Homework 2, Interview Guide: 

 

This assignment helps you focus on an important course goal–cultural values and how they may influence communication expectations for a manager and leader. It serves as a cornerstone to several course learning objectives.  

 

The assignment has a series of DUE Dates.  See the LEO link for the schedule.

 

What are the reasons for different due dates?  SEE Section at the end of this guide.

 

Assignment Page Length:  Expect to write 5 or more pages.  Page length is NOT a requirement of the assignment, but gathering, reporting, and analyzing information are. 

 

 

 

Choosing Your Interviewee

 

Prepare yourself to do an interview of a colleague, whose early life/childhood was spent in a very different location.  For instance, if you lived your early childhood in Nigeria, then you might want to interview a colleague or friend from the Caribbean or the USA–or somewhere else, but do not interview someone from Nigeria.  If you were born in the US, then you might ask a work or class mate from Nigeria, or the Caribbean or a place other than the USA.   If you are a part of a family that immigrated to the US, interview someone who is not from the country of your family.

 

If you are in the military or with a contracting group, and have a top security clearance, then email me to discuss your interview plans.

 

Do not interview your boss or a direct report—the existing work relationships make it difficult to complete the assignment.   Do not interview a very close friend because you are likely to skip some ideas due to being familiar.

 

Consider choosing a classmate in this course.  You then can exchange interview information quickly.  Note:  Interviewing a classmate is not required.

 

Your choice of interviewee is important to being successful in this assignment.  If you have questions about the differences between your childhood location and the person you are thinking about interviewing, then send me an email (linda.smith@umuc.edu)

 

Do NOT complete your interview by email.  Use f2f, phone or an online chat.  (LEO has a personal chat option). 

 

 

 

Adler’s book, Chapter 3 helps you think about exactly how to gather information about culture from the person you are interviewing.  Read carefully.  To make the questions more concise and easier to use, they are adapted and listed here.  Please use the questions below to make notes about comments from the interview on the following topics:  Career Advancement, Family Background and Cultural awareness.

 

Survey 1 Adapted from Adler (2008) pages 88-89.

 

 

 

Career Advancement:

 

1. What type of education did your interviewee receive?  Public?  Private?  Were the schools led by a religious-based group?  In comparing education, how does your interviewee describe his or her education to peers—others in the community in which s/he grew up?  Was it similar?  Better?  

 

1. Does your interviewee have advanced degrees?  Describe.

 

1. Why did your interviewee choose his or her profession?  Is this profession similar to what his or her father/mother had for a career? Similar field?  Does your interviewee consider the profession to be one that leads to success?

 

1. What are the reasons your interviewee works?  Does s/he work to enjoy family life, rewards that earnings bring—work to live?  Does s/he work to have a sense of self-worth, be seen as a responsible member of society –live to work?

 

1. What does your interviewee see as important to career advancement?  Being loyal to current employment—careful attention to directives from superiors?  Being innovative and proposing ideas?  Having special expertise? 

 

1. At work, does your interviewee work with people from different backgrounds?  How does that diversity impact work?  Is diversity seen as a resource, or is diversity seen as something not discussed?

 

RETURN to the questions above and make notes about how you see your career advancement.  To revise the questions, use the word “you” instead of “your interviewee”. An example of using the questions for your answers:  “What type of education did you receive?  Public? Private? Were the schools led by a religious group?  How do you see your education in comparison to your peers?”  Answer all the questions for yourself that are a part of this section.

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

Family Background:

 

1. How large a family does your interviewee come from?  How many brothers and sisters does s/he have?  Is your interviewee the oldest?  The youngest?

 

1. Is your interviewee married?  Whom did s/he marry?  Was it an arranged marriage?  Does the husband’s family influence decisions made by the interviewee/spouse…such as where the interviewee lives today? 

 

1. Does your interviewee have children?  How many?  How does your interviewee describe being a parent of children—very close, very important, etc.   What is the responsibility your interviewee believes s/he must hold for being a loving parent?

 

1. When describing family life, who is included?  Immediate family?  Extended family—aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings of other marriages?  How often does the family gather?  Does the interviewee consider family to be very important?  In what ways?

 

 

 

Economic Indicators:

 

1. What is the socio-economic status of the family?  Are they among the wealthiest?  The poorest?  Did the interviewee’s parents inherit family wealth or earn it? How?  Is the family highly regarded by the community? What are the reasons your interviewee believes this respect is given to his/her family?

 

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1. What type of home does your interviewee live in today?  Is it similar in economic status to his/her parents?

 

 

 

 

 

RETURN to the questions above and make notes about how you see your family background and economic indicators. To revise the questions, use the word “you” instead of “your interviewee”. An example of using the questions for your answers:  “How large a family do you come from?  How many brothers and sisters do you have?”  Answer all the questions for yourself that are a part of this section.

