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From small villages to a global village ◦ Global village definition is made by Canadian media

culture analyst Marshall McLuhan in 1964

What are the contributors of cultural diversity? ◦ Advanced technology and transportation systems

◦ Global economy and business transactions

◦ Mass migration and international exchange

1960 75 million migrants

2005 191 million migrants

Europe hosted the largest number of international migrants (64 million), it is followed by Asia, North America

International students

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Incorporates both objective and subjective elements.

◦ Objective aspects of culture include tools, roads, television

programming, architecture, and other physical artifacts.

◦ Subjective aspects include norms, values, ideas, customs, and other

meaningful symbols.

The human part of the environment (Herskovits)

„collective mental programming‟ of people, and the

„software of the mind,‟ (Hofstede, a well-known Dutch organizational anthropologist)

Interplay of sameness and differences

product of social life

related with human

social heritage of human race

bridge from past to the future

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Culture is:

Not right or wrong.

◦ Culture is relative. There is no cultural absolute. Different

nationalities simply perceive the world differently.

Not about individual behavior.

◦ Culture is about groups. It refers to a collective phenomenon of

shared values and meanings.

Not inherited.

◦ Culture is derived from the social environment. We are not born with

a shared set of values and attitudes; we learn and acquire as the grow

up.

Culture is social

Culture is holistic

Culture satisfy needs

Culture is learned

Culture is shared

Culture is dynamic

The invisible hand of culture

Culture Satisfies Needs

Culture exist to satisfy the need of the people within society.

Culture provides

“standards and rules”

regarding

•When to eat

•Where to eat

•What is appropriate to eat for breakfast,

•lunch, dinner

•What to serve to guests at a dinner

•party, picnic, or a wedding

Culture is Learned

People do not born with an understanding of culture.

Socialization (growing up)

Acculturation (adjusting to a new culture)

How is culture learned?

Formal Learning Informal Learning Technical Learning

Adults and older siblings

teach a young family

member “how to behave”

A child lerns primarily by

initiating the behavior of

selected others (friends,

TV Heros, family etc.)

Teacher instruct the child

in an educational

environment as to what

should be done, how it

should be done

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Socialization: The process of learning the rules and

behavioral patterns appropriate to one's given society,

i.e. cultural learning.

Acculturation: The process of adjustment and

adaptation in a different cultural context after being a

contact over a period of time with that culture,

commonly experienced by expatriate workers.

Culture is Shared

Culture is shared, communicated and transmitted by members of

social set and defines the boundaries between different groups.

Common language is critical cultural component.

Social institutions play a major role in the transfer of culture.

Mass

Media

Culture is Dynamic

Culture is subject to change over time, it is not static!!!

Many factors are likely to produce cultural change.

New technology, population shifts, resource shortages, wars etc.

Russian Cultural change after the collapse of

communism in 1991

Our cultural environment changes, so does our view of

cultural practices

◦ The waltz was considered savage during 1700s.

◦ During 1800s, the tango was viewed as so sexual to be socially

acceptable

◦ Only for New Year Eve Oriental dance on TV (First in 1980)

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I Don‟t do dishes, more time for me

and rinse charming

After all, there is more to life than just doing dishes

Surface Culture

Symbols, Language,

Customs, Arts, Music,

Fashions

Deep Culture

Expectations

Traditions

Attitudes

Norms, Values

Beliefs

Perceptions

Culture is in Interaction

Language

Social

Institutions

Beliefs, Values

and Norms

Non-verbal

Communication

Religion

Material

Culture

Education

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Subculture can be categorized by a number of indicators ◦ gender, ethnicity, social class, organization, geographic region

etc.

Ethnic groups such as Afro-Americans, Hispanic-Americans etc. ◦ Based on their population in the host country ethnic minority

groups

◦ With their own language, lifestyle, and cultural heritage

Social class such as Indian caste system

Organizational culture

Regional Culture ◦ Language or regional dialect

Language

Beliefs and Values

Nonverbal Communication

Body Language

Time

Esthetic

Religion

Social Structure and Institutions

Material Culture

Education

Values: Abstract ideas about what a group believes to be

good, right and desirable.

◦ Respect, honesty, loyalty, hard-working...

Norms: Social rules and guidelines that prescribe

appropriate behavior in particular situations.

◦ Eg: Appropriate dress code in a particular situation.

Rituals coordinate everyday interactions, specifically special occasions

a larger and a plural experience “a type of expressive, symbolic activity constructed of multiple

behaviors that occur in a fixed, episodic sequence, and that tend to be repeated over time”

◦ Exchange rituals gift-giving and receiving behavior.

◦ Possession rituals cleaning, discussing, comparing, personal possessions such as in housewarming parties.

◦ Grooming rituals

◦ Divestment rituals

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“A system of shared beliefs and rituals that

are concerned with the realm of the sacred.”

Language shape the way people perceive the world and it

also helps define culture.

The “mirror” or expression of culture; essential for

communications; provides insights into culture

The components of human language

◦ Phonology explores how sounds are organized in a language

◦ Morphology refers to the combination of basic units of meaning (morphemes)

◦ Syntax is the study of the grammatical and structural rules of language

◦ Semantics refers to the study of the meaning of words and the relationships

between words

Denotations vs connotations

In countries with more than one language more than one culture

◦ Canade has an English speaking culture and French speaking culture

Chinese is the “mother tongue”of the largest number of people,

followed by English and Hindi

Most widely spoken language is English (language of international

business)

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Company Product Brand

Name Country

American Motors Auto Matador Spain

Ford Truck Fiera Spain

General Motors Auto Nova Spain

Means

Killer

Ugly and old

woman

It doesn’t go

What are the threatened languages?

