FM - Cross Cultural Communications

8/14/2019 FM - Cross Cultural Communications

1/66

FACIL I TATORS MANUAL 147

Wednesday 12 JulyBangkok, Thailand

ScheduleDay 3: Cross Cultural Communication

TIME08:30

09:00

09:30

09:45

10.30

11:00

11:20

EVENTSession 11 -

Introduction to the Day and

Cross-Cultural Quiz

Session 11 (cont) -

Participants Stories

Session 12 -

What is Culture?

Session 13 -

Matching Values to

Behaviour

Coffee/tea break

Session 14 -

Culture in Context

Session 15 -

Intercultural Skills and

Cultural Assumptions

CONTENTOpening remarks and introduction to cross-cultural

communication.

A questionnaire will be used to raise some cultural issues

and begin the session.

Participants will share experiences of cultural difference

in a small group exercise.

A short lecture will introduce the concept of cultures, and

examine visible and invisible aspects of behaviour.

An exercise to show the links between values and

behaviour.

This is a short lecture to place culture and cultural

behaviour in the context of universal behaviour (human

nature) and personal (individual) behaviour. This will be

followed by a short activity to practice making

distinctions between the three categories of behaviour

introduced in the previous session.

This exercise explores an entry point to looking at

culture. Key concepts in the intercultural field will be

introduced, and participants will be asked to identifytheir views/attitudes towards them.

FACILITATOR/CHAIR


2/66

Wednesday 12 July continuedBangkok, Thailand

ScheduleDay 3: Cross Cultural Communication

TIME12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

EVENTSession 16

Attitudes Towards Cultural

Differences and Applying

the Model

Lunch

Free Time

Field Visit

Free evening

CONTENTBased on Milton Bennetts model, this session will

present and examine the stages people go through in

developing an awareness of and sensitivity towards

cultural difference.

The Bennett model will be applied through a group

exercise that will explore the implications of working

with a different or clashing set of values

Participants will have free time.

A bus trip to town, a market and some cultural sights of

interest is available.

FACILITATOR/CHAIRG. Martin Mehers

G. Bedi

148 FACIL I TATORS MANUAL


3/66


4/66


CROSS-CULTURAL QUIZ ANSWERS

1. People in 59 countries were asked: In general, do

you usually trust other people? Try to name the

country which ranked highest (most trusting) and

lowest (least trusting):

Highest __________________

Lowest __________________

Explain that this is taken from Transparency Internationals

semi-annual survey where they ask people in 59 countries:

Do you trust other people? (among other questions). Highest

(most trusting) is Norway. Least trusting is Brazil. The survey

results for all 59 countries is attached in the slide set

following the quiz questions.

2. If a Brazilian pulls her earlobe when someone else

is talking, this means:

A. Nothing; its just coincidence.

B. Her earlobe is itching.

C. She approves of what the person is saying.

Brazilians from around Rio de Janeiro say it means 3.

3. If a Chinese person says your suggestion is good,

they mean:

A. It is really good.

B. They are not sure.

C. It is not good.

Make the point that the Chinese (and Japanese) are very

polite when giving negative feedback. And their comment

often sounds like positive feedback. Answer can be B or C.

4. The percentage of Indian workers who said they

preferred very close supervision on the job was:

A. 25 percent C. 65 percent

B. 50 percent D. 85 percent

85%. Ask participants if this would be true in their country.

5. Youre traveling on a train in India. The Indian

woman next to you offers you a drink from her water

bottle. You should:

A. Refuse politely.

B. Take a small sip and hand the bottle back.

C. Pour some water into your mouth without touching the

bottle to your lips.

If you touch the bottle to your lips, this is considered jutha

or pollution, and the woman may be offended. Indians in

your workshop may deny this, but it is traditionally very true.

6. If a Pakistani says he will do something God

willing, this means:

A. He does not intend to do it, but he does not want to be

rude.

B. He intends to do it, but he does not want to sound

irreligious.

B. Could also be A. depending, but explain that in Arabic,

when you speak in the future tense you must say Nshallah

which means Perhaps or God willing. This does not mean

you are not sure of what you intend to do, only that youre

not sure of everything that may happen in the future because

it is ultimately in Gods hands.

7. You have been invited to a Mexican familys home

for dinner, and you arrive one hour after the time they

said to come. You are:

A. Late, and you should apologize.

B. On time.

C. Very early; most of the family isnt even home yet.

B or C, but definitely not A. Mexicans are very flexible when

it comes to being on time for social engagements.

8. A Senegalese guest in your house burps loudly after

dinner. Does this mean:

A. She has indigestion.

B. She appreciated the food; or

C. She wants more wine.

B according to LEADs colleagues in Senegal.

9. A Japanese lady touches her nose frequently while

you are talking to her. This means:

A. Go and brush your teeth;

B. Her nose must have been itching, or;

C. She is pointing to herself.

C. Japanese women in particular when referring to

themselves in a conversation, touch their noses (rather than

indicating to their chest with their hands as in European

culture).


5/66


10. The percent of Arab executives who rated employee

loyalty as more important than efficiency was:

A. One quarter C. One half

B. One third D. Two thirds

D. Two thirds.

11. If a Nigerian from the North of the country raises his

clenched fist to you, what does he mean:

A. He is from the ANPP (opposition political party)

B. He intends to hit you.

C. He is showing you respect and reverence.

C. In the North of the country, this gesture indicates respect

to elders in particular.

12. In the following cities, try to guess how many timesin one hour a typical couple in a cafe touches each

other:

San Juan _____

Paris _____

London _____

San Juan: 180 Paris: 110 London: O

Additional Question:

What percentage of the worlds population is

relationship oriented (vs task oriented)?

95% relationship 5% task

70% relationship 30 % task

25% relationship 75% task

Resource:

The overwhelming majority of people maybe 95% of the

worlds population are relationship-oriented (e.g. Eastern

Europeans, and the inhabitants of Mediterranean, Latin-

Americans, Asian and Arab countries). The other 5% of the

worlds population are task- or issue-oriented (Germanics,

Nordics and Anglo-Saxons) (Storti, 2003).

Ranking in the trust survey where respondents were

asked whether or not they trusted people in general.

1. Brazil

2. Peru

3. Philippines

4. Puerto Rico

5. Turkey

6. Colombia

7. Venezuela

8. Slovenia

9. Poland

10. Argentina

11. Romania

12. South Africa

13. Pakistan

14. Nigeria

15. Bangladesh

16. Azerbaijan17. Chile

18. Slovakia

19. Estonia

20. Portugal

21. Moldova

22. France

23. Georgia

24. Croatia

25. Dominican Republic

26. Hungary

27. Russia

28. Armenia

29. E. Germany

30. Latvia

Participant Stories

This part of Session 11 gets participants thinking about their

own cross-cultural experiences, usually humorous or

embarrassing ones. It also gets them talking to each other.

The trainer does not have to say much here, except to

introduce the session, using the words on the slide.

Explain the purpose of the session, using the slide.

Explain that each participant at each table should tell a

personal cross-cultural story, taking no longer than 5 minutes.

