Cultural Environment Analysis (Essay Sample)

Cultural Environment Analysis ((Author's name) (Institution Affiliation) (Course) (Instructor) (Due Date) Nigerian Cultural Environment Hall's framework Hall's framework employs four cultural factors to analyze a country’s cultural environment. They include context, time, space, and information (Kittler, Rygl & Mackinnon, 2011). This framework is relevant in analyzing the Nigerian cultural environment for American investors looking to expand their foreign interest in Nigeria. Overall, Nigeria is a high-context culture. It is made up of hundreds of different ethnicities that uphold different cultural values. The Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo are prominent ethnic groups that hugely influence Nigeria's overall cultural environment (Mordi, 2017). Communication in Nigeria is usually indirect and heavily relies on non-verbal cues. Most Nigerians frequently use gestures while communicating and often hide their inner feelings, mostly dissatisfaction or confusion, by smiling (Ogbonna, 2010). Thus, their expression of reaction is mostly inward and reserved. Under Nigerian culture, family is held in high regard and viewed as the underlying reason for existence. Nigerians and Africans, in general, are typically polychronic. They prefer doing multiple things at a given time rather than focusing on a single task at a time. Nigerians value human interaction over material items and are also more flexible on time management. Therefore, the majority of Nigerians do not place greater emphasis on punctuality and are less concerned with deadlines. Instead, most Nigerians prefer working at their own pace (Ogbonna, 2010; Mordi, 2017). A polychronic culture can be problematic for foreign companies, especially when dealing with government officials that are notoriously known for having the least concern about time. Unlike western cultures, Nigerians have moderately low territoriality. Most Nigerians are less concerned about boundaries or sharing space, especially if they belong to the same ethnic group. Trompenaar’s cultural dimension Some of Tromponaar's cultural dimensions are relevant in analyzing the Nigerian cultural environment. The Nigerian culture is based on particularism, unlike American's, which is based on universalism (Carolina, 2019). This implies that they are keen on relationships rather than rules. Most Nigerians are more likely to fail to uphold certain rules for their family members or close friends, which explains the prevalence of nepotism in the private and public sectors. Like most high-context cultures, Nigerian culture is based on collectivistic ideals. Most of Nigeria live in communities where the occupants feel wanted (Mordi, 2017). Regardless of how wealthy a person is, he/she recognizes that he/she belongs to a particular community and participates in the progress of the said community (Ogbonna, 2010; Basabe & Ros, 2005). In addition, it is through a community that Nigerians take part in issues relating to religion, politics, and traditional activities performed by the community. As Ogbonna (2010) opines, a communal identity transcends an individual identity in Nigeria and this explains why individualism is not prevalent in the country. In addition, Nigeria is more neutral than an affective culture where people are less inclined to share their emotions. Most Nigerians rarely express their emotions since they are meant to be felt and hidden. Those in leadership positions are expected to control their emotions that may cloud their judgment. Challenges and opportunities for American investors As noted earlier, Nigeria is a polychronic culture in which human interaction is more highly regarded than time. Most Nigerians are less keen on time management and would rather perform multiple tasks at their own pace instead of focusing on a single task at a time (Mordi, 2017). Such an attitude can be problematic, especially for American investors. Among Americans, time is essential and plays a significant role in their business decision. In the Nigerian public sector, where government bureaucrats are known for not being time-conscious, American investors would find the interactions with the government a bit frustrating (Mordi, 2017). Additionally, the time management aspect would also challenge American investors, especially when dealing with local talents. Nonetheless, such challenges can easily be overcome. Nigeria is one of the most populous countries in Africa, with high literacy levels. Young people make up the largest proportion of the Nigerian population (Mordi, 2017). Most young Nigerians are enterprising and well exposed to modern technology due to high internet penetration in most parts of Nigeria. On top of that, Nigeria is an English-speaking country, and thus the fact there is no language barrier presents a great opportunity for American investors to take advantage of the local talent pool. As a collectivistic culture, Nigerian are usually loyal and respectful to their elders and superiors. Collectivistic cultures focus on what is good for a group, family, or even an organization (Kittler, Rygl & Mackinnon, 2011). Thus, collectivistic ideals are important in building a productive work culture, and this presents an opportunity for American investors keen on expanding in Nigeria. The investors can use Nigerian human resources to build a collectivistic work cul...