The most in-depth analysis of the influence of cultural values ​​on an individual’s production activity was undertaken by the American psychologist IBM Corporation G. Hofstede22.

He has been collecting data characterizing workers' attitudes toward their own activities since 1967.

to 1973. The database was compiled based on an analysis of more than 100,000 workers in 40 countries on three continents. This made it possible to identify 4 main characteristics that allow us to assess the influence of country stereotypes in the socio-cultural sphere on the interpersonal relationships of employees. The so-called “Hofstede Model” includes the following components:

1. The degree of hierarchical distance or differentiation of people (power distance), determined by their physical and intellectual capabilities; society’s attitude towards the physical and intellectual inequality of people. In societies with a high degree of distancing, as a rule, physical and intellectual inequality develops into inequality of wealth, the power of wealth. Low distance societies try to reduce these inequalities as much as possible.

2.

The degree of uncertainty avoidance is an indicator that determines the degree of avoidance of uncertain, unforeseen situations, the degree of inadaptability of workers to changing economic conditions. In societies where the degree of uncertainty is high (usually there is a higher degree of maladaptation), social benefits, job security, career models (career development schemes), old-age pensions, etc. are more valued. Workers' activities are regulated and obeys strict rules; managers need to receive clear instructions; the subordination of initiative and enterprise is strictly controlled. Societies with low degrees of uncertainty are characterized by greater willingness to accept risks and less resistance to change.

4.

The ratio of masculine and feminine principles within the framework of relationships between the sexes in labor activity (Masculinity versus femininity). For societies with a low degree of feminization and a predominance of masculinity, the roles of the sexes are strictly differentiated, and traditional masculine values ​​such as independence, achievement and demonstration of strength take place, which predetermine cultural ideals. In feminist cultures, the roles of the sexes are less divided, and there is less differentiation between men and women when performing the same work.

For each of these four values ​​G.

Hofstede calculated an index ranked from 0 to 100 in order of increasing manifestation of these characteristics in the analyzed countries. Average indicators for the 20 countries analyzed are presented below:

Country indicators of values ​​in G. Hofstede's model

Note. See: Hofstede G. Culture's Consequences // Hill C.W.L. Global business today. N. Y.: McGraw-Hill, Irwin, 2003. ^ar. 3. R. 109.

Speaking about G. Hofstede’s model, it is necessary to take into account the following assumptions, which determine a number of its shortcomings:

1) the presented model is built from the point of view of Western stereotypes about cultural differentiation. This is due to the fact that the research was carried out by Americans and Europeans belonging to the Western type of culture and sharing its values;

The studies were carried out mainly at the enterprises of IBM, which is known for its aggressive strategy and strict selection of employees. Therefore, it is quite possible that the value orientations of IBM employees differ from those that are characteristic of the society of which these employees are citizens;

4)

some social categories (for example, low-skilled workers) were not included in the number of analyzed subjects;

5)

cultures do not stand still, they evolve and develop.

However, these assumptions do not reduce the significance of the presented research, which is one of the few works that analyzes the relationship between sociocultural factors and international business.

1. Comment on the following situation using these indicators:

India's GNP is twice as large as Germany's GNP, and its population is 180 times larger.

2. How the promotion of goods and services on the country’s market can be affected by such socio-economic indicators as inflation rates, interest rates, as well as the following data:

EU countries Japan

By 2025, the share of the population over 65 years of age from the total number of citizens will be (%): 3.

Justify some of the principles of international business:

“Unethical does not always mean illegal.”

“National cultural characteristics cannot be good or bad, they are just different.”

4.

Using knowledge of G. Hofstede’s model, comment on the degree of development of individual and group social characteristics in society using the example of companies in the USA and Japan: 5.

Justify the connection between the system of factors affecting the business of foreign companies and the presence of political, economic and legal risks in the country. 6.

Answer the test questions.

The proverb “When in Rome, do as Romans do,” in Russian translation meaning “When you are in Rome, do as the Romans do,” perfectly reflects the basic principle of international business. Countries with long-standing cultural and ethical traditions dictate their own rules of conduct, which managers of international companies cannot ignore. It is impossible to be successful in international markets without knowledge of the following aspects:

features of local consumer tastes, specific etiquette and protocol events;

specifics of sign language and other non-verbal communications;

expressions of gratitude (gifts);

Imagine yourself at a business meeting in one of the Arab Gulf countries. You are offered a small cup of bitter coffee with cardamom. After refilling your cup repeatedly, you decide you've had enough coffee. How can you best refuse the next portion offered?

a) Place your palm on top of the cup when the coffee is finished.

b) Turn the empty cup upside down.

c) Hold the cup and rotate your wrist from side to side.

2.

Indicate the sequence of need for punctuality at business meetings in the following countries:

b) Hong Kong.

c) Japan.

d) Morocco.

3.

Gifts are extremely common in Japanese society. If you receive a business gift in a small sealed package, what should you do?

a) Open it immediately and thank the giver.

b) Thank the giver and open it later.

c) Wait until it is opened for you.

4.

In which of the following countries is tipping considered an insult?

a) Great Britain.

b) Iceland.

c) Canada.

5.

How long is a normal working week in Saudi Arabia?

a) Monday - Friday.

b) Friday - Tuesday.

c) Saturday - Wednesday.

6.

You are at a business meeting in Seoul. In accordance with tradition, the name on a business card is indicated in the following order: Park Chul Su. How should you address your partner?

a) Mr. Park.

b) Mr. Chul.

c) Mr. Su.

7. Which of the following is a common topic for any meeting in Latin American countries?

b) Religion.

c) Local politics.

d) Weather.

d) Travel.
8. 26/10/2006
In many countries, when invited to visit, flowers are often used as a gift to the hosts. However, both the type and color of flowers can have different meanings. Highlight countries where this gift could be considered a false step: a) Brazil 1) Red roses.

b) France 2) Purple flowers.

c) Switzerland 3) Chrysanthemums.

The connection between organizational culture and the success of a company is recognized by most managers and has been of interest to sociologists and psychologists for more than 50 years.

