Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Social-level Integration
Milton Gordon presented seven dimensions to analyze the societal/cultural integration of
people.
1. Form of acculturation
2. Degree of structural assimilation
3. Degree of informal relations
4. Degree of prejudice
5. Degree of discrimination
6. Degree of identification with the dominant group
7. Degree of inter-group conflict (especially over the balance of power)
(1) Acculturation:
A method by which cultural differences between the dominant culture and any minority
culture groups are resolved or treated. Most prominent ways are:
Unilateral is a process by which minority culture members adopt the norms and
values of the dominant group in the organization (assimilation).
Pluralism is a process by which both minority and majority culture members
adopt some norms of the other group. In this approach minority culture members
are encouraged to enact behavior from their alternative culture as well as majority
culture (i.e. able to retain a sense of identity).
There is another way cultural separation, in which there is little adaptation on
either side.
(2) Structural Integration:
It refers to the presence of persons from different cultural groups in a single organization.
The workforce profile data has typically been monitored under traditional equal
opportunity and affirmative action guidelines.
(3) Informal Integration:
It recognizes that important work related contacts are often made outside of normal
working hours and in various social activities and organizations. It also includes the
mentoring and other informal developmental relationship in organizations.
(4) Cultural Bias:
It has two components.
1. Prejudice refers to negative attitude toward an organization member based on his/her
culture group identity. Prejudice may occur among minority culture members as well as
among dominant culture members but the impacts of prejudice by majority culture
members are far greater than that of minority culture group. Why?
2. Discrimination refers to observable adverse behavior for minority. It can be personal
or institutional. The institutional discrimination refers to ways organizational culture and
management practices may unintentionally disadvantage members of minority group.
Types of Organizations
1. Monolithic Organizations
2. Plural Organizations
3. Multicultural Organizations
1. Monolithic Organizations
2. Plural Organizations
3. Multicultural organization