culture value

Values

can

be

defined

as

a

conception,

explicit

or

implicit,

distinctive

of

an

individual or characteristic of a group, of the desirable which influences the selection

from available modes, means, and ends of action. Values are a learned organization of

rules for making choices and for resolving conflicts. These roles and guideposts are

normative and teach us what is useful, good, right, wrong, what to strive for, how to

live our life, and even what to die for.

Values

are

useful

in

explaining

and

understanding

cultural

similarities

and

differences in behaviors; thus, understanding values and their cultural basis is helpful

for managers in international business. If they understand they understand how values

vary

from

culture

to

culture,

they

are

more

likely

to

accept

and

interpret

correctly

behavioral

differences.

This

acceptance

and

correct

interpretation,

in

turn,

enables

managers to interact effectively with others whose values and behaviors are different.

Every culture has its ways of doing things in daily life, such as ways of eating,

drinking, dressing, finding shelters, making friends, marrying, and dealing with death.

People have to learn the cultural ways of their community to satisfy their basic human

needs.

These

ways

are

not

something

that

people

in

the

group

are

born

with.

Instinctive behavior, on the other hand, is a pattern of behavior that an animal is born

with. Spiders spinning their webs is an example. The mother spider does not teach her

babies

how

to

spin

webs.

In

fact,

she

is

not

even

there

when

they

are

born.

Young

spiders know how to do it when they are born.

We have to remember that, most of the time, the different customs of different

cultures

are

neither

right

nor

wrong.

It

is

simply

that

different

people

do

things

in

different manners.

Although each of us has a unique set of values, there are also values that tend to

permeate

a culture. These are called cultural values.

1.1 Comparison between Chinese values and Western values

Many scholars have written about cultural differences between the West and the

East.

Among

these

differences

between

the

west

and

the

east,

three

are

highlighted

here:

cognition(

认知

),

relationship

with

nature(

与自然的关系

),

and

the

concept

of

truth(

对真理的认知

).

Western

people

are

said

to

incline

to

think

in

a

linear

fashion(

线形思维

). A cause leads to an effect. In Eastern culture, a cause can lead to

an effect and it can be an effect as well. Past, present and future are interconnected

and

affect

one

another(

多维思维

).

Western

culture

tends

to

be

oriented

toward

mastery over nature(

人定胜天

) while Eastern culture seeks harmony with nature(

和

谐共存

).

Regarding

the

concept

of

truth,

the

view

of

Western

culture

on

ultimate

truth or reality is based more on scientific and

empirical

explanation(

科学实证

) while

that of Eastern culture is based more on existing truth(

眼见为实

). Cultural differences

between

the

East

and

the

West

have

a

significant

impact

on

the

communication

behavior

and

pattern.

As

a

result

of

the

differences

in

cognition,

relationship

with

nature and the concept of truth, people from the West and the East are further different

in the following aspects.

Differences

in

expressing

gratitude.

The

Chinese

who

are

close

to

each

other

seldom express their gratitude(

表达感激

) in public or in words. A mother is busy in

the kitchen. She suddenly asks her son to fetch a bowl for her. Then the son does so.

The mother just continues cooking without any word of gratitude. Later at table, the

mother hands her son a bowl of rice. The son just takes it and begins eating without

any word of gratitude either. If such a situation happens in the United States, both the

mother and her son will say

the rice.

Differences in Symbolization(

象征，符号化

)

Symbolization is how people imagine

or

regard

something.

It

actually

reflects

the

way

people

think.

The

Chinese

and

Westerners are different in symbolizing. In the

APEC summit(

峰会

)

held in Shanghai

in 2001, with the closing day coming, Presidents from all over the world were invited

to wear the traditional Chinese Tang suits for a photo together. The Tang suits were

ready,

and

then

the

Presidents

were

asked

to

choose

the

colors

of

the

suits

by

themselves. However, it was quite interesting to find that most of the Easterners chose

red while most of the Westerners preferred blue. Red means luck and fortune in most

Eastern cultures but stands for blood, revolution in the West. Blue means something

noble or significant in the Western culture.

Differences in attitudes toward women.

The Chinese and Westerners are different in

attitudes toward women.

respectable elderly gentleman is having dinner with a young lady in a restaurant. In

China, it is normally the elderly man who gets the service first, because hierarchy is

prevalent

in China and it is the elderly or the superior who is supposed to get special

respect. But in the West, it is likely the young lady who is first served because of their

1.2 Comparison between Chinese values and American values

It is true that Chinese people and American people enjoy different cultures, which

influence their life, customs and behaviors, beliefs and values, aesthetic and interest.

The

following is

going to provide us with

a better understanding of the

differences

between Chinese and American cultures.

Differences

in

friendship.

Friendship

means

a

lot

to

the

Chinese.

There

is

a

Chinese saying:

with someone, they will try all their efforts to make the friendship as close as possible,

and keep him as a lifelong friend. Lifelong friends feel deeply obligated to give each

other whatever help might be required. Americans, however, change their friends and

acquaintances

over

time

and

have

limited

mutual

obligation.

They

will

try

to

help

their friends in difficulty with some advice but avoid making a decision for them.

Differences in time consciousness.

The Chinese relatively pay more attention to

the past. They cherish old classmates and friends. If they happen to visit a city, they

will squeeze their time to have a get-together with friends there. Americans usually

are

less

interested

in

the

past.

Instead,

they

focus

on

what

is

going

on

for

the

time

being. They believe that life is like a fast moving train. If you miss it, you are out of

date.

Differences in conception of the self.

The Chinese are collectivist(

集体主义者

),

placing

high value on

group cooperation and individual

modesty. So many Chinese

are

used

to

beginning

their

English

conversation

with

“

My

English

is

poor.

”

Americans

are

ind ividualist(

个人主义者

),

placing

high

value

on

self- reliance

and

freedom

from

externally

imposed

constraints(

< br>外界约束

).

At

the

beginning

of

a

presentation, the American will say:

value to anybody present.

Differences in approaches to tasks.

The Chinese are relationship- oriented. They

often maintain a harmonious relationship with some people, which has priority over

accomplishing tasks. They don't care as much about schedules or timelines. Meetings

may run long. Americans are task-oriented. They focus on a scheduled timeline and

would like to do one thing at a time. In their opinion, relationships are less important

than getting the work done.

Differences

in

social

relationships.

The Chinese have formal

and hierarchical