The bearers of organizational culture are people. However, in mature companies, organizational culture is separated from people and becomes an attribute of the company, modifying the behavior of employees in accordance with the attitudes and values ​​that form its basis. We can distinguish the following forms of organizational culture of enterprises in modern Russia:

Development of organizational culture in enterprises with a long history, rooted in the strictness of the planned economy of the Soviet era;

The budding from a transnational octopus of another business unit of Russian localization, the organizational culture of which is an imported planting from the outside, not always natural for Russian soil, but at the same time often a very effective option for self-organization of a company;

Development of organizational culture in enterprises created and operating since the early 1990s. As the processes of globalization and internationalization of economic life intensify, the issues of the influence of national cultures of different countries on the diverse aspects of companies’ activities acquire special significance. This article analyzes cross-cultural interaction within the organizational culture of a multinational company.

Look to the root (Kozma Prutkov)

All three forms of organizational culture of enterprises in Russia are united by a common context - this is the national culture of Russian employees, which, like water, seeps into the fabric of the organizational culture of the organization and serves as its fundamental basis. This fundamental principle is transformed under the influence of external stimuli (customer specifics, competition, etc.) and internal factors (claims of the owners or leaders of the company, internal etiquette of behavior, etc.). From the point of view of the institutional approach, culture is considered as a set of social communities and systems that can be structured along various planes. Rice. 1 explains this concept using the multi-stage Shois model, which distinguishes the following planes of culture:

– national culture (within one country),

– industry culture (within one industry),

– organizational culture (within one enterprise).

Rice. 1. Institutional classification of cultural planes

According to the definition of the Dutch scientist G. Hofstede, “national culture programs the mentality of society,” and “organizational culture programs the thoughts of the organization’s employees.” Competitive success of Japanese organizations in the 1970s. led to the recognition of the importance of national culture in the analysis of organizational culture. Organizational culture can be managed by changing the company's existing practices. It is difficult for an employer to change the values ​​of hired employees: company employees, when they come to work, cannot leave their identity at home.

Shamans of Russian business

The first and second versions of the organizational culture of Russian business exist largely against each other. This constant comparison of original Russian and no less original foreign companies would itself be designed to bring only good things into the life of Russian companies: advanced practices in personnel management and motivation, production planning, sales organization, etc. However, in practice, one can observe not at all creative, but rather destructive consequences of copying the external components of the organizational culture of foreign companies. One of the common steps towards prosperity is inviting foreign “Varangians” to develop a panacea for all Russian ills. And then the festival of talkative intellectuals begins. What they don’t have in store: you will be offered the most advanced benchmarking technologies, the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), the Kaizen continuous improvement system, 6 Sigma, the good old Boston Group matrix (there are options available - GE/Mackensey matrices for the aesthetically inclined), as well as the latest wonders of the process approach, network planning, MRP, lean production...

However, if you say “halva” many times, your mouth will not become sweeter. The effectiveness of the mechanisms is possible with the adaptation of a certain philosophy at the employee level within Russian enterprises. As the Japanese proverb says: “A bad owner grows weeds, a good one grows rice, a smart one cultivates the soil, a far-sighted one trains a worker.” One of the options for such “education” is close cooperation between specialists - direct carriers and recipients of advanced technologies, who, as a rule, are representatives of different national cultures.

Change before you have to (Jack Welch)

Despite the potential negative consequences, it is necessary to recognize the promise of studying and weighing the positive components of the organizational cultures of Russian and foreign companies. Since a synergistic effect 1 can potentially arise based on international cooperation and differences in the national cultures of employees, the company's development strategy, its management and organizational culture should be linked.

1 Synergy, synergistic effect (from the Greek synergos - acting together) - an increase in the efficiency of activity as a result of connection, integration, merging of individual parts into a single system due to the so-called system effect.

To do this, the national cultures of the cooperation partners need to be described according to a group of criteria, which will help determine specific criteria by which national cultures are in conflict with each other or are similar. For example, Studlein developed four key assessments to examine the compatibility of partners' national and business cultures:

Similarity of cultures: the cultures of the partners have minor differences; with mutual adaptation of the partners, synergy may arise;

Cultural compatibility: the partners’ cultures are compatible, and despite the greater cultural distance (compared to the first option), in the process of cooperation it is possible to acquire cultural competencies and a synergistic effect is achievable;

Complementarity of cultures: to achieve synergy in this case, the mutual ability and ability of cooperation partners to learn to overcome intercultural differences is necessary;

Incompatibility of cultures: the cultures of the partners are not similar and do not complement each other. Especially in cases of complementarity and compatibility of cultures, there is the potential for a synergistic effect to arise (as, for example, according to research, in the case of Russian-German cooperation). The success of intercultural interaction depends on the level of awareness and knowledge about the partners’ culture, willingness to learn and tolerance in intercultural communications. Only on this basis can the process of intercultural learning be initiated for the targeted creation of a competitive advantage for the enterprise.

The unpredictability of the development of the organizational culture of multinational enterprises is due to the interaction within its framework of different national cultures of employees. How do different national cultures directly interact within one company? Is it possible to talk about a “symbiosis” of 2 cultures within a multinational enterprise? The answers to these questions are ambiguous.