After each person has told his/her story, the table should

vote on the best story that will later be told to the whole

audience.

Tell the tables to begin and explain that they have 30

minutes (or 5 minutes per participant) to complete the

exercise.

31. Mexico

32. Spain

33. Bulgaria

34. South Korea

35. Czech Republic

36. Serbia

37. Ukraine

38. Austria

39. Belgium

40. Italy

41. United States

42. India

43. Australia

44. Switzerland

45. Taiwan

46. W. Germany47. Great Britain

48. No. Ireland

49. Iceland

50. Japan

51. Ireland

52. Finland

53. New Zealand

54. China

55. Canada

56. Netherlands

57. Sweden

58. Denmark

59. Norway


6/66


After 30 minutes, call the session to order and ask the

participant with the best story from each table to retell

his/her story to the entire group.

FACILITATOR NOTES

Speakers may not speak loud enough when telling their story

to the entire audience. Make sure they speak up.


7/66


Session 12What is Culture?

Facilitators NotesDay 3: Cross Cultural Communication

OBJECTIVE

To familiarise participants with the concept of culture.

This session will focus on the concept of culture and examine

visible and invisible aspects of behaviour. Visual diagrams as

well as discussion will help the group explore some of these

concepts.

.

TIME SCHEDULE

09:30 Session 12

09:45 Session 13

10:30 Coffee Break

11:00 Session 14

GOALS FOR THE SESSION

To introduce and define the concept of culture as it will

be used in this workshop.

To explain the link between the visible aspects of culture

(personal behavior and the invisible, unconscious aspects(values, beliefs, assumptions).

MATERIALS REQUIRED

Session Workbook for participants

LCD Projector, screen

PREPARATION

Seating could be small groups seated at round tables

(maximum 6-8 persons per table)

PROCESS

This session is a short lecture which defines culture for the

purposes of the workshop and establishes the crucial link

between behavior and values, beliefs, and assumptions. This

is probably the most important 15 minutes of the entire 2-

day workshop, and it is essential the trainer practice the main

points of this lecture (see steps below) several times before

doing this session.

While you dont need to explain this unless you are asked,

the definitions we will use for values, beliefs, and

assumptions are as follows:

Values: the basis on which people decide and judge what

is right and good, and wrong and bad, in their society.

Beliefs: what people think of as true or real in their

society Assumptions: deep-seated, completely subconscious

instincts about the nature of reality.

Try not to get into a discussion of these terms at this point. If

people ask, then by all means give a very brief definition as

above and then explain that in later exercises we will be

dealing with each of these in much more detail.

Bring up slide (What is Culture?) and make the point that

there are many definitions of culture and we are choosing a

very general one for our purposes today. Then add that weare not talking about Capital C Culture, as in literature,


8/66


painting, music etc., though they are products/manifestations

of culture. We are talking about culture in a wider sense as a

way of life for a particular group of people, which includes

their behaviors and characteristic values, beliefs, and

assumptions. Finally, make the point that culture does not

always equate with nationality, that most nations (countries)

have more than one culture, although most nations do have

a dominant culture and then several subcultures. (Be sure to

make this point so you can later make the point about

making cultural generalizations.)

Pointing to the same slide, explain the relationship between

what is above the line (behavior) and what is below the line

(values, beliefs, assumptions) in the triangle. Begin by saying

that what we have to deal with in everyday life is behavior,

the things people say and do. We dont really deal with a

persons culture, but their actions. Then point out that our

whole point here today is that the things people say and do

are not accidental or somehow invented. They are, rather, toa large extent determined by the things below the line in the

diagram: values, beliefs, assumptions. Depending on these

things (point below the line) people will say and do certain

things (point above the line), and almost never do other

things, things that are against (point below the line again) or

not consistent with what we know they value and believe in.

Now show next slide. When you deal with someone from

another culture (indicate the triangle on the right), you are

dealing with someone from another triangle, and to the

extent that that persons values, beliefs, assumptions (point

below the line of the triangle to the right) are different from

yours (point below the line of the triangle on the left), then

that persons behavior (point above the line of the right

triangle) must be different from yours (point above the line

on the left triangle). But remember: this persons behavior

(point above the line of the right triangle) makes perfect

sense (point below) to him or her, just like your behavior

(point above the line on left triangle) makes perfect sense

(point below) to you. Then make what is in many ways the

central point of the whole workshop (so practice this

statement!): When youre dealing with someone from

another culture and that person does something that makes

absolutely no sense to you, it is almost guaranteed that it

makes perfect sense to him/her. Most people simply do not

do things they think are crazy. They do things YOU think are

crazy, and you do things THEY think are crazy, but most of us

dont think the things WE do are crazybecause they are not.

To us.

This does not mean you have to like or accept or even permit

the various things people from other cultures do, but youshould try to understand where these behaviors (point above

the line) come from (point below the line). When you realize,

for example, that something a person from another culture

did that offended or frustrated you is not an

offensive/frustrating action in that persons culture, then you

will probably not get so upset. You may still find the behavior

offensive, but now you understand that that person did not

believe it was offensive and did not intend to offend you.

This is why it is so important to understand about the

invisible aspects of culturethe things below the line in the

triangleso we can better understand why people behave

the way they do.


9/66


Session 13Matching Values to Behaviour


OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate and understand the link between values and

behaviour.

Participants will undertake an interactive exercise showing

the links between values and behaviour and discuss their

own examples.

TIME SCHEDULE

09:45 Session 13

10:30 Coffee Break

11:00 Session 14

11:20 Session 15

GOAL FOR THE SESSION

To illustrate with examples the link between values and

behavior.

MATERIALS REQUIRED



Hand out.

PROCESS

Introduce the exercise by explaining that this is a simple

activity to demonstrate the link between values and behavior(refer again to slide What is Culture?).

Explain (these instructions are also on the handout enclosedin the Resource section at the end of Day 3) that there is a

list of values down the left hand side of this page and a list

of behaviors down the right hand side. For each value on the

left there is a behavior somewhere on the right that is a

good match for this value, something you can easily

imagine that a person who held this value would actually do

or say.

Do the first value, Being direct, as an example, pointing out

that someone who felt it was important to be direct in

his/her communication would think it was OK to Disagree

openly with someone at a meeting.

Give the group a few minutes to complete the rest of the

items. Be sure to explain that for one or two of the values

there may be more than one match in the behavior column,

but participants should try to find just one match for every

value.

After everyone has finished, go through each item and solicit

answers from the group. (See Answer Key below for the

suggested right answers.)

At the very end, ask the group what the purpose of this

exercise was. If they cant remember, show slide What is

Culture? again and repeat the question. When they have

answered correctly (to show the relationship between values

and behavior), then ask one final question: Why is it

important to understand this relationship? (Answer: To show

that people with different values are bound to behave

differently, and this is basically what it means to be from

another culture.)

ANSWER KEY:The sequence of numbers down the right hand side should

be as follows: 8,6,2,9,1,5,4,3,7


10/66


FACILITATOR NOTES

The only potential problem here (alluded to above) is if

people give a different match for a value than the right

answer given in the answer key. You can go ahead and

accept this answer as long as the person can give a good

explanation for it. Even then, be sure to give the answer from

the answer key.


