Drawing on relevant academic and professional literature on culture and management, write a report on how Events Managers from two different national or ethnic backgrounds might plan, execute and manage a Local City Film Festival. Make recommendations on how the two managers could work better together.
Managers of international business corporations and institutions agree that understanding the nuances and subtleties associated with foreign cultures is an essential aspect of successful operations there. What has come to be termed as “culture intelligence” is an important ingredient for running a trans-national enterprises and events. This is applicable to the case of conducting a local city film festival as well. Several studies and research projects done on this subject have also inferred the same. The rest of this essay will explore this topic in detail, by reviewing relevant academic sources.
To begin with, modern theories of management such as Transformational Leadership and Leader Member Exchange (LMX) identify and emphasize the relevance of cultural knowledge for successful management. This also holds true for management of one-off events such as the Local City Film Festival in discussion. These Transformational/Charismatic leadership theories that take into account aspects of local culture offer the promise of above par outcomes in terms of individual participation and overall success of the event. (Bowdin, 2006) Furthermore, conventional management theories based on the mistaken belief that “one size fits all”, no longer holds true in light of worldwide economic globalization. Successful management practices and business processes in the United States and Europe does not imply that they can be applied anywhere in the world. To the contrary, management styles, values, ethics, priorities and methods vary from one cultural group to another. Yet, many modern managers are not willing to embrace a region-specific management approach, based on local sensibilities, sentiments and values. The reason why managers are slow to adopt this principle can be partially attributed to the fact that the phenomenon of Globalization induces a certain standardization/generalization of commodities. The management is pulled in two opposing directions by globalization. First, they are required to standardize their commodities in order to achieve economies of scale and keep quality factors in check. Secondly, they are expected to adopt culture-specific specialized business practices. Many international managers apparently flounder in striking a balance between these two imperatives (Bowdin, 2006).
Applying the aforementioned assessment to the case of the local City Film Festival, the films being showcased are not strictly commodities, for film festivals are usually conducted to propagate art and culture, and commercial prospects are only given secondary importance. Nevertheless, the festival serves as a branding exercise for its organizers. The brand image and brand reputation that is gained will reap dividends afterwards. Hence, it is quite evident that international event managers need to adapt their core processes and practices as per the dictates of the particular local cultural environment. And events organized abroad, which take into account local cultural expectations of the particular region will achieve impressive brand building.
At this juncture, a more comprehensive definition of regional/national/local culture is called for. National culture is defined as “the values, beliefs and assumptions learned in early childhood that distinguish one group of people from another”. It is profoundly inculcated in day to day life and is not easy to change. Culture represents a community’s preferred mode of organizing its affairs. It is important to note that when event management practices are inconsistent with these deeply held values, viewers are likely to feel dissatisfied, distracted and uncomfortable (Krugman & Wright, 2006). As a result, they may be less able or willing to appreciate the artistic merits of the film. In this context, the two managers for the local City Film Festival will do well to understand certain broad cultural classifications. For example, the Individualism-Collectivism divide is one such distinction. It is generally agreed that Asian cultures are community centric, and the emphasis is on communal well-being rather than individual success. On the other hand, Western nations are said to be individual-centric, where individual choice and progress are placed ahead of collective welfare. For the two event managers, who purview film shows across nations, remembering this distinction can be very helpful, as it is an important way of differentiating among national cultures. The choice of films is crucial for the success of the film festival. A simple rule of thumb which the two managers can adopt is to pick only those films whose content falls within the emotional registers of the local audience. Individual-centric cultures exhibit low social cohesion, as each member is expected to cater to their own needs and that of their immediate family members (Krugman & Wright, 2006). In such societies, an individual gains social mobility through his own efforts. Collective cultures, in contrast,
“rely on membership in groups — social classes, communities, religions, or extended families — for identity and status. People are protected by the group and are expected to act in the group’s best interests. The Anglo countries of Britain,Australia,New Zealand, Ireland,Canada, and the U.S. are very individualistic cultures. East Asian countries such as Taiwan,Korea,Singapore, and Hong Kong are very collective cultures.” (Krugman & Wright, 2006)
