1、2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 20021Chapter 9Communication in Intercultural and International Contexts2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 20022Chapter FocusYou will learn in this chapter:|Business and culture|Definitions of culture|Five dimensions of national culture differences|Implications of cul
2、ture in management|Some principles of culture|Cross-cultural communication skills 2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 20023Examples 1nA New Zealand executive operating in Peru was viewed by Peruvian managers as cold and unworthy of trust because, in face-to-face discussions, he kept backing away.nAn A
3、ustralian manager in Japan offended a high-ranking Japanese executive by failing to give him the respect his position commanded. The Australian manager paid the Japanese executive little attention because the latter ocupied a small and sparsely furnished office.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 2002
4、4Examples 2nA manager raised in Malaysia and working for a health products firm in Australia was perceived by colleagues as a “time waster” because business people in Malaysia would begin their meetings with relaxed talks about personal issues such as family etc.nA New Zealander who was transferred
5、to Saudi Arabia successfully obtained a million-dollar contract from a Saudi manufactureror so he thought since he had signed a contract with the Saudi. He later found that the Saudi had no intention of abiding by the contract.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 20025Answer nManagers who are going to
6、work in an international context must attempt to understand foreign customs and market differences. Otherwise, they run the risk of rigidly applying their own values and customs to foreign cultures, often with adverse results.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 20026Business and Culture(1)nT or F stat
7、ement:nIf a person is successful in the home environment, he or she will be equally successful in a different culture.nIf a person is successful in the home environment, he or she will be equally successful in applying technical expertise in a different culture.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 2002
8、7Business and Culture(2)nResearch has shown that failures in an overseas business setting most frequently result from an inability to understand and adapt to foreign ways of thinking and acting, rather than from technical or professional incompetence.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 20028Definition
9、s of Culture(1)Culture is everything that people have, think, and do as members of their society. 1. Material Objects Everything you own, lease, borrow, or use is defined as a part of your culture, from the automobile you drive to the clothing you wear. 2. Ideas, Values, and Attitudes We also tend t
10、o categorize people according to the ways they think, the ideas they believe, or the basic values they hold to be true.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 20029Definitions of Culture(2)3. Expected patterns of Behavior Every society has certain cultural norms regarding behavior. 2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C)
11、 Copyright 200210Intercultural challenges at homeEthnicityPopulation growthAgeFamiliesWoman in the workforce2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200211Cultural Challenges Abroad-1 vIn Hungary, men walk on the left side of women or anyone of greater status, like a boss.vIts considered intrusive to ask a
12、 man from the Middle East about his wife or female members of his family.vIts impolite for women to pour wine in Italy.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200212Cultural Challenges Abroad-2 Dont show the soles of your shoes in Iraq! The U.S. “A-OK” gesture is obscene in many countries. In France, this
13、 gesture means “worthless.” Its impolite to point to people in Japan. Its offensive to eat with your left hand in many Arabian countries.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200213Cultural Challenges Abroad-3nDont show up on time for a dinner party in South America.nSaying “no” in Japan is very rude; i
14、n business dealings, indirect and vague approaches are more acceptable.nPresenting a business card in Japan is done with reverence, using two hands and then bowing. The recipient carefully studies the card before respectfully putting it in a cardholder.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200214Cultura
15、l Challenges Abroad-4nAmericans are expected to give everyone in the room a business card in Asia.nYour card should be translated into the local language on the reverse side.nJust about every business occasion in Japan demands an exchange of gifts.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200215What is Cult
16、ure?Culture is what we grow up in.nExpected patterns of behaviorsnhabitsnAttitudesnBeliefs,valuesncustoms2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200216Principles of culturenCulture is learnednCulture is universal to human societynCulture is constantly undergoing changenCulture is not value-neutralnNot all
17、 cultures are equally complexnAll cultures permit the development of subculturesnCulture can influence biology, vice versa.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200217The ways in which we differpower distance Uncertainty avoidance Individualism/collectivism Masculinity/femininityLong-term/short-term Org
