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Anthropology, culture and business relations essay


Jaide 1 / -  
Apr 20, 2012   #1
Hi, well I really don't know how this essay sounds and so would really appreciate it if someone could let me know if it makes any sense at all!

The question from my tutor is: Select any item of work, business, management or organizations reported in the media during the first two terms and analyze it* from an anthropological perspective.

and here is my essay, sorry its so long! and thanks!:

The international role of banks has been a topic with much controversy, especially over the last couple of decades (Brash, 2000). Banks create the world finances and when they are doing well financially, and then it seems that much of the rest of the world is also doing better than usual. The main aims of this study are to discuss the bank UBS with its controversial appearances in the media and its relation to anthropology and business. The majority of this research includes the investigation into the business culture of UBS, with some analysis of articles which support ideas given. It then proceeds to discuss why the researcher has decided on such a topic to show why there may be any bias throughout the text.

The bank UBS was founded in 1854 and has become one of the world's leading banks according to its official website ("..."). The historical logo for the bank which was introduced in 1966, is a sign for what the bank claim they offer, which is apparently confidence, security and discretion (Thomasson, Koltrowitz, 2011). When UBS further developed their business in 1998 ("...") they had the exceptional idea to ensure that the bank was not simply a business, but a business that has a cultural emphasis. The bank focused its main principles on social affairs to enhance culture within its business to promote its reputation and increase clientele. This emphasis on culture with business has proven to be extremely beneficial for the bank. To involve culture into their business they make clients believe they have an interest in each individual client rather than the client as one group. For example, on the official website for the bank they have a section which is called 'What we support', this includes: Visual Arts, Heritage Conservation and Archaeology, Film, Literature, Music and Humanities and Cultural Sciences. The banks cultural foundation gives support to aspects within these areas, such as sponsorships to give money to help benefit such cultural areas. The bank take pride in emphasising their support for these cultural areas to show the public and clients that they care about their society and their clients and that they are reciprocal in their business with clients, rather than only taking from their clients. This kind of business is essential for such a large company with offices in over 50 countries according to their official website. Including culture within a business is a very intelligent business idea as it gives the company a sense of character, which means clients are more likely to use this bank rather than a bank which provides no personal experience for the client. Ardichvili, Mitchell and Jondle (2009), state that there are certain characteristics which a business holds when they are imposing culture into their organisation. The research which they carried out found that these characteristics are as follows: "Mission and Values-Driven, Stakeholder Balance, Leadership Effectiveness, Process Integrity, and Long-term Perspective." When a business is thinking of its future prospects and how much they want their business to expand, it is important to take these main characteristics into account. If a business is values-driven then they are going to have to understand the values of all who are involved, such as employees/employers, stake-holders and other clientele. To do this the business needs to ensure that they provide a varied but clear purpose of what they are offering, and so they can offer their product and service in many different ways which show that they view each client as an individual with values. This particular bank have shown that they are value driven, as they have respected the values of their clients, by maintaining the clients privacy and by indulging in extra activities which are not completely essential for a bank if they were not interested in their customers values, such as the associations they have with the arts and music for example.

By following these five main characteristics, the bank can increase their profits and reputation worldwide, if a business develop a certain culture this will affect their reputation. For example, if the bank UBS make themselves involved in a certain culture and portray this to the world, then this is the way they will be perceived. For example, the bank make many sponsorships to organizations, these organisations are the kind of societies which include a group of people who all share the same interests in a certain aspect of life. These areas of life can include ideas, if a group of people share the same ideas such as within business culture, the people within this culture all share the same ideas, which is that they all want their business to succeed. From the organisations which UBS sponsor it is clear to see that they want the world to understand that they want to create a friendly, creative culture which shows interest in the individual clients. It is clear to see this on their website, which shows how the bank support their interests, these interests illustrate the kind of culture which UBS are trying to create for themselves, a culture which cares for the more personal values of clients and employees. Their dedication towards maintaining this personal culture is shown from the amount of money they have invested in these organisations. According to the website "..." they state that "Each year UBS Culture Foundation processes something between 500 and 600 grant proposals, of which 15 to 20% are approved and awarded grants totalling between 1 and 1.5 million Swiss francs".