11/66


12/66


the same as some of these (point to other triangle), and

therefore, some of these behaviors (top of one triangle) will

be the same as some of these (top of other triangle). Then

say that it has been estimated that close to 50% of all

values/beliefs/assumptions, hence all behaviors, are

universal, the same from culture to culture. This means that

when you deal with someone from another culture not

EVERYTHING about that person is going to be different from

you; maybe only half. Furthermore, the more similar that

culture is to yours, the higher percentage of similarities (the

50% universal plus a certain percentage of cultural similarity).

In other words, dont despair and think that whenever you

deal with someone from another culture, everything is going

to be different. Cross-cultural interaction is more difficult than

same culture interaction, but not 100% more difficult.

Now explain that while there are ways that we are all alike

(Universal), there are other ways that we are like some

people, those from our culture (point to Cultural box) and notlike other people, those from other cultures. Briefly say that

this box will of course be the focus of most of this workshop.

Now point to the box on the extreme right (Personal) and

explain that there are also ways that none of us is like

anyone else, including people from our own culture (indicate

Cultural box) and the rest of the human race (indicate

Universal box)because each of us is also an individual.

Then explain that because of these individual differences,

anything we say about culture in this workshop will always

have to be a generalization. And that people should

remember this.

Then make it very clear that we cant talk about culture,

about millions of people, without making these general

statements. And while individual differences necessarily limit

the validity of general cultural statements, these statements

are nevertheless very useful as long as we remember that

they are general. Then explain to participants that they dont

have to believe you on this point but ask them to suspend

their disbelief or doubts for now and see what happens when

we get to the exercises in the rest of this workshop.

The Culture in Context hand out activity (referring to

universal, cultural or personal) allows participants to practice

making distinctions between the three categories of behavior

introduced in the previous lecture and thereby solidify their

understanding of the differences.

Briefly introduce the purpose of the exercise: to give

participants a chance to practice thinking about the

differences between universal, cultural, and personal

behaviors.

Go over the instructions as they are given on the handout. Do

the first item, Sleeping with a bedroom window open,

together with the group. Then ask them to complete the

exercise individually.

Review the answers with the whole group, asking different

people to give their response. There will be some

disagreement with some items; one person may say

something is cultural while another person may say it is

universal or even personal. You can allows these

disagreementsthe discussion is in many ways the whole

point of the activitybut be sure to require people to give

the logic or rationale for their choice. See Answer Key below

for what the right answers.

ANSWER KEY:

1. P 8. P

2. U (though the animal might differ) 9. U

3. C 10. C4. C 11. P

5. C 12. C

6. U 13. U

7. C 14. U

Remember: Something that is cultural is also going to be

personal, in the sense that many persons in that culture will

do this thing. But in this quiz an answer is only personal if

most people in a culture would not do that thing.

FACILITATOR NOTES

As suggested above, some participants react to making

general cultural statements; they think it is stereotyping or

oversimplifying to the extent that it is not valuable. Do not

argue with these people if they make these points; there is,

after all, some truth to what they are saying. Just politely

acknowledge their observations and invite them to try a few

of the upcoming exercises and see if they find them useful.

Regarding stereotyping: you can point out that this is simply

the use of categories for storing informationsomething themind must do to make sense of otherwise random input

and so long as we do not try to force any one individual into

a category, it can be illuminating. Dont use this statement

unless you have to; you begin to sound defensive.


13/66


OBJECTIVE

To identify the most important intercultural communication

skills and to explore five key concepts in the intercultural

field.

This session focuses on exploring an entry point to looking at

culture in different contexts. Key concepts in the intercultural

field will be introduced, and participants will be asked to

identify their views and attitudes towards them.

TIME SCHEDULE

11:20 Session 15

12:00 Session 16

13:00 Lunch

14:00 Free time and field visit


To stimulate discussion about why being aware of ones

own culture is important when looking at other cultures. To introduce five key concepts in the field of intercultural

communication.

To ask participants to identify their own cultures point of

view on these five concepts.

MATERIALS REQUIRED



Flip chart and markers

Hand outs

PREPARATION

Draw up on the wall (using two pieces of flipchart paper), the

five continuum relating to the five cultural assumptions (see

slide Cultural Assumptions). Make sure each continuum is

labeled and numbered. Keep it covered till it is needed.

PROCESS

The Intercultural Skills exercise makes the important point

that the place to begin in looking at other cultures is with

ones own culture. This point is a natural link to the activity

which immediately follows.

Explain that the purpose of the exercise is to identify what agroup of 50 intercultural experts agreed was the most

important single quality or characteristic for dealing

effectively with people from another culture. And then to

discuss why the experts might have selected this quality.

Point out that the participants may not necessarily agree with

the experts, but they may find their choice interesting.

Ask participants to rank / arrange the 11 qualities according

to what they personally feel (not trying to decide what the

experts said). Put a 1 next to the quality that is most

important, 2 next to the second most important etc.

Session 15Intercultural Skills and CulturalAssumptions



14/66


Then ask various people what they selected as number 1.

As people give wrong answers (which the first few answers

usually are), simply say that many people also select this

quality, but its not what the experts said. And then ask for

someone elses 1. As you do this, keep repeating that of

course each of these qualities is very important, and you can

make a very good rationale for most of them, but that it is

interesting what the experts said. And then ask for another

answer.

When someone finally gives the same answer the experts

gave, congratulate that person and then ask him/her why

they made that selection. Then ask if anyone else also made

that same selection and ask those people why they selected

that as 1.

Then supplement the above answers as necessary with these

two observations:

The important thing to determine in looking at another

culture is how that culture is different from your own because

it is cultural differences that cause problems. But before you

can make this kind of comparison, you first have to know

what your own culture is like in order to have a point of

reference. Once you see that your culture has these

values/beliefs/assumptions, then you can examine the other

cultures beliefs/values/assumptions and note the differences.

Then make the additional point (which leads into to the

next exercise) that it is very difficult to see ones own culture

because we take it for granted. Like a fish takes water for

granted and is never really aware of water, we take culture

for granted and may not be aware of it. Only when we go to

another country (or work with people in our own country

who come from a different culture) do we begin to see our

own culture.

ANSWER KEY:

The rank order of these 11 skills, as given by the experts,

was: 11, 3,8,10,7,9,2,1,5,4,6

The second part of this session deals with culturalassumptions. We will introduce five fundamental concepts in

the field of intercultural communication, concepts which

correspond to five key dimensions of the human experience.

These concepts, which will be referred to as assumptions so

as to correspond to the terminology used in the What Is

Culture? lecture, are the starting point, the ultimate

explanation for, a great deal of human behavior. If you want

to understand why people behave the way they do, then the

place to start is in knowing what their culture assumes about

these nine dimensions.

Introduce the session making the points under above. As part

of this introduction, show slide What is Culture? and indicate

that we are now going to be looking at the deepest, most

fundamental level of culture (point to the word Assumptions),

which means we will be looking at the place where a lot of

behavior (point to the top of the triangle) ultimately begins.

