National Culture: Is It Still Relevant in Multicultural Environments and Global Teams?

In today’s globalised and interconnected world, it’s easy to question whether national culture still matters. With individuals increasingly shaped by multicultural experiences and global work environments, some argue that national culture is becoming less relevant. However, dismissing it entirely overlooks the profound ways it continues to influence identities, behaviours, and interactions in personal and professional settings.

Far from being a relic of the past, national culture remains a foundational framework that shapes how we perceive the world and navigate diverse environments. Understanding national culture provides critical insights for leaders managing international teams, professionals collaborating across cultures, and individuals reflecting on their place in a multicultural world. It interacts with other levels of culture—such as organisational, professional, and individual dimensions—offering a lens to foster inclusion, collaboration, and growth.

In this blog, we’ll explore this claim further through examples of how national culture influences various cultural spheres. By the end, I hope you’ll discover why understanding national culture and its influence is indispensable for leadership, team performance, and self-awareness in an increasingly diverse world.

National Culture – A Foundational Framework, Not a Stereotype

National culture is more than a label; it’s a lens that shapes how we perceive the world. It forms the foundation of our values and norms, ingrained as we grow into socially acceptable members of society. However, using national culture as a stereotype is both misleading and harmful.

While individuals rarely align perfectly with all national cultural dimensions (such as national average levels of individualism or uncertainty avoidance), national culture provides a broad framework shaping societal norms and expectations. It interacts with other cultural levels, such as organisational, professional, and subcultural influences, offering a context for understanding behaviours, beliefs, and values.

Rather than viewing national culture as a rigid construct, consider it a starting point—a lens that provides context for understanding behaviours and interactions while leaving room for the influence of personal and other cultural dimensions. 

Recognising the influence helps leaders and teams navigate cultural diversity more effectively. Let’s look at a few examples of this in practice.

The Interplay Between National and Other Levels of Culture

National culture does not exist in isolation. It weaves through and influences various cultural groups, shaping our identities and experiences. Here are some examples illustrating this dynamic interplay:

• Regional and Ethnic Influences
  Within nations, regional and ethnic groups bring unique traditions, enriching the national framework. At the same time, policies like language and education often shape how these subcultures are expressed.
  Example: In Finland, regional cultures, such as those of Eastern and Western Finland, reflect distinct traditions while aligning with the broader Finnish values of equality and equity.
• National Influence in Organisations and Professions
  Workplace norms, leadership styles, and professional ethics often reflect national values. For instance, organisational decision-making processes may mirror the national culture’s approach to hierarchy or collaboration.
  Example: German companies often exhibit precision, structured processes and workflows, reflecting Germany’s cultural emphasis on uncertainty avoidance and long-term planning.
• Diaspora and Multicultural Contexts
  Diaspora communities blend the traditions of their countries of origin with those of their host nations, creating hybrid cultural identities. This interplay demonstrates how national culture remains relevant as it interacts with and influences evolving cultural expressions.
  Example: Indian communities in the US may combine American values of direct communication in work life with Indian traditions of indirect communication with elderly relatives.
• Subcultures and Lifestyle Choices
  Subcultures like youth movements or artistic communities develop within a national framework. While these groups may have distinct identities, they are often shaped by the societal norms of the broader culture.

These examples underscore how national culture provides a foundational backdrop that continues to influence other levels of culture. Ignoring it all together risks overlooking a key part of the cultural puzzle.

But what about those of us who operate in truly multicultural environments or whose lives are shaped by unique blends of cultural influences? Let’s explore how national culture continues to shape individual identities through some more examples.

Multicultural Perspectives: Shaping Unique Identities

For individuals living in different countries or from cross-cultural families, the relationship between national and other cultural groups becomes more dynamic. These experiences create unique cultural identities where national influences remain a key thread.

This raises an important question: when is it more effective to focus on individual cultural preferences rather than national culture? The answer depends on the context and purpose, and I’ve explored this in more detail in my blog article on turning diversity into strengths.

Let’s explore how national culture shapes multicultural individuals through examples:

• Ethnic and Regional Cultures: A person who grew up in France, valuing open expression and debate, but later lived in Japan, where harmony and indirect communication are prioritised, might develop a hybrid approach to conflict resolution—balancing directness with sensitivity.
• Organisational Cultures: An individual who worked in process-oriented and structured German organisations and later in consensus-driven Swedish companies might blend these influences by valuing efficiency and clarity while fostering inclusive decision-making and team collaboration.
• Religious and Lifestyle Cultures: In a cross-cultural family where one parent is Indian and the other Finnish, they might celebrate Diwali and Christmas, combining Indian festive colours and cuisine with Finnish traditions of sauna and candlelit quiet evenings.

While these perspectives can inspire personal reflection and become professional strengths—such as on foreign assignments—they also offer a strategic advantage in shaping business decisions and enhancing team performance.

Why National Culture Matters in Global Teams

In leadership, team dynamics, and personal growth, national culture is a foundational influence that cannot be overlooked.

• Leadership in Multicultural Settings
  Imagine a leader managing a multicultural team with members from hierarchical and egalitarian cultures. By recognising that some team members may expect clear directives (reflecting a high-power-distance culture) while others prefer participative decision-making (from a low-power-distance culture), the leader can adapt their approach to meet diverse expectations and foster more effective collaboration.
• Team Dynamics
  A multicultural team working on an international project might include members from cultures that value detailed planning and precision (e.g., German) and others that thrive in more flexible, adaptive environments (e.g., American). By integrating structured planning with adaptive creativity, the team not only ensures clarity, timelines, and thorough preparation but also becomes more agile in responding to unexpected challenges.
• Personal Growth
  An individual raised in a culture that values direct communication (e.g., Dutch) may find themselves working in an environment where indirect communication is preferred (e.g., Chinese). Reflecting on their own communication style and adapting to the new context can help them build stronger relationships and collaborate more effectively.

What does this mean for you?

National culture remains a vital framework in an interconnected world. While individuals may belong to multiple cultural groups and hold different identities, the foundational role of national culture shapes how we perceive and interact with the world.

For leaders, recognising the interplay between national and other levels of culture is essential for fostering inclusion, driving team performance, and building cultural intelligence. Whether you’re navigating organisational change, leading diverse teams, or reflecting on your own cultural influences, understanding national culture offers invaluable insights.

By leveraging the value-based dimensions of national culture—such as power distance or individualism—and connecting them with other cultural layers, like organisational norms prioritising collaboration or professional ethics emphasising precision, you can develop the awareness and adaptability needed to succeed in today’s globalised environment.

How has national culture shaped your leadership style or team dynamics? Start reflecting today.

Need help with getting started? We have put together a free Cultural Intelligence Checklist you can download to start asking the right questions.