2 From Greek. symbiosis - cohabitation.

This article makes an attempt to analyze these aspects “from the inside” using a dynamic model of the organizational culture of multinational enterprises, which describes the dynamics of interaction between the national cultures of employees within one enterprise (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. Model of organizational culture of multinational enterprises – dynamics of interaction between national cultures of employees

In Fig. 2 highlights the stages of development of this interaction, namely:

1) At the initial stage of work, employees who are carriers of different national cultures meet for the first time within the same organizational culture;

2) National cultures of employees begin to interact with each other. Contact begins with a process of recognition, during which discrepancies are established between the observed reality and the worldview of the partners;

3) Interaction manifests itself in the form of “friction” between different national cultures (this “friction” can arise for each of the parameters of national culture discussed below). The trigger for learning intercultural differences is, as a rule, crises that arise as a result of deviations of expectations from the actions of partners in intercultural cooperation;

4) As a result of “friction” and mutual adaptation, such characteristics of the partners’ national cultures as “strength” or “weakness” appear. In this case, the “strength” or “weakness” of a national culture is understood as the relative ability of the values ​​of a certain culture to assert themselves over the corresponding values ​​of another culture. The values ​​of a “weaker” culture are more easily transformed under the influence of the values ​​of a “stronger” culture. For example, what attitude to time will be “stronger” within the organizational culture of an enterprise with a Russian-German team: monochrome, characteristic of the Germans, or polychrome, characteristic of the Russians;

5) Different national cultures can potentially interact successfully, overcoming the difficulties that arise, as a result of which the effect of “symbiosis” of cultures will arise and it will become possible to develop some “fusion of cultures” - a new organizational culture, “enriched” with the best features of the national cultures of employees (the mechanism and options for this developments are analyzed below);

6) The final phase of the formation of the organizational culture of a multinational enterprise can be a synergistic effect achieved through the integration and fusion of various national cultures of the enterprise’s employees into a single organizational culture.

Movement is life

The dynamic model uses a dialectical approach to explain the processes that take place in the organizational culture of multinational enterprises under the influence of the national cultures of employees. The reason for this is that within the same organizational culture there are contradictions due to the fact that they are carriers of different cultures. “Contradiction” in this case is interpreted as “difference”, “inequality” of the characteristics of cultures, which, nevertheless, can be compared using certain systems of parameters (see critical parameters of cultures in the next section).

The next logical step in understanding this model is the statement, borrowed from Hegel’s dialectic, that “contradictions lie at the root of all movement and vitality; only that which has internal contradictions moves, has persistence and activity.” Here, the logic of self-development through contradictions is used to explain the processes taking place in the organizational culture of a multinational enterprise under the influence of the national cultures of employees.

It is also of interest to turn to the laws of materialist dialectics - the law of unity and struggle of opposites (or the law of interpenetration of opposites), which “reveals contradictions as an internal source, impulse, driving force of all self-movement.” In the process of interaction of different national cultures within the framework of one organizational culture, the development of a new organizational culture is possible.

The final result in the general case (without reference to specific cultures) cannot be determined, but we can talk about the following main options for the interaction of different national cultures within one enterprise:

(1) national cultures may be so different that any attempt at interaction will fail;

(2) in the process of developing the organizational culture of a multinational enterprise, the national culture of one group of employees will dominate;

(3) national cultures will be able to successfully interact, overcoming the difficulties that arise, as a result of which the effect of “symbiosis” of cultures will arise and it will become possible to develop a certain “fusion of cultures” - a new organizational culture, “enriched” with the features of the national cultures of employees (this option is demonstrated in Fig. 2 ).

We will measure the boa constrictor in parrots

For the purposes of the study, the following list of critical parameters was developed with the help of which the influence of national cultures of employees on the organizational culture of multinational enterprises is assessed:

1. Parameters of hierarchy and discipline in the team:

1.1. degree of delegation of authority;

1.2. power distance;

1.3. the degree of independence of decisions made by employees of the enterprise;

1.4. employee loyalty to the company / level of opportunistic relations within the team.

2. Moral and psychological climate in the team:

2.1. degree of individualism/collectivism;

2.2. vertical degree of trust;

2.3. degree of trust horizontally;

2.4. degree of femininity/masculinity.

3. Perception of time and attitude towards the future:

3.1. long-term orientation;

3.2. desire to avoid uncertainty.

3.3. monochrome/polychrome attitude to time 3;

3 For example, in Germany the perception of time is linear and mostly monochrome. This means that at a given moment only one thing is being done, the sequence of actions is carried out step by step, according to a previously drawn up plan (linear sequence). Germans don't like to do several things at the same time. They prefer to focus on one task and complete it within the planned time frame.

3.4. risk appetite / desire for stability;

3.5. perception of innovation.

Based on these groups of parameters, graphs are constructed (Fig. 3 and 4) demonstrating the position of a particular organizational culture relative to the criteria of hierarchy and discipline in the team, the moral and psychological climate in the team, perception of time and attitude to the future. These groups of parameters define the coordinate axes of three-dimensional space, in which the position of the organizational cultures of various enterprises is empirically determined.

Rice. 3. The concept of a methodology for studying the organizational culture of multinational enterprises (using the example of Russian-German enterprises)

Graph in Fig. 3. is constructed in the following coordinate system:

Axis X – “Parameters of hierarchy and discipline in the team”;

Y axis – “Parameters of the moral and psychological climate in the team”;

Z axis – “Parameters characterizing the perception of time and attitude towards the future.”

Determining the position of the organizational culture of a particular enterprise on the X, Y, Z axes occurs through the summation of a number of weighted indicators of a given organizational culture. So, along the X axis we have:

X = a 1 *i 1 + b 1 *j 1 + c 1 *k 1 + d 1 *l 1, ​​where

A 1 – assessment of the degree of delegation of authority;

B 1 – power distance assessment;

C 1 – assessment of the degree of independence of decisions made by employees of the enterprise;

D 1 – assessment of employee loyalty to the company / level of opportunistic relations within the team.

Indicators a 1 , b 1 , c 1 , d 1 are determined empirically through a survey. The survey questions are based on the critical parameters presented above. The responses of respondents received during the survey are analyzed, as a result of which they are assigned certain numerical values ​​- indicators a 1, b 1, c 1, d 1. In G. Hofstede's cultural studies, the assignment of numerical expressions to cultural parameters occurs in a similar way.

Coefficients i 1, j 1, k 1, l 1 are weights, the value of which is determined by assessing the importance (for research purposes) of the corresponding indicators (a 1, b 1, c 1, d 1). There is a relationship between the scales: i 1 + j 1 + k 1 + l 1 = 1.

This logic for studying the parameters of organizational culture along the other two axes of the coordinate system – Y and Z – is similar.

