4 Values under the Influence of Culture andTechnology
4.0 Statement of the problem
Great Wall? Firm eyes great bridge
Boca Raton’s Genesis Technology Group is in the businesses of helping other small U.S. businesses establish roots in China
Call the offices of Genesis Technology Group and you are pleasantly prompted by a voice mail menu in two languages: English and Chinese. Not many companies do enough business with the world’s most populous nation to need an office telephone voice mail in Chinese. But Genesis is trying to change that by helping smaller American firms establish roots in China. After all, with 1.3 billion consumers and low-cost workers, China is emerging as a major economic power. Philip Guo, born and reared in China and now an attorney with Becker & Poliakoff in Fort Lauderdale, sees only an upside to planting the seeds of U.S. commerce on the business side of the Great Wall. “China has been a hot topic. It has had such economic growth,” Guo said. “Labour there is unbelievably cheap. That’s why toymakers, furniture makers, shoemakers are moving their facilities there”, he said. The global business world has embraced China and doesn’t appear to be letting go.
Still, with Beijing in the middle of modifying its laws to comply with WTO rules and to attract international business partners, it is difficult for a foreign company to set up there. Its language is hard to learn and its business practices are based as much on personal relationships as they are contractual arrangements. “In China, they want to be friends and then do business”, Genesis Technology Chairman James Wang said recently. “With Americans, it is ‘Can we sign a contract tomorrow?’ For Americans friendship is a nice side benefit. In China, it is a prerequisite.”
Genesis, looking to this burgeoning sector of the consulting business to reverse a string of losses, drums up business by holding roundtable discussions with small and medium-sized firms interested into the Chinese market. From those roundtables, companies eventually come forward with business proposals for China. It can take a while, though. Take Custom Biologicals, a Boca Raton firm that makes biological agents for environmental cleanup. Company officials went to China 18 months ago and had meetings that Genesis arranged with Chinese businessmen. Custom Biologicals is still waiting for a deal to materialize, but Chief Executive Clarence Baugh is not giving up. “Chinese business is quite different. It is slower paced,” he said. Viragen, a Plantation-based biotechnology firm, began working with Genesis in January 2003 to find Chinese distributors for a disease-fighting drug called Multiferon. After a year of meetings with Genesis and prospective Chinese partners and a slight interruption form the SARS outbreak, Viragen is close to forging distribution agreements, said Viragen Executive Vice President Mel Rothberg. “They go through a certain protocol of consensus. They will retest their thinking to validate it,” Rothberg said. “If you can identify the best person to champion your program, you’ll get the fastest track. You have to be patient.” In China, business mannerisms make a difference. A premium is placed on politeness and process, even down to the presentation of a business card. “If you don’t have a business card in Chinese, you are immediately recognized as unknowledg-able,” Rothberg said.
4.1 Values and responsibilities
As technology continues to transform national and international working environments, involving more people from different cultural background, the values, beliefs and ideologies of individual employees, consumers and other “constituents” have gained assumed added importance for the management. In order to understand cultural groups, the centrality of cultural values is vital. The word “value” has different meanings in English, depending on the context in which it is used (McEwan, 2001, p. 45). It may describe a thing’s worth, desirability, usefulness, or qualities which influence these judgements.
Four different types of values can be distinguished (Rokeach, 1973, p. 17):
- Moral values – concern interpersonal behavior, e.g. being honest is desirable.
- Competence values – concern one’s own valuation of one’s own behavior, e.g. behaving imaginatively is desirable.
- Personal values – concern the goals or terminal states that are desirable for oneself, e.g. peace of mind.
- Social values – concern the goals that one would desire for the whole society, e.g. world peace is desirable.
The first two types in this list concern instrumental values that are about how a person should live and behave. The latter two are terminal values that concern the goals or purposes that we should be striving for.
In economics, value refers to the purchasing power of goods or services to acquire something else. In general, values are described as ideas how people should live and the goals they should seek. They are shared by a majority of people within a community or society. They are simply expressed generalities, often no more than single words such as peace and honesty. As they are very broad, they do not give guidance on how particular things should be evaluated (Fisher/Lovell, 2003, p. 111). In other words: values are the most deeply felt beliefs shared by a cultural group; they reflect a shared perception of what ought to be, and not what is. Equality, for example, is a value shared by many people in the United States. It refers to the belief that all humans are created equal, even though we must acknowledge that, in reality, there are many disparities, such as in talent, intelligence, or access to material goods.
Intercultural conflicts are often caused by differences in value orientations. For example, some people feel strongly that it is important to consider how things were done in the past. For them, history and tradition help provide guidance. Values often cause conflicts among participants in international projects, e.g. when future-oriented individuals show a lack of respect for traditional ways of doing things. Moreover, those conflicts may be exacerbated by power differentials, with some values privileged over others.
Different cultural patterns in the United States
(Erbert/Perez/Gareis)
A graduate student from India noted the U.S. patterns of greeting. In her native culture, people say hello to those they know. Initially, she was surprised by the frequency with which Americans greet each other; she later became disillusioned:
I thought, they are really interested in how I am. Then ... “I’m fine and how about you?” Then I realized that people are really not interested in the answer. It is just a way of acknowledging you.
A British student commented on how openly Americans share their religious affiliation: At first, I felt like a bit separated because I didn’t quite fit into any ... They didn’t know quite how to respond to me. I thought, Oh, am I supposed to be religious? Am I going to fit in here?
A graduate student from Iran noted how Americans are taught to “sell themselves”: The job search is another thing in this country that is culturally quite different... In my society, mostly, there is not, you know, no selling yourself. And for the first couple of months I wasn’t very successful because I didn’t have the experience in selling myself.
In: Western Journal of Communication, 2003, p. 67, pp. 113-117
Reflections on human values, values-based leadership and organizational ethics belong to the issues that should be addressed when doing business. Corporations – personified by their leaders – have a great responsibility for establishing a values-based foundation for our work-life, and thus indirectly as well as for our whole life. The notion of values as standards is stimulated by an increasing concern amongst leaders about being able to measure how well the organization lives up to the values it proclaims to promote. In addition, demands from constituencies that are increasingly aware of their power to influence corporate behavior are bringing pressure to bear on enterprises to articulate their values and to describe their activities and results with respect to these values. Therefore, values can be considered to be a social-psychological concept with broad implication for any company and its leaders. The concept has a cognitive and emotive foundation that provides a basis for formulating long-term goals, for reflecting on individual and organizational identity and responsibility, and for measuring and communicating corporate success using an increased repertoire of measures and indicators. In other words, values provide a frame of reference for new perspectives on leadership, identity, responsibility and success (Pruzan, 2009, p. 134).
