För svenska företag som har ambitionen att expandera internationellt är Tyskland en av de närmast större marknaderna. Då svenska och tyska marknaden har olika förutsättningar vad gäller politik, lagstiftning, ekonomi samt kultur, ställs företag inför utmaningar när det kommer till hur de bör styra och leda sina tyska dotterbolag. I vår studie har vi valt att undersöka hur det svenska detaljhandelsföretaget Stadium styr sitt tyska dotterbolag i förhållande till sitt svenska samt granska vilka utmaningar som följer av att implementera kontrollmekanismerna i Tyskland. Vi ämnar även undersöka ifall utmaningarna kan härledas till de av Hofstede beskrivna kulturskillnaderna mellan länderna. De kontrollmekanismer vi undersöker i studien har vi valt att benämna centralisering, byråkratiska styrmedel och kulturell kontroll. Resultatet är inhämtad genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med personer som innehar ledande befattningar i dotterbolagen samt med personer ur moderbolagets företagsledning. Det visar att Stadium valt att ha samma styrmedel i båda ländernas dotterbolag men att det har inneburit utmaningar för ledarna i det tyska dotterbolaget. Framförallt har den tyska personalens syn på hierarki, ledarskapspreferenser och attityder till regler och rutiner påverkat arbetet med Stadiums kontrollmekanismer på den tyska marknaden.

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between national culture and organizational innovation, sustainable leadership (SL), and leaders’ consideration of future consequences (CFC), based on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. An online survey was developed and sent out to employees of private organizations located in Greece and Sweden. Analysis of the data collected from 133 participants indicated that: (a) national culture is marginally significantly associated to perceived workplace innovation; (b) national culture is not significantly related to SL based on employees’ perceptions; and (c) national culture is not significantly related to perceived leaders’ CFC. Contrary to previous research that examined the culture-innovation relationship on a national level, the results of this study suggest that national culture is not strongly related to organizational level innovation, although it is significantly related to two of its examined dimensions: creativity and lack of organizational impediments. Moreover, the results indicated that SL and leaders’CFC are not significantly related to national culture, although four of the dimensions of SL varied significantly between the two examined countries. Practical implications, limitations of the study and future suggestions are discussed.

<p><strong>Syftet: </strong>Syftet med denna uppsats är att se till de kulturella skillnaderna mellan Sverige och Ryssland. Utifrån Hofstedes fem dimensioner, kompletterat med Trompenaars studie, vill vi se om en förändring har skett i Rysslands kultur och hur etablerade företag på den ryska marknaden uppfattar Ryssland.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Metod: </strong>Studien är kvalitativ och utifrån en deduktiv ansats. Primärdatainsamling har gjorts med hjälp av tre respondenter samt har en sekundärdataanalys gjorts för att insamla empirin som sedan har analyserats utifrån det teoretiska perspektivet.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Teoretiska perspektiv: </strong>Uppsatsens teoretiska utgångspunkt är utifrån Hofstedes fem dimensionsmodeller av nationell kultur samt av Fons Trompenaars sex dimensioner som ett komplement till Hofstedes undersökning.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Resultat: </strong>Resultatet av vår primärdata och sekundärdataanalys visar på att de kulturella skillnader som finns mellan Sverige och Ryssland i stor utsträckning beror på historiens utformning av människors värderingar. Historian influerar mycket på hur ett lands kultur gestaltas. Värderingar tar tid att förändra och på grund av det återfinns mycket av kommunismens tankesätt i dagens Ryssland.</p><p> </p>

This thesis investigates the effect of individual countries' cultural character- istics on macroeconomic stability. Macroeconomic stability is a general con- cept that comprises the stable development of several economic parameters - inflation, government budget, external debt, gross domestic product, and oth- ers. The mainstream economics investigates these indicators usually as being shaped only by wealth, political stability and institutions. However recently, the economic literature reveals the relationship between some of the individ- ual cultural characteristics - mainly trust - and macroeconomic (in)stability. This thesis is the first attempt to analyze the effect of complex set of cultural characteristics on macroeconomic stability. Through the lens of panel data re- gression it is shown that the macroeconomic stability is significantly affected by cultural characteristics. In particular, more individualistic countries tend to have lower macroeconomic stability. Furthermore, in countries where people feel stronger fear about uncertainty the macroeconomic stability is also weaker. On the contrary from the previous studies, the positive effect of higher trust on macroeconomic stability is not confirmed. JEL Classification C33, E03, Z10, Z19 Keywords Macroeconomic stability, Cultural economics,...

