Reflective learning log Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Reflective learning log - Essay Example 62). The first part of the article talks about how to put culture into context and is largely based on the work created by Geert Hofstede, described as a "Dutch academic". Hofstede believed that culture is "learned and not inherited" and that it is "somewhere between an individuals unique personality and human nature" (p. 63). Hofstede saw that there were several layers where culture is related to other people in a "mental programming activity". He describes the inner layer as the organization where an individual works, and an outer layer that is the countries or country where an individual lives or has lived. These factors create the first aspects of how people will get along in a leadership capacity. Social class, gender, age, ethnicity and religion are factors that will influence leadership in addition to the others. From this standpoint, the chapter begins to define "organizational culture" and how peel are more apt to define this as "the way we do things around here." (p. 64). There are several theories within this process. Schien suggests that leadership is responsible for the creation, management and sometimes destruction of organizational culture (p. 65). This section of the chapter describes how organizational culture is molded and shaped by different leaders as they also explore culture in the context of what Hofstede sees culture and they attempt to merge the two. The next part of the chapter explores the concept of how organizational culture relates to individuals versus groups in lieu of their own ethnic culture. They begin with a study of individualism and collectivism that explains the difference between groups who only are concerned with the individual versus those who are more socially oriented. They suggest that they way that these two differ may be due to how an individual or group perceives