OBAT WORK96 Part 1 Understanding the Workplace
CBC VIDEO CASEINCIDENT
Diverging Ideologies
When it comes to what Canadians and Americans say is
important, there is a continental divide, one that is growing
ever wider, every day. Although Canada has become more
integrated economically with its largest trading partner, it
appears that Canadians and Americans have diverging ide-
ologies. Canadians and Americans have distinct points of
views on a variety of issues, such as the Kyoto Accord, the
decriminalization of marijuana, and same sex marriage.
L’École nationale de cirque, a circus school founded in
Montreal over 20 years ago, is symbolic of the ideological dif-
ferences between Canada and the United States. The school
encourages risk-taking and boundary-breaking and is com-
pletely different from anything found south of the border.
The unique circus arts taught at the school speak to the
new Canadian image: bilingual, multinational, government-
funded, postmodern, multicultural, and avant-garde.
Pollster Michael Adams states that although most polls
show that Canadians believe they are gradually becoming
more and more like Americans, his research shows the
opposite: Canadians are questioning and turning away
from traditional hierarchies and old authorities and are actu-
ally becoming more like Europeans. So where are the gaps
on values, perspectives, and world view between the two
countries?
In Canada, the belief in the father’s supremacy is in
decline, whereas in the United States it is growing. What is
the significance of this finding? It has implications for how
Canadians and Americans perceive the role of women in
society, who should be boss in the workplace, and who
should be the leader of the country.
Religion is another area in which Canadians and
Americans show differences. Americans are becoming more
religious than Canadians, with weekly church attendance
in the United States at 50 percent. In contrast, weekly church
attendance in Canada is at 20 percent.
Adams points out other distinctions, including the view
of urban life. Canadians are comfortable with ethnicity and
diversity, settling in cities where they can find a sense of
community in both the downtown and the suburbs.Americans, driven by racial issues in downtown cores, are
moving to the suburbs and beyond.
Another difference, according to Adams, is that
Canadians believe government can provide solutions—
national daycare, Old Age Security, revitalized cities—whereas
Americans want less government intervention in their lives.
Michael Byers, political scientist at the University of British
Columbia, says Canadians are becoming more socially tol-
erant. The Canadian political spectrum, Byers states, is also
further to the left as a whole than the American system.
According to Michael Adams, the American ideal of rugged
individualism and emphasis on moral values, terrorism, and
economy excludes the social agenda. In contrast, Canadian
values are more tailored to compromise, accommodation,
and shared responsibility. In terms of values and beliefs, it
appears that Canadians and Americans are, more often than
not, on different paths.Questions
1. Are Canadian values becoming more similar or dis-
similar to American values? Explain.- Suppose a large Canadian telecommunications firm
merges with a large American telecommunications
firm. To what extent might the differences in values
between these Canadian and American employees
affect how they interact and work together? - Imagine that a Canadian company is producing com-
puter products and shipping them across the border
to the United States and overseas to Europe. Should
management be concerned about the impact of
Canadian values on customer relations? What should
customer service representatives keep in mind when
dealing with American and European customers?
Sources:Based on “Diverging Ideologies,” CBC—The National, November
30, 2004; and S. Maich, “The Worst President in 100 Years?” Maclean’s,
April 17, 2006, pp. 28–33.