behaviours.”

Task 9. Watch the video 3 “Edward T. Hall’s Cultural Iceberg” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6aeqXaXOSg

Speak on two parts to culture: internal and external. Use the following words and facts:

1976, external culture, above water, outward behavior, internal culture, hidden, beliefs, values, thought patterns, part of the conscious mind, part of a subconscious mind, actively participating in culture, it’s not a perfect metaphor.

Task 10. Game

Task 11. Home task. Watch the video “Cultural Iceberg” at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woP0v-2nJCU

A. Are these statements TRUE or FALSE? If they are false, say why:

1) Like an iceberg there are only some aspects of culture that are visible or which lie above the surface of the water.

2) These can include only language, greetings, art.

3) These are the implicit manifestation of culture, they are not easy to see, taste or hear.

4) The majority of the culture lies above the surface.

5) They include only worldview, religion, spiritual beliefs, and concepts of time.

6) These are the explicit manifestation of culture

7) The more immersed we become in a cultural environment; the more these hidden aspects are revealed to us.

Task 12. Describe the picture. Speak on the Iceberg Concept of Culture.

📷

Task 13. Here are some features, place some of them above or below the surface of the water.

Facial expressions; Gestures; Paintings; Values; Holiday customs; Food; Concept of beauty; Eating habits; Music; Concept of fairness; Child raising beliefs; Understanding the natural world; Religious beliefs; Importance of time; Concept of self; Concept of leadership; Literature; Nature of friendship; General world view; Work ethic; Rules of social etiquette; Concept of personal space; Styles of dress; Notion of modesty; Religious rituals.

📷

Task 14. Match the title of the culture and its definition. These four types of culture were identified by a researcher Jeffrey Sonnenfeld.

1. Academy Culture

A. Employees are "free agents" who have highly prized skills. They are in high demand and can rather easily get jobs elsewhere. This type of culture exists in fast-paced, high-risk organizations, such as investment banking, advertising, etc.

2. Baseball Team Culture

B. Employees don't know if they'll be laid off or not. These organizations often undergo massive reorganization. There are many opportunities for those with timely, specialized skills. Examples are savings and loans, large car companies, etc.

3. Club Culture

C. Employees are highly skilled and tend to stay in the organization, while working their way up the ranks. The organization provides a stable environment in which employees can development and exercise their skills. Examples are universities, hospitals, large corporations, etc.

4. Fortress Culture

D. The most important requirement for employees in this culture is to fit into the group. Usually employees start at the bottom and stay with the organization. The organization promotes from within and highly values seniority. Examples are the military, some law firms, etc.

Task 15. Read the text “27 Russian firms among world’s most powerful companies” and summarize the text using the following words and word combinations:

name companies, hit by, top the list, to be ranked, market value, at the top of the list, energy firms, preserve high ranking, prohibition on, state-owned, to be banned from, receive long-term loans, fall 6 spots, to make one’s debut.

27 Russian Firms Among World’s Most Powerful Companies - Forbes

Forbes has named 27 Russian companies, including those hit by Western sanctions, among the world’s largest and most powerful in its Global 2000 annual list.

Energy giant Gazprom tops the list of Russia’s largest businesses, according to Forbes. The company is ranked 28th in the global rating with a market value of $62.5 billion. Also at the top of the list are two more energy companies, Rosneft (59) and Lukoil (109), and Russia’s biggest lender Sberbank (124).

Russia’s energy firms - Gazprom, Rosneft, Lukoil, Transneft and Surgutneftegaz – have largely preserved their high ranking despite being sanctioned by the EU in September. These restrictions included a prohibition on providing services needed for deep sea, Arctic, and shale oil projects. Major Russian state-owned banks have been banned from receiving any long-term (over 30-day) loans from EU companies.

Gazprom fell 6 spots on the list compared to its position last year. Despite these hardships, two Russian companies managed to make their debut in the Forbes rating this year - United Aircraft Corporation and Moscow Exchange (MOEX).

Task 16. Answer the questions:

a. Which international companies are you familiar with?

b. Look at the symbols below and name the companies they belong to.

c. Provide 2-3 interesting facts about one of them.

📷 📷 📷

📷

Task 17. What do the following abbreviations stand for?

GM, WM, EM, FM, GE, IBM, CC, AT&T

Which of these companies are more popular in Russia and why?

Task 18. Here are the names of global American companies. Match the industry and the name of the company.

Industries: computers and office equipment, motor vehicles and parts, retailing, cosmetics, electrical equipment, electronics, financial services, petroleum refining, food, beverages, tobacco, telecommunications, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, entertainment.

Companies: Exxon Mobil, Texaco, Chase Manhattan, Motorola, Ford Motor, General Electronic, IBM, AT & T, Philip Morris, Boeing, Hewlett-Packard, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Dell Computer, United Technologies, General Motors, Wal-Mart, Walt Disney, McDonald’s, American Express, Compaq Computer, Home Depot, Merrill Lynch.

