Managing Diversity: Toward a Globally Inclusive Workplace 2e
Michalle Mor Barak
Diversity Management: Toward a Globally Inclusive Workplace
Michàlle Mor Barak, Ph.D.
Chapter 9:
Interpersonal Relationships in a Global Context
What are relational Mental Models?
Relational Mental Models – are schemas that structure our perceptions and the way we communicate and relate to others.
Cultural Styles and Relational Mental Models
Relational mental models that emphasize interconnections in business relationships:
China – guanxi – one is expected to attend carefully to the interconnections among business colleagues and partners
Korea – chaebol – or company familialism, structures business relationships to reflect both work and personal features
Mexican simpatia – places importance on proactively creating rapport and personal connections)
Cultural Styles and Relational Mental Models
In contrast:
The Protestant relational ideology in European-American culture maintains a sharp distinction between the relational mental models used at work and outside work.
Cultural Styles and Relational Mental Models
Emotional Detachment vs. Emotional Involvement
Cultural Styles and Relational Mental Models
Social-Emotional Mental Models
People guided by a social-emotional mental model focus their attention and efforts on emotional and interpersonal concerns as well as the task at hand (for example, focusing on the teams productivity as well while closely managing interpersonal harmony).
Task-focused Mental Models
People guided by a task-focused mental model focus exclusively on elements of the situation directly related to the task (such as whether progress on the agenda is being made, steps are being taken to meet upcoming deadlines, and other issues related more to the job than the people involved)
Combined versus Differentiated Relational Styles
Cultural Styles and Relational Mental Models
Conflict and Harmony
Cultural Styles and Relational Mental Models
Task-focused Mental Models
Managers in these cultures, although not enjoying conflict and interpersonal discord, do not perceive it necessarily to be a limiting factor for a teams success.
Social-Emotional Mental Models
Managers in these cultures interpret conflict as an inherent barrier to success: a team, collaboration, or partnership without interpersonal harmony can rarely be productive.
Hofstedes Individualist vs. Collectivist Cultures
Interpersonal Relationships and Communications
Individualist Cultures Collectivist Cultures
Individual autonomy Group unit and harmony
Self-oriented Group-oriented
Individual values Group values
Self pride in accomplishments Shame avoidance
Cultural Context and Communication Orientation
Interpersonal Relationships and Communications
