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Individualism and Collectivism Its historic development and its relationship to other characteristics of human behaviour

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Why collectivism is related to bureaucracy? Administration processes are efficient when individuals in a particular system are encouraged and are willing to take initiatives and make decisions. This is not the case in highly collective systems, leading to heavy and slow bureaucracy.

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Why is Individualism related to Economic Strength? Countries with a higher degree of individualism tend to have also a higher GDP per capita. This is probably attributed to the circular effect that societies breeding individualism benefit financially from the high performance and productivity of their individuals which are in turn get motivation and incentives to perform though the high compensations that the system can afford and is ready to pay them.

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Intellectual property rights and individualism

The practice of copying is deeply embedded in societies with collective cultures (compared to the western individualistic and particularly Anglo-Saxon countries, where intellectual property is highly respected).The value placed on learning by the Confucian social philosophy, combined with the traditional art of "learning-by-watching" practiced in many eastern cultures, creates an environment which is very fertile to copying. Copying is not considered a criminal or unethical act in highly collective cultures. They do not understand what all the fuss is about in the West. An idea emerging out humanity belongs to the humanity, to the collective, and not to an individual person or organisation.

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Power

Distance China West Africa

Indonesia Venezuela

Malaysia Panama

High Bangladesh Ecuador

Serbia Guatemala

Greece Iran

Spain Turkey

Poland South Africa

Medium Czech Rep. Brazil

Croatia Uruguay

Luxembourg Jamaica

Malta

United States New Zealand

Great Britain Denmark

Ireland Norway

Low Canada Sweden

Australia Netherlands

Switzerland

Low Medium High Individualism

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Loyalty between foreign and local partners

In Western European countries, we rely on written and unwritten rules, norms and practices that traditionally apply to our business environment. We are inclined to believe and trust organizations and systems . In Eastern countries loyalty tends to be connected to personal relation between individuals. The weaker the legal framework and systemic security is, the greater the focus on personal relations.

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Different perceptions of what an agreement is

The perception of what a signed agreement means is fundamentally different in Europe / North America and Asia. In the West , in our "written-word-culture", an agreement constitutes irrevocable stipulations of our duties and rights for the period of the agreement's validity. For our eastern partner, the agreement tends to be just only an understanding of our intentions. If some surrounding conditions change, then it is understood that the matter must be reconsidered. Confucianism which is the underlying philosophy of collectivism avoids law and is more oriented towards trust and interpersonal relationships.

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Mythology (900-800BC) The creation and celebration of many heroes in the Greek mythology was a sign of the strongly developing individualism.

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Olympics (776 BC) The birth of the Olympics and the celebration of individual champions was an obvious sign of rising individualism. In the Olympics, the athletes competed naked in order to better exhibit the perfection of their bodies.

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All sports were individual sports (no team sports)

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Olympics included also the most individualistic of all sports: boxing

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An Olympics victor received a crown made from olive leaves, and was entitled to have a statue of him set up at Olympia. He was treated much like a highly important celebrity by his home city. It was common for victors to receive benefits such as having all their meals at public expense or front-row seats at the theatre and other public festivals. One city even built a private gym for their Olympic wrestling champion to exercise in.

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Democracy (Solon 638 BC)

The birth of Democracy, which is a guarantor for respecting individual rights, is perhaps the most obvious sign of increasing individualism.

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Protagoras (490-420 BC) Relativism. Each man is the standard and judge of what is true for himself. All truth is relative to the individual that holds it. Individualism was found another voice.

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Epicurus (341-270 BC) Every person is fully responsible for his own happiness; every person has to cope with his own future without deporting responsibility to gods. A further step towards strengthening individualism.

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Stoicism (Zeno 333-264)

Emphasis on self-control and self-responsibility; both virtues encourage individualism.

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Socrates (470-399 BC)

Challenged governments that did not meet ideals, thus enhancing the individual freedom of mind.

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Aristotle (384-322 BC)

Though developing modern dialectic theories and techniques (“Ethos“, “Logos“ and “Pathos”) he contributed to enhancing the capacity of individuals to communicate their opinions.

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Science

People started not being satisfied with given religious answers and searched to understand nature on their own; another step towards individualism. Examples: Aristarchus (310-230 BC): The earth rotates around the sun (and not the sun around the earth). Democritus(460-370): Matter consists of tiny particles (atoms)

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Aesthetics in Art

The development of aesthetics and erotic in art in the Hellenistic period and the positive perception of the human body was a sign of a move to add more value to the individual.

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Hittitian Sculpture

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Egyptian Sculpture

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Greek Sculpture – Aphrodite from Milos

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Egyptian Pharaonic Sculpture

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Mesopotamian Sculpture

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Greek Sculpture – Hermes from Praxiteles

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First signatures of signatures on Greek sculptures; the beginning of IPR individualism?