 

 

 

 

 

Cultural Background:

 

 

 

1. Is your interviewee’s culture closely tied to a religious faith?  What faith?  How important is that religion to your interviewee? 

 

1. Does your interviewee speak more than one language?  What languages?  What’s the importance of speaking more than one language from your interviewee’s view?

 

1. What does your interviewee think about your culture?  What does s/he see as strengths of your culture? 

 

1. What annoys your interviewee about your country’s culture?  Is this a weakness?

 

1. In what ways does your interviewee see your country as being ahead of his or hers?  In what ways does s/he see his or her culture having advantages over your country’s?

 

 

 

RETURN to the questions above and make notes about how you see aspects of culture that form a background of beliefs. Answer all the questions for yourself that are a part of this section.

 

 

 

 For questions #4 and #5, ask yourself how you see the background culture of your interviewee.  Were there some assumptions you had about that culture?

 

 

 

 

 

SURVEY 2:

 

 Values related to Society (Country) Culture:  Use of Hofstede– Both Interviewee and You (Interviewer) Complete.  You may want to give your interviewee a written copy of the questions below.

 

You will find the country scores using this web link:  http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html

 

Rate values 2x, indicating replies for both your interviewee and yourself.  Value categories are:  power distance, individualism-collectivism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and pragmatism/future orientation.

 

Adapted from Northouse (2013) pages 415-420, and research from Hofstede.  In determining ratings, read each question—ranking scale varies to assist in clarifying operating cultural values.

 

 

 

 

 

Power Distance:

 

 

 

In my culture, direct reports/workers/staff are expected to:

 

• obey superiors

 

1(rarely)       2      3      4      5 (consistently)

 

 

 

 

 

In my culture, power is concentrated or held at the top level of society

 

1 (rarely)      2      3      4      5 (consistently by few people)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In my culture people believe they can question superiors about assignments

 

1 (often)        2      3      4      5 (rarely)

 

 

 

In my culture people believe they can disagree with superiors

 

1 (often)        2      3      4      5 (rarely)

 

 

 

 

 

In my culture, power is shared easily throughout the society

 

1 (by many successful people)   2      3      4      5 (highly dependent on luck)

 

 

 

Total points and enter:

 

Interviewee’s score: _____

 

Your score:  ______

 

_____ check here if Different by 3 or more points.

 

 

 

Research Hofstede website for country scores:

 

Hofstede Power distance score (interviewee’s country)_____

 

Hostede  Power Distance score (interviewer- your country)_____

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INDIVIDUALISM-Collectivism

 

 

 

In my culture people believe that self-reliance is central to achieving success.

 

 

 

1 (widely accepted)2      3      4      5 (varies)

 

 

 

My culture is one that holds a concern for others as being a top priority.

 

1 (widely believed) 2      3      4      5 (varies, depending on relationship)

 

 

 

In my culture children seek to follow the wisdom of their parents and often have careers and adult lives that are similar.

 

1(most often)     2      3      4      5 (not so often, rarely)

 

 

 

My culture encourages group loyalty, even when individual goals differ.

 

1(seldom)  2        3      4      5 (widely accepted practice for success)

 

 

 

The economic system of my culture reinforces individual action.

 

1      2      3      4      5 (widely adhered to)

 

 

 

Total points and enter:

 

Interviewee’s score: _____

 

Your score:  ______

 

  _____ check here if Different by 3 or more points.

 

The higher the score, the more likely are values to be INDIVIDUALISTIC.

 

The lower the score, the more likely are values to be COLLECTIVE.

 

 

 

Research Hofstede website for country scores:

 

 

 

Hofstede Individualism score (interviewee’s country)_____

 

Hostede  Individualism score (interviewer- your country)_____

 

Note:  If the Individualism score is below 50, then the country’s culture will be more group-oriented, or collective.

 

 

 

 

 

MAS (Masculine, with attitudes supporting competition to achieve success)

 

 

 

In my culture, people are assertive to assure achievement.

 

1(rarely)       2      3      4      5 (most of the time)

 

 

 

In my culture, managers succeed when they demonstrate toughness.

 

1(rarely)       2      3      4      5 (most of the time)

 

 

 

In my culture it is ok to demonstrate compassion or tenderness.

 

1 (much of the time) 2    3      4      5 (rarely)

 

 

 

In my culture, positions of leadership are more easily gained by men.

 

1(gender makes no difference) 2      3      4      5 (much of the time)

 

 

 

In my culture, people are rewarded for performance results.

 

1(performance is one of many variables) 23      4      5 (top priority)

 

 

 

Total points and enter:

 

Interviewee’s score: _____

 

Your score:  ______

 

 _____ check here if Different by 3 or more points

 

 

 

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