Chapter 6 Cultural Influences on Contexts Chapter 6 Cultural Influences on Context.

Chapter 6 Cultural Influences on Contexts

Chapter 6

Cultural Influences on Context


Cultural Influences on Context

• By nature all men are alike, but by education widely different.

—Chinese Saying • Live together like brothers and do business like strangers.

—Arab Proverb • If you are not in tune with the universe, there is sickness in the

heart and mind.

—Navajo Saying


Learning Objectives

• perceive the relationship between culture and context

• perceive the relationship between communication and context

• understand the different attitudes and conversational structures of health care context

• summarize the different roles and behavioral patterns of educational context

• evaluate the different management concept and behavioral modes of business context


Case 1 A Refusal of an Offer of Coffee

• Why did a refusal of coffee lead to the deadlock in the negotiations?


Cultural Influences on Contexts

The Business Context D

Intercultural Negotiations E

The Educational Context C

The Health Care Context B

Understanding Context A


While-Class Learning: Text A

• Pre-reading Questions

What kinds of behaviors can be appropriate in the following contexts.


Text A: Understanding Context

• communication context: cultural, social, and physical settings

• “frame (reference point)” : what specific actions should mean

what behaviors are to be expected

how to act appropriately and effectively

• Internalized cultural rules


Text A

• Understanding Context

Three basic assumptions about human communication:

1. Communication is rule governed

2. Context specifies communication rules

3. Communication rules are culturally diverse


1. Communication is rule governed

• Communication rules prescribe proper behavior• Social settings stipulate rules• Culture makes the rules

• Rules cover both verbal and nonverbal behaviors • Rules specify what should be said, how it should be

said


2. Context specifies communication rules

Diverse contexts,

Different communication rules


3. Communication rules are culturally diverse

Different cultures, different rules.

• Dress

• Time

• Language

• Manners

• Nonverbal behavior

• Control of communication


While-Class Learning: Text B

• Pre-reading Activity

1. Recall your last visit to a doctor.

2. Identify the typical features in the Chinese medical context.


While-Class Learning: Text B

• The Health Care Context

1. Culture’s influence on the health care context

2. Family roles in the health care context

3. Conversational structures and language


1. Culture’s influence on the health care context

• Three basic health belief systems

Biomedical System

Personalistic System

Naturalistic System


a. Biomedical System

• Objective diagnosis• Scientific explanation of disease• Illness: abnormalities in functioning or structure• Treatment

destroy/remove causative agent

repair affected body part

control affected body system

European American cultures


b. Personalistic System

• Health and illness: linked to supernatural forces

• Disease: result of active intervention by supernatural being, nonhuman being, or human

• Treatment: sooth/remove problematic supernatural forces

Some African, many Asian cultures, Latino

and African American cultures


c. Naturalistic System

• Health and illness: result of impersonal forces or conditions, an upset in balance of body elements

• Disease: result from disequilibria

• Treatment: restore balance

The ancient Chinese principle of yin and yang


2. Family roles in the health care context

• Guidelines: how to perceive and communicate

a. dominance patterns

the United States: individual patient

collectivist cultures: family members

b. modesty (bodily displays for women)

Latina women: not permitted to undress for an examination by male physicians/nurses

Arab women: shy about disrobing for examinations


3. Conversational structures and language

• Latinos and Arabs: extensive small talk• Native Americans: extensive periods of silence• Asians and Asian Americans: indirection or other

face-saving strategies• Individualistic and low-context cultures: important

to communicate verbally• Collectivistic and high-context cultures: avoid

conversing with physicians during medical interviews


While-Class Learning: Text C

• The Educational Context

1. Culture’s influence on the educational context

2. Classroom interaction

a. role behaviors in class

b. classroom discussion and participation


While-Class Learning: Text D

• The Business Context 1. Cultural views toward management

a. North American

b. European

c. Asian

d. Latin


1.a. North American Management Styles

• resent interference• strong work ethic• friendly and informal• competitive and aggressive• manager: a high status, a cultural hero


1.b. European Management Styles

• Germany:

1) detailed information and instruction to guide

2) do not need to motivate

3) authoritarian leadership style• France:

1) rules, regulations, and principles

2) authoritarian

3) autocratic• Britain:

1) diplomatic, tactful, laid back, casual, reasonable, helpful

2) compromise, fair

3) friendly small talk, casual approach to work


1.c. Asian Management Styles

• China:

1) harmony

2) kinship, interpersonal connections, face, and power

3) seniority: main source of power, from age and length of service• Japan:

1) harmonious integration of all members

2) organization: a large extended family

3) acceptance of hierarchy, sense of obligation, consensual decision making


Cultural Views Toward Management

Diverse Cultures Management StylesNorth American

American

European German

French

British

Asian Chinese

Japanese

Latino Mexican and Latin American


While-Class Learning: Text D

• The Business Context 2. Business Protocol

a. initial contacts

b. greeting behaviors

c. gift giving


a. Initial Contacts

• American:

1) socialization is unimportant

2) not interested in long-term relationships

3) trust in counterparts

• Chinese:

1) establish contacts

2) socializing is integral

3) long-term business or personal relationships


b. Greeting Behaviors

• American:

1) informal and friendly

2) shaking hands

3) first names used, except senior persons or formal situations

4) business cards exchanged in business settings

• Chinese:

1) slight bow and brief shake of hands

2) social status and rank highly honored

3) business cards

4) family name


c. Gift Giving

• American: 1) akin to bribery

2) letters of thanks

3) a small token: flowers, a plant, or a bottle of wine

• Japanese:

1) very common

2) do not open gifts

3) flowers, cakes, or candy when visiting


While-Class Learning: Text E

• Intercultural Negotiations

1. Pacing

2. Negotiation Styles

3. Variations in Decision-making


1. Pacing

America Latin America

business conducted

lightning speed much slower pace

contracts signed

common during the first meeting

several trips to accomplish

decisions made

middle managers several people

Some cultures:

Personal relationships take priority over the product or service, business does not begin until friendships are established.


2. Negotiation Styles

Negotiation styles

Americans Efficiency, directness; ready to bargain or compromise; logical arguments

British Similar to Americans, but more silence, interrupt less; friendly, sociable, flexible

French Most difficult of Europeans; long-winded; relish debate, confrontational and competitive

Germans Not compromise; clear, firm and assertive; frequently interrupt

Japanese Long pauses, silence; harmony

Chinese Avoid conflict; long-term relationships; face-saving; status; indirect, silence; smile


3. Variations in Decision-making

Variations in decision-making

Americans Problem solvers; rational thinking and concrete data, factual inductive

French Debate; conservative, safe decision-makers; decisions made by top authorities

Japanese Level expertise; consensus-building process

Chinese More authoritative than consensual;


Thank You

Chapter 6 Cultural Influences on Contexts Chapter 6 Cultural Influences on Context.

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