Transcript Cross Cultural Communication W2L1

Cross Cultural Communication
A theoretical approach
What is culture?
“Culture
-the attitudes and beliefs, ways of thinking,
behaving and remembering shared by
members of that community.” (Kramsch
1996).
What is culture?
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Anthropological Culture
The ways that people of a certain group
behave/live among themselves.
High culture
The art, music, theater, literature created
by culture
Popular culture
Contemporary music/films/trends
What is culture?
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Surface culture
Dress
Clothing
Gestures
Music
Art
Architecture
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Deep culture
Worldview
Language
Kinship systems
Social organization
Deep culture
• Worldview
Orientation toward religion, humanity, nature,
and the universe.
• Language
Medium to transmit culture
• Kinship systems
Importance of different family roles and the
relationships between family members
• Social organization
Importance of relationship among group
members
The importance of Values
• Cultural values identify behavioral
characteristics that members of the society
consider important and valuable.
• Serve as a mechanism of social control
by determining how members of a culture
should behave.
• Core values vs. peripheral values
The importance of values
• Talk to a partner and discuss following
questions:
• What are some important values in Thai
society?
• What do you think are some important
values in North American culture?
Dynamics of culture systems in one
main culture
• Individual members of one culture may
differ in the values and adopt several subcultures.
• Boundaries are only loosely defined
Culture can be shared by people from
different geographical locations.
• Values and systems can change over time
Four Fundamental Patterns of Cultural
Difference
What is different?
1. Communication Styles
2. Attitudes toward conflicts
3. Decision making style
4. Social behavior
What is hidden below the surface?
1. Beliefs
2. Values
3. Expectations
4. Attitudes
Geert Hofstede’s cultural
dimensions
• Dr. Geert Hofstede
worked for IBM as Psychologist
from 1967-73
Geert Hofstede's dimensions
analysis can assist the business
person or traveler in better
understanding the intercultural
differences within regions and
between counties.
Individualism vs. Collectivism
Individualism (IDV) focuses on the degree the society
reinforces individual or collective, achievement and
interpersonal relationships. A High Individualism
ranking indicates that individuality is of most importance
within the society. Individuals in these societies may tend
to form a larger number of looser relationships. A Low
Individualism ranking typifies Collectivist societies with
close ties between individuals. These cultures reinforce
extended families and collectives where everyone takes
responsibility for fellow members of their group.
Individualism vs. Collectivism
Individualistic societies
• Australia
• Canada
• UK
• New Zealand
• USA
• Netherlands
Collectivist societies
• Costa Rica
• Guatemala
• Mexico
• Ecuador
• Most Asian countries
Power Distance
Power Distance Index (PDI) focuses on the
degree of equality between people in the
country's society. A High Power Distance
ranking indicates that inequalities of power and
wealth are accepted in society. These societies
are more likely to follow a caste system that
does not allow significant upward mobility of its
citizens. A Low Power Distance ranking
indicates the society de-emphasizes the
differences between citizen's power and wealth.
In these societies equality and opportunity for
everyone is stressed.
Power Distance in Education
Small Power Distance societies
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Student-centered education
Teacher expects students to
initiate communication
Students may speak up in
spontaneously in class
Students allowed to contradict or
criticize teacher
Effectiveness of learning related to
amount of two-way
communication in class
Outside class, teachers are
treated as equals
Younger teachers are more liked
than older teachers
Large Power Distance societies
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Teacher-centered education
Students expect teacher to initiate
communication
Students speak up in class only
when invited by the teacher
Teacher is never contradicted nor
publicly criticized
Effectiveness of learning related to
excellence of the teacher
Respect for teachers is also
shown outside class
Older teachers are more
respected than younger teachers
Where do you think MUIC fits in?
Uncertainty avoidance
Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) level of tolerance for
uncertainty and ambiguity within the society - i.e.
unstructured situations. High Uncertainty Avoidance
ranking indicates country has a low tolerance for
uncertainty and ambiguity. This creates a rule-oriented
society that institutes laws, rules, regulations, and
controls in order to reduce the amount of uncertainty. A
Low Uncertainty Avoidance ranking indicates the
country has less concern about ambiguity and
uncertainty and has more tolerance for a variety of
opinions. This is reflected in a society that is less ruleoriented, more readily accepts change, and takes more
and greater risks.
