Natalya Gulivets, PhD Sevastopol Institute of Banking of the University of Banking of the National Bank of Ukraine.

Stereotypes: their formation and role in cross-cultural business communication

Natalya Gulivets, PhD

Sevastopol Institute of Bankingof the University of Banking

of the National Bank of Ukraine

1. The formation of stereotypes.2. The survey.3. The role of stereotypes in cross-

cultural business communication.

Key points:

Stereotypes mean a readily available image of a given social group, usually based on rough, often negative generalizations.

Stereotypes are: aids to explanation, energy-saving devices, shared group beliefs.

Formation of stereotypes

Number of pollees – 170 persons. Males – 70 (41%) Females – 100 (59%)

Age group – 17-22 y.o. Area of specialization – business /

economics.

The survey data

The United States of America:general overview of associative reactions (%)

Economics / trade

Politics

Geographical landmarks / natural phenomena

Meals

Military power

Pop culture / cinema

Abstract concepts

Technology / production

Human resources

Sports

Symbols

0 5 10 15 20 25

21.02

18.97

12.3

10.76

9.23

8.23

7.17

6.15

4.13

2.05

9.51

11.15

23.28

15.41

3.28

13.11

9.18

3.28

10.16

0.330000000000001

1.31

Females Males

The USA: main male reactions

Category Association Reactions

Economics / trade

moneyeconomics

dollar (13) (strong) economics / economic leader (6)

Politics democracy (7)president

president (2), George Washington (2), George Bush (2), Barack Obama (7)

Geographical landmarks

New York the Statue of Liberty (6), New York (2), the Empire State Building, Broadway, East Side, West Side

Meals fast food McDonald’s (10), fast food (4), burger (2), Hamburger, French fries, hot-dog, Coke, BigMac

Military power

wars (constant) wars (6), 09/11 (2), Afghanistan, arms, terrorism, military power

Pop culture / cinema

Hollywood Hollywood (3), Oscar, movies, Jim Carrey, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie

Technology / production

Apple Apple (5), car-building industry, cheap cars, Cadillac, and Ford (2)

Associative category

Association

Reactions

Geographical landmarks

city 1) the general group: city (2), Las Vegas (4), Los Angeles (3), Washington (2)2) the New York group: New York (10), the Statue of Liberty (13), Manhattan 3) the city life group: skyscraper (8), statue (2), park, bridge (1).

Meals fast food fast food (28), McDonald’s (8), hamburger (4), Coke (3), coffee, hot-dog, unhealthy food (1)

Pop-culture / cinema

Hollywood Hollywood (15), films (7), (stupid / strange) comedies (2), action film, western, (excellent) actors, and film industry (1).

Politics president Barack Obama (10), George Bush (3), Abraham Lincoln (2), John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan (1)

Human resources

clothes (cheap) clothes (6), people in beautiful clothes, jeans

Economics economicsmoney

developed / excellent) economics (5), money (5), dollar (5)

The USA: main female reactions

Male stereotypic associations. Female stereotypic associations.

Hollywood automobiles

Apple

New Yorkfast food

wars

economics dollar

democracypresident

presidentclothesmoney

economics

Hollywoodfast food

city / city life

New York17%

President14%

Fast food32%

Hollywood18%

Money11%

Wars7%

Stereotype 1: the USA

Finland:general overview of associative reactions (%)

Geography / climate

Traditions

Leisure

Human resources

Social policy

Sport

Produce

Politics

Pop culture / arts

Ecology

Technology / production

Economics

No associations

Religion

Abstract concepts

Sciences

0 10 20 30 40 50 6036.05

14.28

14.28

10.2

7.48

4.08

3.4

3.4

2.04

1.37

1.37

1.37

0.68

53.93

10.49

6.37

9.74

3

1.5

4.87

1.5

3.37

0.37

1.12

0.750000000000001

0.37

0.37

1.5

0.750000000000001

Females Males

Associative category

Association Reactions

Geography / climate

winternorth

snow (15), cold (11), frost (3)northern country (2), north, polar circle

Leisure saunafishingwinter leisure activities

sauna (11)fishing (5)

ski resort, sledding, winter fishing

Social policy

stability stability (2), high level of life, success, reliability, order, and prosperity