Based on the results of the analysis of the survey results, a point is constructed for each enterprise in the described coordinate system (X, Y, Z). We obtain a certain location of points in three-dimensional space. It has been empirically established that points corresponding to the organizational cultures of similar multinational, as well as purely mononational enterprises, tend to be grouped into “clouds” - areas of accumulation (Fig. 3).

It is legitimate to talk about the existence of a certain general criterion that would allow us to draw a conclusion about whether interaction between representatives of two different cultures is possible within a multinational enterprise or not. Let's call this criterion “cross section of proximity.” In the case under consideration, this is the distance between points C and B, i.e. the distance between the centers of two “clouds” corresponding to the organizational cultures of purely Russian and purely German enterprises. The criterion is greater than zero. If the corresponding coordinates along the X, Y, Z axes are less than this criterion, then representatives of different national cultures can potentially interact with each other as part of a joint venture. Establishing the specific meaning of this criterion is another interesting direction for research. Let's define three “proximity sections” for each axis: X, Y, Z. Let’s express this through formulas for point C, with coordinates (x 1 ; y 1 ; z 1), and point B, with coordinates (x 3 ; y 3 ; z 3):

If the conditions of this system are met, then representatives of two different national cultures can potentially interact with each other.

If all the coordinates of points A, B, C of a given coordinate system are normalized so that they are equal and comparable, then this system can be written in the following form:

As follows from the presented model and the conducted empirical studies, the organizational culture of multinational enterprises is a complex and contradictory interaction of employee cultures. The coordinates of point A are not simply the arithmetic mean of the corresponding coordinates of points B and C. Through the analysis of deviations of certain parameters of the organizational culture of enterprises with Russian-German teams from similar parameters of purely Russian and purely German enterprises, conclusions can be drawn about the influence of the national cultures of Russians and Germans on their organizational culture multinational enterprises.

Rice. 4. The concept of a methodology for studying the organizational culture of multinational enterprises: analysis of the “zone of unity” and “zone of conflict”

We can talk about the existence of a certain “zone of unity” (Fig. 4), within which cooperation between representatives of different cultures in the form of a multinational enterprise is potentially possible. The cultural parameters within the boundaries of the “zone of unity” are quite close to each other and do not have the nature of a critical discrepancy. All points on the graph that lie outside the “zone of unity” are in the “zone of conflict.” In the latter, cooperation between representatives of different cultures in the form of a multinational enterprise is difficult due to strong national differences.

To accelerate the development of a uniform organizational culture of a multinational enterprise, it is necessary to conduct various training activities for employees in the following areas:

Development of communication abilities: studying the national and business language of partners, as well as their non-verbal sign language;

Perception of cultural differences and similarities: careful use of cultural standards, openness to others' ways of behavior and thoughts;

Analysis through the prism of attitudes due to one's own culture: a critical examination of one's own culture.

Energetic giants

The considered aspects of interaction between employees - representatives of different national cultures - are one of the directions for increasing the efficiency of multinational enterprises operating in the global market of technologies, equipment and services for nuclear power plants. There are not many main players in this highly consolidated market: these are the European AREVA group, the American companies General Electric and Westinghouse, the Japanese Mitsubishi, etc. Let us turn to the practice of managing the multinational team of the AREVA group. At the end of 2005, AREVA employed almost 60 thousand people in 49 countries. Managers and engineers represent 34% of the company's workforce, technical and administrative personnel 40%, and workers 26%.

AREVA employs representatives of different nations and cultures, with different government systems and industrial standards (the distribution of AREVA employees by region of the world is presented in Fig. 5). The company's key imperative is to strengthen the group's organizational culture by disseminating core values ​​and practices through employee development, taking into account the diversity of local national cultures in each country where the AREVA group operates. AREVA recognizes that to ensure competitiveness it is necessary to develop a consistent organizational culture. This is achievable through intercultural training in key areas and systematic communications between employees from different countries.

Rice. 5. Distribution of AREVA employees by regions of the world, people. And %

To strengthen AREVA's position as an international company, the following activities are being implemented to exchange experience, develop cross-cultural communications and professional skills of employees:

AREVA University has been operating since 2002, helping to develop the company's shared values, strategic vision and management model. In 2005, 2,650 managers took part in AREVA University trainings and programs;

Once a year, AREVA “Management Days” are organized, bringing together about 200 managers and 100 future managers of the company;

The AREVA Team project develops cross-country communications between various divisions of the company;

On-site seminars several times a year bring together up to 120 managers from various divisions of the company to exchange experience;

In 2005, the number of training hours per employee was 24.5 hours;

An integral part of AREVA's strategy to strengthen the shared values ​​of an international multinational company and the personal career growth of employees is the development of professional mobility. To increase employees' awareness of their development opportunities in the company, AREVA implements a program to disseminate information about rotations and related employee prospects (for example, through the “talent site”). The number of employees participating in the mobility program is growing: in 2003, 618 employees participated in the AREVA rotation program, and in 2005 this number increased to more than 1,500 employee transfers. The latter also indicates that the company is implementing large projects outside France: the construction of a Finnish unit with an EPR reactor, the construction of a MOX fuel plant in the USA, etc.

Constant work to develop a unified organizational culture of the multinational AREVA team is an important element of the company’s global competitiveness.

Give me a fulcrum and I will change the world (Archimedes)

As globalization picks up speed, shifts are taking place in all spheres of human activity: economics, politics, culture, etc. New challenges are entering our lives. How can we act competitively in the new environment? What threats should we avoid, and what benefits does the coming era hide?

A characteristic feature of modern business is the complex interaction of national and international. Globalization leads to the formation of a certain cross-national business culture, the principles and rules of which are shared by almost the majority of businessmen in the world. On the other hand, national and cultural differentiation is growing: peoples and ethnic communities strive to preserve their cultural values ​​and protect them from the eroding influence of mass culture.

All these characteristics of the modern world economy have put on the agenda the question of the influence of national cultures of different countries on international business activity; external influence - at the level of interaction with customers, suppliers, etc., and internal - between employees of a multinational enterprise. The study of the phenomenon of culture, the analysis of the opportunities and limitations that cultural constants carry, are still rare phenomena in Russian business practice. But the world practice that is moving ahead testifies to the prospects of managing the organizational culture of a multinational enterprise, taking into account the characteristics of the national cultures of its employees.

