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CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION-SPINZI
14/10/21 Lesson 1
DEFINITION OF CULTURE:
1) Language, Music, Literature, Theatre, Film: what it is visible, explicit and objective in a culture. Language is one of issues we can identify in a culture. 2)Values and practices the people acquire growing up and living in a group : What is covered, implicit and subjective in a culture. Definition of Culture on the book:
It is possible to immage a culture like an onion with different layers that, gradually skinned, leads to the core. There are different models that explain what culture is and how cultural dimension is important for our communicative purposes and how it manifests itself.
- Model of Garzone (2003): it is represented culture divided in 3 cyrcles. It is the easier way to represent culture’s layers.
- Customs , clothes, food and istitutions: what is visibile, explicit, concrete.
- Norms : intermediation btw the opposite binary explicit-implicit parts
- Implicit culture values : what is implicit and not visible.
2) Model of Hofstede (2004)- the model of the onion: 3 cyrcles:
- symbols : customs, traditions, dressing, pictures, gestures, hair styles, objects we like to wear.
- heroes : they represent a particular part of people, they change across cultures es. God/Gods, Rambo, it’s when people use a part of language to quote movie’s sentences, like “Elementary, Watson” ecc. -rituals: actions, behaviours we do repeatedly. Es. how we start a conversation after meeting a friend we haven’t seen for long time: to kiss on the cheeks, to shake hands, to hug (it depends on the grade of intimacy); es. how breaking the ice: to talk about the weather (british ritual), the health, the traffic ecc Other cultures prefer to not waste time on topics not useful and relevant to business matters. Small talk: when you talk about things that are not necessary (to to talk about ourselves, our family, the weather.. )For example, in Arabic countries before starting a business conversation, small talk is a relevant practice to establish a relationship of trust. It is not a practice used in countries like US where people are more practical and go to the point.
- value s (the core): es. happiness, family, love, freedom, friendship, honesty, wisdom, equality ecc They depend on your pespective of the world. Understanding a society’s implicit culture is the key to successful cross-cultural communication and interaction.
- the section “ practices ” that concerns all the circles.
ICEBERG THEORY by Edward T. Hall (1976)
Like the layers of a onion, Hall compared the different manifestations of culture to the different parts of an icerberg. 3 Parts, indicated with 3 different colors:
1)Visible part-Technical part It’s the top of the iceberg and what it is visibile on the top of the sea’s surface. It’s called “ DOING ” bc it is related to actions people do. It includes: Ways of life, Laws and customs, Institutions, Techniques, Rituals, Language (the 1st expression of a culture).
2 )Thinking : what we can see or not .Going under the sea’s surface, we start thinking and immagining the dimension of the size of the icesberg that we can see or not.Thinking is connected to rationality and logic. It includes: norms, roles, ideologies, beliefs, philosophy.
- Hidden Part : the bottom of the iceberg we can’t see. FEELING: connected to irrationality and emotions. It includes: values, tastes, attidues, desires, assumptions, expectations, myths ecc. They change according to the subjective perspection of the world.
All these elements are related to tourism (nature, gender roles, time).
The same model has been developed by other scholars who talked about 3 different types of culture:
1)Technical cultures-Doing: It’s the scientific part of culture. They can be found at the empirical level, what it’s visible, touchable and objective. It’s what we can learn, what is analyzable. In Freud terms: conscious
2) Formal cultures-Thinking: ”Formality” in philosophy means you can learn and comprehend it. It’s not objective like the technical part, It can be thought or not. We can be not aware, conscious of it. Es. When a child accepts a gift without thinking to say “Thank you”. Thanking is something we learn to do or it’s something we do unconsciously bc exposed to politeness. In Freud terms: semi- conscious
3) Informal cultures-Feeling: You are not conscious in front of that particular aspect of culture. It’s not learned, it’s acquired unconsciously. In Freud terms: unconscious. It is related to differences across cultures.
CULTURE-LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION ARE LINKED
When people from different cultures meet we have a cultural clash ( conflict), due to: 1) contrasting non verbal signaling; 2) contrasting values and biliefs bc of 2 different way to view the world; 3) stereotypes.
DEFINITION OF CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION :
interaction btw people with different cultural backgrounds and has the goal of increasing intercultural awareness. For some scholars intercultural comm and cross-cultural comm are the same, for others are two separated concepts. However, both imply a communication btw people from different cultures and who have 2 different views of the world. CCC compares the communication practices of one culture with that of another culture.