Methodology
The research for this study has been obtained from qualitative data derived from resources in online media pages in order to analyse the chosen bank and their comportment as well as their major tax evasion scandal during the economic crisis and how this was portrayed in the media, to then link this with anthropology. due to the nature of this study, the researcher needs to provide information to assist in the understanding of how anthropology can relate to business. In anthropology there are certain techniques used to understand ways of life in depth. These often include observing ways of life, how humans interact and how this influences or affects their way of life. Sherry (1988) discusses the ways in which Anthropology as a discipline can enhance businesses, with the study of "ancient trade Diasporas" anthropologists can compare it with "contemporary multinational corporate activity". When the researcher here investigates the business mechanisms of UBS, comparisons will be made with other cultures to help provide a more simplistic understanding of the complexity of the business dynamics which may have caused the failings which were found in the media from UBS. From these articles the researcher will analyse the depiction of UBS with these representations from the media, from an anthropological perspective. To verify the relationship between the intra and international business interactions which have taken place between employees, clients and the business between UBS and the U.S and how the media have exposed UBS to the public, the researcher has analysed the situations which supposedly happened according to the press. To do this, the researcher will objectively scrutinize a chosen article found on a website named "...". The researcher will consider the operations which occurred within the bank according to the media and will explore the cultural behaviours within the article and within the business, and show how anthropology can relate to this area of business. The article the researcher has chosen is entitled "Don't ask, won't tell: amid a global squeeze on tax evasion, Switzerland is the prime target".

Analysis
Since UBS were established they have developed a strong reputation with their clients and colleagues worldwide which has been one of the banks strongest assets, and helping their clientele numbers grow and improving their reputation worldwide. According to the website "...", the private banks in Switzerland have an extremely good reputation when it comes to the secrecy and privacy of their clients, and they have legislation which ensures that this policy is always used, this is the 1934 Swiss Banking Act. This secrecy has recently gone as far as helping clients to hide their savings in a place where the state could not see the money, and therefore helping clients to avoid paying taxes.

When the rogue traders where indentified, UBS initially refused to provide the names of the clients who were avoiding paying the taxes on their money, however, UBS were fined a large sum of money and made a deal with the U.S to give their clients names. According to Reuters, when this happened UBS wrote to their clients to ensure them that after this incident, the bank were still a good financial choice for clients to take and that they should not be disheartened by what had happened. The bank stated that they were still a safe bank when it came to the secrecy of their clients. This action that the bank carried out is associated with the ethics of their business culture. Ardichvili et al (2009) study the characteristics of the ethical behaviour which dominates the business of an organisation. The behaviour of each individual within a company directly affects the ethics of the business culture within. Therefore when UBS employees have become "rogue traders", this would have given the bank a certain reputation which could have been detrimental to their financial status had they not already built up an outstanding reciprocal demeanour with clients worldwide. In addition, the bank desperately tried to recover and maintain their strong reputation after the tax evasion scandal occurred by encouraging their clients and the public that this mistake would not happen again and that the customers should still trust the bank.

Although UBS have remained one of the top banks worldwide through their dedicated services, there has also been much controversy regarding the bank in the media. For example, in 2006 UBS were accused of breaking US sanctions and by helping Iran to fuel their nuclear power progressions ("..."). The previous article also states that the bank were accounting for Osama bin Laden, who has been a suspected terrorist. This information which is provided here, if true, could result in the banks reputation being put at risk, and with the culture that UBS have portrayed for themselves, this information could be detrimental to their reputation. However, a spokesman for UBS, named Serge Steiner, said that although Bin Laden's brother had an account with the bank, there were no transactions between UBS and Bin Laden. However, these associations with such people can be blown out of proportion if the media find any information which could provide something for journalists to write about. Hence, it is difficult to completely believe anything which is read or seen in the media, as the people writing the articles want to write the best story possible to get the ratings which they need for their own career.