Then bring up slide Cultural Assumptions and say we are

going to be looking at five assumptions today. Then explain

what these continuums are, that you have described the

opposite extremes of each assumption/concept on the

opposite side of each of these lines. Explain that every culture

has a point of view/a way of thinking about or reacting to

each of these concepts and that a cultures view will be on

one side or the other side of each continuum. Tell participants

that you are going to divide them into groups according to

the country they come from and that in their group they

must read the two descriptions (right side and left side) and

decide which description they think is true in general for theirculture (not for the participants personally). If individuals in

the group do not agree on their cultures outlook on a

particular assumption, they should discuss their differences

until they can come to some kind of consensus.

Once the group comes to an agreement, they should put a

tick mark on that side of the continuum where the

explanation most accurately describes their cultures point of

view. Explain that you would like the location of this tick

mark to be described with a number1 thru 5and that this

number corresponds to a specific location along the

continuum (indicate the numbers on the first continuum on

the handout). Explain that:

Position number 1 corresponds to extreme left and should be

used if the group decides that the explanation on the left is

exactly true for their culture.

Position number 2 corresponds to left side, halfway to the

middle, and should be used if the group decides that the

explanation on the left is somewhat but not exactly true for

their culture.

Position number 3 corresponds to the middle and should be

used if the group decides that their culture is halfway

between the two extremes.

Position number 4 corresponds to the right side, halfway to

the right edge, and should be used if the group decides that

the explanation on the right is somewhat but not exactly true

for their culture.

Position number 5 corresponds to the extreme right side and

should be used if the group decides that the explanation on

the right is exactly true for their culture.


15/66


Divide the group up according to the countries the

participants come from. If there is only one person from a

particular country, then that person works alone. If there are

many people from the same country, put them in groups of

6-10. (If everyone is from the same country, you may want to

divide people up by subcultures: geographic regions, ethnic

groups, tribesbut be careful if any of these are sensitive

designations). Give the groups about 15 minutes to read and

make their decisions for each continuum.

When all groups are finished, call the session back to order

and solicit each groups mark for each continuum by asking

for their number. At the place on the line that corresponds to

their number (on an overhead or flipchart), write an

abbreviation for that country. If the group from Vietnam, for

example, says their number for the first continuum is 4,

then write V (for Vietnam) at position number 4 on the first

continuum. Do this for all groups for all five continuums. If

you have many participants from the same country and havedivided them into several groups, then average the numbers

of all the various groups to arrive at a single number for that

country.

If you have a multi-cultural group and you have numbers on

both sides of some or all of the continuums (see below if you

do not have numbers of opposite sides), ask the group what

this means. They should answer that it means there are

significant differences between the cultures. Then ask them

what it means if someone on one side of the chart has to

work with someone on the other side. They should answer

that it means there is a lot of possibility for

misunderstanding, misinterpretation, even conflict. Then ask

them if they think people choose to be on different sides of

the chart. They will say No, of course, and then you can

make the point that similarly people dont choose to

misunderstand or misinterpret each other; it just happens

naturally. In other words, cultural misunderstandings are no

ones fault; no one is to blame. Culture is to blame, and

people cant help it if they come from different cultures.

If all the participants in your group are from the same culture,

or they are from different cultures but all of these culturesare on the same side of the continuum, then ask people to

imagine they have to work with someone who is on the

opposite side (or to remember a time when they did work

with someone like that), then continue as in above.

FACILITATOR NOTES

As suggested above, some people may not think the experts

choicebeing aware of ones own cultureis the most

important. They often say, for example, that being able to

communicate or respecting the other culture are much more

important. Dont argue with them; just say that all the

qualities are very important but its interesting to see how

these experts think.

With regard to the cultural assumptions exercise, some

people may point out that their country is too culturally

diverse and they cannot generalize about the entire

population. You can then ask them to select one of the larger

subcultures in their country or the dominant culture, if there

is one, and try to generalize about that. If they are still

reluctant, ask them to pick a group they do feel comfortable

generalizing about. At the same time you should point out

that this exercise deals in very general categories, and thatdifferent subcultures in a country may actually have the same

view when it comes to matters that are this fundamental. In

any case, you dont want too many different subgroups in the

room or it takes too long to record everyones mark.


16/66


17/66


Session 16Attitudes Towards Cultural Differencesand Applying the Model


OBJECTIVE

To explore our own attitudes towards cultural differences and

to apply Milton Bennetts developmental model of

Intercultural Sensitivity.

Based on Milton Bennetts Development Model of

Intercultural Sensitivity, this session will present and examine

the stages people go through in developing an awareness of,

and sensitivity towards, cultural difference. The Bennett

model will be applied through a group exercise that will

explore the implications of working with a different or

clashing set of values.

In the afternoon, participants will go on a field visit into town

and see a market and some cultures sights of interest.

TIME SCHEDULE

12:00 Session 16

13:00 Lunch

14:00 Free time and field visit


To illustrate how cultural assumptions determine our

expectations of other people.

To illustrate how cultural assumptions influence our

judgments.

To show how people from different cultures naturally tend

to judge each other negatively or critically, that what is

different is usually perceived as negative.

To help participants become more familiar with the Modelof Intercultural Sensitivity.

To enable participants to work with the Model ofIntercultural Sensitivity and apply it in a real situation.

MATERIALS REQUIRED



Flip chart and markers

Hand outs

PROCESS

This exercise continues our exploration of the five cultural

concepts introduced in the previous session. In that session,

we presented the concepts and asked participants to identify

their cultures position on/attitude toward each. In this

exercise, we try to imagine how people on opposite sides of

the continuums, people who see the world very differently,

view the typical attitudes and behaviors of each other. In

short we look at how culture affects our judgments of other

people.

Bring up slide called Judgments and say magine that you

are on one side of a particular cultural continuum, that you

see the world from that perspective. How would you judge or

react to - What would you think of?the typical, characteristic

behaviors and attitudes of people on the opposite side? In

general, how would the actions/views of these people come

across to you? Then explain that we want to look at how

people on opposite sides of a particular continuum look at or

regard each other.

Bring up the next slide Judgments. Divide the participantsinto four groups. Explain that you are now going to ask each


18/66


group to imagine that they come from a culture on the left

side of the first continuum (make sure you explain that for

this exercise it doesnt matter where participants actually put

their mark), and they are working with people who come

from the right side. For eg. ask them to think of some

adjectives to describe how Internalists (in the case of the first

continuum) would judge the typical attitudes, worldview of

Externalists. Give an example: Say that from the point of view

of Internalists, Externalists often seem very passive or without

any ambition. Allocate one example to each of the groups

(see the examples circled on the slide)

Call the session to order and solicit the answers from the

various groups, going through each continuum one at a time.

If the adjectives/judgments are mostly negative, as they tend

to be, ask the group why they think this is. Point out, if no

one says this, that most people tend to judge people who are

not like them negatively, not neutrally and very seldom

positively. This is because if I think what I do is normal orright, then someone who does the opposite of what I do

must be abnormal and wrong. Once again point out that

people do not choose or try to be on opposite sides of these

continuums, but often they are.

