Zuyd University for Applied Sciences 23 May 2011 10-12 a.m. Br.3.02 1.

Zuyd University for Applied Sciences

23 May 201110-12 a.m.

Br.3.02

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Theresa M.J. SnydersCross-Cultural communication

Lecturer

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Welcome to the Kingdom of The Netherlands

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Intercultural failures

Unaware of the key features and biases of our own culture

Feeling threatened or uneasy when interacting

Unable to understand or explain behaviourUnable to transfer knowledgeNot recognizing when own culture affects

behaviour.Unable to adjust to living and working in

another culture.4

Workshop ObjectivesBy the end of the workshop, participants will:

be aware of how national, organizational and individual cultural values influence attitudes and behaviour

understand more about other culturesdevelop culturally appropriate strategies for

dealing with cultural differences in business customs, management styles and social protocols

develop tools to be more effective in an intercultural environment

Be able to improve their Cultural Intelligence5

Today’s WorkshopPerceptionsWhat is culture?Explore U.S. (and some other) cultural

valuesCultural DimensionsCultural ContrastsQuizAmerican StereotypesCultural EncounterNative English Speaker Activity

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Perceptions – what do you see?

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Perceptions – what do you see?

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What image to you first see ?

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Perceptions – what is written?

PARISin thethe spring

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Perceptions/AssumptionsThe result of our many different culture

standpoints means that:

‘Pure’ communication is impossible,

Much of our communication is unconscious.

We expect to see what we expect to see.

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Perceptions/Assumptions - SummaryWE create the reality upon which our

communication is based. We bring prior assumptions and associations, many of

which are culturally based, to the process of communication. We can never assume that the assumptions we operate under are the

same for everyone, particularly when we are engaged in cross-cultural communication.

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Challenges of working across cultures

What is normal to us may not be normal to other cultures!

We make assumptions based on our own set of rules –

Yet they are often different from other people’s rules.

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What is culture?

What is culture?

In your groups, brainstorm what culture means to you.

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What is culture? Some modern definitions:“Culture is the deeper level of basic assumptions and

beliefs that are shared by members of an organization, that operate unconsciously and define in a basic ‘taken for granted’ fashion an organization's view of its self and its environment.”( Edgar Schein)

“Culture is an integrated system of learned behavior patterns that are characteristic of the members of any given society. Culture refers to the total way of life for a particular group of people. It includes everything that a group of people thinks, says, does and makes its customs, language, material artifacts and shared systems of attitudes and feelings. Culture is learned and transmitted from generation to generation.” (Robert Kohls)

“Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one human group from another.” (Geert Hofstede)

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The Iceberg Model

Behaviours Five Senses

Opinions

Viewpoints

Attitudes

Philosophies

Values

Convictions

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The Iceberg ModelMusic Language

ClothingGesturesSports

Eye contact EmotionsArt & Literature

Leisure Activities

Notions of Time

How the individual fits into society

Beliefs about human natureTolerance for change

Communication styles

Importance of face, harmony

Attitudes about men’s/women’s roles

Importance of work

Rules about relationships

Preference for thinking stylelinear or systematic

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Characteristics of CultureCulture is sharedCulture is learned/acquired and enduringCulture is a powerful influence on behaviourCulture is systematic and organizedCulture is largely invisibleCulture may be ‘tight’ or ‘loose’

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What are US cultural valuesForm small groups and brainstorm what you

consider to be US cultural values.

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Cultural Dimensions

Equality – HierarchyDirect – Indirect

Individual – GroupTask – Relationship

Risk – CautionTime

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Attitude to Equality/Hierarchy

A cultural style that is based on equality means people prefer to:

A cultural style that is based on hierarchy means people prefer to:

- be self directed - take direction from above

- have flexibility in the roles they play in a team

- have strong limitations about appropriate behaviour for certain roles

- have the freedom to challenge the opinion of those in power

- respect and not challenge the opinions of those in power because of their status and position

- make exceptions, be flexible - enforce regulations

- treat men and women in the same way - expect men and women to behave and be treated differently

Equality Hierarchy

Source: Peterson21

Attitude to Equality/Hierarchy

Denmark Norway UK Germany Netherlands Canada USA

Italy Spain Greece

Portugal Belgium Turkey

France

Equality

HierarchySource: Hofstede

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Attitude to Direct/Indirect

A direct cultural style means people prefer to:

An indirect cultural style means people prefer to:

- be more direct in speaking and be less concerned about how something is said

- focus not just on what is said, but how it is said

- openly confront issues or difficulties - discreetly avoid difficult or contentious issues

