2.4 Interpersonal relations
All of the issues discussed in the previous section are relevant to the domain of interpersonal relations, but in this section we deal with issues which are entirely personal yet are strongly influenced by the prevailing culture. One of these issues, respect for authority, was raised in the previous section in the context of decision making.
In some societies, Western societies in particular, authority is viewed from a democratic/participative perspective. The 'boss' is seldom regarded as omnipotent, and decentralisation of decision making is feasible. In other societies, particularly Islamic ones, authority is highly respected and subordinates are not expected to question their superiors. In these societies, centralism is the norm and there is little delegation of authority.
Individuality, competitiveness and aggressiveness are valued in some societies (for example, the US and Australia ); but in other societies these characteristics are less acceptable. The aggressiveness valued by US-style management is often interpreted in Asian cultures as denoting a lack of concern for one's associates: modesty and patience are, on the whole, preferred.
Openness, honesty and frankness are also characteristics more highly valued in (mainly) Western cultures. One of the related consequences of these characteristics is a tolerance of criticism. In other cultures, politeness is valued above truthfulness. In such countries, 'constructive' criticism is likely to be construed as a personal insult.
In many countries the concept of the extended family still exists and this concept often extends to the workplace. Managerial and other key positions are held by family members (nepotism) and business goals may be subordinated to the interests of the family. Nepotism will often provide less than optimal competence in key positions, but managers of international businesses should be aware of the power of families and especially of the power of the family patriarch or matriarch.
In the next section, we move beyond interpersonal relations and discuss the social structures in which they occur.
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