Ask participants if they think they have ever been judged in

any of the ways described in this exercise by people from a

different culture (especially a donor country). Ask for

volunteers to answer this question. Can they see now where

this judgment came from? Finally ask participants how they

think these judgments affect the relationships between

people from different cultures who must work together.

LEARNING JOURNAL ACTIVITY:

Following the Judgments section of this session, move to the

next slide Learning Journal Activity. Ask the participants to

take out their learning journals and to think about the

discussion and record some reflections on one or two of the

areas that are most interesting for you to think further about.

Ask them How can your thoughts translate into actions in

your workplace or other situation?

Bring up the next slide Attitudes toward cultural difference.

Give out the hand out explaining the stages to the Milton

Bennett model. Talk through each stage referring to the

slides. Explain that there are many models that have been

developed, this is just one such model that we felt was

useful to help us understand the process in becoming more

effective cross cultural communicators. (They dont necessarily

need to agree with the model but perhaps try to see in what

ways it can be useful).

This session asks participants to think in more detail about the

Bennett model and to apply it in a real situation (give out the

hand out). In this situation, the task is getting the participants

to think about how you can get someone to move further

ahead in the model toward a more ethnorelative perspective.

Divide participants into small groups and give them 20

minutes to read the hand out and discuss the two questions.

After 20 minutes, call the session to order and askparticipants to describe their answers to the two questions.

Then ask them if they themselves have moved through the

stages of Milton Bennetts model. If so, what enabled them to

change?

The last slide of the day Wrap Up is designed to get the

participants in plenary to discuss and reflect the key points

from todays session, and if they wish, to make some notes

in the Learning Journal.

There are plenty of reading materials and resources included

in the slide set and participants manual that can be utilized if

participants are interested in following up on reading in this

area.


19/66


Resources


SESSION 13:

Matching Values to Behaviour

SESSION 14:

Culture in Context

SESSION 15:

Intercultural Skills


SESSION 16:

The Milton Bennett Model

Applying the Model of Intercultural Sensitivity


20/66


21/66

CAPACITY 2015 ASIA LEAD

MATCHING VALUES AND BEHAVIORS

VALUES BEHAVIORS

1. Being direct ____ Use of understatement.

2. Centrality of family ____ Asking people to call you by yourfirst name.

3. Fatalism ____ Taking off from work to attend thefuneral of an aunt.

4. Saving face ____ Not helping the person next to youon an exam.

5. Respect for age ____ Disagreeing openly with someoneat a meeting.

6. Informality ____ Not laying off an older worker whoseperformance is weak.

7. Deference to authority ____ At a meeting, agreeing with asuggestion you think is wrong.

8. Being indirect ____ Accepting without question that.something cannot be changed.

9. Self-reliance ____ Asking the boss opinion onsomething youre the expert on.


22/66


23/66


UNIVERSAL, CULTURAL, & PERSONAL

For each of the sixteen items below, write a U, C, or P in the blankdepending on whether you think the behavior is

(U) niversalcommon to all cultures and people

(C) ulturalspecific to a particular group or culture

(P) ersonalunique to a particular individual within aculture

Note that something that is personal could also be done by other peoplein the same culture, but it would only be considered cultural if it weredone by most people from that culture.

1. ____ Sleeping with a bedroom window open.

2. ____ Running from a dangerous animal.

3. ____ Considering snakes to be "evil."

4. ____ Men opening doors for women.

5. ____ Respecting older people.

6. ____ Learning ones mother tongue.

7. ____ Speaking Arabic.

8. ____ Speaking Arabic as a foreign language.

9. ____ Eating regularly.

10. ____ Eating with a knife, fork, and spoon.

11. ____ Liking the novels of Vikram Seth.

12. ____ Calling a waiter with a hissing sound.

13. ____ Regretting being the cause of an accident.

14. ____ Feeling sad at the death of your mother.

15. ____ Wearing white mourning robes for 30 days after the death of your mother.

16. ____ Disliking having to wear mourning clothes for 30 days after the death of yourmother.


24/66


25/66


26/66


27/66


CULTURAL ASSUMPTIONS

THE LOCUS OF CONTROL

1 2 3 4 _INTERNAL

CONCEPT OF SELF

INDIVIDUALIST

The locus of cfate plays a mbelieve they hover their desevents; manybe accepted/success/lack a result of go

people tend tfatalistic; life me.

The locus of control is internal;fate has little or no importance;there are few givens in life, fewthings that cant be changed andmust just be accepted; wheretheres a will, theres a way; onemakes ones own luck;unhappiness is ones own fault;

people tend to be moreoptimistic; life is what I do

The primary grfamily, is the ssurvival; lookinprotects ones harmony is thechildren are ta

others, who in depend on thedont like to staprefer group/teidentity is mainones memberprimary group;measured by halong with/are others.

Self is the smallest unit of survival;looking out for ones self protects others;personal fulfillment is the greatest good;independence and self-reliance arehighly valued; children are taught tostand on their own two feet; workers

dont mind individual recognition; onesidentity is personal and individual, notprimarily a function of ones membershipor role in a group; self-worth is a functionof what you have accomplished or donewith your life


28/66


POWER DISTANCE

LOW

OF TIME & PEOPLE

MONOCHRONIC

More authoritaricentralized; defeauthority; managpower, not muchauthority; subordtake initiative aninstructions; decthe top; one doedisagree with/sarank has its privsubordinate rela

formal.

More democratic management style;power is less jealously guarded;manager shares authority withsubordinates; subordinates takeinitiative and are not overlydeferential to managers;subordinates do not like to bemicromanaged; decision making ismore consultative; OK to say noto/disagree with the boss; manager/subordinate relations are more

informal; rank has fewer privileges.

People are mothere is alwaysdeadlines and approximations

adjusted/changreally late and they start; peothings simultanreally be interrare life); time isneeds of peop

Time is a limited commodity andmust be used carefully; peopleare very conscious of time; itsimportant to be on time and for

things to start on time; to be lateor to keep people waiting is rude;schedules and deadlines aresacred and not easily changed;people do things one at a time;interruptions are bad; the needsof people are subservient to thedemands of time.


29/66


VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE

BENIGN

.

People are noor bad, but yotrust other pegood reason;cannot be coor play by thetake advantachance; you h

yourself; you at their word;one person cat someone e(concept of th

People are inherently good; theyshould be trusted until they proveotherwise; they can normally becounted on to be fair and play bythe rules; on the whole people donot try to take advantage of eachother; you can usually takepeople at their word; people

believe that one personssuccess does not have to be atsomeone elses expense(concept of the unlimited good).


30/66


31/66


ATTITUDES TOWARD CULTURAL DIFFERENCE

Different people react in different ways to people from other cultures. The range of possible reactions to

cultural difference has been summarised by Dr. Milton Bennett in his Developmental Model ofIntercultural Sensitivity. Based on concepts from cognitive psychology and constructivism, Bennettidentifies six stages of intercultural sensitivity, ranging from extreme ethnocentrism on the one hand tomature ethnorelativism on the other.