Uncertainty avoidance in Education
Strong Uncertainty Avoidance
Societies
Weak Uncertainty Avoidance
Societies
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Students feel comfortable in
unstructured learning situations:
vague objectives, broad
assignments, no timetables
Teachers are allowed to say "I
don't know"
A good teacher uses plain
language
Students are rewarded for
innovative approaches to problem
solving
Teacher are allowed to behave
emotionally
Teachers interpret intellectual
disagreement as a stimulating
exercise
Teachers seek students' ideas
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Students feel comfortable in
structured learning situations:
precise objectives, strict timetables
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Teachers are expected to have all
the answers
A good teacher uses academic
language
Students are rewarded for accuracy
in problem-solving
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Teachers are expected to suppress
emotions (and so are students)
Teachers interpret intellectual
disagreement as personal disloyalty
Teachers consider themselves
experts who cannot learn anything
from students - and students agree
Masculinity/femininity
• Masculinity/femininity (MAS) focuses on degree the
society reinforces the traditional masculine work role
model of male achievement, control, and power. A High
Masculinity ranking indicates country experiences a
high degree of gender differentiation. In these cultures,
males dominate a significant portion of the society and
power structure, with females being controlled by male
domination. A Low Masculinity ranking indicates the
country has a low level of differentiation and
discrimination between genders. Females are treated
equally to males in all aspects of the society.
MAS in Education
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Feminine Societies
Teachers avoid openly
praising students
Teachers use average student
as the norm
System rewards students'
social adaptation
A student's failure at school is
a relatively minor accident
Students admire friendliness in
teachers
Students practice mutual
solidarity
Students chose academic
subjects in view of intrinsic
interest
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Masculine Societies
Teachers openly praise good
students
Teachers use best students as the
norm
System rewards students'
academic performance
A student's failure at school is a
severe blow to his/her self-image
Students admire brilliance in
teachers
Students compete with each other
in class
Students chose academic
subjects in view of career
opportunities
Long-Term Orientation
Long-Term Orientation (LTO) focuses on the degree the society
embraces, or does not embrace, long-term devotion to traditional,
forward thinking values. High Long-Term Orientation ranking
indicates the country prescribes to the values of long-term
commitments and respect for tradition. This is thought to support a
strong work ethic where long-term rewards are expected as a result
of today's hard work. However, business may take longer to develop
in this society, particularly for an "outsider". A Low Long-Term
Orientation ranking indicates the country does not reinforce the
concept of long-term, traditional orientation. In this culture, change
can occur more rapidly as long-term traditions and commitments do
not become impediments to change
Thailand compared to the USA
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/intercultural-business-communication/tool.php
Drawbacks of applying the
Hofstede Model
• To general:
model has proven to be quite often correct when
applied to the general population, but not all
individuals or even regions with subcultures fit
into one category.
• How accurate is the data? The data has been
collected through questionnaires, which have
limitations.
• Is the data up to date? How much does the
culture of a country change over time, either by
internal or external influences?
Cross Cultural Communication
Practical implications
How we see other cultures
• Influence of our own culture
using our own cultural framework for
interpretation
• Result
- a biased view which is may cause
stereotypes
Dictionary definition of
stereotype
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“A fixed general image, characteristic,
etc. that a lot of people believe to
represent a particular type of person or
thing.”
(Collins Cobuild Dictionary)
Exercise
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Exploring our own stereotypes:
Look at following pictures and write down
a few things that come to mind when you
think about these people. Don’t worry
about writing negative/offensive things.
Stereotyping
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Stereotyping
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Stereotyping
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Stereotyping
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Stereotyping
• When someone claims that members of
another culture all share the same, often
inferior or offensive characteristics.
• Israelis are rude.
• Chinese are dirty.
• Black people are uneducated,
trouble makers, criminals etc.
• Americans are fat
Types of stereotypes
• racial e.g. African people or people with dark skin
are criminals
• gender e.g. women are bad drivers
• age e.g. old people are said to be very forgetful
• religion e.g. Muslims are violent/agressive
• profession e.g. all lawyers are greedy
Where do stereotypes come from?
