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November 12, 2011 Dr. Suzanne Droleskey
Engineers Without Borders
Behaviors
Attitudes and Beliefs
Core Values
Explicit Culture – What we perceive with our senses.
Explicit Culture
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Styles of Interaction/Relationships
Communication Preferences
World Views
Below the Waterline- Concepts and ideas that differ from culture to culture.
Implicit Culture
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Domestic View International View
What is U.S. Culture?
Many Groups
Shared Charac-teristics
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• Concept of Self • Concept of Time• Degree of Directness• Level of Context• Achievement over Time• Rules & Relationships• Concept of Space
Sample Elements of Culture
Caution: You are about to hear broad generalizations related to cultural groups – to presume that ALL people of any cultural group behave or believe in identical ways stereotypes them.
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Concept of Self
After six weeks, you and two others have completed a special project. The three of you have been awarded a prize of $20,000 for the project. How should the money be distributed?
A. Person A did 30% of the workB. Person B did 60% of the workC. Person C did 10% of the work
Concept of Self
Individualist Collectivist
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How do you respond when one friend or acquaintance knowingly arrives 45 minutes late to your eight person dinner party?- Expect an explanation (and perhaps and apology)- Have no problem with it, and proceed as if nothing
unusual had happened
Concept of Time
Concept of TimeMonochronic Polychronic
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Degree of Directness
If the leadership in your project location had a problem with your design or plans, would you prefer they tell you that directly or drop hints, (perhaps through other people) that you may need to piece together and figure out?
Degree of DirectnessDirect Indirect
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Individualist Collectivist
Concept of Self
US UK F G R,I,S J ME, M A SEA,C
J R F,S C SEA I,A,ME,M
Concept of Time
Monochronic Polychronic
US UK G
Storti: Personal Cultural Scales
by Target Areas
Degree of Directness
Direct Indirect
G US F, R S,UK I ME,M A,SEA,C J
Rules vs. Relationships
Universalists/Generalists: Rule Dominated
Particularistic: Relationship Dominated
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Level of Context:
Communication Preferences
Low Context
High Context
Explicit verbal communicationOpinions
Values
Feelings and context convey less of the message Context and feelings
Values
Opinions
Words convey a minimal part of the message
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Cultural Priorities: Achievement over time:
Achievement over Time:
Cultural Priorities
Results
Results
Time Passing
Time Passing
Focuson
Results/Tasks
Focuson
Function/ Relationships
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Universalist Particularist
Rule vs. Relationships
US UK J F R S I,M, SEA A,C, ME
R F I,S, UK M,ME, SEA A,C, J
Role of Context
Low Context High Context
US G
Storti: Personal Cultural Scales
by Target Areas
Achievement over Time
Achievement Quality of Life
J US, G, UK I,C, M, SEA, ME, F, S, R,A
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Proximity
• Intimate Distance
• Personal Distance
• Social Distance
• Public Distance
Proxemics: Culture and Space
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Domestic View International View
Remember: People Outside
Looking In Miss Complexities
Many Groups
Shared Characteristics
Remember: Cultural Perspective Makes a Difference
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