Task 19. Home task. Choose one company from the list below, find information on it (8-10 sentences) and present the information at the lesson without using your notes:

Gazprom, Rosneft, Lukoil, Sberbank, Transneft and Surgutneftegaz, United Aircraft Corporation, Moscow Exchange (MOEX), Exxon Mobil, Texaco, Chase Manhattan, Motorola, Ford Motor, General Electronic, IBM, AT & T, Philip Morris, Boeing, Hewlett-Packard, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Dell Computer, United Technologies, General Motors, Wal-Mart, Walt Disney, McDonald’s, American Express, Compaq Computer, Home Depot, Merrill Lynch.

Task 20. Game

Task 21. Match the name of the company and the information about the company.

Reebok

a) Основатели компании Боб Нойс и Гордон Мур хотели назвать ее Moore Noyce, но к тому времени уже существовала сеть отелей с таким названием. Так что они решили остановиться на сокращении от INTegrated ELectronics (Интегрированная Электроника)

Google

b) По названию маленькой и быстрой африканской антилопы

Microsoft

c) Представляет из себя сочетание двух слов — латинского «sonus» («звук») и сленгового английского «sonny» («хорошо обеспеченный молодой человек»)

Intel

d) Свою компанию они думали назвать "Аллен и Гейтс", но посчитали что это больше подходит для юридической конторы, и тогда Пол предложил - Micro-Soft, от microprocessors (с англ. «микропроцессоры»)и software (с англ. «программное обеспечение»).

Sony

e) Название произошло от слова Googol, означающее единицу со 100 нулями. А Google было написано на чеке, который основатели этого проекта получили от первого инвестора. После этого они назвали поисковик именно так.

Task 22. Reading

a. Fill in the blanks with the following words:

current, equipment, fierce, founder, headquarters, introduced, lost, major, markets,

soap, tube, turned

Colgate-Palmolive Company

Colgate-Palmolive Company is the U.S. diversified company that produces and distributes household, health care, and personal products. (1) ……….. are in New York City.

Colgate-Palmolive’s history traces back to the early 19th century, when William Colgate, a soap and candle maker, began selling his wares in New York City.

His company sold the first toothpaste in a (2) ……….. , Colgate Ribbon Dental Cream, in 1908.

In 1928, Colgate & Company was bought by Palmolive-Peet Company.

Palmolive-Peet’s (3) ……….., B.J. Johnson, had developed the formula for Palmolive (4) ……….. in 1898. At the turn of the century Palmolive, which contained both palm and olive oils, was the world’s best-selling soap. The (5) ……….. name was adopted in 1953.

Colgate Palmolive has long been in (6) ……….. competition with Procter & Gamble, the country’s largest soap and detergent maker. P&G (7) ……….. its Tide laundry detergent shortly after World War II and thousands of consumers (8) ……….. from Colgate’s soaps to the new product. Colgate (9) ……….. its number one place in the toothpaste market when P&G started putting fluoride in its toothpaste.

Colgate now (10) ……….. a broadly diversified mix of products in the United States and other countries. (11) ……….. product areas include house-hold and personal care products, food products, health care and industrial supplies and sports and leisure time (12) ……….. .

b. Translate the text from English into Russian in the written form

Task 23. Reading

a. Fill in the blanks with the following words:

blades, employer, keep, manufacturer, profitable, razor, retired, sale, salesman, wasteful

Gillette

Gillette is an American inventor and first (1) ……….. of the safety razor and blade. Raised in Chicago, Gillette was forced by his family’s loss of possessions in the fire of 1871 to go to work, becoming a travelling (2) ……….. of hardware. His (3) ……….. noted his passion for mechanical tinkering, which sometimes resulted in commercially (4) ……….. inventions, and advised him to invent “something that would be used and thrown away”, so that the customer would (5) ……….. come back. While sharpening a permanent, straightedge (6) ……….. , Gillette had the idea of substituting a thin double-edged steel blade placed between two plates and held in place by a handle. Though the proposal was received with skepticism because the (7) ……….. could not be sharpened, the manufactured product was a success from the beginning. The first (8) ……….. , in 1903, consisted of a lot of 51 razors and 168 blades; by the end of 1904, Gillette’s company had produced 90,000 razors and 12,400,000 blades.

He then turned his intellectual energies to publicizing a view of utopian socialism in a series of books and other writings. He found competition (9) ……….. and envisaged a planned society in which economic effort would be rationally organized by engineers. Gillette remained president of his company until 1931 but (10) ……….. from active management in 1913.

b. Translate the text from English into Russian in the written form

UNIT 2. C O R P O R A T E / ORGANIZATIONAL C U L T U R E