How Anthropology Affects Business

When you think of an anthropologist, you are likely to imagine a fellow in an Indiana Jones getup lost in the Amazonian jungle. However, you are equally likely to find an anthropologist wearing an Armani suit while he tries to break the codes, taboos and traditions of the corporate jungle. The rules of anthropology are valid for every culture, even within the Wall Street tribe.

 

The Human Dimension of Business

• The word "anthropology" comes from Greek roots that translate as "the study of humans". While accountants, financers and marketers will sometimes forget that they are dealing with persons and not numbers, anthropologists will, by definition, remember that organizations and structures are ultimately made by and for human beings.

  Anthropology deals with the shared sets of beliefs and values of a common group of people. While this is usually taken to mean language, taboos and religious beliefs, anthropology can also focus on more businesslike questions like the types of food one eats and the clothes that one wears.

The Growth and Future of Business Anthropology