- communicate concerns straight forwardly - express concerns tactfully

- express views or opinions in a frank manner

- avoid conflict if at all possible

- say things clearly, not leaving much open

to interpretation

- count on the listener to interpret meaning

Direct Indirect

Source: Peterson23

Attitude to Direct/Indirect

USA Canada Netherlands Germany Denmark Norway

UK Belgium Hungary

Italy Spain Portugal

Greece Turkey

Direct

IndirectSource: Hofstede

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Attitude to Individual/Group

An individual cultural style means people prefer to: A group cultural style means people prefer to:

- take individual initiative - act cooperatively and establish group goals

- use personal guidelines in personal situations - standardize guidelines

- focus on themselves - make loyalty to friends a high priority

- judge people based on individual traits - determine their identity through group affiliation

- make decisions individually - make decisions as a group

- put individuals before the team - put the team or group before the individual

- be nonconformists when necessary - conform to social norms

- move in and out of groups as needed or desired - keep group membership for life

Individual Group

Source: Peterson 25

Attitude to Individual/Group

USA UK Canada Netherlands Italy Belgium

DenmarkFrance

Norway Germany

Hungary Spain

Turkey Greece

Portugal

Individual

Group

Source: Hofstede26

Attitude to Task/Relationship

A task cultural style means people prefer to: A relationship cultural style means people prefer to:

- define people based on what they do - define people based on who they are

- move straight to business, relationships come later

- establish comfortable relationships and a sense of mutual trust before getting down to business

- keep most relationships with co-workers impersonal

- have personal relationships with co- workers

- sacrifice leisure time and time with family in favour of work

- sacrifice work in favour of leisure time and time with family

- get to know co-workers and colleagues quickly but usually superficially

- get to know co-workers and colleagues slowly and in depth

- use largely impersonal selection criteria in hiring (such as CVs and test scores)

- use largely personal selection criteria (such as family connections) when hiring

- allow work to overlap with personal time - not allow work to impinge on personal life

Task

Relationship

Source: Peterson 27

Attitude to Task/Relationship

USA Denmark Netherlands UK Canada Norway

Germany Belgium Italy

Greece Hungary Spain

Portugal Turkey

Task

RelationshipSource: Hofstede

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Attitude to Risk/Caution

A risk cultural style means people prefer to: A cautious cultural style means people prefer to:

- make decisions quickly with little information

- collect considerable information before making a decision

- focus on present and future - focus on the past

- be less cautious – in a “ready, aim, fire way” - be more cautions – in a “ready, aim fire way”

- change quickly without fear of risk - change slowly and avoid risks

- try new and innovative ways of doing things

- refer to past precedents of does and doesn’t work

- use new methods for solving ,problems - stick to proven methods for solving problems

- have fewer rules, regulations, guidelines and directions

- want more rules, regulations, guidelines and directions

- be comfortable changing plans at the last minute

- not change plans at the last minute

Risk Caution

Source: Peterson29

Attitude to Risk/Caution

Denmark UK USA Canada Norway Netherlands Germany Italy Turkey

Spain France Belgium Hungary

Portugal Greece

Risk

CautionSource: Hofstede

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Attitude to Time

Tasks need to be given strict time periods

Time is spent on interaction with people as well as on task accomplishment

Take time commitments seriously (e.g. deadlines, schedules)

Deadlines can be negotiable

Preference for scheduling one thing at a time

Comfortable doing many things at once

No interruptions Interruptions accepted

Quick pace Time is not always the priority

StrictLinearTime

FlexibleWithTime

Source: Hall31

Attitude to Time

North America Western Europe

Scandinavia Hungary

Mediterranean Countries

StrictLinearTime

FlexibleWith Time

Source: Hall32

Origin of Cultural ContrastsForm a pair with another student you don’t

know very well.Identify which statement is closest to US

culture.Identify which value from the “Value

Contrasts” handout its selected sentence might represent.

Speculate as to what factors, historically, might have contributed to the formation of the identified value in American culture.

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Quiz In your groups Create 3 questions (2 Multiple choice and 1

open Q) about the content of the lecture

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American StereotypesIn small groups, brainstorm what kind of

stereotypes you think foreigners have of Americans.

Furthermore, think of at least three stereotypes you have heard of related to European nationalitites.

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Culturally Intelligent LeaderThe global leader of today and tomorrow

must learn to be:

flexible enough to adapt with knowledge sensitive to each new cultural situation that

they face

Do you think you are heading in that direction ?

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Is that it?Royal Regards,

Wishing you a great ‘Spirit of Europe’ experience

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Native English Speaker ActivityRead pp.22 – 24 in the ‘Intercultural awareness’ Document

• Figure out the linguistic mistakes in the ‘howlers’ on pp. 26 + 27. Try to rephrase at least 6 of them in such a way that it is understandable for people from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

• Fill in the ‘cultural Intelligence checklist’ on p. 29

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Which culture(s) can you perceive in this picture ?

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