The history of UBS is important to acknowledge here, as it helps to clarify the reality of how the bank does business from how they tell the public and clients how they carry out their business. For instance, the bank can claim that they never reveal customers personal information, yet when the bank was approached by the U.S. and fined due to their tax evasion, then the bank gave the details of their clients according to the article at ".." (2012). This kind of business exposes the banks true nature, and therefore its' real ethical culture rather than the face of the ethical culture, which is what they try to present to clients and the public. In New Guinea, the highlanders live their own life in their own way whilst maintaining a compliance with the government; they say that "this is not the way we behave among ourselves and by ourselves" (Luzbetak, 1958). This "compartmentalisation" as Luzbetak (1958) calls it, is also apparent in the more "civilized" of humanity systems, such as within the business. Business people, as with the ones at UBS, create a face to the public and clients, for example, the employees who committed tax fraud were ensuring their customers that it was a good idea to put their money in accounts where the state would not see. The face they used towards the customers was a reassuring and confident one, whereas, when the customers left the employees knew that they were in the wrong.

On the official website for UBS ("...") there is a timeline for the business, which states the progress which has been made since the bank was established. In the timeline there are statements which give a description of the main events that have occurred at UBS. Many of these statements include happenings which are associated with the cultural growth of the business. For example, in 1972, UBS set up a foundation for social issues and education, this foundation has only expanded through time and added to the character of the bank, with their many growing sponsorships.

The bank in their time of "desperation" due to their finances, has been affected and also their reputation from the tax evasion scandal and how it has been perceived by the media. The article which is appropriately named as "Don't ask, won't tell: Amid a global squeeze on tax, Switzerland is the prime target", provides evidence to suggest that they have made some severe mistakes in their business choices. By identifying the means by which this article intends to illustrate the current Swiss banking situation, it can be compared with real facts to understand the real situation which is occurring in the economic crisis. As an anthropologist the researcher can critically analyse the article by looking at the words used throughout the text. For example, many of the words are used in a sense as to demean the state of the Swiss bank. One such example includes this statement "Switzerland's oldest bank brazenly helped its clients dodge American taxes on $1.2 billion". This statement which is in the opening paragraph of the chosen article, is already depicting the bank in a poor light, as the article starts out with using negative words such as brazenly.

UBS have been reported in the media during the economic crisis with regards to their current financial situation. With a highly controversial incidence of tax evasion by rogue traders, they have lost substantial amounts of money, and according to articles in the news such as the guardian, the rogue trading scandal meant that the bank helped clients in avoiding the payment of a total sum of around £1.3 billion in taxes. The tax fraud scandal was materialized and initiated by a number of employees within the bank who advised customers to store their savings in hidden accounts created by these employees. "UBS AG will pay $780 million in fines, interest and restitution to avoid U.S. prosecution on charges that it helped wealthy Americans evade taxes", this is a statement made by Investment News in 2012. This statement is not emotive and is simply stating the facts, this type of media coverage is necessary in informing clients to the situation of the bank.

The researcher has chosen to investigate UBS, the Union Bank of Switzerland, following appearances in the media in the beginning of the year 2012. The current financial crisis was initially predicted by Gillian Tett, a Social Anthropologist turned Journalist for 'The Financial Times' before any of the hype over the crisis began (Tett, 2008). Inception of Tetts' expertise in the financial area developed from the Social Anthropological study of marriage rituals in Tajikistan, she studied war in the former Soviet Union and "documented Japan's Financial Fall" according to Mckenna (2011). Succeeding this, Tett began studying J.P. Morgan, a "global financial services corporation". From her background in anthropology Tett has been able to observe the financial crisis with an anthropological approach, meaning that she studied the cultural aspects of business and corporations alongside the financial aspects of business. Therefore, she was able to have an in-depth understanding of the cultural dynamics of employees within the banking corporation, and to understand what affects certain group and individual behaviours have and the level of damage or advantage these interactions can have on business.

