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Are culture and leadership linked
An essay on the relationship of leadership and culture
Hofstede's dimensions of culture
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Power distance defines the degree to which people accept hierarchical authority and how far they are willing to subordinate themselves. The inequality in power is explained from the bottom up. Other People Are Reading Characteristics of High Power-Distance Cultures Collectivism vs. Individualism in the Workplace Hofstede's Po Read more :
I never even thought about this word “individualism” before I came to America. Instead of collective, normal is the way I considered as my culture, and for American culture, I would say they are selfish and unkindly sometimes back then. However, after my 2-year study here and all the research I’ve been read for this paper, now I say that neither individualism nor collectivism is purely bad or good.
I will argue that the revised notion of power as a positive influence that is produced in communicative space, runs c...
Both words and their subsequent meanings, as has been suggested previously, reflect notions of the hierarchy and stratification, or the division, of groups of people within the social sphere. Therefore, both expressions can be discussed simultaneously due to their reliance on one another. This is not to suggest that `power' is identical to `class', but simply that the very fact classes in the social system exist is, some suggest, purely related to power.
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside,
Comparing the past to the present, one of the things that have not changed in the economy is the people’s love for money. Lots of money. There have been many attempts to further increase the amount of money that an economy or an individual can gain. Whether this is through ideas like welfare state where the government supports its people by providing things such as financial support or individualistic ideas like pursuing your own self-interest. The source provided wants all of us to believe that by supporting the ideologies of collectivism through welfare state, it will only result with us depending on the government instead of striving for our own success. The statement from the source, “The welfare state arose out of a misguided desire to
They are passed down from generation to generation. When it comes to Hosfstede’s cultural dimensions theory, specifically power distance, my culture values large-power distance. In a family setting, children are expected to obey their parents. The value of respect between unequal status members in the family is taught at a young age. Parents and grandparents assume the authority roles in the family decision-making process. People are taught from one generation to the next to respect and obey the authorities. Figure of authorities don’t just mean those who work in the government. In a school setting, teachers and administrators are also considered authorities. Generally, anyone who is in a higher position than us is an authority figure. At school, teachers are highly respected and it’s considered impolite to question the authority of the
Amai- ambiguity: more than one intended meaning for Japanese words. The Japanese are generally tolerant of ambiguity. Expressing oneself ambiguously and indirectly is expected in Japanese. Pg 9
Power has been defined as the psychological relations over another to get them to do what you want them to do. We are exposed to forms of power from the time of birth. Our parents exercise power over us to behave in a way they deem appropriate. In school, teachers use their power to help us learn. When we enter the work world the power of our boss motivates us to perform and desire to move up the corporate ladder so that we too can intimidate someone with power one day. In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Kurtz had a power over the jungle and its people that was inexplicable.
Power and influence rule the world, and some people have more than others. The ways a person can gain power or influence are money, who they know and are related to, and their actions. Influence can be used to secure more power or maintain a person’s current level of power. There are several individuals who hold power and influence, while other people do not. There are several reasons as to why this is the case, such as money and the scale influence is being measured on.
Conformity is vital to people’s life. Humans, being compound animals, live in a culture that works as a whole. Therefore, if there is a fault, the whole system might disintegrate. So, people are obligated to respect the affairs of others so that they can stay together as a whole. On the other hand Individuality, just like conformity, is necessary to life even despite the fact that modern person may not understand its worth. At one point people may want to be special from all the rest in one way or the other. As a result individuals might dress a bit in a different way as well as choose to do things we actually like. And, for on one occasion, we might create the opinions based on what we actually feel. However, earlier or later we are required to curb our impulsive desires so that society or culture does not tag us as eccentric or else weird, simply for the reason that people fear being alone.
According to Sledge, Miles, and Coppage (2008) power distance is “the degree to which control and influence are distributed unequally in society” (p. 1670). In a country with a high power distance employees would not feel comfortable voicing their opinions or disagreeing with their managers. Empowering employees would not work well because employees would be scared to take actions on their own. Employees would feel more comfortable with structure and strict procedures. In countries with low power distance managers could benefit from empowering employees. Employees are free to voice their opinions and develop and express new ideas or plans. Empowerment would motivate employees more in a country with low power distance.
Individuality and conformity both play a major role in society. No matter what it may be individuals will need to choose appropriately between conforming and acting individualistically about their situation. Individuality allows individuals to freely express themselves while conformity offers safety under the protection of other conformers. Both of these aspects are beneficial to many individuals and is a key to maintaining societal order; however, it is disastrous to have too much of either side of the spectrum. Therefore, there should be a balance between individuality and conformity because having too much of either side morally and physically harms components of society, such that it pressures and forces individuals to do tasks against their will, and causes individuals to think selfishly and worry solely about themselves.
Power is the ability to control or influence others, especially socially or politically. We often hear of the horror stories, in which corrupt dictators with too much power kill innocent citizens, eliminate all competition, and hurt others for personal gain. Power itself is not necessarily the bad thing here; it comes as an instinctive need to humans, rooted in the primal purpose of survival (Anchor text). The abuse of power leads to corruption. Power is an unstable force that can have positive or negative outcomes, depending on why it was sought and the attitude of those on the receiving end of the control.
Power is defined in the course study notes as the “ability of individuals or groups to get what they want despite the opposition”. Power is derived from a variety of sources including knowledge, experience and environmental uncertainties (Denhardt et al, 2001). It is also important to recognize that power is specific to each situation. Individuals or groups that may be entirely powerful in one situation may find themselves with little or no power in another. The county Registrar of Voters, who is my boss, is a perfect example. In running the local elections office, she can exercise the ultimate power. However, in a situation where she attempted to get the county selected for a desirable, statewide pilot project, she was powerless, completely at the mercy of the Secretary of State. Power is difficult to measure and even to recognize, yet it plays a major role in explaining authority. In organizations, power is most likely exercised in situations where “the stakes are high, resources are limited, and goals and processes are unclear” (Denhardt et al, 2001). The absence of power in organizations forces us to rely on soley hierarchical authority.
Distribution and exercise of power shape attitudes towards authority. How people sustain themselves economically, and how they manage to obtain the necessities of life, determines assigned roles of individuals and the relationships among them.