References: 1. AREVA: Management Report of the Executive, 2005. 2. Fey C.F.; Nordahl C.; Zaetterstroem H.: The Secret to Success: Developing and Understanding of What Makes a Foreign Firm’s Organizational Culture Effective in Russia. Stockholm School of Economics in St. Petersburg. Research Working Papers Series, # 98 – 102. 1998. 3. Scheuss R.W. Strategische Anpassung der Unternehmung: Ein kulturorientierter Beitrag zum Management der Unternehmungsentwicklung, St. Gallen, 1985. 4. Briefly I.G. Formation of cross-cultural competence in the field of marketing communications // Marketing and marketing research. 2002. No. 6 (42), p. 31–42. 5. Lenin V.I.: Karl Marx: a brief biographical sketch outlining Marxism. – M.: Publishing house. “Surf”, 1918 (http://magister.msk.ru/library/lenin/lenin008.htm). 6. Methodology of the New Time: “Hegel’s idealistic dialectics”, “Marx’s materialistic dialectics” (http://freewww.elcat.kg/tusz/RussianUT/r19.htm). 7. Psychology. Dictionary / General ed. Petrovsky A.V.; Yaroshevsky M.G. – 2nd ed. M. 1990. 8. Hofstede G. Organizational culture / Human resource management / Ed. Pula M.; Walner M.: Peter. 2000. 9. Electronic scientific library of Vojvodina (http://enbv.narod.ru/text/Econom/ses/str/0534.html). 10. Pezoldt K.: Kooperation von deutschen und osteuropaeischen KMU: Entwicklung von Synergiepotentialen durch interkulturelles Lernen, in: Meyer J.A. (Hrsg.): Kooperation von kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen in Osteuropa, LohmarKoeln, 2004, S. 281307. 11. Stuedlein Y.: Management von Kulturunterschieden, Wiesbaden, 1997.

The head of the International Public Association “Union of Belarusians of the World “Batskaushchyna”, one of the creators and coordinator of the “Be Belarusians!” campaign, talks about the experience of successful implementation of projects in the field of national culture.

Can national culture be a fashion trend? In just a few years, Alena Makovskaya and her team of enthusiasts did the impossible. The campaign “Budzma Belarusami!”, which she leads, has filled many Belarusian national phenomena with modern content in a relatively short time. What seemed old, forgotten and archaic has become acutely relevant. “Budzma Belarusami!” changed fashion. How did it happen? What mechanisms were used?

- A Lena, what to do if national culture loses its relevance, does not correspond to the times, and is associated with the past?

I believe that national culture will not lose relevance as long as there are people for whom this culture is native. Evidence of this is today’s Belarusian independent culture, which lives and develops, even in the underground. It absorbs world trends, rethinks them, restores and modernizes our traditions.

- How to understand the phrase “national culture”? Which definition is most accurate in our “digital” world?

I think scientists should still give definitions. I prefer the definition of national culture that we use in the “Be Belarusians!” campaign.For us, culture is a system of coordinates, a set of values ​​common to the national community, which influence society’s assessment of certain events, the position of citizens, daily behavior and everyday life.

A person is not a bearer of national culture from birth. She is the result of socialization. Throughout our lives, we comprehend, learn, and master these common values ​​through family, teachers, literature and art, political and social experience. Cultural values ​​shape our worldview, priorities, and influence the way we live.

- What is the essence of the project “Budzma Belarusami!”? Who is it intended for?

Campaign “Belarusians!” created in 2008. There were a number of reasons for this. Since 1990, the NGO “Batskaushchyna” has been actively working with the Belarusian diaspora, which has made it possible to see problems in the Belarusian abroad. The reasons for the problems in the diaspora lie not there, abroad, but here, at home, in Belarus. And, accordingly, first of all they need to be addressed here. In addition, we noticed an increase in society's interest in its national cultural product. We responded to this trend and offered this product.

We could not cope alone - this is a very serious task. Therefore, we began to gather a circle of like-minded people and partners, first in our sector - public organizations in the cultural sphere, and then went beyond its borders. We began to negotiate with government agencies and look for partners in the media and business.

Our target audiencevery diverse: we work with children and youth, with leaders whose opinions the public listens to, business, the media and government agencies throughout Belarus.

- What goals do the organizers of the “Be Belarusians!” campaign set for themselves? What results are you hoping for?

Campaign “Belarusians!” It is considered, of course, successful if our ideas, our projects are supported by society and continue to live their own lives. And not only the ideas themselves, but also the formats of our events, working methods and tools that we use. We are ready to share.

We see how authoritative leaders from various fields (business and government agencies, culture and sports) perceive the campaign ideas as “their own” and disseminate them in their circles and the general public. This is also an indicator of the effectiveness and relevance of our ideas.

Belarus has a very difficult history of recent centuries: we have gone through great cultural losses, through attempts to replace our identity. And today, unlike many nations, our interest in our national culture and history is often passed not from parents to children, but vice versa.Modern youth were born in independent Belarus. It becomes important for young Belarusians to feel their identity, pride in belonging to the Belarusian people, which is why they turn to their history and culture. Our audience is quite wide and has no age, social or language restrictions.

I will name several of the most successful formats of our cultural projects:

1. Literary meetings, concerts, lectures, excursions and exhibitions. This form of cultural events helps to “reach” various parts of Belarus and introduce the audience to modern creators.

2. Public discussions in a talk show format. We use this format to allow diverse people to discuss important local, community and cultural issues.

3. "Project Fairs" were conceived by us to increase the activity of people, help them find associates and like-minded people.

4. Festivals.We initiated the festival of Belarusian-language advertising and communications “Adnak!”, which has been running for seven years now. The goal of the festival is to attract business attention to the Belarusian language as a high-quality and effective means of communication, a source for naming and branding campaigns.