The topic at hand involves the behaviour of humans within a large scale organisational setting and therefore an anthropological analysis can be used to contribute to the understanding of the cultural intentions and unintentional aspects of the business demeanour. An Applied anthropological perspective can be addressed to interpret the business actions which have been conducted in the case at hand. The focus on UBS and the financial crisis relates to the subject of anthropology in many ways, and anthropology can contribute to solving many dilemmas which are constructed within the economy. This includes the understanding of culture within a business setting, understanding the differences in cultural business settings can enhance the service of the company or business. For example, the dynamics within a business between colleagues and employers is a factor within the making of a culture; if they have the same or similar principles then the business culture will be driven and motivated. However, there should be numerous divisions within a business to ensure that each area of the business culture is performing appropriately, such as seeing to the more personal aspects which clients will value, and will therefore be more likely to use that specific business. Aswell as the latter, there also needs to be people occupied with how the staff are treated, for example, any bonuses or special treatment they may receive for hard work.

Although the field of anthropology is frequently perceived as being a subject where the professionals observe and evaluate people within tribes and aborigines'. Anthropologists observe cultural human dynamics within societies across the world, which is why this topic relates to anthropology. By investigating the dynamics of the bank it is possible to begin to understand the culture that lies behind the finances within the bank. Anthropologists develop a certain way of thinking, by analysing people and situations, anthropologists can be useful in determining how certain future business situations can occur.

Claude Levi-Strauss, a social anthropologist, studied what he called, 'generalised exchange', and according to Damon (1980) Levi-Strauss' theory on 'generalised exchange' accumulated from his research on the 'Kula'. The Kula exchange system is an extremely important part of life to the people of the Trobriand Islands, it consists of the islanders often travelling hundreds of miles in order to exchange precious valuables between other islanders (Damon, 2002). The purpose of these exchanges is to keep a reciprocal bond between the peoples of the islands. These cultural events can benefit all of the island peoples and therefore it is classed as something that is very important. Similarities can be taken from such cultural systems to create comparisons in other human cultures, for example, within businesses. Cultural systems occur all over the world, within societies and as societies, these societies and cultures can range from large to small, for instance, the colleagues of a business or organisation of one floor of a large business. This is where anthropology can contribute to the financial dilemmas which UBS, among other Swiss and international banks have been experiencing according to international media. For example, by understanding the fundamental dynamics of people within cultures and societies, it is possible to develop ideas and compare them with cultures in more technologically advanced societies around the world. For example, the reciprocal culture which is used in the Trobriand Islands can be compared with that of employees within business and in this specific case within UBS. UBS's current situation means that they need to give clients and potential clients the opportunity to trust the bank again, as it appears that they have given clients a reason not to trust the bank. Therefore, to enhance any business reputation they may have lost due to the rogue traders, it is essential for them to use the theory developed from Levi-Strauss, they need to give something back to their clients, not just something materialistic but also building relationships with clients and so ensuring clients that the bank is a safe haven for their savings.

According to Kwok and Tadesse (2006) culture is a part of finance which has developed and grown through time, and that it has advanced in many different ways in different parts of the world, with some areas in the world relying on their financial systems in banking and some in financial markets. Therefore, comparisons are essential when one is trying to understand how a business works. The reasons why UBS have been in the media recently include their employees using the bank to help many clients to avoid paying their taxes. By doing this the employees who created hidden accounts are rebelling against their own employers and organisation. Grover (1993) states that "dishonesty in the workplace has implications for how organisations function and therefore demands theoretical attention", in the case of the UBS tax evasion; there was major dishonesty within the workplace, and the reasons for this need to be addressed. The bank need to pay special attention to this case to understand the reasons as to why these employees committed this unfaithful act to ensure that it does not happen again. Looking from an anthropological perspective, the reasons for this incident could be due to the situations in which the employees were in. Gover (1993) states that in research, psychologists including Hartshorne and May (1928), results have been found to show that humans who are lying and cheating are doing so in reaction to their environment. The employees for this bank may have been retaliating to their cultural working environment. For example, if they felt as though they were not being treated with respect or were not being offered enough money for their role, then they may have felt the need to react in a way that deceived the bond that an employee should have with their work place and other colleagues and managers.