18、anizational difference High/low context cultureHofstedes Four (Five) Dimensions of Cultural Values2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200218Five dimensions of national culture differences (1)nPower distance This is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions(like th
19、e family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. Anybody with some international experience will be aware that “all societies are unequal, but some are more unequal than others”. 2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200219Power distance-1nPower Distance: the extent to which a society ac
20、cepts the fact that power in institutions and organizations is distributed unequally. It is reflected in the values of both the more powerful and less powerful members of the society.nPhilippines, Venezuela, & Mexico are countries with high power distance countries.nDenmark, New Zealand, Austria, &
21、Israel have low power distance countries.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200220Power distance-2nPower Distance:nA manager in a culture with high power distance has more power than sub-ordinates. Probably uses a controlling strategy and autocratic style.nA manager from a lower power distance cultur
22、e would have just a little more power than subordinates and would favor equalitarian strategy.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200221Individualism/collectivism-1nIndividualism/collectivism: nIndividualism suggests a loosely knit social framework in which people are supposed to take care of themselv
23、es and their families.nCollectivism is a much tighter social framework in which people distinguish between in-groups and out-groups. They expect their in-groups (relatives, organization) to take care of them, and, therefore, they are loyal to them.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200222Individualis
24、m/collectivism-2nIndividualism/collectivism:nManagers from these two cultures have conflicts. nExample: negotiating- managers from collectivist cultures dont want to make decisions without collaborating and getting consensus first, while managers from individualistic cultures dont collaborate and wa
25、nt to negotiate sooner.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200223Masculinity/ femininity(1) Masculinity versus its opposite, femininity, refers to the distribution of roles between the sexes which is another fundamental issue for any society to which a range of solutions are found. 2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen
26、 (C) Copyright 200224Masculinity/ femininity(2)nMasculinity (MAS) focuses on the degree the society reinforces, or does not reinforce, the traditional masculine work role model of male achievement, control, and power. A High Masculinity ranking indicates the country experiences a high degree of gend
27、er differentiation. In these cultures, males dominate a significant portion of the society and power structure, with females being controlled by male domination. A Low Masculinity ranking indicates the country has a low level of differentiation and discrimination between genders. In these cultures,
28、females are treated equally to males in all aspects of the society. 2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200225Masculinity/femininity(3)nMasculinity/femininity:nJapan, Austria, Venezuela, and Mexico are very masculine societies.nDenmark, Sweden, and Norway are among the most feminine societies.2022-6-1
29、5Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200226Uncertainty avoidance(1)n It deals with a societys tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity: it ultimately refers to mans search for truth. It indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations
30、.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200227Uncertainty Avoidance(2)nrelates to the degree to which a society feels threatened by uncertainty and by ambiguous situations. It tries to avoid these uncertainties by providing greater career stability, creating more formal rules and working to attain expert
31、ise.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200228Uncertainty avoidance(3)nUncertainty Avoidance:nGreece, Portugal, Belgium, and Japan have strong uncertainty avoidance.nSingapore, Hong Kong, Denmark, and Sweden have weak uncertainty avoidance.nManagers trying to implement change should use the equalitari
32、an strategy.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200229Long term versus short term orientationnIt can be said to deal with Virtue regadless of Truth. Values associated with long term orientation are thrift and perseverance; values associated with long term orientation are respect for tradition, fulfill
33、ing social obligations, and protecting ones”face”.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200230A few words about organizational cultures(1) National cultures differ mostly at the level of the more superficial practices: symbols, heroes, and rituals. In the popular management literature, organization cult
