CULTURAL DILEMMA Isyana Adriani, BA, M.Si

WHY CULTURAL DILEMMA?

It’s a diplomatic strategy to understand cultures of other countries, which in turn determine foreign policy.

13 INDICATORS OF CULTURAL DILEMMA - #1 Uncertainty Avoidance Different from risk avoidance, because avoiding uncertainty means reducing ambiguity of something that is usually yet to happen. Uncertainty avoidance index is usually measured in the context of family, health, happiness, occupation and state matters.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATORS - #2 Specific vs DiffuseAsk the question: “how far do we get involved in a relationship?”Specific culture characteristics: to the point, transparent, blunt, precise. Diffuse culture characteristics: indirect, ambiguous, tactful.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATORS - #3 Internal vs External ControlAbout a culture’s relations with nature. An internal control culture treats nature in accordance with their needs and/or wants, making them mechanistic. External control society believes that human life has to be adjusted to nature, therefore this society is organic.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATOR - #4 Neutral vs EmotionalA neutral society is not expressive and tends to exercise self control, whereas an emotional society is expressive and open to feelings that occur in social relations.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATORS - #5 Orientation to Past, Present and FuturePast-oriented society: talk about history and family, motivated to create a golden age, view things in context of tradition.Present-oriented society: enjoy the moment, rarely execute plans.Future-oriented society: always plan and strategize, great interest in youth, talk about prospects and future achievements.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATORS #6 Masculinity vs FemininityMasculine society: gender roles are clear – men are not supposed to show emotion, has to be aggressive and masculine, and strive to attain wealth and status; women have to be feminine, tender, caring and concerned with the quality of life.Feminine society: gender roles overlap. Both men and women are expected to be modest, tender and concerned with the quality of life.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATORS - #7 Universalism vs ParticularismUniversalist culture: rules apply in all kinds of interactions (social, economic, political, etc.)Particularist culture: interpersonal relations apply in all arenas of interactions.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATORS - #8 Achievement vs AscriptionLooks at how a society perceives status. An achievement-oriented society appreciates achievements instead of wealth, family and status. An ascription-oriented society places emphasis on family, wealth and status.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATORS - #9 Collectivism vs IndividualismCollectivist society: privacy is not really appreciated, group interests prevail, harmony and consensus matter, groups determine opinions, government controls economy.Individualist society: everyone should have an opinion, state has limited role in the economy, people are entitled to privacy, individual freedom prevail.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATORS - #10 Indulgence vs RestrainHow a society expresses happiness and satisfaction.Indulgent society: optimistic, positive, high percentage of happy people, loose and less disciplined, exercises personal life control.Restraint society: “what happens to me isn’t my fault” mentality, leisure is not important, more disciplined, cynical, pessimistic, low percentage of happy people.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATORS - #11 Power DistanceSmall power distance society: wealthier with large middle class, power is based on expertise and leadership skills, more dialogue and less violence, equal rightsLarge power distance society: whoever in power is right and good, poor with small middle class, only the powerful are privileged, power is only for those with charisma and wealth, more violence.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATORS - #12 Sequential vs SynchronicLooks at the time context on which relations are based. Sequential society builds relations based on current interests and short term goals. Synchronic society tends to keep relations from the past through to the future.

13 CULTURAL DILEMMA INDICATORS - #13 Long vs Short Term OrientationShort term oriented society: expecting quick results, concerned with social status, marriage is a moral arrangement, pressure on spending. Long term oriented society: spare resources, not mind slow results, willing to work hard for a purpose.