Value of collectivism in Korea: Kibun
For Koreans kibun is when “an inner, peaceful environment is maintained.” For Koreans to develop and maintain harmonious relationships, they must be able to accurately “read” the kibun of others. Preserving the kibun of one or more parties in an interpersonal communicative exchange or relationship takes precedence in the termination of the communication interaction or even the relationship itself.
Due to the Confucian emphasis on harmony and hierarchal order in relationships, an individual should always express respect and concern for another’s kibun, as well as express a concern for the kibun of the entire group/situation... This sense is extremely important in a business context. Within the business world it is socially important not to let your true feelings show through in your facial expressions. This may unconsciously show disrespect to your clients or traders, and can essentially make or break your business relationship or deal. To truly understand someone you must know how to maintain that person’s kibun, their mood, feelings, or state of mind.
In: Changing Korea: Understanding Culture and Communication, 2008, pp. 77–78
4.2 De Bono’s Six Value Medals
Edward de Bono differenciates values in six medals: gold, silver, steel, glass, wood and brass. This is supposed to make it easier to notice, look, see and act upon them (De Bono, 2005, p. 39). For all medals, negative values also exist, which one should try to avoid.
The Gold Medal Values
“This medal deals with human values, the values that affect people. Gold is a superior material and human values are the most important values of all in the end. ”(ibid., p. 36)
The gold medal deals with questions like “What matters to our employees?” and “How do decisions affect the employees?”
“With human values there is exploitation, slavery and tyranny. The whole purpose of civilisation is a combined effort to attend human values.” (ibid., p. 41)
There is a range of human values, such as the basic needs of food, shelter, health and respect. In addition to this, you will also find many “negative values” in the gold medal. Freedom from those kinds of values becomes a value itself.
“Freedom from tyranny, oppression and bullying is a very high value. The life of a child at school or a worker in a factory may be made intolerable by bullying. ”(ibid., pp. 43f)
Psychological needs like recognition, appreciation and thanks, prestige and importance, simplicity, trust, reassurance, encouragement, achievement, human warmth and dignity, help and hope also need attention (ibid., pp. 44ff).
Values
Our individualism has always been bound by a set of communal values, the glue upon which every healthy society depends. We value the imperatives of family and the cross-generational obligations that family implies. We value community, the neighborliness that expresses itself through raising the barn or coaching the soccer team. We value patriotism and the obligations of citizenship, a sense of duty and sacrifice on behalf of our nation. We value a faith in something bigger than ourselves, whether that something expresses itself in formal religion or ethical precepts. And we value the constellation of behaviors that express our mutual regard for one another: honesty, fairness, humility, kindness, courtesy, and compassion.
In: The Audacity of Hope, New York, 2006, p. 55
The Silver Medal Values
“This medal focuses directly on organizational values. That means values related to the purpose of the organization (in business this would be profitability). Silver is associated with money. There are also the values involved in the actual running of the organization, such as cost control. The organization may also be a family, group of friends or social club.” (De Bono, 2005, pp. 36f)
Some values of the gold and silver medals overlap in the sense that the employees affect the profitability of a company. If employees are not happy and do not work well, their unhappiness and discontent can also become an organizational value. (ibid., p. 49)
You can define two main types of silver medal values:
- How successful the organization is in achieving its intended purpose.
- How well the organization is running.
Using a car analogy, the first values relate to whether the car is on course for the chosen destination. The second values relate to how well the car is actually running. (ibid., p. 50)
The Steel Medal Values
“These are the quality values. Steel should be strong. The values are in the intended direction. What are the values of the product, service or function in terms of what it is trying to do? If it is tea, is it good quality tea?”(ibid., p. 37)
Steel medal values include customer values, quality of service and function quality.
The Glass Medal Values
“Glass medal values are concerned with creativity, innovation and simplicity. These values apply in all areas. Anything we do and anything we think about can possibly be improved through creative thinking.” (ibid., p. 69)
Innovation, simplicity, creativity, fragility and potential are part of the Glass Medal Values.
The Strength of the Internet
In the 15 years since China joined the Internet in 1994 the number of Chinese net users has soared to 300 million, laying the ground for an information era in a nation that has barely accomplished industrialization. The Internet has stimulated technical progress and productive forces, changed the way in which information is spread, and consequently had a far-reaching impact on Chinese society and people’s. Now the Internet is a popular channel for the public to voice their opinions and display their strength, giving rank and file citizens some access to top officials.
In: China Today, Nr.4, 2009, p. 11
“In the broadest sense, the wood medal values assess the impact of a decision, project, activity or change on ‘third parties’. These third parties are not directly involved in the operation but are affected by it.” (ibid., p. 79)
Wood highlights environmental values in the customary sense: nature, community, ambience political climate, etc.
The Brass Medal Values
Perception is much more important than people assume, because people react to what they see, even if it is not real.
“The brass medal is all about ‘perceptual values’. How does this look like? How else might it be seen?” (ibid., p. 89)
If an action is taken, in whose interest will it be done? If a famous actor is filmed visiting a children’s hospice, will this happen for the children’s benefit or selfish publicity reasons? If a big company donates USD 1 million to an environmental organization, is it because they want to save endangered species or because they need to whitewash their image? Often it is difficult to tell what the true intention is. Most times it is a mixture of self-interest and charity. What matters is how people perceive things. (ibid., pp. 91f)
Visualization of the Six Value Medals: The Value Triangle
Sometimes it is helpful to see things at one glance. The following triangle is made out of six equal circles, each representing one medal (ibid., pp. 144ff):
- The silver medal is the top of the triangle, but not necessarily the most important value. It is on top, because the “value scan” is often made from an organization’s point of view and the initiator of the scan is usually always most interested in those.
- The steel medal is situated on the left side of the second row, because “quality values” are very important if you want to lead a successful business.
- The gold medal is situated right next to the steel medal. It represents the human values which need to be taken into account, but are often not the “objective values”.
- The glass medal is in the lower right corner of the triangle. Although creativity and innovation are important, their emphasis is not superior.
- The cental circle at the bottom row represents the wood medal, because our choices and actions affect our environment. At this spot, the wood medal has the most surroundings.
- The brass medal is situated at the left bottom. This is the first spot you come across, if you scan a page, just like perceptions are the first things you notice in a situation.