Understanding the mindset of people in the various stagestheir typical attitudes toward and reactionsto cultural differencecan be very useful to the participants in their respective jobs. In this exercise, wewill first examine Bennetts model, summarised below, and then apply it in two LEAD-like criticalincidents. (In the formulation presented below, Bennetts six stages have been reduced to five bycombining his Adaptation [stage 5] and Integration [stage 6] into one.)

ETHNOCENTRISM

1. DENIAL

Extreme ethnocentrism.

Very limited exposure to/contact with people not like oneself (either by choice or by default).

People can only see the familiar; no real framework even for noticing cultural differences (evenwhen confronted with them).

Their reaction to difference (if they do perceive it) is usually either embarrassment or studiouspoliteness.

Benign stereotypes (all Africans are good hunters; all Europeans are rich; all Asians are goodbusiness people).

The Other is not considered a threat as it is not consciously acknowledged.

The Other is an aberration (not its own category, but a deviant version of the only category, i.e.,us).

People may erect physical, social or psychological barriers to separate themselves from theOther.

There may be some negativity toward the Other, but it is usually subconscious and not overt.

There is very little hostility, as the Other is not consciously recognised.

2. DEFENSE

The Other is acknowledged but seen as a threat. My culture is the only good one.

There is active resistance to/defense against those who are different.

There is open hostility, negativity toward the Other, the Other is denigrated and criticised.

The undesirable characteristics of the Other are emphasised.

The OtherThemis inferior to a superior Us.

There should be minimal contact with the Other; contact only exacerbates tension.

People tend to over-value their own culture.

People of the other cultures dont know any better (or they would be like us).


32/66


This stage can sometimes include reversal, denigrating ones own culture and uncritically (andwithout any real understanding) embracing another.

3. MINIMIZATION

Cultural differences are acknowledged but are not considered negative.

Differences are perceived as minimal and are trivialised.

Differences are superficial, quaint, but not fundamental.

We are different in some ways but alike in the ways that really count.

Preference for emphasising/focusing on underlying human similarities rather than externalcultural differences.

Less judgmental, evaluative than the denial stage, but still essentially dismissive of theimportance/reality of culture.

You just have to be yourself and people will understand.

Some acceptance of differences in behavior (though theyre not really significant) but not of

differences in values or assumptions.

ETHNORELATIVISM

4. ACCEPTANCE

Cultural differences are acknowledged and respected.

The basic integrity/viability of other worldviews is accepted (and they are notseen as merely anearlier stage of a more evolved worldview, i.e. our own).

There is minimal judgment/evaluation of cultural differences; they are just part of the human

condition. Cultural differences are interesting (not threatening) and can be positive and enjoyable.

People can see that their own worldview/culture is just one of many.

Acceptance is not necessarily agreement; the Other can still be judged negatively but notethnocentrically.

People may still wish others didnt behave in a particular way, but they accept that they have to.

One is aware of the fact that one sees others through ones own cultural lens (but one is not yetable to consistently see others from the Others point of view).

One is still very conscious of culture.

5. ADAPTATION / INTEGRATION

People have the ability to identify fully with another culture (biculturalism).

People can readily see the world through the eyes of others and imagine how they are seen byothers.

Empathy (I feel what you feel) replaces sympathy (I know how you must feel), which is morecharacteristic of the acceptance stage.

People consciously adopt behaviors from other cultures.

The internalisation of/ability to operate from two or more frames of reference.

A respect for difference means a respect for oneself.


33/66


APPLYING THE MODEL OF INTERCULTURAL SENSITIVITY

You work with a colleague who has not had any international experience and verylimited exposure at home to people from a different cultural background. Your

organisation has a grant to work on a deforestation project with a rural indigenous group

in a remote region, and your colleague is consistently frustrated by the backward

behaviour of various members of the indigenous group. He doesnt understand why it is

not enough, for example, to just explain to these people that cutting trees for firewood

is shortsighted and will eventually cause the erosion of their cropland, which will result in

them having to move to the city.

You can also see that when this colleague interacts one-on-one with indigenous group

members, he offends them with his somewhat impatient, very proud manner. When theindigenous group members ask questions at meetings, for example, he acts frustrated,

answers somewhat abruptly, and uses words and talks about concepts that common or

lay people at the meeting do not understand. You can see that the indigenous group

members do not trust himthat they think he does not understand their situationand

now you are worried that their reactions to this man may be hurting the success of this

project.

Discuss these two questions with your group: What can you do to help this colleague get

beyond this stage and generally improve his relationship with the indigenous group? Is

there anything you can do or say to the indigenous group members to help the situation?


34/66


35/66

181

Slide 1

Copyright, 2006 -- LEAD International

Day 3

Regional Leadership Training Workshop

Cross-Cultural Communication

Slide 2


Outline of the Day

Session 11: Introduction to the Day, CCC Quiz,Participant Stories

Session 12: What is Culture?

Session 13: Matching Values to Behaviour

Coffee break

Session 14: Culture in ContextSession 15: Intercultural Skills and Cultural Assumptions

Session 16: Attitudes Towards Cultural Differences andApplying the Model

Lunch

Free Time and Field Visit


36/66

182

Slide 3


S E S S I O N 11

Introduction to theDay, CCC Quiz,Participant Stories


Slide 4


Cross-Cultural Quiz

1. People in 59 countries were asked:In general, do you trust

other people?Try to name the country in which most

respondents said yes, and the country in which most said no

Highest__________

Lowest__________


37/66

183

Slide 5


Cross-Cultural Quiz

2. If a Brazilian pulls his earlobe when eating, he means:

A. The food is too spicy for him.

B. His earlobe is itching.

C. He likes what he is eating.

Luiz CarlosRos FilhoLEAD Fellow,Brazil

Slide 6


Cross-Cultural Quiz

3. If a Chinese person says your suggestion is good, they mean:

A. It is really good;

B. They are not sure;

C. It is not good.

Wei Zhao

LEAD Fellow

China


38/66

184

Slide 7


4. The percentage of Indian workers who said they preferred very close

supervision on the job was:

A. 25 percent

B. 50 percent

C. 65 percent

D. 85 percent

Cross-Cultural Quiz

SujathaByravan

LEAD FellowIndia

Slide 8


5. You are travelling on a train in India when an Indian woman offers you adrink from her water bottle. You should:

A. Politely refuse,

B. Take a short sip and hand the bottle back,

C. Drink in such a way that your mouth never touches the lip of the

bottle.

Cross-Cultural Quiz


39/66

185

Slide 9


6. If a Pakistani says he will do something God willing, he means:

A. He does not intend to do it but does not want to be rude.

B. He fully intends to do it but doesnt want to sound irreligious.

Cross-Cultural Quiz

Amjad ZafarKhan

ICT ManagerLEAD Pakistan

Slide 10


7. You have been invited to a Mexican familys home for dinner, and

you arrive one hour after the time they said to come. You are:

A. Lateand you should apologize.

B. On time.

C. Very early;

most of the family

isnt even home yet.

