French-speaking Canadians and English-
speaking Canadians have different values
regarding cultural activities. For example,
francophones are more likely to attend
symphonic, classical, or choral music per-
formances than anglophones. Anglophones
are more likely to read newspapers, maga-
zines, and books than francophones.^34
Even though they have some cultural
and lifestyle value differences, fran-
cophone and anglophone managers
today have been exposed to similar types
of organizational theories during their
post-secondary school training, which
might also influence their outlooks as
managers. Thus we would not expect to
find large differences in the way that
firms in francophone Canada are man-
aged, compared with those in the rest of
Canada. Throughout the textbook, you will see a number of examples of Quebec-based
businesses that support this conclusion.Aboriginal Values
Entrepreneurial activity among Canada’s Aboriginal peo-
ples has been growing, as has the number of partnerships
and alliances between Aboriginal and nonAboriginal busi-
nesses. There are now more than 27 000 Aboriginal-owned
businesses in Canada. Fourteen percent of Aboriginal busi-
ness owners live on reserves, while 86 percent live off
reserves. Between 1996 and 2001, the growth rate of
Aboriginal businesses was huge: They increased by nearly 31
percent, a rate nine times higher than Canadian businesses overall.^35
With this strong increase in both the number of Aboriginal businesses and the num-
ber of partnerships and alliances between Aboriginal and nonAboriginal businesses, it
is important to examine whether and how each culture manages differently.^36 “Aboriginal
values are usually perceived (by non-Aboriginals) as an impediment to economic devel-
opment and organizational effectiveness.”^37 Such values include reluctance to com-
pete, a time orientation different from the Western one, and an emphasis on consensus
decision making.^38 Aboriginal peoples do not necessarily agree that these values are
business impediments, however. Saskatoon-based First Nations Bank of Canada, for
example, posted its fifth straight year of profitability in 2005.
Although Canadian businesses and government have historically assumed that “non-
Native people must teach Native people how to run their own organizations,” the First
Nations of Canada are not convinced.^39 They believe that traditional culture, values,
and languages can help build a self-sustaining economy. Moreover, they believe that
their cultural values may actually be a positive force in conducting business.^40
In recent years, Canadian businesses facing Native land claims have met some diffi-
culties in trying to accommodate demands for appropriate land uses. In some cases,
accommodationcan mean less logging or mining by businesses until land claims are
worked out. In order to achieve better communication between businesses and native
leaders, Cliff Hickey and David Natcher, two anthropologists from the University of
Alberta, collaborated with the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta to develop80 Part 1 Understanding the Workplace
First Nations Bank of Canada
http://www.firstnationsbank.com/index.jsp
Asked to define the fundamentals
that give National Bank Financial
its edge, senior vice-president and
company director John Wells
believes Montreal-based National
Bank Financial’s edge comes from
company management that is
largely francophone. He argues
that French-speaking Canadians
treat their employees well and will
try to find anymeans of reducing
expenses rather than lay off staff,
in sharp contrast to the cost-cut-
ting mechanisms of either
English-speaking Canadian or
American firms.
What can you
learn about OB from
Aboriginal culture?