My Traditional Christian Faith
(Jimmy Carter)
One of my most interesting and perhaps most productive conversations was with the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, with whom I negotiated normal diplomatic relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. During his state visit to Washington, Deng and I had a number of wide-ranging talks about many aspects of Chinese and American life, in order to establish as firm a friendship as possible between our two peoples. At a state banquet one evening, he asked what inspired my first interest in his country. I replied that I was raised as a Baptist and that our preeminent heroes were the women Christian leaders who went to China as missionaries to spread the gospel about Jesus Christ.
Deng was amused by my response, and pointed out that religious activities of that kind had been terminated when the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949. The official policy was atheism, and worship services and the distribution of the Bibles and other holy books were prohibited. I asked if it might be possible to change these policies. Before returning home, Deng told me that the basic law of China would be changed to provide for religious freedom and that Bibles would be authorised. Within three years, he had kept both promises, with a proviso that any new church congregations would register with the government.
4.3 The World Values Survey
4.3.1 An overview on the project
The World Values Survey (WVS) is a global research project on values and beliefs of people in 97 different countries on all continents covering approximately 88 percent of the world’s population. The World Values Survey Association, a non-profit organization, coordinates the worldwide network of social scientists. Those scientists are recruited from the respective culture/society studied. The first wave of WVS was based on the European Values Survey in 1981. The latest sixth wave was started in 2010.
The questions are asked in the course of a face-to-face interview and address among others religious, political and social issues. The findings help to identify the most important values of each country and how they might change over time. The obtained values can be mainly divided into traditional/secular-rational and survival/self-expression values. The former show the differences between countries strongly influenced by religion and those which are not. Nowadays, secular-rational values dominate in the vast majority of industrialized countries. A similar situation also applies for the latter dimension of values, since the emphasis in developed countries is more on subjective aspects than on economic and physical security, like in developing countries. (The World Values Survey, 2008, pp. 3ff)
The findings of the WVS also show a correlation between certain values and the nation’s political development, e.g. concerning the mass self-expression and democratic institutions. The results have also been the basis of Hofstede’s new sixth dimension, Indulgence vs. Restraint. (ibid.)
“Keep your language.
Love its sound, its modulation, its rhythm.
But try to march together with men of different languages,
remote from your own,
who wish like you for a more just and human world.”
(Hèlder Câmara, Spiral of Violence)
4.3.2 Sample questions from the World Values Survey
In order to give an insight into the nature of the questions of the World Values Survey (WVS), some sample questions taken from different questionnaires can be found here.
For each of the following, indicate how important it is in your life. Would you say it is:
Taking all things together, would you say you are:
1 – Very happy 2 – Rather happy 3 – Not very happy 4 – Not at all happy
For each activity, would you say you do them every week or nearly every week; once or twice a month; only a few times a year; or not at all?
Some people feel they have completely free choice and control over their lives, while other people feel that what they do has no real effect on what happens to them. Please use this scale [...] to indicate how much freedom of choice and control you feel you have over the way your life turns out.
Which point on this scale most clearly describes how much weight you place on work (including housework and schoolwork), as compared with leisure or recreation?
- It’s leisure that makes life worth living, not work
- Work is what makes life worth living, not leisure
Now, I would like to ask you something about the things which would seem to you, personally, most important if you were looking for a job.
- A good income so that you do not have any worries about money
- A safe job with no risk of closing down or unemployment
- Working with people you like
- Doing an important job that gives you a feeling of accomplishment
Here are two statements which people sometimes make when discussing good and evil. Which one comes closest to your own point of view?
- A. There are absolutely clear guidelines about what is good and evil. These always apply to everyone, whatever the circumstances.
- B. There can never be absolutely clear guidelines about what is good and evil.
Do you think most people would try to take advantage of you if they got a chance, or would they try to be fair?
In: The World Values Survey Association, The World Values Survey: Questionnaires of 2005, 2000 and 1995 (sometimes slightly summarized), 2012.
4.4 Valuing diversity and managing diversity
4.4.1 Definition of diversity
According to the Collins English Dictionary, diversity can be described as the state or quality of being different or varied. It is a point of difference and its synonyms are change, difference, variation and dissimilarities (Collins English Dictionary, 2009). The word “diversity” has its origin in the Latin word “diversitas” and means as much as contradiction, plurality and variety (Rüdiger, 2003, p. 92).
Diversity refers to the heterogeneity of the employees of a company as well as of its customers (Rühl, 2001, p. 56). The beginning of using the term “diversity” in matters of organizations and management is to be found in the U.S. and was established during the 1960s (Lindecke, 1995, p. 51).
When mentioning the term “diversity”, only the obvious sign of diversity, like race and gender, come to people’s minds. Whereas it used to be a code word for Black, it e.g. also includes people from different racial and cultural background, different genders, people with disabilities, with different religious backgrounds, sexual orientations or from different age groups.
One of the most influential UK scholars in the field of equality and discrimination, Bradley, defines diversity as the
“differences based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability or age which are historically and socially constructed, and they draw the lines of inequality and discrimination in society. In turn, overcoming discrimination and inequality requires engagement with the effects of past discrimination and careful questioning of the common sense assumption that govern organization and society.” (Tatli, 2010, p. 4)
4.4.2 Diversity management
The aim of managing diversity is to learn to understand cultural and other differences among workers and creating an environment in which they will be productive (Anthony, 2002, p. 85).
To achieve this target, diversity management applies to individual differences and similarities as well as to group identity of the workforce.
Managing diversity is a holistic approach of how to use the potential of the employees for the good and profitability of a corporation. It does not offer a set of solutions and contrary to popular belief, it is not a program for addressing discrimination. (Rooseverlt, 1992, p. 167) Diversity encompasses more than being “politically correct” or promoting an equal opportunities policy. The proper management of diversity actually brings benefits for an organisation. Its goal is more than
“simply minimising the effect of discrimination and encouraging equal treatment it takes positive advantage of the differences between individuals and works against prejudice.” (The Scout Association, 2005, p. 1)
A broader definition of diversity refers to all defined individual differences of people in social contexts (Gardenswartz/Rowe, 1998, p. 77) and will be discussed in the abstract about the Dimensions of Diversity.
Diversity in our workforce
(Jacklyn Koh)
Diversity means variety. In the workplace, the term is used to denote the variety among employees - those differences of age, gender, ethnicity, religion and nationality that make each one of us a unique and distinctive individual. In a global company like Siemens, we experience diversity during our everyday work. Diversified teams are commonplace. We regard the diversity of our workforce as an invaluable source of creativity and experience that makes us more competitive.
