Teaching managers about culture

Managers need to be able to understand and use cultural concepts to manage different work groups, to handle organizational change and to operate in the international marketplace. Most managers find it difficult to handle formal models of organizational culture because they lack exposure to the disciplines whose paradigms structure such models and because they lack a language and practice in discussing cultural concepts in the workplace. Presents data on a survey of young managers′ability to apply cultural concepts. Argues that it may be more effective to teach managers about culture using an educational paradigm which focuses on experience than one focusing on the transmission of knowledge. Suggests a number of innovative approaches to teaching culture using the former approach.