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Parents and family
The media
Friends
Education (school, university)
Travel
Laziness
Fear
Envy
A sense of superiority
Lack of experience of people, etc.
How we see other cultures
Person who is culturally more…
…can perceive behavior of foreigners
from other cultures as…
Collectivists
Insulting, stressed, heartless, rude
Individualist
Dishonest, corrupt
Large Power Distance oriented
Disrespectful, improper, rude
Small Power Distance oriented
Bossy, arrogant (high status person)
Cowardly (low status person)
Feminine
Aggressive, selfish
Masculine
Weak (of men); unfeminine (of
women)
Strong Uncertainty avoiding
Unprincipled, not moral
Weak Uncertainty avoiding
paranoid
Cross-cultural Communication
• Cross-cultural Communication is the process of
sending and receiving messages between people
whose cultural background could lead them to
interpret verbal and non-verbal signs differently.
Why is Cross-Cultural
Communication important ?
Globalization: Cross border movement of people, goods and
data brings more and more cultures into contact with one
another and increases the potential of cross culture
communication.
◦ Business Opportunities
◦ Job Opportunities
◦ Improves the contribution of employees in a diverse
workforce
◦ Sharing of views and ideas
◦ Talent improvisation
◦ An understanding of diverse market
High Context and Low Context
Cultures
High Context Culture:- Cultures that rely heavily on nonverbal and subtle situational cues in communication.
Low Context Culture:- Cultures that rely heavily on words
to convey meaning in communication.
Edward Hall
High Context and Low Context
Cultures
Factor
Overtness of
messages
Use of nonverbal
communication
Expression of
reaction
Cohesion and
separation of
groups
People bonds
Level of
commitment to
relationships
Flexibility of
time
High-context culture
Low-context culture
Many covert and implicit messages, with use of
metaphor and reading between the lines.
Many overt and explicit messages that are simple
and clear.
Much nonverbal communication
More focus on verbal communication than body
language
Reserved, inward reactions
Visible, external, outward reaction
Strong distinction between ingroup and outgroup.
Strong sense of family.
Flexible and open grouping patterns, changing as
needed
Strong people bonds with affiliation to family and
community
High commitment to long-term relationships.
Relationship more important than task.
Fragile bonds between people with little sense of
loyalty.
Low commitment to relationship. Task more
important than relationships.
Time is open and flexible.
Process is more important than product
Time is highly organized.
Product is more important than process
Body Language
• 80% of our communication is non-verbal.
• Gestures:
Culture Shock
Culture shock refers to the anxiety and
feelings (of surprise, disorientation,
uncertainty, confusion, etc.) felt when
people have to operate within an entirely
different cultural or social environment,
such as a foreign country.
Source: Wikipedia
Stages of culture shock
• Honeymoon Phase
-differences between the old and new
culture are seen in a positive light,
wonderful and new. For example, an
individual might love the new foods, the
pace of the life, the people's habits, the
architecture and so on.
Stages of culture shock
• Irritation and Hostility
After the initial excitement is over, more
and more dissimilarities are noticed
between the foreign country and home.
The initial curiosity and enthusiasm turn
into irritation, frustration, anger, and
depression. Minor inconveniences can
lead to serious distress
Stages of culture shock
• Gradual Adjustment
gradual adaptation to the new culture over
time. Persons begin to orient themselves
and are able to interpret some of the
subtle cultural clues and cues. Culture
seems more familiar and more
comfortable. They will feel less isolated,
and their self-confidence will return.
Stages of culture shock
• Adaptation or Bi-Culturalism
Full recovery has occurred. Ability to function in
two cultures with confidence. persons will find
they enjoy some of the very customs, ways of
doing and saying things, and personal attitudes
that bothered them so much in phase two.
persons may not realize how well they have
adjusted to the new culture until returning home,
at which point they may well experience reverse
culture shock.
Overcoming cross cultural
communication barriers
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Tips for improving cross cultural communication
Observe but don’t interpret according to your own culture –don’t
form stereotypes
Don’t assume you understand non-verbal signals
Don’t take behavior personally even if it’s insulting in your culture
Develop an awareness of your own non-verbal signals and how they
might be offensive
Understand your own stereotypes and learn about other cultures
with openness.
Don’t evaluate behavior as good or bad
Accept the fact that cross cultural communication causes stress