In: Siemens AG – Corporate Values, 2006
4.4.3 Diversity management within intercultural management
Diversity and multiculturalism
The first step towards an effective diversity management is embracing multiculturalism. The term may imply “culture”, but it encompasses religion, language, ethnicity, nationality and race. (Song, 2010) Even though diversity and multiculturalism are interconnected, they are not interchangeable. In order to understand the differences between diversity and multiculturalism, the following two statements focus on their most important aspects:
“Diversity is who we are. It is quantitative. It is defined by ‘otherness’.” (National Association of Independent Schools, in web)
“Multiculturalism is an evolving process. It is qualitative. It is the shift that occurs when we stop defining everyone by one cultural norm and move to an understanding of multiple norms.” (ibid.)
4.4.4 Theoretical approaches towards diversity management
Paradigms of diversity management
For the last few decades, managers believed that diversity automatically stands for discrimination. This assertion is wrong, both legally and morally. Today’s managers are claiming a second notion, which stands for
“a more diverse workforce that will increase organizational effectiveness and bring greater access to new segments of the marketplace, and enhance productivity.” (Thomas/Ely, 1996, p. 79)
In short, they claim, diversity will be good for business.
Two perspectives have guided most diversity initiatives to date: The discrimination- and fairness paradigm and the access- and legitimacy paradigm. Thomas and Ely have identified a new, emerging approach to this management issue:
“The learning- and effectiveness-paradigm incorporates aspects of the two paradigms but goes beyond them by concretely connecting diversity to approaches to work”. (ibid. p. 80)
Paradigm 1 – The discrimination-and-fairness paradigm
The perhaps most dominant way of understanding diversity is by the help of the discrimination-and-fairness paradigm. Leaders of organizations looking at diversity through this lens usually focus on “equal opportunity, fair treatment, recruitment, and compliance with federal Equal Employment Opportunity requirements. The paradigm’s underlying logic can be expressed as follows:
“Prejudice has kept members of certain demographic groups out of organizations such as ours. As a matter of fairness and to comply with federal mandates, we need to work toward restructuring the makeup of our organization to let it more closely reflect that of society. We manage processes that ensure that all our employees are treated equally and with respect and that some are not given unfair advantage of others.” (ibid. p. 81)
Companies that operate with this philosophical orientation often institute mentoring and career-development programs specifically for the women and people of color in their ranks and train other employees to respect cultural differences.
With this paradigm, nevertheless, progress in diversity is measured by how well the company achieves its recruitment goals, rather than by the degree to which conditions the company allows employees to draw on their personal assets and perspectives to do their work more effectively. You could say that the staff, gets diversified, but the work does not. Organizations valuing this process of equal treatment of all employees are often companies bureaucratic in structure, with control process in place for monitoring, measuring, and rewarding individual performance. Perhaps, the most extreme example is the United States Army.
Paradigm 2 – The access-and-legitimacy paradigm
In the 1980s and 1990s, the new access-and-legitimacy paradigm was predicted on the acceptance and celebration of differences. The underlying motivation of this new paradigm can be expressed this way:
“We are living in an increasingly multicultural country. And new ethnic groups are quickly gaining consumer power. Our company needs a demographical more diverse workforce to help us gain access to these differentiated segments. We need employees with multilingual skills in order to understand and serve our customers better and to gain legitimacy with them. Diversity isn’t just fair; it makes business sense.” (Thomas /Ely, 1996, p. 83)
Organizations using this paradigm, almost always operate in a business environment in which there is increased diversity among costumers, clients or the labour pool.
“The access-and-legitimacy paradigm has its strengths. Its market-based motivation and the potential for competitive advantage that it suggests are often qualities an entire company can understand and therefore support.” (ibid.)
The paradigm has therefore led to new professional and managerial opportunities for women and people of colour.
Paradigm 3 – The emerging paradigm: Connecting diversity to work perspectives
Organizations begin to recognize that employees make decisions and choices at work that draw upon their cultural background – choices made because of their identity-group affiliations.
Like the fairness paradigm, the emerging paradigm promotes equal opportunity for all individuals. Additionally, it also acknowledges cultural differences among people and recognizes the value in those differences.
Yet, this model for managing diversity lets the organization internalize differences among employees so that it learns and grows on the basis of them.
Discrimination is everyone’s business
(Volvo Car Corporation)
The challenges of racism, discrimination and intolerance are obvious in our societies. This does not only mean suffering from individual perspective but also a missed opportunity for society to develop. From a business point of view diversity and non-discrimination are essential […]. Our commitment is based on the conviction that diversity is good and good for business. We believe that those customers who choose our products and services do so because they can identify with our values and purpose. In order to be able to expand our business and cater to the broad spectrum of customers our company must reflect diverse demands.
In: Volvo Car Corporation (Publishers), 2000, p. 2
The Four Layers of Diversity
Diversity can be distinguished in different characteristics: immutable characteristics (biological sex, age and race), variable or acquired characteristics (social status, education, religion and local membership) and organizational characteristics (hierarchy, region, experience). The so-called “Four Layers of Diversity” – Model was described by Gardenswartz and Rowe and illustrates human diversity, which gets more and more important for organizations in every part of the world
“Managing Diversity means acknowledging and valuing the differences of race and gender in particular and moving toward integration.” (Cross, 2000, p. 74)
In this systematization of individual diversity, it is important to distinguish between the so-called personal immanent and the behaviour immanent diversity. This will help not to categorize the behavior of an individual based on personal immanent characteristics. Otherwise, such stigmatizations will reduce a person to a single attribute. (Koall, 2004, p. 4)
The model is divided into four layers. Beginning with the core of the modell, the “level of personality”, “internal dimensions”, “external dimensions” and, at the outer layer, the “organisational dimensions” can be seen.
The following figure illustrates a possibility of how to structure the different factors of diversity:
The dimension “personality” can be found in the middle of the model and includes all aspects of a person, which can be described as the “personal style”. It is the most hidden dimension. The individual is not directly able to control the development of its personality; it is rather a subconscious process and as a result, truly unique.
Fig. 4.2: The Four Dimensions of Diversity
Source: Based on Universität Wien, Diversity – 4 Dimensions of Diversity, in web
The following dimensions are relatively immutable for the individual person: age, gender, sexual orientation, mental and physical capability, nationality and ethnicity, and social background. These dimensions generate the core of the model, also known as the “internal dimensions”. All of the previously named dimensions have a significant influence on our life. Such criteria are fixed from an individual’s birth and represent the most obvious differences and similarities of people and result in the split-up into several small groups.