In the recent decades a new type of economic system based on collaborative consumption has increased in popularity. The new cost competitive model challenges the traditional business model that has fueled the hyper consumption, which the 20th century is known for. This research focuses on how national cultures impact the development of this new economic system, in order to understand how much people of different cultures are willing to share. A conceptual model was created to try to understand cultural influence on sharing. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions have been used to measure and compare the empirical data, that was collected through five focus groups representing four different countries: Sweden, France, China and United States. Out of the six cultural dimensions, it was found that the indulgence dimension together with power distance might influence people’s willingness to share. Indulgence was also found to explain socialization as a motivational factor together with power distance and long-term orientation. In conclusion, four different sharing sectors were analyzed, and it was found that transportation and clothing was considered shareable, disregarding national culture. Accommodation might be dependent on national culture since the focus groups that were supposed to be indulgent showed resistance to share, while the restraint groups showed a greater willingness. Technology was not considered shareable by any group. Furthermore, three motivational factors, that might be depend on national culture, was identified. These are environment, socialization and technology. An additional four motivational factors were identified, but these might be independent of national culture. These four are personal, economical, trust/safety and convenience. Lastly, additional findings showed that similar genders have similar willingness to share across cultures which makes it a topic of interest for future research.

Då uppsatsförfattarna tillbringade en termin som utbytesstudenter på Hogeschool Inholland i Rotterdam, Nederländerna uppstod ett intresse för kulturella skillnader mellan länder. Författarna, som i grund och botten anser att Nederländerna och Sverige är två relativt lika länder, stötte med jämna mellanrum på diverse kommentarer gällande kvinnors situation i arbetslivet, vilket gjorde att uppmärksamhet riktades mot det området. Uppsatsen syftar med det här som bakgrund till att utveckla de tankegångar som väcktes under tiden i Nederländerna och svara på frågan:”Hur skiljer sig upplevelsen av att vara kvinna på revisionsbyrå i Sverige respektive Nederländerna?”Diskussionen kring frågeställningen förs med sex intervjuer som underlag, tre genomförda i Nederländerna och tre i Sverige på revisionsbyrån Öhrlings PricewaterhouseCoopers. Utgångspunkten för de samtal som fördes med respondenterna ligger i Hofstedes teorier om kulturella dimensioner. Det insamlade empiriska materialet har bearbetats narrativt och sammanställts i en fiktiv mailkonversation.Syftet med uppsatsen är att lyfta fram tankar och attityder kring frågeställningen och locka till reflektion hos läsaren. Processen har präglats av ett hermeneutiskt förhållningssätt och en abduktiv ansats. En kvalitativ metod genomsyrar studien och datainsamlingen skedde genom kvalitativa intervjuer, vilket bidragit till att det är respondenters egna åsikter och attityder kring frågeställningen som framförs.Tre områden har visat på skillnader länderna emellan. Det första området gäller den så kallade ”up-or-out” kulturen, vilken innebär att avancera eller lämna företaget. Den här kulturen har stor påverkan på medarbetarna i Nederländerna, men kan inte sägas förekomma i Sverige. I Nederländerna är det inte accepterat att stanna på en viss hierarkisk nivå, utan den anställde måste hela tiden sträva uppåt. I Sverige är det godtaget att välja att bli kvar på en viss nivå och inte ha avancemang som främsta karriärsmål.Det andra området handlar om hur mycket tid som läggs ner på arbetsrelaterade aktiviteter utöver direkta arbetsuppgifter. Överlag verkar ett heltidsarbete på revisionsbyrå innebära fler timmar än de 40 timmar per vecka som är praxis. Utöver det här ansåg respondenterna i Nederländerna att det var viktigt för karriären att spendera en del av sin fritid på arbetsrelaterade aktiviteter. Syftet med det är att skaffa sig ett brett nätverk, vilket är viktigt för möjligheten till snabbt avancemang.Det tredje området rör möjligheten att kombinera karriär och familjebildande. Under forskningsprocessen har det framkommit att i allmänhet anser inte de kvinnor vi talat med att deras kön påverkar det dagliga arbete något nämnvärt. Ett område skiljer dock länderna åt. Kvinnorna i Nederländerna tvingas, på grund av regelverk och attityder kring föräldraledighet, i många fall välja mellan karriär och familjebildande. I Sverige upplevs det ej som om valet att bilda familj utesluter möjligheten att göra karriär.Det är författarnas förhoppning att uppsatsen ska locka till reflektion och eftertanke hos läsaren. Vi hoppas även att vi genom vår framställning av det empiriska materialet kan bidra till ett alternativt synsätt på frågeställningen. / Uppsatsnivå: D

