Cultural Of The Country And Religious Variation †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Cultural Of The Country And Religious Variation. Answer: Introduction India is a known as the largest country in the South Asia region. The country shares its border with countries like China, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (Spate Learmonth, 2017). The country is vast in its cultural and religious variation. India is regarded as largest democracy in the world. The country is expected to become the most populous country in the world by overtaking China by the year 2028. The country is selected because it is one of the fastest developing countries and a huge area for international business to enter and make a mark on. The country has an economy that is strong and the trade policies are lenient which further make it one of the most suitable countries to create a market report. 3 key attributes Economy- India is a country that is extensively dependent on agriculture and the various products from it. The working population of the country is mostly engaged into farming and other agriculture activities (Yadav et al., 2015). The income from agriculture and related activities make up for most of the annual income of the country. Around 21% of the national income was attributed to agriculture and related activities in the year 2004. The agricultural set up of the country has the maximum pressure on it to perform and deliver so that the economy of the country keeps progressing in the right direction. The country has a fertile land and the practice of agriculture is attributed to the history of the place. The rate of capital formation of the country is low and the income per capita is low in comparison to other countries. The wealth distribution pattern in the society is uneven and it is seen that the wealth is stagnated with a certain section of the society. Obsolete technologies used in the production process makes it further difficult for the country to gain economic boost. The use of backdated technology has held the country back in terms of the economic development that is expected from the country. Culture- The culture of the place is huge in terms of variety and this is primarily due to the huge geographical expanse of the nation. The country has mountains, plains and even deserts. It shows that the demography of the country is varied and hence their culture is varied too. The country is referred to as cultural museum due to the huge number of races it has within. The second most populous country in the world, India, has a variety of races that is unprecedented in other parts of the world. The variety in races reflects that the country has an immense diversity in the number of languages prevailing in the country. A total of 179 languages and 544 dialects exist in the country (Weiner, 2015). People from different regions have different languages that they use. The religious variety in India is huge and as it a country that allows the following of any religion without any barrier, the diversity in the culture is further enhanced. Each of the religious group has their different c ulture and practice that creates the Indian mainland into a pool of diversity. Geography- The huge expanse of the Indian mainland brings to the account the huge variety and list of features that it has in its geography. The country has many rivers flowing throughout the country. Each of these rivers have significant influence on the market and economy of the country. The country has some plains which are very fertile and they add to the economic growth of the nation. The Chhattisgarh Plateau is one of the most important source of minerals for the entire nation and it is rich in all kinds of minerals that can be excavated from under the ground (Bhausaheb et al., 2014). The Gangetic plain of the country is a hub of natural resource for the entire country and it provides huge amounts of required resource to the production process of the country. The mountains of the country have importance as they act as a shield to winds that may harm the country. The Himalayas make sure that the country does not face the cold winds that blow from the other side of the huge mount ains. It blocks such winds and also provides security from any kind of invaders easily entering the country. The mountains also act as a huge source of natural resource and play a major role in attracting tourists into the country. Cultural Analysis The culture of the country is hugely varied. The different regions and religions have their set of beliefs and code of conduct which they adhere to in the society. Some of the attributes of the culture are presented in brief below- People- The people of India are the best thing that a foreign person can witness in the country. The people are very celebrating in nature and fun loving. Each of the citizen is a passionate person and be it for cricket, movies, food or anything they are in the mood to celebrate the event. The people believe in making most of any celebration that takes place. The common characteristic for the people of India is that they are emotional in nature and have a strong sense of family. The level of attachment that each of the members have for each other in the family is huge and once a person is part of a family it is seen that the members stick around with the person even at the toughest of the times. The entire population is known to be great host for guests and the warmth and intimacy that the Indians will make a person feel is to be found in no other place on earth. The generosity that the Indians have is huge and they believe that the best practice is serving others. Any religious plac e in India serves free meals to thousands of people on a daily basis and this is done free of cost (Jatt, 2015). Language- India is a land with huge variety in its culture and the variety cannot be understood unless the language of the place is discussed. The country has a total of 18 languages that are regarded by the constitution as official language. The Indian currency has the 18 different languages imprinted on it and it shows the diversity the country holds within itself. Respect is provided to all the languages and due to such variation it is seen that no place has a fixed language the dialect changes after every mile shift in the country. Though the official numbers suggests 18 languages, unofficial figures suggest that India is house to over 2500 dialects in total (Harrison, 2015). The most widely and commonly used language in the country is Hindi. Hindi is now referred to as the second most used language in the entire world after Mandarin which of Chinese origin and stands in the first place. Traditions- India is a place that is rich in folk and traditional practices. The history of the country is rich and makes sure that all the ideas of tradition and culture are richly incorporated in the population. The Chhou and Kabelia folks of Bengal and Rajasthan respectively have earned a place in the global domain due to their eminent style unique presentation form (SARKAR MISTRI, 2015). The Ramlila, which is an ancient drama about the abduction of Sita by Ravana and the revenge story of Lord Ram, has been picked up by UNESCO and a documentary has been made on it (Gopalakrishnan, 2016). It is said the Indian culture dates back to 4500 years and it is the oldest of the cultures in this entire world. Unique cultural elements- The Namaste is a practice that is absolutely unique to the country and is a practice that has evolved in the country itself and hence unique to the entire world. It basically is a greeting to another person with folded hands showing pleasure and generosity on part of the host. The notion of Atithi Devo Bhava is unique to the country. It shows that the people of the country are very generous to the guests that come to