The third circle contains all “external dimensions”, such as geographic location, income, personal habits, recreational habits, religion/worldview, educational background, work experience, appearance, parental status, and marital status. All these dimensions have one thing in common: their variableness, except for “religion” and “worldview”.
They could also be counted to the “inner circle” because of two reasons:
“On the one hand ‘Religion and Worldview’ are not always free to choose, on the other hand there exists a juridical restraint on discrimination.” (Universität Wien, in web)
Thus, all these dimensions are directly linked to work-related decisions and behavior of the individual related to the factors marital status, residence or habit. Their influence on creating diversity is higher than the one of the organizational dimensions, but not incisively. (Workpapers Mitte Consult, 2004)
The outer circle contains the “organizational dimensions”, such as functional level/ classification, work content/field, faculty/centre/department/field of studyservices and facilities, duration of employment/study, work location, research interests, and type of employment.
“These dimensions are defined by the kind of affiliation inside of an organizations. It appears independent form the individual and, consequently, the impact on the diversity factor is not really far-reaching in comparison with the three inner layers, examind in the above.” (Universität Wien, in web)
4.4.5 The benefits, dangers and limitations of an active diversitymanagement
Many managers share the opinion that efforts towards the implementation of diversity management can only be made in economically stable times. Some of them consider the growing interest in diversity and the discussions arising from it as a hype that has no decisive importance for their enterprise. (Furkel, 2008, p. 50) They often argue that diversity-activities are a luxury which their current situation does not allow them to indulge in. On the other hand, it is beyond question that equality of opportunities is legally and morally necessary and there is also a growing demand from customers, governmental as well as nongovernmental organization to bring the topic to a new level. Managers find themselves faced with a serious dilemma. (Krell, 1998, pp. 14f)
Having gained a deeper insight into the background and the different fields of diversity, it is time to ask: What makes it worthwhile from a manager’s point-of-view to deal with the topic and which concrete arguments could drive an enterprise to actively start managing its workforce diversity?
Since a number of business scientists and other experts have already discussed this critical question in the course of the past two decades, those opinions on benefits and arguments in favour of implementing diversity-management-measures as well as weak points and limitations of the concept shall be briefly presented.
Assumed business-benefits of diversity management
It is beyond question that avoiding and working against discrimination corresponds to legal, moral and ethical standards. While this is the starting point of diversity management, it also has to be pointed out that diversity management is more than an anti-discrimination-measure. Already in 1996, Ely & Thomas pointed out that there was a second notion to the concept, which had lately also been recognized by managers. A diverse workforce, they believe, will increase organizational effectiveness. (Thomas/Ely, 1996, p. 79) As this is a rather spacious term, we shall have a closer look at which impacts of diversity are actually accountable for its beneficial effect.
In 1994, Kandola & Fullerton examined the interrelation between diversity management and organizational efficiency including the evidences for these relations. (Kandola/Fullerton, 1994, pp. 35ff) Their work was discussed and revised by Jung in 2003, who designed a scheme of proven, debatable and indirect benefits, which gives a profound overview of the majority of possible benefits analyzed within the scientific discussion. (Jung, 2003, p. 100)
Irrespectively of the degree of their evidence, the benefits of a successful diversity management will be categorized by using the following three arguments speaking in favor of the implementation of diversity management: (1) The Human-Resource-Argument, (2) The Marketing-Argument and (3) The Cost-Argument.
Tab. 4.2: Benefits of diversity management
Source: Own translation according to Jung, 2003, p. 102
| Impact on efficiency | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|
| Proven benefits | • increased choice of human resources | • factual-analytical proof |
| • better personnel binding | • empirical support by organizations’ statements | |
| • cost-savings in the fields of recruiting, education and advanced training | • empirical support debatable | |
| • reduction of fluctuation- and absent-time | ||
| • organizational flexibility | ||
| Debatable benefits | • promotion of team-creativity and innovation | • creativity, innovation and partly problem-solving-qualities are empirically supported; for other efficiency-variables, results are also converse |
| • advancement of problem-solving and decision-finding | ||
| • better understanding of customers’ requirements | ||
| • factual-analytical proof; no definite empirical data | ||
| • increase of selling-numbers to members of cultural minorities | ||
| • factual-analytical proof; no sufficient empirical data | ||
| • enhancement of quality | ||
| Indirect benefits | • satisfying work-environment | • partly analytically proved; empirical proof due to multi-factorial influence difficult, if not impossible |
| • advancement of working morals and satisfaction | ||
| • advancement of relationships between different groups of workers | ||
| • increase in productivity | ||
| • competitive advantage | ||
| • advancement of public image |
Human resources are the most important strategic factor for the success of a company. This holds true for the past and the present but especially for the near future. The percentage of the working population is increasing while the demographic change leads to a lack of new potential skilled employees in Western countries. (Aretz, 2006, p. 65; Mor Barak, 2005, pp. 57ff) Even in consideration of these two single facts, it would be more than unreasonable to focus on the “average” white, male employee, on which many monolithic companies still concentrate (Süß/Kleiner, 2007, p. 1935) and treat women, elderly people, ethnically different or disabled people as a marginal group. The recognition of the value of diversity plays an advantageous role in the fields of recruiting, employee-binding and employee-satisfaction. (Aretz, 2006, p. 65)
Regarding the diversity of a company’s workforce, experts point out that diverse perspectives increase the probability of innovation – which is a decisive competitive factor in the modern, rapidly changing world. To say it in simple words: The more diverse views there are regarding a problem – this problem may concern organizational functions, procedures, products, strategies, operations or any other field - the greater the pool of proposed solutions to choose from. In addition, a diversity of perspectives among decision-makers can improve the quality of predictions made on future trends, environmental changes and company performance. Long-term strategies and visions of a company will hence be based on more solid ground. (Page, 2007, pp. 6–20; Thomas/Ely, 1996, pp. 7f, 12f; Ely/Thomas, 2001, p. 80)
As a conclusion, it can be said that a sensible diversity management program can contribute to an even better output by the company’s workforce.