DIFFERENTS REACTION OF THE VISITOR IN A NEW DIFFERENT CULTURAL DIMENSION:
When you arrive in a new country, new cultural environment: 3 Phases: 1) Euphoria: when you move to an other country, short period of excitement of travelling and see new places**.
- Culture shock** : you realize that the real life of the country in which are is different from yours. It happens when you behave in a way and expect that people belonging to a foreign community behave or react to the situation in the same way, but they don’t bc they think in other way / have a different point of view; 3) Acculturation: process of learning the core of the other culture: firstly technical part, then formal and finally the informal one. In order to survive, you need to acculture yourself. When you start knowing better the attitude to life in that country and you know how to behave, you start feeling safer and integrate with the new community. Process of integration/adaptatiom
- Stable state of mind: 3 different reactions a ) negative : you accept the different cultural dimension, but you don’t feel part of it and continue behaving accordig to your culture, b ) biculturally adopted : you recognize and accept the other culture; c) the visitor, maybe after some year, become a “ gone native ”, completely integrated in the new society, and maybe you are definitely settled there with a family ecc.
DIFFERENT REACTIONS OF THE RECEIVING CULTURE IN FRONT OF FOREIGN VISITORS:
- Curiosity in front people from unfamiliar cultures; - Ethnocentrism : when you judge an other culture on the basis of your standards bc you think yours is superior. - Polycentrism.
Es. the belief that American culture is better or when we tend to favore aspects or behaviours of other cultures bc we believe are better than our culture.
The right behaviour in front different cultures is CULTURAL RELATIVISME that is the behaviou used in cross-cultural communication.
ETHNOCENTRISM, CULTURAL RELATIVISM AND XENOPHILIA ARE THE 3 POSSIBLE REACTIONS TO CULTURE SHOCK
CONTEXTING : It is made up by 2 elements: 1) TEXT : any act of communication and information transmitted orally, written or visual. It is not possible to understand the text without the context in wich it develops. 2) CONTEXT: assumed knowledge and knowledge brought to the text bc any act of communication is embedded in a context.
1) FIRST MODEL OF EDWARD HALL- CATEGORISATION OF
CULTURES ALONG THE CLINE FROM HIGH CONTEXT CULTURE
TO LOW CONTEXT CULTURE:
Looking at the arrow: 1) in one extreme pole we have HIGH CONTEXT CULTURES OR INDIRECT, where the information is implicitly received (Japanese and Asian Cultures, Arabic, Latin American, Italian, Finland.. ); 2) and at the extreme pole we have LOW CONTEXT CULTURES OR DIRECT , where the info is explicitly conveyed (Swiss-German, German, Scandinavian except Finland, North American, French, English..).
OVERGENERALISATION about communication: Generally, Western countries (US) are LCC vs East countries (Asia, Russia, Iran, Poland ecc) are HCC. In Europe, there are a lot of differences: cultures historically near to Italy are HCC and cultures in the North of Europe are LCC. But when we talk about fashion, according to scholars, Italy is nearer to LCC, bc we give more importance to fashion and objects.
Orientation and dimension are the same: To orient means to adjust or align oneself according to surroundings or circumstances. In this sense, Orientation governs how we perceive the world , if our perception is generalized, distorted or deleted. Es. The concept of time: which is your concept of time? Is it important for you? Your behaviour in front of time, traditions ecc ecc. The allineament people have in front of a concept defines cultural orientation. Es Italian culture orientation is to say “professor”, in Russia they call the teacher by surname or family’s name; other cultures’ orientation can change.
- Low Context or Direct: based on text. They are also called Direct cultures. Features:
- low information load (small chuncks): When we speak we don’t express a lot of concepts in the same sentence. Es. The construction of the English sentence is: SVO, which it is the main structure. Each sentece expresses a concept ; so to express an other concept they start another sentence. SHORT SENTENCES-ONE CONCEPT. THEY TEND TO BE MORE CLEAR AS POSSIBLE.
- Kiss principle: related to sentences. Keep it short and simple. Rules of anglo-saxon type of communication. Sentece short and easy to understand. - Reader friendly or addressee (peer-to peer): communication peer to peer on the same level. The addresser is on the same level as the adressee. Es. In the British context communication, there are no differences btw who is speaking and who is listening to;
-Instrumental communication: the focus is on what we are saying, on the message and information done.
- Infomation (facts): communication of more facts. Es. In tourism, English websites about farmhouse holidays, the advertising of British farmhouse holidays is more based on what the farmhouse can offer to the potential tourist, objective descriptions.
-Linear (cause-effect, main points): If I construct my communication by saying one concept in one sentence, the type of communication is linear.