We also conducted a number of communication campaigns, one of which was “Belarus is the land of Tsmoka”. The campaign led to the rebranding of the Minsk-2006 basketball club, which became known as “Tsmoki-Minsk”. Animated film “Budzma Belarusami!” received more than a million views on various sites and became a textbook for studying the history of Belarus.

I really like our projects “Don’t worry about Belarus”» Our bags and T-shirts “Budzma!”, created in the national style, can now be found everywhere. Products with our idea - a national ornament made up of square pixels - are produced by a variety of enterprises, and these products are worn throughout the country, purchased as a souvenir, because it has become fashionable.

We try to make our projects creative and innovative.

- In your opinion, what are the mistakes and shortcomings that are a consequence of stereotypes when implementing projects in the field of national culture?

It is no secret that until 2008, national visual production was largely politicized. National symbols were considered oppositional. We proposed another solution, and now the national product does not force a person to declare his political position.

Secondly, for a long time Belarusian-language culture was associated exclusively with the village, with straw hats and traditional chants. Today this trend is changing radically.The Belarusian language “moved” from the village to the city. It is no longer associated with something neglected or museum-like. According to the results of recent opinion polls, people mostly believe that the Belarusian language is spoken not by villagers, but by patriots and the national elite.

The problem with many cultural projects now is a weak communication component. The initiators or developers devote a lot of effort and time directly to the product, and this is very good! However, information and marketing work remains unattended. As a result, this product “reaches” only a limited circle of people.

For projects in the field of national culture in Belarus, the following questions still remain relevant: “How to get out of the “underground”?”, “How to stop being a subculture?”, “How to become one of our own for all Belarusians?” To respond to these challenges, it is necessary to unite the efforts of public activists and organizations, creators, the media, business and the state. It is currently impossible to use all these tools together in Belarus. Therefore, we need to look for creative approaches.

In 2008, the International public association “Association of Belarusians of the World “Batskaushchyna” launched the “Budzma Belarusami!” campaign, within the framework of which many initiatives emerged aimed at supporting and popularizing the national culture, including a communication program“Culture is hot!” (“Culture improves life!”), project “Creating culture” (“Creating culture”), within which users have access to an online library of texts, videos, interesting experiences in creating a cultural product, etc.

Corporate culture, as an organization's resource, is priceless. It can be an effective HR management tool and an indispensable marketing tool. A developed culture shapes the company's image and is also an integral part of the brand building process. This is extremely important in modern market realities, where to achieve success any business must be customer-oriented, recognizable, open, that is, have the main characteristics of a brand.

You need to understand that corporate culture is formed in 2 ways: spontaneously and purposefully. In the first case, it arises spontaneously, based on the communication models that the employees themselves choose.

Relying on spontaneous corporate culture is dangerous. It is impossible to control and difficult to correct. Therefore, it is so important to pay due attention to the internal culture of the organization, form it and, if necessary, adjust it.

The concept of corporate culture: main elements, functions

Corporate culture is a model of behavior within an organization, formed during the functioning of the company and shared by all team members. This is a certain system of values, norms, rules, traditions and principles by which employees live. It is based on the company’s philosophy, which predetermines the value system, the general vision of development, the model of relationships and everything that the concept of “corporate culture” includes.

So, the elements of corporate culture:

• vision of the company's development - the direction in which the organization is moving, its strategic goals;
• values ​​- what is most important for the company;
• traditions (history) - habits and rituals that have developed over time;
• standards of conduct - an organization's ethical code, which sets out the rules of behavior in certain situations (for example, McDonald's created an entire 800-page thick manual, which spells out literally every possible situation and options for employees' actions approved by management in relation to each other and to the company's customers );
• corporate style - the appearance of the company’s offices, interior, corporate symbols, employee dress code;
• relationships - rules, methods of communication between departments and individual team members;
• faith and unity of the team to achieve certain goals;
• policy of dialogue with clients, partners, competitors;
• people - employees who share the corporate values ​​of the company.

The internal culture of an organization performs a number of important functions that, as a rule, determine the effectiveness of the company.

Functions of corporate culture

1. Image. A strong internal culture helps create a positive external image of the company and, as a result, attract new customers and valuable employees.
2. Motivational. Inspires employees to achieve their goals and perform their work tasks efficiently.
3. Engaging. Active participation of each individual team member in the life of the company.
4. Identifying. Promotes employee self-identification, develops a sense of self-worth and belonging to a team.
5. Adaptive. Helps new team players quickly integrate into the team.
6. Management. Forms norms and rules for managing teams and departments.
7. System-forming. Makes the work of departments systematic, orderly, and effective.

Another important function is marketing. Based on the goals, mission and philosophy of the company, a market positioning strategy is developed. Moreover, corporate values ​​naturally shape the style of communication with clients and target audiences.

For example, the whole world is talking about the corporate culture and customer service policy of Zappos. Rumors, legends, real stories flooded the Internet space. Thanks to this, the company receives even more attention from the target audience.

There are basic levels of corporate culture - external, internal and hidden. The external level includes how your company is seen by consumers, competitors, and the public. Internal - values ​​expressed in the actions of employees.

Hidden - fundamental beliefs consciously shared by all members of the team.

Typology of corporate cultures

In management, there are many different approaches to typology. Since the concept of “corporate culture” in the business environment began to be studied back in the 20th century, today some classical models have already lost their relevance. Internet business development trends have created new types of organizational cultures. We'll talk about them next.

So, the types of corporate cultures in modern business.

1. “Role model.” Here relationships are built on rules and distribution of responsibilities. Each employee plays his role as a small cog in a large mechanism. A distinctive feature is the presence of a clear hierarchy, strict job descriptions, rules, norms, dress code, and formal communications.

The workflow is thought out to the smallest detail, so disruptions in the process are reduced to a minimum. This model is often used in large companies with various departments and a large staff.

The main values ​​are reliability, practicality, rationality, building a stable organization. Due to these features, such a company cannot quickly respond to external changes, so the role model is most effective in a stable market.

2. "Dream Team" A team-based corporate culture with no job descriptions, specific responsibilities, or dress codes. The hierarchy of power is horizontal - there are no subordinates, there are only equal players on the same team. Communication is most often informal and friendly.