Following the access- and legitimacy paradigm, which values diversity management as a market-oriented strategic instrument of an enterprise, it can be said that diversity management allows access to a greater number of markets and customers. By recruiting a diverse workforce and managing its potentials effectively, a company will gain deeper insights into the needs and ways of thinking of their customers and will also have a greater ability to respond accordingly. This will increase the customer-closeness. (Seidel, 2006, pp. 244ff) Thinking of phenomena like Ethno-Marketing and Relationship Marketing – approaches towards marketing concentrating on the company’s relationship and appearance towards the customer – it becomes obvious that the positioning of employees with specific identities in the corresponding positions will give access to niche markets. (Ely/Thomas, 2001, p. 80) An example for the German market are Turkish customer consultants operating for Volkswagen or Deutsche Bank. (Furkel, 2008, p. 30)
The more diverse the perspectives, ways of thinking and ideas are within a company, the better it will comprehend its groups of customers within a diverse market and can adapt their product and marketing instruments. (Shen et al., 2009, p. 236)
The advantages of diversity management are also reflected in product- and personnel-marketing. A successful diversity management ensures flexibility and adaptability considering the company’s surroundings as well as an increased creativity and problem-solving-capability during the formulation of a marketing strategy. (Seidel, 2006, pp. 244ff)
Another important point is that to a certain extent, purchase decisions rely on the company’s image, which is also constituted by its diversity-management-policy. Companies are often evaluated in accordance to their efforts for equality of opportunities for diversity groups. In markets with a clientele stressing ethical values and equality, a successful diversity policy and the related company-image present a competitive advantage. (Krell, 1998, pp. 14f; Kandola, 1995; Aretz, 2006, p. 65)
Many laws include non-discrimination rules. The costs that occur because of a violation against these legal norms are not as high in Germany as in the USA, but can be the beginning of a long row of court trials. Costs due to discrimination can also be caused by the loss of motivation of affected employees as well as damages on the organization’s image.
Due to the changing basic conditions, like globalization and the demographic change, diversity policies are gaining importance as a factor of competition. To achieve the expected positive effects, it is necessary for organizations to make certain activities and success visible. (Krell, 1998, pp. 14f) An effective diversity management will lower costs and increase returns in the long run. (Shen, 2009, p. 236)
An indicator for the financial effects of diversity management is the study carried out by the American magazine “DiversityInc.” which proved that multicultural companies are more successful on the stock market than other companies without a diversity management program. (Furkel, 2008, p. 30)
Dangers, limitations and criticism
Aretz (2006) claims that until now, there has been no sufficient scientific proof for the efficiency-improving effects of diversity management. Furthermore, he points out that the degree up to which diversity-management-measures can have beneficial effects on the company performance greatly depends on the society, culture and the corresponding values within which the company is operating. Hence, diversity management is sensible to its context and the question should not be whether diversity management is beneficial for a company or not, but which conditions in its environment have to be fulfilled to make it successful (Aretz, 2006, p. 65)
A similar limitation is pointed out by Page, who refers to Ely & Thomas (2001, pp. 229ff) when claiming that if people do not believe in the value of diversity, diversity management is not likely to have a good outcome. Hence, it is a second challenge for those companies striving for the benefits of diversity management to make their employees believe in it. (Scott, 2007, pp. 6ff, Thomas/Ely, 1996, p. 7)
Concerning Scott’s theories on organizational problem-solving, predictions and decision-finding, another restriction has to be made: The value diversity can display cannot easily be identified. The fact that an Asian woman who counts herself as a Hindu sits in the management of a company does not guarantee that she delivers the desired perspectives and heuristics to unleash the beneficial effects of diversity within the decision-finding-processes. (Page, 2007, pp. 6ff; Thomas/Ely, 1996, pp. 16f)
Thomas and Ely came to a similar result: To simply equate diversity with identity-group representation inhibits effectiveness. They point out that diversity has to go beyond increasing the number of different identity-groups on the payroll. (2001, p. 80)
The active recognition of diversity within a company’s workforce may also have direct negative effects, which Seidel points out as the following: Cultural and linguistic differences may constrain communication among employees and difficulties in understanding the co-workers’ points-of view may obstruct decision-finding processes and cause conflicts in the daily routine (Seidel, 2006, pp. 246ff). The biggest challenge of diversity management is hence communication, either as perceptual, cultural or language barrier:
“Ineffective communication of key objectives results in confusion, lack of teamwork, and low morale.”
In some cases, however, diversity management can be avoided on purpose by employees or employers who have a strong resistance to change. (Greenberg, 2004, in web)
What is more, a diverse workplace could be hard to establish without diversity-related policies which we will deal with in an upcoming chapter. Nevertheless, some employees in position of authority may be unwilling to adopt such policies and to implement them by delegating responsibility to a person or a department.
A potential threat, which was pointed out by Kirton, who interviewed managers about diversity management, is that
“being an advocate for diversity could be potentially damaging for mainstream management careers”.
Managers claimed that an active diversity management would damage their reputation and career. (Kirton, 2009, p. 172)
With regard to the direct effect of diversity on the company turnover, Leonard and Levine simply highlight the fact which has not changed in the past years and is unlikely to change in the near future:
“(…) diversity does not consistently predict high turnover.” (Leonard/Levine, 2006, p. 568)
India: Family amd Societal Values
(Zubko/Sahay)
Indian society is family oriented and collectivistic where emphasis is on harmony and conformity with established cultural norms, social values, and family traditions. Elders command deep respect and family is a priority. Traditionally, individuals who are self-oriented were viewed with distrust, although with the changing socioeconomic conditions and growing disposable income, young professional Indians have started to indulge in a culture of consumption. A long-term relationship is the centerpiece of core Indian values and is the coveted goal of everyone from newspaper vendors to business tycoons and industrial houses.
In: Inside the Indian Business Mind, 2011, p. 5
4.4.6 The drivers for implementing diversity management
After this insight into why it is beneficial for organizations to pay respect to diversity as a management topic, and knowing that good reasons are not enough to make people step into action, it will be interesting to analyze what drives organisations to integrate diversity management into their operational business reality.
It was primarily Pitts, Hicklin et al. who examined this question with the help of examples from public organisations in the USA in 2010. In addition, Süß & Kleiner examined the dissemination, design and drivers for diversity management in Germany in 2007.