- Understatement : not using metaphors. We say everything precisely.
- High Context or Indirect : based on the context. Features:
- High Information Load (large chuncks): es. Italian sentences don’t express properly a concept, when Italian people speak or write, they tend to continue a sentence with another one. They don’t tend to speak in a linear way an in English. A concept is expressed through different sentences and Italian sentences are more metaphorical. Long sentences to transmit an information. The structure of sentences doesn’t follow always SVO bc we change the sequence of words. Other examples of large chuncks: Russia, Iran. - KILC principle : related to sentences. Keep it long and complex/ complete. Longe sentences and we miss the main point we are talking about (es. Italian) - Writer oriented (expert-?/ expert) or Addresser oriented : In Italian, differently, the communication is focused more on who is speaking or on the writer. It is a way of interacting with other people.
-Expressive Communication (feelings, opinions): According to Jackobson’s theory of communication, expressive means that the function of the language is to show something related to the person who is speaking, as the speaker/writer’s opinions, feelings, suggestions. Focus on opinions and feelings. On Italian websites, the advertising of farmhouse holidays is more based on tastings and what you can enjoy in that place.
- Circular (background, details): If, as happen in Italian language, I start a concept and I don’t finish it when I speak, and then I start another concept and again again, the type of communication is circular (like Poland and Chinese, Iran). Using long sentences, we sometime do unuseful information.
Example from a research: it s a public warning from a tube of London, about the topic of security. We see attention for details, informal communication, highly informative, short and clear sentences. Use of the “you” to involve the citizens who are the addressees. Peer- to-peer communication: the expert (who is speaking) is at the same level of the citizens.
Public warning in a tube of Rome: short sentence translated in other language, info of the direction of the metro. Less information, less details, implicite communication, the information is given through the pic. PIC: visual metaphor. 3 red arms that indicate the fact the pickpocket can reach every part of your body and steal you. The addresee needs to interpret the pic and so the context.
Example of American Communication : Starbucks: in the coffee mug there is a sentece “be carefull, the beverage you’re going to drink is extremely hot”: explicite, istructions are written in a more detailed and accurate way, vs McDonald’s “Caution: hot!” According to the American culture everything should be told clearly. The culture is extremely precise, clear, all info are given.
On Italian coffee mugs you cannot find any written expressions. The reaction of HCC cultures can be “why is it written? Are they stupid? Everybody know the mug is hot.”
Example of Italian communication : No written details, visual communication, importance of the speaker, in this case it’s the istitution that says what it is forbidden and what is compulsory. It’s not peer-to-peer.
Italian advertising to the customers. It’s an expert who is speaking and it is not a request of help. Citizens not involved.
Example of English commication : Formal layout. Attention to the structure of the text that is like a letter. The addresser is the Victoria station in London. Who is speaking is Alison Clarke, the Network Rail Station Manager, and she speaks directly to the reader. Directness, clear communication and peer-to-peer. The expert is asking the help of the customers.
Lezione 3
SECOND MODEL OF PROGRAMMING BY HOFSTEDE: metaphorical idea of culture as piece of software (programming). It includes the same elements of the model of the cline (hight/low context culture). Elaborated by the Deutch scholar Hofstede; he prepared some questionnaires to whom his employees from different nationalities at ABM should answered. He measured the different reactions according to some parameters or orientations : Power distance; Individualism/ Collectivism; Masculinity / feminity; Uncertainty avoidance; conception of time; long term orientatio n. Hofstede enlarged the model of Hall, cultural anthropologist who was the pioneer of intercultural investigation, analyzing the attitude/orientation of cultures in front of parameters like “time”, “space”, “directness of communication”.
3) MASCULINITY VS FEMININITY : the difference btw maschuline and feminin cultures is that the latter permit women and men to have more overlapping social roles, while maschuline cultures stress the raditional gender roles.
MASCULINE SOCIETIES: US, GB, JAPAN, Poland, Italy
FEMININE SOCIETIES: Sweden, Portugal, Netherlands
UNCERTAINTY
AVOIDANCE: it is about the fact of avoiding events in life. What do you do when you are in front of a crossroad?
5) CONCEPT OF TIME: MONOCHRONIC OR POLYCHRONIC
- Monochronic: visually represented by a line. Linear idea of time. The time is planned, activities are scheduled in advance in order to focus on results and use time efficiency. This concept of time deal with doing one thing at time in a accurate way.
2 )Polychronic : visually represented by a circular movement. Circular idea of time. Doing more things at time (multitasking), not respect of deadlines, time more flexible and importance of social relations and connections. Es. in Italy if you know power people who can help you, you can reach your purpose without obstacles.