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The relation of individualism to ancient Greek religion As compared to other major civilizations of antiquity, the ancient Greek society was not very religious. They did not use a term for "religion" in the sense that the gods exercise authority over the destiny of human beings and demand recognition as a condition for salvation. They were engaged in some kind of religious doings but in a loose way which did not imply the existence of any authoritative set of "beliefs." Indeed, the Greeks did not use a word for "belief" in either of the two senses familiar to the world today. There was no single truth about the gods. Although the different Greek peoples all recognized the 12 major gods residing in mount Olympus, in different locations these gods had such different histories with the local peoples as often to make them rather distinct gods or goddesses. There was also no single true way to live in dealing with the gods. The lines between divinity and humanity were often ambiguous. Gods sired children upon human women and goddesses bore the children of human lovers. The mythical story of Zeus's metamorphosis to a Taurus and seduction of Europe is one of the most typical examples. All in all, there was no "dogma" or "theology" in the Greek tradition, no "heresy", possibility of "schism", or any other social phenomenon articulated according to the background orientation to a codified order of religious understanding. Such variety in Greek religion is closely related to the overall development and history of the Greek civilization. The non-existence of highly prescriptive religion at the time gave space for the development of the ancient Greek individualism. As Greeks did not inherit stringently normalized sets of beliefs they were "freer" for searching by themselves for truth and knowledge, which has lead to the marvelous scientific development at the time; in astronomy, physics, mathematics, medicine, etc. Further, lack of prescribed social behavior by religion enhanced their sense of responsibility which led to taking initiatives in developing civic codes and systems for administrating their society.

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This coin depicts a scene from a mosaic in Sparta (third century AD), showing Europa being abducted by Zeus, who has taken the form of a bull. Europa is a figure from Greek mythology after whom Europe was named.

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Middle Ages (400-1453AD)

After Europe's Christianisation individualism lost its momentum. Strongly imposed believes and heavily standardised faiths discouraged the search of the truth by individuals.

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Renaissance (15–17 century) and the Enlightenment (17 – 18

century) contributed to the individualisation of the Western civilisation. Humanism played a key role in uplifting a human being to a sacred position which is a precondition for individualism.

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Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Reformation: Salvation does not depend on Gods and the will of the priests, but on individual faith. Humans, should have self-determination and self-responsibility for their thoughts and actions. Major impact on Western culture and individualism.

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Adam Smith (1723-1790)

The emergence of Capitalism strongly influenced Western cultures. Important impact on individualism is the competition for economic success, high reward for individual abilities and financial independence.

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The French Revolution and Declaration of Human Rights (1789)

Gave to the lower class a new identity, individual rights and the ability to be active and independent French citizens.

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US Constitution (1787)

(Bill of rights)

No State shall…….l deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, …..nor deny to any person …the equal protection of the laws.

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American civil war (1861)

... refusal of Northern US states to enforce the fugitive slave code, denying to Afro-Americans individual property rights.

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Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC)

The Asian culture was developing completely isolated from the west in the opposite direction of high collectivism.

Confucius teachings were giving emphasis on thrift, modesty, loving others, serving parents, loyalty to the authority, perfectly fulfilling one's responsibilities towards the group, "humaneness", "selflessness" (the “Rén” virtue). All this contributing to the establishment of a highly collectivistic society.

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Signs of high individualism in USA

People grow up to look after themselves or close relatives

Genetics of a nation of initiative and courageous immigrants taking their destiny in their own hands

Expectation of private opinion and ability to express

US is one of the few countries in the world where schools have as special subject: " Speech".

Independent search for truth and knowledge (as opposed to adoption of prescribed "beliefs")

Seen in Journalism,……

Birth place of many new sects

Individual rights and interests prevail Extreme compensations for damages to individuals

Higher needs for privacy Private car use in relation to ground public transportation in the highest in the world

Ideology of individual freedom

Highest personal data protection (for example age, …), free to move,….

Self-actualisation of individual (as opposed to harmony and consensus in the society)

Tough and highly competing environment in business and private life

Individual incentives (as compared team objectives)

Huge compensations of outperforming individuals

Praising champions, creating of celebrities

- Adoration of movie stars, high celebration of sport champions, and respect of successfull businessmen

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Similarities in signs of Ancient Classical Greek and individualism in USA

Ancient Greek Individualism High Individualism in modern USA

Mythological Heroes:

Hercules, Theseus, other

Hollywood created heroes:

Western cowboys, Superman, ….

Creation of Olympics and their privileged champions. Boxing was an Olympian sport

Idealised and highly paid modern sport champions. Boxing is today mostly celebrated in the US.

Creation of Democracy: To give value to individuals

Democracy that can develop further only by giving "more value" (damage compensation or earning potential) to the individual

High Aesthetics to the individual and Erotic in arts (sculptures)

High Aesthetics and plenty of Erotic in almost every Hollywood film

Socrates – challenge the Government Everybody can challenge the government

Aristotle: the father of modern dialectics

Children are the most free in the world to speak. Widely applied "speech" lessons in schools

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Summary: Understanding well the differences between:

The high individualism in the West, and

The high collectivism (associated with strong hierarchy) in the East and South.

can be very useful for both parts of the world living and doing business in a harmonic symbiosis.