Outsourced Film Project

Outsourced Film ProjectLSS 2113 Intercultural Studies

Students Name: Salma Ahmed Bajaber ID: H00283751Section: 22Instructors Name: Stephen Trinder

Outsourced Film ProjectIntroductionCulture is the most important part in any society. Moreover, it is a manner of life of a group of people. For example, the behaviors, principles, values, morals and ethics that they admit, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication from one generation to the next. Also, knowledge of a specific group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, social habits, music, food and arts. Added to that, people across the globe come from diverse cultural backgrounds. Geert Hofstede is qualified for developing an intercultural model based on six dimensions that is used to clarify cultural differences. In outsourced film project, we asked to classify different cultural conflicts in the movie and match with models of Hofstede and high and low context cultures.

2- Masculinity vs. femininity

It shows Mr. Todd surprised when he show female worked as construction workers (labour).

The situation describes Hofstedes dimension which is masculinity vs. femininity. Masculinity is about differentiating gender roles and they more focus on the quality and relationships of life. In United States has equal leadership role between male and female. On the other hand, femininity is focusing more in gender roles. For example, in Indian culture most males prefer to work and keep their wives at home. Also, there are very poor people who are uneducated and unskilled so, they cannot gain enough money to be survival so, both male and female have to work together in a very low job.

Later in the movie Mr. Todd is very impressed by Aishas hard work so, he makes her an assistant. This show less consideration for male-dominated management.

United States has a score of 62 in masculinity vs. femininity while India has a score of 56 (The Hofstede Centre, 2015).

3- Long term orientation vs. short term orientation

In the first picture above Puro (Indian employee) shows his business card as future call center manager to Mr. Todd. Second picture shows Puro (Indian employee) talked to Mr. Todd about his dream to marry his fiance in the future. Pure now in the short term orientation who did not achieve his salary goal. Besides that, Puro is thinking in long term orientation when he marry his fiance and when he get a promotion to be call center manager and his salary will increase by 500,000 rupees.

The situation describes Hofstedes dimension which is long term orientation vs. short term orientation. Long term orientation is about people plan for the future. Also, they have capacity to adjust traditions in changed condition and they worked hard to achieve the rustles. Moreover, short term orientation is the tradition and norms are very important and people prefer to focus on achieving fast results.

United States has a score of 26 in long term orientation vs. short term orientation while India has a score of 51 (The Hofstede Centre, 2015).

4- Long term orientation vs. short term orientation

It shows Mr. Todd surprised and shocked when his employer (Mr. Dave) told him that they have to close call center office in India and shift to Chain in the future in two weeks.

This situation match with Hofstedes dimension which is long term orientation vs. short term orientation. Long term orientation. Long term orientation is about people plan for the future. For example, when Mr. Dave decided to move his call center office from India to Chain. Also, they worked hard to achieve their goals. Added to that, short term orientation is the tradition and norms are very important and people prefer to focus on achieving fast results i.e. more money. For example, when Mr. Todd disagree with Mr. Dave to leave India which leads Indian employees to lose their job.

United States has a score of 26 in long term orientation vs. short term orientation while India has a score of 51 (The Hofstede Centre, 2015).

5- Following rules and regulations

Three pictures show that people are not following the rules and regulations. In the first picture, the taxi driver started driving while Mr. Todd does not site well. It is very big problem and unsafe for the customer. The second picture, Mr. Todd explains to his employees that they have to follow rules when they speak and pronunciation. For example, the wrong word is (rubbers) and the right word is (eraser). The third picture Mr. is very upset and angry because they did not put glass in his office to separate from other employees. Following rules, regulations, policies, procedures and law is very important in low context culture. Mr. Todd is from low context culture so, it is very important for him that all employees in call center office follow the rules and regulations. On the other hand, people in India are nearly to follow the high context culture. Also, in Indiathere is acceptance of imperfection;nothing has to be perfect nor has to go correctly as planned. People there do not feel comfortable to take action without enquiring. Moreover,India is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people. It has many different cultures and religions. They have poverty, begging, crimes and uneducated people which affect negatively to their society and also leads them to ignore or bypass the rules and regulation. As a result, sometimes they do not care much about following the rules, regulation and law. For example, the taxi driver started driving while Mr. Todd does not site well.

(Trinder, High/low context cultures, 2016)

6- Individual freedom and privacy valued

Both pictures shows people did not respect individual freedom and privacy valued. In the first picture above shows Mr. Todd surprised and angry when he saw a labour worked to maintenance his washroom in his room. Moreover, in the second picture Mr. Todd also surprised when Indian people throw the colors on his face during (Holy) celebrations which is Indian festival happen every year. Respecting individual freedom and privacy valued is very important in the low context culture. Mr. Todd is from low context culture so, he did not accept both behavior from the workers (labour) when they enter his bedroom to maintain his washroom without taking permission from him. Also, when people in the street throw the colors on his face during Holy celebrations without taking permission. However, people in India are closely to follow the high context culture. Therefore, they do not care much about respecting individual freedom and privacy valued.

(Trinder, High/low context cultures, 2016)

References

he Hofstede Centre. (2015, March 2). Retrieved from geert-hofstede.com: http://geert-hofstede.com/united-states.htmlZimmermann, K. (2016, March 3). What is Culture? Definition of Culture. Retrieved from www.livescience.com: http://www.livescience.com/21478-what-is-culture-definition-of-culture.html

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