Why should language loss be an important issue that calls for our

attention???

Types of nonverbal communication ◦ Kinesics: Body movements

◦ Proxemics: The use of space

North Americans > Latin Americans

◦ Chronemics: The use of time

◦ Physical appearance and dress

Monochronic ◦ A rigid orientation of time

◦ The individual focuses on schedules, punctuality, and time as a resource

◦ E.g.: Australia, US, Canada

Polychronic ◦ A flexible orientation of time

◦ Delays are sometimes needed before taking action

◦ E.g.: Latin America, Middle East

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Eye-contact

◦ In the United States and Canada, intermittent eye contact

interest and attention.

◦ In many Middle Eastern cultures, intense eye contact between the

same genders trust and sincerity however, between opposite

genders inappropriate.

◦ In Asian, African, and Latin American cultures,

extended eye contact challenge

Japanese cultures ◦ The eyebrow flash rude or sexual connotations

◦ informal male-female touching is less common and improper.

◦ Male bowing traditionally varied from a modest nod of the head, to a very much more pronounced bend of the body from the hips. Depth of bend reflects depth of respect or appreciation.

◦ Pass an item to someone with one hand very rude

Are Cultures Converging?

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Low-context cultures rely on elaborate verbal explanations, putting

much emphasis on spoken words.

Tend to be in northern Europe and North America,

central importance on the efficient delivery of verbal messages;

speech should express one‟s ideas and thoughts as clearly, logically,

and convincingly as possible.

Communication is direct and explicit

Agreements are concluded with specific, legal contracts.

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A high-context culture emphasizes nonverbal messages and use

communication as a means to promote smooth, harmonious

relationships.

Prefer an indirect, polite, “face-saving” style that emphasizes a

mutual sense of care and respect for others; careful not to embarrass

or offend others.

It is difficult for Japanese people to say “no” when expressing

disagreement.

In East Asian cultures, showing impatience, frustration, irritation, or

anger disrupts harmony and is considered rude and offensive.

To succeed in Asian cultures, it is critical to notice nonverbal signs

and body language.

LINEAR-ACTIVE MULTI-ACTIVE REACTIVE

Talks half the time Talks most of the time Listens most of the time

Gets data from stats, research Solicits information first-hand from people

Uses both data and people sources

Plans ahead step by step Plans grand outline only Looks at general principles

Polite but direct Emotional Polite and indirect

Partly conceals feelings Displays feelings Conceals feelings

Confronts with logic Confronts emotionally Never confronts

Dislikes losing face Has good excuses Must not lose face

Compartmentalizes projects Lets one project influence another Sees the whole picture

Rarely interrupts Often interrupts Doesn't interrupt

Job-oriented People-oriented Very people-oriented

Sticks to the facts Juggles the facts Statements are promises

Truth before diplomacy Flexible truth Diplomacy over truth

Sometimes impatient Impatient Patient

Limited body language Unlimited body language Subtle body language

Respects officialdom Pulls strings Networks

Separates the social & professional Interweaves the social & professional Connects the social & professional

Does one thing at a time Multi tasks Reacts to partner's action

Punctuality very important Punctuality not important Punctuality important

TOTAL = TOTAL = TOTAL =

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MODEL OF HOFSTEDE

Power Distance

Individualism / Collectivism

Uncertainity Avoidance

Masculinity / Femininity

The Work of Geert Hofstede

Power Distance Uncertainity Avoidence

indicates the extent to which a society

expects and accepts inequalities btw

its people and an unequal distribution

of power and responsibility within its

institutions and organizations.

This index relates to extent to which

countries and their institutions establis

formal rules and fixed patterns of

operations.

broad differences btw

individuals in terms of

power statu and wealth

LARGE

POWER

DISTANCE

HIGH

UNCERTAINTY

AVOIDANCE

strong preferences for

structered over

unstructured

situations

1. The lowest P.D.: Austria

2. The highest P.D.: Malaysia

1. The lowest U.A.: Singapore

2. The highest U.A.: Greece

The Work of Geert Hofstede

Individualism/Collectivism Masculinity/Femininity

This dimension relate to the degree to

which people in a country prefer to act

as individuals rather than as members

of groups.

The more Masculine a society the

more it values assertiveness and

materialism

Make own decision, adopt their own

approach, emphasis on personal liberities,

having sufficient time for personal or family

life, high sense of independence

INDIVIDUALISTIC MASCULINE SOCIETY

Promotes competition, strong

leadership, decisiveness, gender roles

often defined quite rigidly

1. The lowest I.: Guetemala

2. The highest I.: USA

1. The lowest M: Sweeden

2. The highest M.: Japan

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Language ◦ (1) learn the language,

◦ (2) find someone who can speak the language as an interpreter, and

◦ (3) ask for clarification if you are not sure what someone says.

Nonverbal Language

Stereotypes ◦ (1) increase awareness of your own preconceptions and stereotypes

of cultures you encounter,

◦ (2) reinterpret their behavior from their cultural perspective

Good or Bad ◦ (1) do not judge someone from another culture by your own cultural values

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Guideline 1: Acquire factual and interpretive knowledge about the other culture; and try to speak their language.

Guideline 2: Avoid cultural bias. Self-reference criterion: The tendency to view other cultures

through the lens of one's own culture- understanding this is the first step.

Critical incident analysis -a method for analyzing awkward situations in cross cultural interactions by developing empathy for other points of view.

Guideline 3: Develop cross-cultural skills, such as perceptiveness, interpersonal skills, adaptability