6)LONG-TERM ORIENTATION VS SHORT-TERM ORIENTATION
Long-term orientation : cultures long-term oriented are focused on the future and the values important for those values are persistence, perseverance, saving and being able to adapt.
Short-term orientation : the focus is on the present or past. Es. Italian tourist websites highlight historical places, castles, traditions. We care of the future but it’s stressful bc it’s uncertain, while the present is something we know and touch.
EXAMPLE OF UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE: The subject of these senteces is the European Constitution that is difficult to understan, for this reason it is called “a real maze” in English and “dedalo” in Italian. The language reflects the orientation of a culture, so by comparing the Italian and the English versions we see: in the Italian version, it is used the word “meandri”, referred to the labyrinth, a metaphor that means it is not easy to comprehend it. In the English version, we find the expression “the inns and the outs “ (details) that expresses a more flexible orientation in front of it.
In the English version it is used the expression “black box”: the decision procedures is seen as something mysterious (flexibility), vs Italin version he decision procedures are seen as “black beast”, metaphor used to compare this power to something bad and that scares. (anxiety, stress).
English version: Europe as a democracy the people can take part into. More listener-oriented and same level of the addressee, more direct and accessible to understand;
Italian version: Europe is a “democrazia partecipativa”. Less listener-oriented and language less accessible and easy to understand. More power distance bc Europe is seen as a leader, as an institution.
-Englisn version: EU gives support or coordinate action (less power distance); -Italian version: the Union conducts, leads actions (more power distance bc the Union is seen as superior and it is a institution)
Lesson 4
ACTIVITY 2
- Directness- Disagreeing openly with someone at a meeting;
2.Centrality of family- Taking off from work to attend the funeral of an aunt.
- External control- accepting without question, that something cannot be changed
- Saving face- At a meeting, agreeing with a suggestion you think is wrong.
- Respect for age-Not laying off an older worker whose performance is weak.
- Informality- Asking people to call by your first name
- Deference to authority- Asking the headmaster’s opinion of something you’re the expert on;
- Indirectness- Use of understatement (eufenismo)
- Self-reliance- Not helping the person next to you on an exam (tipical of anglosaxon culture);
- Egalitarianism- Inviting the teaboy to eat lunch with you in your office ( short the distance)
Es. Read the following passage:
WHAT DOES THE EXPRESSION “PEANUT BUTTER” STAND FOR? This is a typical statement that refers to something else of Chinese culture , which is an IMPLICIT and HIGH CONTEXT culture, so what you say can mean an other thing vs Canadian is EXPLICIT AND LOW CONTEXT CULTURE. Low context culture: we don’t share the context, we have to say everything. The culture/background is not share.
Activity 6: High Context (Implicit) or Low Contex Culture (Explicit)?
- H, bc there is something not said btw them; 2. H; 3. H; 4. H; 5. H; 6. H; 7. L; 8. L; 9. H; 10. L; 11. L; 12. H; 13. L; 14.L 15 H, ; 16. 17,
- H, 19. L; 20. H
Activity 4
Mr Jones approach is more direct than Mr. Wu’s one. Mr Jones is the communicator who is using a direct style, while Mr Wu uses an indirect.
ESSAY OF 500 WORDS about your personal experience of culture conflict (meeting with another person you invited or meeting with people during a trip in another country ecc). What we have to do is: 1) to tell the story; 2) to comment the story, by explaining the kind of cultural conflict and what caused it, why it happened and what we can keep in mind in future (differences btw cultures that were described during lectures). A culture conflict happen when there is a clash of dimensions: high context culture vs low context culture, collectivistic vs individualistic, but these dimensions in most cases deal with high/low context cultures: es. collectivistic societies tend also to be high context culture. Dealine: 2th Dic, to send by email.
Lesson 5
Activity 8.
Blunder: it means conflict/clash. Which are the 5 blunders Mr. Jones met?
- Lack of recognition of polycronic consideration of time. “I’ve been waiting for 2 days”: this sentence by Jones expresses his value of time. American don’t like to waste time, while Arabian have another consideration of time.
- Refusal of the tea. Jones doesn’t give importance to the value of hospitality, important for Arabian.
- Jones asked about Mr. Hashim’s wife to break the ice and start the conversation, but asking about wife in Saudi Arabian culture is not appropriate bc they consider women inferior;
- Use of left hand is not considerated polite in Saudi Arabian culture bc it is usually used to clean and it is connected to dirty;
- “Waiting is no problem”: different formulations in relation to time.