Cross-Cultural Quiz

Boris GregorioGraizbord Ed

NationalProgrammeDirectorLEAD Mexico


40/66

186

Slide 11


8. A Senegalese guest in your house burps loudly after dinner. Doesthis mean:

A. She has indigestion;B. She appreciated the food; orC. She wants more wine.

Cross-Cultural Quiz

Awa Faly Ba

LEAD FellowFrancophone Africa

Slide 12


Cross-Cultural Quiz

9. A Japanese lady touches her nose frequently while you are

talking to her. This means:

A. Go and brush your teeth;

B. Her nose must have been itching; or

C. She is pointing to herself.

YumikoUmehara

LEADFellowJapan


41/66

187

Slide 13


Cross-Cultural Quiz

10. The percent of Arab executives who rated employee loyalty as more

important than efficiency was:

A. One quarter

B. One third

C. One half

D. Two thirds

Mireille Atallah

LEAD FellowEurope

Slide 14


11. If a Nigerian from the north of the country raises his clenched fistto you, what does he mean:

A. He is from the ANPP (the opposition political party)

B. He intends to hit you

C. He is showing you respect and reverence

Cross-Cultural Quiz

AbiodunShonubi

AcademicCoordinator

LEAD Nigeria


42/66

188

Slide 15


Cross-Cultural Quiz

12. In the following cities, try to guess how many times in one hour

a typical couple in a caf touches each other:

San Juan, PR ______ times

Paris ______ times

London ______ times

Slide 16


Country Rank ings in the Trust SurveyConducted by Transparency International

1. Brazil 19. Estonia 38. Austria

2. Peru 20. Portugal 39. Belgium 57. Sweden

3. Philippines 21. Moldova 40. Italy 58. Denmark

4. Puerto Rico 22. France 41. United States 59. Norway

5. Turkey 23. Georgia 42. India

6. Colombia 24. Croatia 43. Australia

7. Venezuela 25. Dom. Republic 44. Switzerland

8. Slovenia 26. Hungary 45. Taiwan

9. Poland 27. Russia 46. W. Germany10. Argentina 28. Armenia 47. Great Britain

11. Romania 29. E. Germany 48. No.Ireland

12. South Africa 30. Latvia 49. Iceland

13. Pakistan 31. Mexico 50. Japan

14. Nigeria 32. Spain 51. Ireland

15. Bangladesh 33. Bulgaria 52. Finland

16. Azerbaijan 34. South Korea 53. New Zealand

17. Chile 35. Czech Rep. 54. China

18. Slovakia 36. Serbia 55. Canada

37. Ukraine 56. Netherlands


43/66

189

Slide 17


From Your Experience

Try to recall a memorable cross-culturalmoment/incident from your own experience

a misunderstanding a misinterpretation a cultural mistake a funny story any situation which illustrates how you were

personally affected by a cultural difference

Slide 18


Our Stories

Tell your story in your group, pick one or two thatyou will share in the plenary.

You have 15 minutes.

Discussion: What do we notice about the stories

that we have told?


44/66

190

Slide 19


S E S S I O N 12

What is Culture?


Slide 20


WHAT IS CULTURE?

ValuesBeliefs

Assumptions

Behaviour

The thingspeople sayand do


45/66


46/66

192

Slide 23


Matching Values to Behaviours

Most of the things most people do are the result of eithersomething they believe in or something they hold dear.

In other words, most behaviour is neither arbitrary nor

spontaneous; rather it makes sense given that personsvalues or beliefs.

In the following exercise, match the values to the

corresponding behaviour.

Slide 24


Matching Values to Behaviours

Values Behaviours

1. Being direct _ Use of understatement

2. Centrality of family _ Asking people to call you by your first name

3. Fatalism _ Taking off from work to attend the funeral ofan aunt

4. Saving face _ Not helping the person next to you on an exam

5. Respect for age _ Disagreeing openly with someone at a meeting

6. Informality _Not laying off an older worker whose performanceis weak

7. Deference to authority _At a meeting, agreeing with a suggestion you think

is wrong

8. Being indirect _ Accepting without question that something cannotbe changed

9. Self-reliance _ Asking the boss opinion on something youre theexpert on


47/66

193

Slide 25


S E S S I O N 14

Culture in Context


Slide 26


TYPES OF BEHAVIOUR

UNIVERSAL CULTURAL PERSONAL

Eating Eating from yourown plate

Eating in front ofthe television


48/66

194

Slide 27



For each of the sixteen items on your handout, write a U, C, orP in the blank depending on whether you think the behaviour is

(U) niversalcommon to all cultures and people

(C) ulturalspecific to a particular group or culture

(P) ersonalunique to a particular individual within aculture

Note that something that is personal could also be done by

other people in the same culture, but it would only beconsidered cultural if it were done by most people from that

culture.

Slide 28



1.____ Sleeping with a bedroom window open.

2. ____ Running from a dangerous animal.

3. ____ Considering snakes to be "evil."

4. ____ Men opening doors for women.

5. ____ Respecting older people.

6. ____ Learning ones mother tongue.

7. ____ Speaking Arabic.8. ____ Speaking Arabic as a foreign language.

9. ____ Eating regularly.

10. ___ Eating with a knife, fork, and spoon.

11.___ Liking the novels of Vikram Seth.

12. ___ Calling a waiter with a hissing sound.

13. ___ Regretting being the cause of an accident.

14. ___ Feeling sad at the death of your mother.


49/66

195

Slide 29


S E S S I O N 15

Intercultural Skills andCultural Assumptions


Slide 30


Intercultural Skil ls

___ To be persistent

___ To learn from interacting

___ To be flexible

___ To be aware of ones limitations

___ To listen and observe

___ To tolerate ambiguity

___ To respect the other culture

___ To be aware of ones own culture

___ To avoid stereotyping

___ To be nonjudgmental

___ To be able to communicate


50/66

196

Slide 31


Intercultural Ski l ls Experts Opinions

_1__ To be aware of ones own culture

_2__ To respect the other culture

_3__ To learn from interacting

_4__ To be nonjudgmental

_5__ To avoid stereotyping

_6__ To be able to communicate

_7__ To listen and observe

_8__ To be flexible

_9__ To tolerate ambiguity

_10__ To be aware of ones limitations

_11__ To be persistent

Source: Casse, Pierre 1984, Training for the Multicultural Manager, SIETAR International, Washington, D.C.

Slide 32


WHAT IS CULTURE?