Work issues are resolved jointly - a group of interested employees gathers to perform one or another task. As a rule, the “bearer of power” is the one who has accepted responsibility for its decision. At the same time, distribution of areas of responsibility is allowed.

Values: team spirit, responsibility, freedom of thought, creativity. Ideology - only by working together can we achieve something more.

This type of culture is typical for progressive companies and startups.

3. "Family". This type of culture is characterized by the presence of a warm, friendly atmosphere within the team. The company is like a big family, and department heads act as mentors who you can always turn to for advice. Features - devotion to traditions, cohesion, community, customer focus.

The company's main value is its people (employees and consumers). Caring for the team is manifested in comfortable working conditions, social protection, assistance in crisis situations, incentives, congratulations, etc. Therefore, the motivation factor in such a model has a direct impact on work efficiency.

A stable position in the market is ensured by loyal customers and dedicated employees.

4. "Market model". This type of corporate culture is chosen by profit-oriented organizations. The team consists of ambitious, purposeful people who actively fight with each other for a place in the sun (for a promotion, a profitable project, a bonus). A person is valuable to a company as long as he can “make” money for it.

There is a clear hierarchy here, but, unlike the “Role Model”, the company is able to quickly adapt to external changes due to strong leaders who are not afraid to take risks.

Values ​​- reputation, leadership, profit, achieving goals, desire to win, competitiveness.

Signs of the “Market Model” are characteristic of the so-called business sharks. This is a rather cynical culture, which in many cases exists on the verge of an oppressive management style.

5. “Focus on results.” Quite flexible corporate policy, the distinctive feature of which is the desire to develop. The main goals are to achieve results, implement the project, and strengthen our position in the market.

There is a hierarchy of power and subordination. Team leaders are determined by their level of expertise and professional skills, so the hierarchy often changes. In addition, ordinary employees are not limited to job descriptions. On the contrary, they are often brought in to solve strategic problems, opening up opportunities for them to develop for the benefit of the company.

Values: results, professionalism, corporate spirit, pursuit of goals, freedom in decision-making.

These are the main types of corporate culture. But besides them, there are mixed types, that is, those that combine features from several models at once. This happens to companies that:

• rapidly developing (from small to large businesses);
• were absorbed by other organizations;
• changed the main type of market activity;
• experience frequent changes in leadership.

Formation of corporate culture using the example of Zappos

Integrity, unity and a strong team spirit are truly important to achieve success. This was proven by one of the world's best brands, Zappos, an online shoe store, an example of whose corporate policy has already been included in many textbooks of Western business schools.

The main principle of the company is to bring happiness to customers and employees. And this is logical, because a satisfied client will return again and again, and an employee will work with full dedication. This principle can also be seen in the company's marketing policy.

So, the components of Zappos corporate culture:

1. Openness and accessibility. Anyone can visit the company's office, all you have to do is sign up for a tour.
2. The right people - the right results. Zappos believes that only those who truly share its values ​​can help the company achieve its goals and become better.
3. A happy employee means a happy customer. The brand's management does everything to ensure that employees have a comfortable, fun and joyful day at the office. They are even allowed to design their workplace as they please - the company bears the costs. If the employee is happy, then he will be happy to make the client happy. A satisfied customer is the success of the company. The freedom of action. It doesn’t matter how you do your job, the main thing is to make the client happy.
4. Zappos does not monitor employees. They are trusted.
5. The right to make some decisions remains with the employee. For example, in the service department, an operator may, on his own initiative, give a small gift or discount to a customer. It's his decision.
6. Learning and growth. Each employee first undergoes four months of training, followed by an internship in a call center to better understand customers. Zappos helps you improve your professional skills.
7. Communication and relationships. Although Zappos employs thousands of people, it makes every effort to ensure that employees get to know each other and communicate effectively.
8. The customer is always right. Everything that is done at Zappos is done for the sake of customer happiness. The powerful call center, which can even help you call a taxi or give directions, is already legendary.

In general, the company is considered the most customer-oriented. And the level of its corporate policy is a standard to follow. Zappos' internal culture and marketing strategies exist in close symbiosis. The company is trying its best to retain existing customers, because loyal customers bring the company more than 75% of orders.

Write in the comments what corporate culture model is used in your business? What values ​​unite your employees?

Before proceeding directly to the discussion, let's try to clarify for ourselves the very concept of business culture, which in this context is understood in many ways synonymous with the concept of corporate culture. In our understanding, corporate culture is a set of spiritual values ​​and the ways of doing business in business that they determine. If we are talking about national business culture, we are talking about values ​​cultivated in a particular national environment that set the order of doing business in business.

So, all our attempts to identify the best, most effective business culture did not stand up to criticism and invariably ended in failure, since business cultures based on different and sometimes opposing spiritual values ​​have achieved and continue to achieve significant economic effects. For example, we are all very well aware of American individualism, the emphasis on stars, even in the credits for feature films, Americans indicate “staring by”; in Russian this can be translated as the film “starred”. Combined with the spirit of unbending perseverance, entrepreneurial adventure, sometimes even on the verge of adventure, and the self-confidence that irritates the whole world, “we are the coolest,” the Americans have achieved very significant success, seizing world leadership in the economic and military spheres.

But does this mean that we should blindly copy the American approach to business? I remember the well-known Russian proverb “What is good for a Russian is death”, it can be interpreted and, conversely, “What is good for a Russian German is death”, which in a certain sense can also be said in relation to Americans. In matters of effective business culture, not everything is as simple as we might like. For example, the Japanese and Chinese also achieved significant economic success, relying on the spirit of collectivism, which is the opposite of American individualism. Who are we closer to in this dilemma, the Americans or the Japanese, is also a complex question that requires serious thought. Personally, in this regard, I remember Pasternak: “being famous is not beautiful, that’s not what lifts you to heights” - for an American such a formulation is in principle impossible. If we think historically, all the outstanding achievements of our country were based on the spirit of collectivism.