34、ures have often been presented as a matter of values.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200231(2)nProcessed-oriented versus results-oriented cultures The former are dominated by technical and bureaucratic routines, the latter by a common concern for outcomes. n Job-oriented versus employee-oriented c
35、ultures The former assume responsibility for the employees job performance only, and nothing more; employee-oriented cultures assume a broad responsibility for their members well-being.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200232(3)nOpen system versus closed system cultures This dimension refers to the
36、common style of internal and external communication,and to the ease with which outsiders and newcomers are admitted.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200233(4)nTightly versus loosely controlled cultures This dimension deals with the degree of formality and punctuality within the organization.2022-6-
37、15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200234nHigh-context/Low-context culture:nIn high context cultures, much information is either in the physical context or internalized in the person. Nonverbal communication is important and much meaning is determined from it.nJapan and Saudi Arabia are high-context countri
38、es.High-context/Low-context culture-1 (Communication expert-Edward Hall)2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200235nHigh-context/Low-context culture:nIn low context cultures, most information is expected to be in explicit words. Messages (sent and received) should be accurate and articulate.nUS and Can
39、ada are low-context cultures.High-context/Low-context culture-22022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200236Should You Learn the Language?-1qLearning a second language can be challenging and tedious. qYou could use an interpreter if youre in the country for only a short time.qAs the length of your stay i
40、ncreases, the need to learn the language increases.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200237Should You Learn the Language?-2nIf you learn the language of the country, then you can avoid interpretational problems in your companys advertising or product labeling:nExamples: Pepsis slogan “Come alive wit
41、h Pepsi” in German read “Come alive from the grave with Pepsi”, Chevrolets Nova means “it doesnt go” in Spanish. Fords truck Fiera in Spanish meant “ugly old woman”.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200238Nonverbal Sensitivity-1nWhether you choose to learn the countrys language or not, you should de
42、finitely learn about the nonverbal language common in that culture.nInterpretations of gestures, postures, spatial relationships, time, dress, and rituals vary widely.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200239Nonverbal Sensitivity-2nGreetingsnHandshakenBownNose rubnKissnPlacing the hands in a praying
43、positionnBusiness cards2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200240Nonverbal Sensitivity-3nDressnBusiness suit or slacks?nWhen youre wearing the countrys native attire, notice how it is worn and where it is worn.nSome clothes may be considered offensive in many Arab countries2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copy
44、right 200241Nonverbal Sensitivity-4nSpace, Touch, & PosturenAmericans have a larger space bubble than Arab and Latin American countries have.nIts acceptable in Iran, China, and Indonesia for two men to walk holding hands; its a sign of close friendship. But its not acceptable for a man and a woman t
45、o hold hands in public.(an old story,right?)2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200242Nonverbal Sensitivity-5nSpace, Touch & PosturenManagers should never touch the head of one from China and Thailand because the head is sacred. In Tonga, touching ones head could get you the death penalty.nIn Muslim c
46、ountries, the left hand shouldnt be used to touch food or present a gift.nIn Thailand and Indonesia, it is considered insulting to show the sole of your shoe to someone else.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200243Nonverbal Sensitivity-6nGesturesnNodding the head up and down may mean “no” and shakin
47、g the head from side to side may mean “yes.”nThe “OK” sign is obscene in some countries.nOur “come here” sign means “good bye” in most African countries.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200244Nonverbal Sensitivity-7nTimenTo us, “time is money”. Romanians, Japanese, and Germans value punctuality, bu
48、t many of the Latin countries have a more relaxed attitude toward time. Meetings may start late.nInstead of written contracts, people in these countries prefer to build their business relationships on trust. To develop this trust takes time.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200245Nonverbal Sensitivi
49、ty-8nFoodnYou must have an adventuresome spirit when traveling to many foreign countries. nTo reject food that may seem awful to you in your hosts country would make you look rude, so try some of it.2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200246Nonverbal Sensitivity-9nFoodnYou might try sheeps eyes in Sau
50、di Arabia, sharks fin soup in China, a roasted gorilla hand in one part of Africa, a live fish brought to the table and carved in Japan, or a durian (榴莲果榴莲果) in Southeast Asia. 2022-6-15Guo Zhiwen (C) Copyright 200247Nonverbal Sensitivity-10nGiftsnGift-giving practices are expected in many countries
