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: [email protected]
skype: natalya.gulivets