ValuesBeliefs

Assumptions

Behaviour

The thingspeople sayand do


51/66

197

Slide 33



We will look at 5 fundamental concepts in the field of interculturalcommunication corresponding with various dimensions of the humanexperience

The Locus of Control

Concept of Self

Power Distance

Of Time and People

View of Human Nature

(Sources: Gardenswartz & Rowe, Hall, Hofstede, Rotter)

Slide 34


The Locus of Control

Internal:

fate has little importance

there are few things that cant be changed

where theres a will, theres a way

life is what I make of it

External:

fate plays a major role

people have limited control over destiny/external events

success is partly a result of good fortune

life is what happens to me


52/66

198

Slide 35


Concept of Self

Individualist:

self is the smallest unit of survival

personal fulfilment is the greatest good

independence and self reliance is highly valued

Collectivist:

the family unit is the smallest unit of survival

looking out for others protects ones self

group harmony is the greatest good

identity is mainly a function of ones membership / role in a

primary group

Slide 36


Power Distance

Low:

more democratic management style

power is less jealously guarded

subordinates take initiative and are not overly deferential tomanagers

High:

more authoritarian

power is centralised

deference to authority

managers hold on to power


53/66

199

Slide 37


Of Time and People

Monochronic:

time is a limited commodity and must be used carefully

people are very conscious of time

schedules and deadlines are sacred

Polychronic:

people are more casual about time

deadlines and schedules are approximations and can be

easily adjusted and changed

people may do several things simultaneously and cantreally be interrupted

Slide 38


View of Human Nature

Benign:

people are inherently good

people should be trusted unless they prove otherwise

one persons success doesnt have to come at someoneelses expense

Skeptical:

people are not inherently good or bad

never trust anyone without a good reason

people can not be counted on to be fair

one persons success comes at the expense of someoneelse


54/66


55/66

201

Slide 41


INDIVIDUALIST Concept of Self COLLECTIVIST

Cultural Assumptions Examples from

LEAD

USA

Nige

riaBr

azilUK

/Za

mbia

NZRussi

a

Pakis

tan

India

Indo

nesia

Zambia

Senegal

1 2 3 4 5

Slide 42


LOW Power Distance HIGH

Cultural Assumptions Examples fromLEAD

NZ USA

UK

Sene

gal

Brazil

Russia

Zambia

Nige

ria

Pakistan

Indo

nesiaIn

dia

1 2 3 4 5


56/66

202

Slide 43


MONOCHRONIC Of Time & People POLYCHRONIC

U

SA UK

R

ussia

Nig

eria

Sene

gal

Zambia

Cultural Assumptions Examples from

LEAD

N

Z India

In

done

siaBr

azilP

akist

an

1 2 3 4 5

Slide 44


BENIGN View of Human Nature SKEPTICAL

UK/Se

neg

al

USA

Zambia

India In

donesia

NZ Russia

Brazil

Nige

ria

Cultural Assumptions Examples fromLEAD

1 2 3 4 5


57/66

203

Slide 45


Cultural Assumptions discussion questions

How easy did you find it to identify a position on each continuumthat reflected your national culture?

What does it mean if someone on one side of the continuum hasto work with someone on the other side?

Do people chooseto be on different sides of the continuum?

Have you ever worked with someone from a different position ona continuum?

Can you give an example of where different cultural positionshave caused confusion or misunderstandings?

Slide 46


S E S S I O N 16

Attitudes Towards CulturalDifferences and Applying the

Model



58/66

204

Slide 47


JUDGMENTS

Imagine you are one side of a particular continuum, that you

see the world from that perspective.

How would you judge or react to the typical characteristicbehaviours and attitudes of people on the opposite side?

In general, how would the actions and views of these peoplecome across to you?

Slide 48


JUDGMENTS

Internalists on Externalists Externalists on Internalists

Individualists on Collectivists Collectivists on Individualists

Low Power Distance on High High Power Distance on Low

Benign on Skeptical Skeptical on Benign

Monochronic on Polychronic Polychronic on Monochronic


59/66


60/66

206

Slide 51



1. Denial - no recognition of cultural differences.

2. Defense - recognition of some differences, but viewed

as negative.

3. Minimisation - lack of awareness about projection of

own cultural values. Views own values as superior.

Slide 52



4. Acceptance shifts perspectives to understand thatthe same ordinary behaviour can have differentmeanings in different cultures.

5. Adaptation / Integration can evaluate othersbehaviour from their time frame of reference and canadapt behaviour to fit the norms of a different culture. Canshift frame of reference and also deal with resulting

identity issues.


61/66

207

Slide 53



5. Adaptation / Integration

4. Acceptance

3. Minimization

2. Defense

1. Denial . Ethno-centrism

Ethno-relativism

Source: Bennett, M J 1986. A developmental approach to training for interculturalsensitivity, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 10 (2), pp. 179-95.

Slide 54


Applying the Model of Intercultural Sensitivity

Case Study:

In small groups, take 20 minutes to familiarise yourself with the

case study given and to discuss the issues raised within it withother members of your group. Consider how the Milton

Bennett developmental model can be applied to your scenario.

How could you encourage someone to move further ahead inthe model towards a more ethno-relativist perspective.


62/66

208

Slide 55


Wrap Up

In plenary, participants will discuss and reflect

upon the key points from todays session.

Slide 56


Learning Partner Lunch

Have lunch with your Learning Partner for aconversation:

What are some new thoughts you have had during

the day? How is your learning journey progressing checkin with your Learning Partner about where you areand where you wish to go in the next two days.


63/66

209

Slide 57


References, Resources

Slide 58


References and Resources



64/66

210

Slide 59


References, Resources Barker, A 2000. Improve Your Communication Skills. Kogan Page, London.

Bennett, M J 1986. A developmental approach to training intercultural sensitivity.InternationalJournal of Intercultural Relations, 10(2), 179-196.

Brake, T 2002. Managing Globally. Dorling Kindersley, London.

Carbaugh, D, Ed. 1990. Cultural communication and intercultural contact. Lawrence ErlbaumAssociates, Hillsdale, NJ.

Cross-Cultural Library

http://sistergoldenhair.com/uponarrival/library.html

2003. Cross-Cultural Management and NGO Capacity Building , International NGO Training andResearch Centre (INTRAC), Oxford.

http://www.intrac.org/Intrac/PraxisNotes_en.html

Du Praw, M and Axner, M 1999. Working on Common Cross-cultural Communication Challenges,Online Article, Topsfield Foundation and Marci Reaven.

Gardenswartz, L, & Rowe, A 1998.Managing diversity: A complete desk reference and planningguide. New York: McGraw Hill.

Slide 60


References, Resources

GreenCOM 2001.Human Nature (6):2. (Online 25 June, 2003).http://www.greencom.org/greencom/pdf/hn-v6n2-eng.pdf

Hall, E T and Mildred, R 1990. Understanding Cultural Differences.Intercultural Press, Yarmouth,ME.

Hill, R 1996. Us & Them. Europublications, Brussels.

Hofstede, G 1980. Cultures Consequences. Sage Publications, London.

Hofstede, G. 1996. Cultures and Organisations: Software or the Mind Intercultural Cooperationand its Importance for Survival. McGraw-Hill, NY.

INTRAC Resources: http://www.intrac.org/Intrac/PraxisNotes_en.htmlhttp://www.intrac.org/Intrac/docs/PraxisNote1-CrossCulturalManagement.pdfhttp://www.intrac.org/Intrac/docs/PraxisNote8-Multi-CulturalIceberg.pdf.

Multicultural Toolkit: http://www.awesomelibrary.org/multiculturaltoolkit.html

Rotter, J 1966. Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcements,Psychological Monographs, 80, Whole No. 609.

Storti, C 1990. The Art of Crossing Cultures.Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, ME.


65/66


66/66

FM - Cross Cultural Communications

Documents

Transcript of FM - Cross Cultural Communications