“Any governance regime, from the local to the international, is embedded in a wider social, fiscal, and cultural context.” (Lynn et al., 2001)
This quote from Lynn implies that organizations adapt to their surroundings, especially values of external society. A consistent relationship between management activities directed on the company’s environment and organizational performance could be shown by various researches. (Goerdel, 2006, pp. 351ff, Meier/O’Toole, 2001, pp. 271ff)
Acting on the assumption that organisations develop diversity management programs as a response to opportunities and challenges in the internal and external environments, three main drivers of diversity management implementation can be defined: (1) environmental uncertainty, (2) environmental favourability and (3) institutional isomorphism. All of these forces have an influence on diversity management in different ways and in varying degrees. Companies or their managers might be motivated by more than one factor and the factors may change over time. (Pitts, 2010, pp. 867ff)
The practical implementation of diversity management
Corporations are quickly realizing their lack of diversity management is now negatively impacting their bottom line and they can no longer ignore it. The main challenge of managing diversity at any business is to
“create conditions that minimize its potential to be a performance barrier while maximizing its potential to enhance organizational performance”. (Taylor, 2001, p. 4)
How diversity policies can be implemented within a company and what is included in an active diversity management shall be looked at in the following.
Implementing diversity management
In many cases, organizations which consider diversity management in their corporate strategy have introduced a special function in the company’s organization which directly reports to the CEO. This shows the high importance of diversity for the company. Especially at the beginning of the implementation of diversity management measures, the special attention of the top management is of critical importance – later, diversity management may be included in other departments. In some companies, the implementation of diversity management starts with a diversity council, which is convened by the top management and acts parallely to the daily business. In later phases of the development, the council’s agenda will then be integrated into the operative business.
Regarding the organization of the implementation of diversity – for which there are many possible ways – a recent model will be displayed in the following, which uses the top-down-approach and will additionally demonstrate concrete measures which account for an active diversity management.
Rosken’s Top-Down-Approach
In her article from 2011, Rosken claims that it should be an aim of diversity management to assert the acceptance of diversity management even though the single employee might not feel any personal benefit from it in the beginning. This indicates an attainment of corporate goals beyond all social borders. Necessary pre-conditions for diversity management are a clear commitment and an undoubting initiative for diversity among the management and the employees. In addition, a positioning of diversity management within the management’s agreement of objectives and within all operative, normative and strategic levels which affect the employees is also of great importance in this context.
Diversity can only work if all employees take responsibility and are willing to live the defined values in a vital diverse corporate culture. Diversity cannot be an order – it prospers on the participation of all members of the organisation.
Fig. 4.3: The phases, goals and measures of implementing diversity management
Source: Own translation of Rosken, 2009, p. 265
An implementation on different levels in order to slowly prepare the system for changes is of decisive importance. Rosken suggests a top-down-approach for the implementation of diversity management, as its success relies on persons with the necessary power to make basic decisions and to actively change procedures and communication. Nevertheless, there should also be measures including the entire workforce, for example with the help of a diversity-co-management.
The top-management has the special responsibility for securing the realization of diversity management on all levels. The executive management has the task to set pre-conditions on the operative levels – e.g. creating a diversity-friendly work-climate. On the employees’ level, there are two perspectives which need to be considered: recruiting and selecting – here, diversity competence can be a decisive factor – and personnel development, e.g. diversity trainings could be offered. (Rosken, 2011, p. 33ff)
Measures of managing diversity
In 2005, a survey dealing with the dissemination and design of diversity management in Germany was carried out by Süß & Kleiner, two German economists. In order to develop a profound scientific questionnaire, they asked 17 experts from research practice, economic journalism and diversity associations to determine diversity management measures that could be applied by organizations. 13 central measures representing core activities for managing workforce diversity could be identified (Süß/Kleiner, 2007, p. 1941):
- Flexible working time agreements
- Mixed teams
- Determining the requirements for diversity management
- Mentoring programmes
- Integrating DM into corporate culture
- Consulting service for diversity groups
- Works council agreement
- Communicating diversity
- Diversity trainings
- Institutionalizing diversity management
- Diversity-oriented facilities
- Diversity-oriented design of the human resource management
- Evaluating diversity
The Diversity Manager
Having implemented diversity management as a fixed position in the company’s organization, the question arises: What exactly do those people responsible for diversity management actually do? In the following, the core tasks of a diversity manager according to Jablonski (2006, pp. 197ff) will be outlined:
Definition of diversity criteria
Defining the criteria essential for a company’s diversity actions is a central task of the diversity manager. Those could be gender, disability, age, ethnical origin or any other aspect discussed previously. It is the diversity manager’s task to consult, inform and to create sensitivity for the diversity criteria among employees and management.
Support and control of diversity groupings
The diversity manager primarilyis a supporting task, as the overall power of decision still lies with the top management. He or she prepares diversity council meetings, moderates them and gives content-related advice.
The forming of such a council follows a top-down-approach. If on the other hand a bottom-up-approach is used, a group of employees gets together in a so-called resource group in order to discuss issues. Later, their findings and ideas will be presented to the management and can be introduced at different levels of the organization. Here, the diversity manager supports the resource-group’s work and creates an environment, in which it is possible for those ideas to take root.
A central aspect of introducing diversity management is diversity training – as it is necessary to make employees aware of the usefulness, aspects and the value of diversity. The diversity manager has to arrange trainings and decide on the contents of those sessions, which should ideally have clear parallels to the operative work of the employees and correspond to their knowledge and interests. In addition, the diversity manager has to make sure that the training results will be evaluated.
Parameters and success measurement
For all managerial systems, the collection and interpretation of data as well as parameters for control and evaluation play an important role. The success and the future demand of diversity programmes can be assessed by comparing empiric data with benchmarks. Hence, the diversity manager has to develop a system which makes the collection and comparison of data possible.
Outer appearance
As diversity management is an instrument that influences the public opinion of the company, it is the diversity manager’s task to promote and communicate diversity activities and achievements also to the public – including customers, the media, other companies, trade unions and other external parties. Constructs like corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship have to be communicated in a way so that they account for diversity.
4.4.7 The future development of diversity management
Diversity management has originally developed from the traditional human resource management and now incorporates topics such as corporate strategy, corporate social responsibility, organizational design and effectiveness, corporate marketing and even sales. Thus, in order to be an effective Chief Diversity Officer (CDO), there is need of a more holistic management approach. This would be a prerequisite so that diversity is embedded within common threads that touch all functional areas (on an internal level) and the supply chain (on an external level). (Llopis, 2011, in web)
In order to foresee the future of diversity management and its role as a potential business growth factor, a comparison between the functions of a CIO (Chief Information Officer) and a CDO could be made. Information technology used to be perceived just as a cost factor and not as a business driver; however, this view has completely changed. The same might be said about diversity management in the future, because its main driver, demographic change, is gaining pace. It is expected that the responsibilities of CDOs will expand and probably shift in terms of their functional role – like it has already happened with CIOs.