R. D. Lewis’s work pertaining to the role of language, thought and culture is highly relevant to this discussion. Lewis’ asserts that there is a strong relationship between language and thought, and he classifies the world’s cultures into three broad categories, which has revolutionized the way businesses are conducted across cultures and continents. These categories are, namely, Linear-actives, Multi-actives and Reactives (LMR). Lewis’ work builds on existing research from other noted scholars such as Benedict Anderson, who have offered a historically informed analysis of culture and nationalism. According to their findings, nationalism was facilitated by the simultaneous decline of key cultural conceptions of great antiquity, which had erstwhile had a profound effect on humankind. The first of these changes had to do with the role of language in the evolution of human civilization. For much of history written language was interlinked with power and privilege. The religious elite especially had employed the medium of written language to control the thoughts and actions of the masses (Lewis, 2006). This was true across various religions. Second was the dismantling of the belief that the ruling elite earned their right by divine decree. The liberalization of language use had encouraged rational discourse among the common people and the movement toward democratic governance owes its advance to this. The third development which made it conducive for nationalism to flourish is the conceptual separation of humans and their physical world. For much of pre-modern history, the view held by scholars and intellectuals were essentially anthropocentric, meaning that they interpreted natural phenomenon from the stand point of its significance to human existence. But this approach to studying the world around them changed not only the course of scientific progress, but had also ushered in changes of political organization – one such advance being ‘nationalism’. For example, it cannot be mere coincidence that as literacy levels in Western Europe started rising; new, alternative political ideas were gaining recognition. The advances in literacy and print technology had had a profound effect on society. Not only did the vernacular language propagate and encourage exchange of ideas and views, but more importantly, they helped consolidate the common identity of a community of people. In other words, the conventions of language usage that helped spread literacy had also reinforced unique aspects of culture, religion, customs and sensibilities of a group of people, thereby setting the foundations for the emergence of nationalism and cultural identity (Lewis, 2006). An understanding of the historical background of the local city culture will benefit the two managers immensely.
The task of organizing the film festival would also be facilitated by understanding the current state of international affairs. In this context, Samuel Huntington’s book The Clash of Civilizations is quite important. Huntington asserts that the fall of Berlin Wall in 1989 had marked a new beginning in the history of international politics. While prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 major ideological, geo-political and economic conflicts were carried out on the European stage, the end of the Cold War has changed the dynamics and motivations of international conflicts. In the prevailing world order, the fight for supremacy in the realms of ideology, material wealth and territorial conquest have become secondary to the assertion of ‘civilizations’. Civilization as a term in historical discourse can be difficult to define, but Huntington narrows down the scope of this term. According to the author, of all the constituent elements that comprise a particular civilization, its identification with religion, ethnicity and culture form the core. A civilization’s affiliation with these elements is more enduring and resistant to change than its propensity for change, say, in the economic and ideological domains (Huntington, 1997, p.156). Huntington correctly points out that in the hundred years before the end of Cold War there have been radical transformations from monarchy to communism to democracy, from liberal capitalism to stringent economic protectionism, and vice versa across the globe. Not only have there been numerous instances of such changes but have also oscillated from one extreme to another. Amid all this churning, the only abstract conception with which peoples in different parts of the world could identify with is their ‘civilization’.
Accordingly, eight major civilizations have been identified in the New World Order. These include “Western, Confucian, and Japanese, Islamic, Hindu, Slavic-Orthodox, Latin American and possibly African civilization. The most important conflicts of the future will occur along the cultural fault lines separating these civilizations from one another”. (Huntington, 1997, p.157) The author further adds that while distinct fault lines are evident between every pairing of these civilizations, the friction is no where greater than between the Western and Islamic blocs. For, barring few minor variations, the existing nation-states of Western Europe share many things in common. Similarly, while Confucian and Islamic schools of thought might appear to be discrete at first, they share a common deep rooted tradition. In effect, this segregates the strands of civilizations into two main categories – the West and the Rest. In the context of recent rise in Islamist terrorism, Islam appears to be the chief opponent of Western civilization (Bakhtari, 1995). As the two managers come from distinct ethnic backgrounds, it would serve them well to stay informed about prevailing fault-lines in the realm of civilizations, for this could find application in the way the local City Film Festival is conducted.
