Culture in Human Relations in Term Paper

At the antipode of the model earlier described, he mentioned individualist cultures that gave top priority to personal goals and duties and enjoyed a high degree of independence (Zhou, 2002).

Moreover, the theorist asserted that the cleavage between the two poles impacted ethical decision making and that the two extremes could coexist within the same race, nation, region etc. As an eloquent example, Triandis mentioned USA, a country which despite its individualistic fame encourages collaboration and teamwork especially in the corporate and art world (Husted, 2001).

However, even though they play a major part by challenging psychological theories, Individualism - Collectivism theories have their own limitations that derive from depicting cultural communities as displayers of stable and common perspectives. Consequently, little attention is paid to the discrepancies between the individuals belonging to the same group and to the common points shared across groups (Cooper, Denner, 1998).

To conclude with, culture is the puppeteer that pulls the strings of its puppets - the individuals' actions, emotions, and thoughts. Given the significant role that it plays in human relations, its understanding should be seen as a top priority when acting in a multicultural environment especially that culture is "more often a source of conflict than of synergy" and generates differences that "are a nuisance at best and often a disaster" (Hofstede cited on (http://www.geert-hofstede.com).

Bibliography

Cooper, C.R., & Denner, J. (1998). Theories linking cultures and psychology: Universal and Community - Specific Processes. On the Internet at www.bridgingworlds.org/pdfs/1processes.pdf

Retrieved October 3, 2007.

Hofstede, G., & Hofstede, G.J. (2005). Cultures and Organizations. Software of the Mind. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Husted, B.W. (2001). The impact of individualism and collectivism on ethical decision making. On the Internet at: egade.itesm.mx/investigacion/documentos/documentos/4egade_husted.pdf Retrieved October 3, 2007.

McSweeney, B. (2002). Hofstede's model of national cultural differences and their consequences: a triumph of faith - a failure of analysis. Human Relations Journal, 55, 89-118.

Said, W. (1979). Orientalism. New York:Vintage.

Zhou, M. (2002). Continuation, Transition and Challenge

Collectivism in China after 1949. On the Internet at http://switch.sjsu.edu/nextswitch/switch_engine/front/front.php?artc=59Retrieved October 3, 2007.

Cultural relativism (2007). On the Internet at http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Cultural+relativismRetrieved October 3, 2007.

Hofstede's five cultural dimensions (2003). On the Internet at http://www.geert-hofstede.com/Retrieved October 3, 2007.

Transcript for the Think Tank talk-show Who Was Franz Boas (aired 1/25/2001). On the Internet at http://www.pbs.org/thinktank/transcript920.html. Retrieved October 3, 2007.