Produce vodka (Finnish) vodka (3)

Spots winter sports skiing (7), winter sport, biathlon

Politics the Winter War the Winter War , war with Russians, Russo-Finnish war, the Mannerheim Line

Finland: main male reactions

Associative category

Association

Reactions

Geography / climate

winternorthcity

snow (33), cold (28), winter (7),frost (2)deer (16), north (2), polar nightHelsinki (11), Tampere

Traditions Christmas Santa Claus (19), Christmas (5),New Year (2)

Human resources

language the Finnish language (2), cool language, interesting pronunciation

Leisure sauna sauna (7)

Produce fish fish (9)

Pop culture

rock music Eurovision (3), rock groups (6)

Social policy

stability / (positive)

stability (4), good / high level of life, good life

Finland: main female reactions

vodkathe Winter War

saunafishing

winter leisure activitiesstability

winternorth

saunafish

rock musicstability

Christmasthe Finnish language

winternorth

Helsinki

Male stereotypic associations. Female stereotypic associations.

Winter52%

Christmas14%

North12%

Sauna9%

Fishing7%

Winter sports6%

Stereotype 2: Finland

Colombia:general overview of associative reactions (%)

Crime

Produce

Geography / climate

Human resources

Social policy

Politics

Leisure

Cinema

Sports

Religion

False associations

No reaction

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

38.81

23.88

11.94

9.7

4.48

2.98

2.98

1.49

0.750000000000001

0.750000000000001

2.24

19.25

26.74

16.58

22.99

3.22

4.81

1.6

1.07

1.07

2.67

Females Males

Associative category

Association Reactions

Crime drugs drugs (22), cocaine (8), heroin (2), marihuana, poppy (1), drug cartel (5), Drug Lord (4), drug trafficking (2)

Produce coffeetobacco

coffee (17)cigars (6), tobacco (4)

Geography / climate heat heat (5)

Human resources personality Columbus (8), Bolivar, Shakira

Social policy (negative) poverty (2), slavery, low level of life, cheap workforce

Colombia: main male reactions

Associative category

Association Reactions

Produce coffeetobacco

(tasty) coffee (34)cigars (9), tobacco (5)

Human resources personality Columbus (16), Gabriel Garcia Marquez (3), Che Guevara, Héctor Ismael Jiménez-Bravo, Shakira

Crime drugs drugs (23), hash (2), cocaine, marihuana, Colombian drug dealers

Geography / climate heat heat (10), sun

Colombia: main female reactions

heatpersonality

drugscoffee

tobacco

drugsheat

coffeetobacco

personality

Male stereotypic associations. Female stereotypic associations.

Drugs37%

Coffee26%

Personality16%

Heat8%

Tobacco12%

Stereotype 3: Colombia

Clear gender difference. No age / social difference – in this survey. The more information on the country is

available, the more true-to-life stereotype is.

Outcomes of the survey

What impact do stereotypes have on cross-cultural business communication?

Do cultural stereotypes function when a business person relates to a partner of another culture?

Problems to be solved:

Studying the actual modern format of different cultures;

Acquiring the experience of immediate verbal and non-verbal communication with representatives of ethnic groups;

Using the multi-cultural countries’ experience in the field of cross-cultural communication;

Creating readiness for the cross-cultural communication within the procedures of business games, etc.

Tasks of applied and research character to be resolved:

Sevastopol Institute of Banking of the University of Banking of the National Bank

of Ukrainehttp://www.sibs.uabs.edu.ua/

Natalya Gulivetsemail: ngulivets@gmail.com

skype: natalya.gulivets