Reply to question received from my professor in my discussion on Cultural Dimensions and Organizational Leadership
Hey there, I received a question from my professor regarding the discussion that I posted. Please see below:
Q1- Thank you for sharing your ideas on the similarities and differences between the Hofstede dimensions in Denmark, the KSA, and Mexico.
How might leaders with high uncertainty avoidance scores deal with ambiguous situations differently than those with low uncertainty avoidance scores, and what implications does this have for their leadership effectiveness?
please read the discussion below, and make reply to these question.
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Discussion
Cultural Dimensions and Organizational Leadership
Societal and organizational cultures influence the leadership styles in various organizations. Organizational leadership and cultural dimensions are essential to organizations since they reflect values, behavioral norms, and beliefs used in organizational settings to provide meaning and influence the behaviors and attitudes of the staff. Dr. Geert Hofstede created a framework that describes organizational culture by identifying the dimensions of organizational culture: power distance, individualism, motivation towards achievement and success, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, and indulgence. Nations have different dimension scores based on Hofstede’s model (Gerlach & Eriksson, 2021). For instance, Denmark has a low power distance, while Mexico and Saudi Arabia have considerably high scores. Denmark’s lower power distance dimension matches the nation’s cultural dynamics since the Danes prefer coaching and require employee autonomy. In contrast, Mexico and Saudi Arabia prefer the hierarchical order characterized by centralization, which is popular and reflects inherent inequalities. Individualism is high in Denmark and low in Mexico and Saudi Arabia. The Danish community prefers the loosely-knit social frameworks characterized by individuals caring for themselves and their immediate families. In contrast, Mexicans and Saudi Arabians are collectivist societies, where societies develop strong relationships with everyone who takes responsibility for the group.
Similarities are evident in the long-term orientation dimensions where Mexico and Saudi Arabia experience normative cultures. Individuals in such societies develop strong concerns with establishing absolute truth characterized by normative thinking and exhibiting great respect for traditions. Another similarity is in the motivation towards achievement and success in Denmark and Saudi Arabia since they are both consensus societies. Consensus societies prefer work-life balance; leaders support their people and achieve decision-making through involvement. It entails managers striving for consensus and valuing solidarity, equality, and quality in their work lives. Negotiation and compromise are the primary forms of resolving conflict. However, differences persist in indulgence between Mexico and Saudi Arabia. High-indulgence societies are willing to realize their desires and impulses to enjoy life and have fun, while restrained societies do not emphasize leisure time. Restrained societies believe their social norms restrain their actions and cannot emphasize leisure time.
Today’s socio-cultural and political changes have increased the importance of leadership in influencing individual development. Abu Alsuood and Youde (2018) state that leaders should understand society’s cultural dimensions to ensure competency in practices and be sensitive to diverse social forces and beliefs. Shared responsibility in Saudi Arabian culture fosters the development of a shared leadership style characterized by developing shared strategic directions and effective practices. Ruiz (2015) stipulates that the cultural values of avoiding risks, feeling comfortable with rules, and low acceptance of ambiguity affect leadership styles and practices in Mexico. Mexican leaders develop effective leadership behaviors, styles, and decision-making processes by considering the particularities of the Mexican culture. In contrast, Danish leaders use their high levels of education to develop effective leadership styles and approaches based on the organization’s levels. Independent and critical thinking are essential qualities deeply engrained among Danish leaders.
The dynamic nature of leadership means that internal and external factors influence it. Leaders should adapt to external changes and align internal strategies with external goals to foster a positive work culture, drive growth, and achieve long-term success. Leaders have different factors affecting their leadership styles. The internal factors affecting leadership are company values, organizational culture, communication channels, team dynamics, and resource allocation (Northouse, 2022). Company values impact leadership styles since effective leaders align their core values and moral actions with their styles to inspire trust and ethical decision-making. External factors influence leadership styles and qualities since individuals use their external environments to develop various leadership styles. The external factors include industry trends, economic environment, cultural factors, technology advancements, and competitive landscape. References
Abu Alsuood, Y., & Youde, A. (2018). An exploration of cultural factors and their influence on Saudi Arabian university deans’ leadership perceptions and practices. Education Sciences, 8(2), 57. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8020057
Gerlach, P., & Eriksson, K. (2021). Measuring cultural dimensions: external validity and internal consistency of Hofstede’s VSM 2013 Scales. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.662604
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Leadership: Theory and practice. SAGE Publications, Inc.
Ruiz, C. E. (2015). Leadership in Mexico: cultural factors affecting organisational leadership. International Journal of Sustainable Strategic Management, 5(1), 55-67. doi:https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSSM.2015.074597
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