the nation and they shall greet them as Gods (Yameen, 2013). The people of India believe that the guests are another form of God and they should hence be treated like one. Business culture of India As it is evident from the previous part of the report that India is a place that is rich with culture and certain formalities that are unique to the nation. The business practice in the country is marked with certain etiquettes that are needed to be followed by anyone trying to partner or build a business in the country. The openings and greetings in a business meeting are with a handshake or a namaste (Dahwa, Al-Hakim Ng, 2013). It is essential that respect is shown to all the people who are involved in the business meet. The seniors in the business meet should be greeted with the position they hold, it shows the respect that the person has in the society. One should refer to people as Sir or Madam and even the use of ji after the name shows immense respect to the person who is being referred to. The business attire of the country does not mention ties as mandatory and hence formal trousers and lightweight coats are appreciated for the business meets. The most widely used language in the business meets is English. It is to be understood that the people in India refrain from saying no and rather use other sentences such as we will see, we will try, It may be difficult and many more. The underlying meanings of such words should be understood and it should be made sure that too much pestering is not done. The timings and venue of an Indian business meet can be changed even at the last moment and interruptions are expected numerous times. The start and end time of a business meet should not be expected on time as people tend to delay such proceedings in India. For a country like India, trust and good relationship matters as much as statistics and data so it has to be made sure that a good relationship is built with the people before looking at getting a deal fixed with them. Comparison with Singapore business culture Efforts to make business in India easier has constantly been on rise but have yielded very low results as it remains a tough place for new businesses to develop. The world bank ease of doing business reports reflects that India is placed at #130 in the list whereas Singapore is positioned at #2 (Besley, 2015). The process of import for a new business is very difficult for India when compared with Singapore. In India the imports are delayed and at times forfeited due to theft and lack of security whereas in Singapore the imports are completely safe and the transportation system is so efficient that it makes sure that the shipments are delivered at the right time. The ease of getting a credit for a new business is easy for Singapore whereas in India the situation is completely adverse and it takes a lot of effort to make sure that credit is approved for a business to come into the country. The ease of getting land and security for a new business is easier in Singapore than in India. Th e land permitted for business may face revolt from the natives due to unfair encroachment policies. The revolt can lead to loss for the business and the company may face serious legal implications and notice for the same. These make it difficult for new businesses to enter into the country and make a positive mark. The taxation system of India imposes up to 30% of taxes on earning individuals whereas Singapore has a maximum of 22% tax to be imposed on the earning population. Hofstedes 5 cultural dimension analysis Individualism vs. Collectivism India has a score of 48 in this section of the Hofstede and it shows that the society has both individualistic and collectivist traits in it (Country Comparison - Hofstede Insights, 2018). The collectivist trait is reflective of the desire of the people to be part of larger social framework. With such traits, it is expected that a person is dependent on many of the social constraint around and makes decision which are influenced by the views and opinions of all the people around that individual such as family, society and friends. The individualist approach reflects that the people of India believe that a person is the one who is responsible for all the work that is done by the individual. The Hinduism and the theory of birth and death associated with it further instates the individualism. Power Distance India has a score of 78 in this section and it shows that the people of India have a highly structured society (Country Comparison - Hofstede Insights, 2018). The Indian idea is that a person is dependent on the boss who has the power to provide discretion. The element of control is huge in the society and it further ensures that the communication is one way in the society. The feedback, which is negative in nature, from the lower section of the society does not reach to the top order. Uncertainty Avoidance The score for India in this section is 40 (Country Comparison - Hofstede Insights, 2018). It reflects that India is a country that accepts that uncertainties that are prevalent in life. The country has a medium to low level of uncertainty avoidance. The people often use the idea of bypassing the rules to get their motives sanctioned. The quality of adjustment is high among the workforce and hence they do not react on unexpected events and at times feel happy as it breaks the monotony. Achievement vs. Nurturing The score for India in this section is 56 (Country Comparison - Hofstede Insights, 2018). It reflects that India is focused towards achievement and the country has high regards for power and success. The country is a spiritual land and hence the nurturing provided to the people is high as the religious texts provide motivation for the people. The people have regards for achievement but care is taken of those who are need of nurturing. Long-term orientation India has a score of 51 in this section and it reflects that the history and age old believes of the country has considerable impact on the present ethics of work (Country Comparison - Hofstede Insights, 2018). Time is not taken as an important aspect in the country but the ethics and good deeds are taken up into account. The idea of karma is used and everyone believes that if a sin is committed then the punishments of it shall be suffered in the same birth by the person. The society is pragmatic in the country and people are not judged based on punctuality but based on the event that leads to the consequent result or delay. Conclusion India is a country that is developing every single day and the resource and labor base of the country attracts new businesses. However it is seen that setting up a business is not that easy in a country like India because of the various governing and laws that persist in the nation. The people of the country are its biggest advantage as it makes sure that the foreign people feel comfortable and get the best of reception in the country. In comparison with Singapore, it has drawbacks as the business environment is not as rewarding as it should be. The country of India has its own nature and style and if adjustments are made then it could well be a suitable business destination for any new venture. References Besley, T. (2015). Law, regulation, and the business climate: The nature and influence of the World Bank Doing Business project.Journal of Economic Perspectives,29(3), 99-120. Retrieved from: https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdf/10.1257%2Fjep.29.3.99 Bhausaheb, K. S., Tiwari, S. P., Sahu, T., Naik, S. K., Gendley, M. K. (2014). Trace mineral status of soil, feed and animal in Chhattisgarh state (India).Int. J. Adv. Res,2(5), 443-448. Retrieved from: https://www.journalijar.com/uploads/438_IJAR-3281.pdf Country Comparison - Hofstede Insights. 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