To elaborate on Huntington’s thesis, let us now study in detail the Middle East region. Being the richest source of crude oil, the Middle East region is very important for Western democracies that are its top clientele for oil exports. Given this fact, many Western nations, including the United Kingdom, have set up offices and operations in many countries in this region, including Iraq,Saudi Arabia,Kuwait,Jordan, etc. But for the Oxbridge trained modern manager, understanding the Arabic and Islamic way of life is not easy, for the two cultures are so starkly different (Bakhtari, 1995). It goes without saying then, that overcoming this cultural barrier is a decisive factor for succeeding in this part of the world. In the context of doing business in the Middle East, or for that matter organizing a film festival there, the following observation is especially true:
“Another challenge for these immigrant managers is assuming responsibility for achieving the organization’s objectives and goals within the framework of the new culture. The knowledge, expertise, and “know how” that immigrant managers have acquired at home may or may not be applicable in their new environment. Doing business in a new culture becomes a serious and challenging task for most immigrants…Moreover, research in determining the influence of culture on management style is limited. Even more lacking is research that examines the effects of culture on the management style of Middle Eastern managers working in American (new culture) organizations.” (Tayeb, 2000)
A key dimension to trans-national event management is the perceptions of masculinity and femininity within local communities. The more advanced national cultures tend to have more equity between men and women in terms of career opportunities, equal rights, income levels, etc. Conservative national cultures on the other hand tend to display a patriarchal arrangement of society, with women expected to assume roles that are subordinate to men. But the distinction between masculine and feminine cultures is not as simplistic as that. Masculine cultures are characterized by “doing and acquiring rather than thinking and observing, similar to the ‘orientation toward activity’ dimension of work” (Lindell & Arvonen, 1996). Further, these cultures value accomplishment and look down upon failure. On the other hand, feminine cultures tend to value affiliation and teamwork more and do not give importance to failures to achieve goals. While there is fluidity and abstractness in this concept, scholars have identified the cultures of such countries as Japan, the United States and Western European countries as Masculine. Nordic countries such as Denmark, Norway and Sweden typify feminine work culture. The two managers of the local City Film Festival should take cognisance of this aspect of their audience, so that the films they choose are congruent with local values and perspectives on gender stereotypes (Lindell & Arvonen, 1996).
In conclusion, it could be asserted that in a world economy that is dictated by the phenomenon of globalization, it is imperative for international managers to modify their approach to business based on the region they are operating in. The religious sentiments, community norms and personal values that comprise any given national culture need to be properly understood, not only for the management teams to achieve commercial success, but also to feel welcome in their host countries. Yet, in spite of the best efforts to manage the film festival, instances of cultural conflict could emerge. In such a scenario, skills of diplomacy and tact can go a long way in easing the situation. There are numerous other ways in which conflicts can be resolved. The suitability of a particular method is determined by the particular context in which the conflict arises. Several other factors also determine the most appropriate resolution method to be applied. For example, the nature of the conflict, the issues at stake, and cultural sensibilities of the people involved, the economic costs, etc are all factors to be considered. Once a general assessment of the conflict is made then steps can be taken toward reaching a solution. This can involve peaceful negotiations or mediations between the two managers (Rogers, 2007).
References:
Bowdin, G. et al (2006). Events Management, 2nd Edition,Oxford, Elsevier
Bakhtari, H. (1995). Cultural Effects on Management Style: A Comparative Study of American and Middle Eastern Management Styles. International Studies of Management & Organization, 25(3), 97+.
Lewis, R. D. (2006) When Cultures Collide: leading across cultures, 3rd edition,London, Nicholas Brealey International.
Huntington, Samuel P, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, Published by Simon & Schuster, 1997.
Lindell, M., & Arvonen, J. (1996). The Nordic Management Style in a European Context. International Studies of Management & Organization, 26(3), 73+.
Krugman, C. and Wright, R. R. (2006) Global Meeting and Exhibitions. John Wiley & Sons
Rogers, T. (2007) Conference and Conventions: A Global Industry Butterworth Heinemann, 2 edition
Maddox, R. C. (1993). Cross-Cultural Problems in International Business: The Role of the Cultural Integration Function. Westport, CT: Quorum Books.
Pillai, R., Scandura, T. A., & Williams, E. A. (1999). Leadership and Organizational Justice: Similarities and Differences across Cultures. Journal of International Business Studies, 30(4), 763.
Tayeb, M. H. (2000). The Management of International Enterprises: A Socio-Political View. New York: Macmillan.