4.5 The expert’s view: Interview with Ryohei Arai
Ryohei Arai is the managing director of SAN consulting and marketing GmbH. He left Japan to come to Germany at the age of 27. In 1989 he co-founded the SAN GmbH in Germany. He shared his experiences about different values in Germany and Japan with the students Sophie Buliczak, Lisa Gottschalk Karol Kontny and Cornelia Strehlke.
| Students: | Which experiences have you made in Germany? |
| Arai: | I like Germany a lot. You can live here your own life. In Japan it is more difficult because you must work between 12 to 14 hours. There is no time for something else. Japanese companies demand from their employees strong loyalty and the Japanese employees demand strong loyalty from the companies. Today it changed a little. In Japan I must spend all my time in the company. |
| Students: | You always hear, that Japanese are not telling her opinion not as directly as we are used to – on the business as wells as on the private level. Is it true? |
| Arai: | The young generation tells its opinion also directly. In my generation and older people it is different. I have in Germany the problem that I (a shy person) show my opinion not so obviously and that is why I get less help from others. In Germany you must show strong signals to get help from friends and business partners. |
| Students: | When Japanese business managers are together, what do they talk about? |
| Arai: | Europeans make businesses and just talk in the business time about this. If you get an invitation for dinner, the discussion is about interests and some private activities. In comparison Japanese managers behave differently. Their main focus in such a discussion is on issues that are related to the company, private things do not matter. |
| Students: | What would you say to a German who wants to make a deal with Japanese? |
| Arai: | First of all, you need a lot of patience doing business in Japan. In Germany, the final decisions are made by the top management. The decision making process in Japan differs in many ways. The initial idea created by the top management will be communicated over all levels and in all departments. Sometimes they try to consult people from outside the company getting their opinion. When I worked with German managers, the decision making process can become very short if there is a certain necessity. The Japanese process, they call it “Ringi Seido”, requires extremely more time and the partners form all around the world are not very familiar with such a situation. |
In. Buliczak/Gottschalk/Kontny/Strehlke, Written Assignment, 2012 (unpublished)
4.6 Case Study: A vision of a modern Arab world
In his old life in Cairo, Rami Galal knew his place and his fate: to become a maintenance man in a hotel, just like his father. But here, in glittering, manic Dubai, he is confronting the unsettling freedom to make his own choices. Here Galal, 24, drinks beer almost every night and considers a young Russian prostitute his girlfriend. But he also makes it to work every morning, not something he could say when he lived back in Egypt. Everything is up to him. Everything he eats, whether he goes to the mosque or a bar, where his friends are.
“I was more religious in Egypt,” Galal said, taking a drag from yet another of his ever-burning Malboros. “It is moving too fast here. In Egypt there is more time. They have more control over you. It is hard here. I hope to stop drinking beer – I know it is wrong. In Egypt, people keep you in check. Here, no one keeps you in check.” In Egypt, and across much of the Arab world, an Islamic revival is being driven by young people for whom faith and ritual are increasingly the cornerstone of identity. But that is not true in the ethnic mix that is Dubai, where 80 percent of the people are expatriates, with 200 nationalities.
This economically vital, socially freewheeling yet unmistakably Muslim state has had a transforming effect on young men. Religion has become more of a personal choice and Islam less of a common bond than national identity. Dubai is, in some ways, a vision of what the rest of the Arab world could become – if it offered comparable economic opportunity, insistence on following the law and tolerance for cultural diversity. In this environment, religion is not something young men turn to because it fills a void or because they are bowing to a collective demand.
That, in turn, creates an atmosphere that is open not only to those inclined to a less observant way of life, but also to those who are more religious. In Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Algeria, a man with a long beard is often treated as an Islamist – and sometimes denied work. “Here, I can practice my religion in a natural and free way because it is a Muslim country and I can also achieve my ambition at work,” said Ahmed Kassab, 30, an electrical engineer from Zagazig in Egypt who wears a long dark beard and has a prayer mark on his forehead. “People here judge the person based on productivity more than what he looks like. It is different in Egypt, of course.” No one can say for sure why Dubai has been spared the kind of religion-fueled extremism that has plagued other countries in the region. There are not even metal detectors at hotel and mall entrances, standard fare from Morocco to Saudi Arabia. Some speculate that Dubai is like Vienna in the Cold War – a playground for all sides. There is a robust state security system. But there is also a feeling that diversity, tolerance and opportunity help breed moderation. Dubai dazzles, but also confuses. It appears to offer a straight deal – work hard and make money. It is filled with inequities and exploitation. It is a land of rules: No smoking, no littering, no speeding, no drinking and driving.
“They should give you an introduction when you arrive”, said Hamza Abu Zanad, 28, who moved to Dubai from Jordan about 18 months ago and works in real estate. “It is very distorting. I felt lost. There are fancy cars, but don’t speed. You can have prostitutes, but don’t get caught with a woman.” Dubai offers a chance to lead a modern life in an Arab Islamic country. Abu Zanad raises his beer high, almost in a toast, and said he liked being able to walk through a mall and still hear the call to prayer.
Back in Cairo, Galal is reconnected with his family. He fasted for Ramadan, including giving up cigarettes during daylight hours. And he went out looking for his friends on the bustling streets of his neighborhood, which is the antithesis of Dubai. It is filled with people – men, women, children – all night long, shopping, chatting, smoking, enjoying the cold night, the warmth of the neighborhood and a common culture.
“My friends are all stuck at a certain limit. That’s as far as they can go,” Galal said after three weeks at home. “Nothing is new here. Nothing is happening. My friends feel like I changed. They say money changed me.” Galal and a cousin went out for a night of fun the day before he was scheduled to return to Dubai. “I want to go back,” he said.”I was living better there. It is the simple things – sitting at the coffee shop, talking to people. Their mentality is different.” He said he had broken off his engagement. Marriage in Egypt is usually a practical matter, a necessary step to adulthood, to independence. It is often arranged. A year in Dubai changed his view of marriage. “You are looking for someone to spend you whole future with,” Galal said. “I want to go back and have fun. My future is there, in Dubai.”
Slackman, M., A vision of a modern Arab world, in: International Herald Tribune, 23/09/2008, p. 1
Review and Discussion Questions:
- Describe in your own words Galal’s mixed feelings related to the place he comes from and the way he is living in Dubai!
- Could you imagine that Dubai’s policy of religious openness will become a role model for other Islamic countries? Explain your opinion!
- What are the reasons for Galal to stay in Dubai?