Cultural Differences Spring 2008 Global Engineering Seminar

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Agenda Week 8Global Engineering Professional Seminar

Accordion Folders: Please extract your POS envelopes and “cultural differences” hand-out.

Due today: Trip Reports—please attach checklist and place in accordion folders.

Discussion today: Cultural Differences and Values Frameworks

Due next week: Ethics analysis memo Picture Make-ups (+5 points): TODAY, after

class from 3:30 to 4:20 in Room 244. In class: Hofstede Values Survey Follow-up Job Fair with “Thank you’s”/”updates”!

Cultural Differences Spring 2008 Global Engineering Seminar

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“Profession” Defined

Lee Shulman, Stanford University andCarnegie Foundation: “The idea of ‘profession’

describes a special and unique set of circumstances for deep understanding, complex practice, ethical conduct, and higher-order learning.”

Historical professions: medicine, law, engineering

Contrast: the sciences of biochemistry and physics, and from reasoning systems such as philosophy or mathematics.

Professions address critical needs for society:health, justice, safety and productivity

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Steven Brint, In an Age of Experts, Princeton University Press:

Two components of professionalism:Technical: application of broad and

complex knowledge [requiring] formal academic study.

Moral: commitment to “important social ends…[and] demanding high levels of self-governance.”

Knowledge is not enough. Community is the core of professionalism.

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Professional engineering practice Examine problems—define problems,

design investigations, set up testing, make inferences.

Convey recommendations—propose possible solutions, address short falls—provide technical leadership.

Explain decisions—connect with diverse audiences, unpack issues—deliver professional expertise.

None of the above “answers” are in the back of the book.

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Documents deliver work:

Research mode: usually narrative as in lab report, thesis or journal article--problem first, followed by history of the investigation; conclusions with supporting arguments are last.

Applied mode: usually “top down” as in memo or proposal format—solution first, followed by reasons (arguments), e.g., evidence, limitations, perhaps also counter indications/cautions.

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Conventional Memo Format

Navigating directions: memo heading Reporting conventions: hierarchy,

headings, summary “up front”—contrast with “trip report” narrative organization.

Designed for specific purpose: single user (or similar users) processing entire text. Like letter — uses first person pronouns, Like report—uses structured formality

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Ethical Reasoning Assignment

Formalize your recommendation about the “ethical situation” for this semester in a formal memo that persuasively argues for that course of action (Limit: one page).

Resources: ASME Code, Decision Matrix, Cultural Difference Dimensions.

Due in class next week with checklist.

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Ethical Frameworks, revisited

Dilemmas require hierarchy, one value placed ahead of another.

Professionals are called upon to advocate, to lead, to argue for ethical solutions.

Engineers take on ethical obligations in the exercise of their profession. (The Challenger disaster is a case study in the extreme and oppositional pressures in organizations.)

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“Cultural Differences” Vocabulary

What is polite? “Mores” differ—impacts global mergers such as DaimlerChrysler—now, Daimler AG and Chrysler LLC.

What is right? “Morality” differs across cultures—along at least 5 major dimensions.

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Hofstede’s Five Dimensions

PDI: Power Difference Index IND: Individualism MAS/ACH: Achievement UAI: Uncertainty Avoidance Index LTO: Long-term Orientation (recent

addition)

VSM94: taps first four indexes. Please compare your own profile with other countries of interest to you. See: http://www.geert-hofstede.com!

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Continuum Perspective

IndividualistCollectivist

US UK F G R, I, S ME M A SEA/C

A-Africa, C-China, F-France, G-Germany, I-India, J-Japan, M-Mexico ME-Middle East, R-Russia, S-Spain, SEA-Southeast Asia, UK-United Kingdom, US, United States

Source: Craig Storti, Figuring Foreigners Out, Intercultural Press, 1998, p. 52.

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Hofstede: U.S. & China Profiles

http://www.geert-hofstede.com/PDI, IND, MAS/ACH, UAI, LTO