The aim of this thesis "American cultural standards" is the identification and explanation of cultural standards typical for American culture and the creation of practical guide of Work and Travel program. American cultural standards are defined according to the interviews with Czech participants in the program Work and Travel USA and my own experience. The cultural standards clearly and concisely indicate the essential differences between American and Czech culture. The thesis also includes advice and recommendations for more effective communication with Americans. The thesis also contains an introduction into intercultural management and methodology of cultural dimensions and standards and their most popular representatives. The thesis is recommended to all who want to be more familiar with American culture or who plan to cooperate with the Americans. The thesis will be most useful for students who plan to participate in the program Work and Travel USA.

The quest to comprehend how cultural differences can impact learning is one of those intriguing challenges that continue to beguile some scholars and educational leaders even at a time that is characterized as globalized. This dissertation is a qualitative case study about teaching to culturally diverse populations and is primarily based on the interviews of seven accountants designated as instructors and the direct observation of those instructors while teaching accounting principles to other accountants. The English language was used despite the fact that all participants, including the instructors, spoke English as a second or third language and came from diverse cultures around the world. It brings to light how an American company (American World Trade or AWT) felt they succeeded in teaching to the diverse population of students though not purposely providing accommodations for the diverse cultural differences in the classroom. During the year 2009, AWT took the materials USU developed around the world and presented conferences in regional offices of Bangkok, Budapest, Santo Domingo, Pretoria, and San Salvador. The pilot study interviews took place at the end of 2009. This study was based on the conference that took place in February 2010 in which 16 of the 70 countries were represented. This dissertation does several things: First, it looks at the cultural dimensions of students and instructors from 16 different countries, in an international setting, and examines if lack of knowledge about cultural dimensions and accommodating for them could interfere with learning. Second, it looks at the strategies and behaviors used by the instructors who were not knowledgeable of cultural dimensions to reveal if they were unconsciously adapting their teaching for the culturally diverse. Third, this study offers an in-depth look at several additional factors, including cultural intelligence (CQ), which could explain their ostensible teaching successes.

The research recorded in this thesis examined the experience of eight foreign teachers who have taken up residence in China as teachers of oral English language. The study grew out of my reflections on my own challenging, yet rewarding, journey as an international student in New Zealand, and aimed to investigate and unfold the reality of foreigners living and working experience under the influence of traditional Chinese culture, specifically in Pan Yu district, Guang Zhou City, Guang Dong Province. I was interested to find the cultural differences that the teachers struggled to accept or understand. I wondered whether the foreign teachers would reshape their personal beliefs and values, especially about teaching, because of the cultural differences they encountered in China. A sample of eight foreign teachers, from Australia, America, Canada and New Zealand, took part in semi-structured interviews in which I hoped to capture critical incidents in their inter-cultural experience. I was also able to undertake two observations of classroom practice. The data collected was then analysed using Boyatzis' (1998) system of thematic analysis. The research found that participants had similar experiences during their residence in China. For instance, the majority of participants showed a long period of cultural adoption and they all defined their experience as challenging. All participants refused to reshape their moral beliefs about teaching in response to traditional Chinese culture, but that they all, to some extent, eventually adjusted to a Chinese way of thinking. However, issues that direct connected to their own cultural heritage remained unchanged. An interpretation of the findings was that perhaps, on one hand, while the environment and cultural difference initiated various forms of difficulties, on the other hand, participants are trying to reset their personal limits. Most likely, their desire to introduce their Chinese students to a different style of learning convinced them to hold on to personal beliefs about effective teaching and learning, hoping to pass this on to a new generation of Chinese. My research, however, focused on only very small proportion of foreign teachers in China. Further research should be pursued with an expanded focus, to find the potential of the implementation of cultural awareness programmes and support groups for foreigner.

<p>The main objective of this thesis is to understand why there is imbalance of exchange students of Sweden and Thailand. We have analyzed the interviewed data of Swedish students who had experience of studying at universities in Thailand. Our research has revealed the factors and issues behind the imbalance situation. After analyzing factors we have proposed some recommendations in order to improve the pedagogy to increase the number of Swedish students deciding to study at Universities in Thailand so that the exchange imbalance could be reduced. Furthermore, we have proposed a favor product package for Swedish students that can help them to decide to study in Thailand.</p>