It is interesting to note that the Chinese and Japanese, although they are united by collectivism, also differ significantly in their basic value systems. The inherent mania of total quality with impeccable loyalty and devotion to their enterprise has long proven its worth, remember, for example, the American-Japanese wars in the automobile market. The Chinese do not have such a religious attitude towards quality. The word Chinese product has actually become synonymous with poor quality; the Chinese do not have ideals similar to the famous Japanese samurai devotion; on the contrary, it often happens that the Chinese abandon previously assumed obligations, even those recorded in writing, simply because “circumstances have changed.”

What then is the strength of the Chinese? The Chinese have not yet been eradicated, and even on the contrary, the thirst to be good, correct, rooted in Confucianism, and the love for superiors that seems absurd to us, reaching the point of absurdity, is cultivated. Let's remember one of the best Chinese films, "Hero". In fact, the main reward for the Chinese is physical proximity to the boss. Other distinctive features of Chinese business culture include flexibility, rapid adaptation to changing conditions, and uncompromising patriotism. Taiwanese separatism is a very personal matter for the Chinese. “So what if we don’t get enough money and don’t go on vacation to other countries? That’s why China is developing,” the Chinese says in all seriousness, and he’s not joking. Perhaps these statements by our Chinese colleagues seem funny and absurd to us, however, I urge you to take these issues as seriously as possible, since these are the basic things that make up the country’s advantage in the world market.

Thus, with exclusive and even opposing distinctive features, it becomes impossible to identify an ideal type of business culture that would a priori be worth following. The research work done has led me to the deep conviction that the strength and effectiveness of a particular business culture and, accordingly, the business communities that adhere to it, is based on the basic values ​​of the national culture, which is the mother of cheese, the earth, from which the hero-entrepreneur draws his strength.

In this regard, a number of questions arise, and one of them is central: what is Russian business culture, what are its national roots? Unfortunately, due to a number of historical factors that put the whole country on its hind legs several times, the connection between Russian culture and its national cultural roots, if not completely broken, was significantly deformed. Now it is very difficult for us to identify the distinctive features of Russian business culture; it now does not have a clearly defined face, in comparison with the same American, Japanese and Chinese business cultures. Although it cannot be said that these roots do not exist, they are simply undeservedly forgotten and unconscious.

Back in 1912, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs approved 7 principles for doing business in Russia, which looked like this:

1. Respect authority. Power is a necessary condition for effective business management. There must be order in everything. In this regard, show respect to the guardians of order in the legalized echelons of power.
2. Be honest and truthful. Honesty and truthfulness are the foundation of entrepreneurship, a prerequisite for healthy profits and harmonious business relationships. A Russian entrepreneur must be an impeccable bearer of the virtues of honesty and truthfulness.
3. Respect private property rights. Free enterprise is the basis of the well-being of the state. A Russian entrepreneur is obliged to work by the sweat of his brow for the benefit of his Fatherland. Such zeal can only be demonstrated by relying on private property.
4. Love and respect the person. Love and respect for a working person on the part of an entrepreneur generates reciprocal love and respect. In such conditions, a harmony of interests arises, which creates an atmosphere for the development of a wide variety of abilities in people, encouraging them to express themselves in all their splendor.
5. Be true to your word. A business person must be true to his word: “Once you lie once, who will believe you?” Success in business largely depends on the extent to which others trust you.
6. Live within your means. Don't get too carried away. Choose something you can handle. Always evaluate your capabilities. Act according to your means.
7. Be purposeful. Always have a clear goal in front of you. An entrepreneur needs such a goal like air. Don't get distracted by other goals. Serving “two masters” is unnatural. In an effort to achieve your cherished goal, do not cross the line of what is permitted. No goal can overshadow moral values.

Old? - perhaps, but in these positions one can discern a lot of Russian, if I may say so, the Russian spirit, the Russian face. Which of these are close to us today, and which are far away? Who are we? What are we like? “These are the central questions that we need to answer or die as a great nation, and a great country.” This is all very serious. If you think that I am trying to impose a ready-made solution on you, you are mistaken, I am only encouraging you to undertake a serious and responsible search and move in this direction.

The next important topic is national business culture in the light of globalization. Once in one of the books, I discovered a very interesting statement that was well etched in my memory: “any depoliticization is carried out for someone else’s political purposes.” This phrase can just as easily be applied to the concept of globalization as denationalization: “Any denationalization is carried out in the interests of a particular country or union of countries that currently occupy a dominant position.” This phenomenon has been well known since the times of the Roman Empire, and many things are repeated.

Of course, denationalization, or the loss of national identification, is only one aspect of globalization, but I dare say it is critically important for a country that is struggling to survive in an increasingly competitive world market. Another aspect is information openness, sometimes they even say information explosion. There is so much information that people and entire companies lose the ability to navigate it. It is interesting to note that already in the world, and in our country, there are a number of companies that collect on the Internet, analyze, classify, translate the information found into different languages ​​and sell it to customers. There are entire industries that deal with this, everything is like in a factory: shifts of workers, a production manager. In this sense, with serious consistent work, it becomes relatively affordable to replicate the best examples of necessary products and even entire technologies.

This is certainly a positive aspect of globalization, which, if handled correctly, facilitates and accelerates business development. However, this development, again, has a chance to take place on a large scale only if it is nourished by the living soil of national culture. I will try to explain my idea with an example:

It is well known that the founders of quality management were the Americans (Deming, Juran, Feichenbaum), but quality management became a cultural phenomenon in Japan and reached such a development that the Americans began to learn from the Japanese. Why did this happen? - first of all, because the soil of Japanese national culture turned out to be most favorable for the very idea of ​​total quality and constant perfection, because the idea of ​​business, craft, labor as a spiritual path has been inherent in the Japanese since ancient times.

Summing up my short speech, I would like to encourage all colleagues who found this topic interesting to cooperate in the field of education, rooted in the Russian cultural and historical tradition. We see our task in a clear clarification of our spiritual roots, reflecting the specifics of doing business in business, as well as the development and implementation of training programs based on traditional Russian values.