The writer of the article 'Don't ask, won't tell' supports its facts with a very biased and slightly sarcastic opinion. From the title it is easy to see that the article starts off with a biased approach against UBS. The title 'Don't ask, won't tell' creates an emotive idea for the reader to develop before reading the article. It suggests that the bank has a Machiavellian behaviour to its business. This attitude towards the bank in the media is a cunning achievement of the writer of the article, as it is able to catch the attention of readers. By using this title and catching the attention of the reader, this can affect how the readers interpret the information throughout the article. This links into business in a way that the reader is designing an article from a business perspective, as they intend to create a business that means that the public will read their article.

This article points out many flaws of the bank by using a myriad of negative words. Although UBS is a powerful bank with a seemingly good financial status, it seems to be depicted as an untrustworthy bank in much of the media covering this topic. This depiction was formed from just a few employees carrying out such a selfish act which caused many clients to leave the bank. However, the exact situation of UBS will not be known by many of the clients or the public, and many of the decisions made by clients to leave the bank would have been due to the negativity towards the bank in the media.

The view which is created of UBS, due to much of the media between October 2011 until March 2012, is mainly negative and points out their flaws. It appears to be that the bank has had quite a lot of negative press; however, by treating their clients with respect they have managed to remain one of the worlds's leading banks.

The main reason for the research into the study of UBS has come from the researchers interests into the controversy and propaganda surrounding international banks. For example, in 2006 according to an article printed by the Observer and written by Vulliamy (2011), one of the United States largest banks 'Wachovia', were targeted for allegedly indirectly assisting Mexican drug dealers in the smuggling of "5.7 tons of cocaine" (Vulliamy, 2011). This is one of many scandals that have occurred with banks being involved in the incidences. As a growing Anthropologist it is extremely interesting to uncover these interactions between banks and their customers, whether the customers are using the banks for biddable or intractable reasons. The kind of culture that is portrayed from the banks through the media may often be completely different to the reality of that culture. For example, many banks are involved in scandals according to much media, yet they try to create an honest looking character to ensure that the public relations persist with a high parity.

Therefore, the beliefs of the researcher, from personal research previously carried out, have influenced the research carried out here, as they already have an idea of the illusions which are created in society to cover up the real cultures and characteristics which banks try to hide. Although the researcher is aware that banks are not always in the wrong, and they do provide for many, the people working within also seem to be a part of the business culture, which is to thrive, succeed and win. Therefore, it appears to be that many banks, although they may articulate to the public their passion for the values of their clients, the reality of the situation is the bigger picture, and not actually the values of the individual.

The reason for choosing a bank which has originated in Switzerland and dominated much of the financial world is mainly due to the personal interests of the researcher. The researcher will be relocating to Switzerland following graduation at Durham University in June 2012. The interests of the researcher include economy and the financial position of countries and in a smaller scale the differences within counties. It is therefore important for the researcher to understand the financial state of a country before relocating there and how to succeed in a financial career before actually relocating.

In the first section of this article the researcher has explained some of the history of the bank which has been addressed throughout this study. It appears that the history of UBS has been valuable in the development of the business as a culture. The second part of this study has discussed the methods used here to carry out the research needed to investigate the purpose of the study. The qualitative methods used were beneficial in finding the data needed, as they were relevant to provide evidence to the study. The third section of the study included the analysis of some of the documents which have been revealed in the media during the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012. The analysis of these documents were carried out and the researcher used anthropological examples to make a comparison in the cultural behaviours of business people with the basic business dynamics which have been used in cultural human systems for thousands of years.

To conclude the study, the researcher has given their own personal explanation for their motivations on this topic, which have provided some prejudices against the bank systems and so may have affected the main body of the research carried out, by influencing the results with negativity towards banks.

Overall, this study has shown that there are many ways in which banks are perceived, for example, how they make themselves appear to the public eye, and how the media influence the public's opinions. These along with the cultural influences of the bank are all linked to human behaviour and the business which is created through the actions of the people involved. Therefore the demeanour which the bank creates will influence the public, clients, media and many people worldwide.


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