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DEVELOPING INTERCULTURAL AWARENESS AND SENSITIZATION
Why do we need to talk about Developing Intercultural Awareness and Sensitization?
- Globalization = it may be described as “the tendency of businesses, technologies, or philosophies to spread throughout the world, or the process of making this happen”.
- English
- Media
- Business
- Internationalization
“Globalization is the process of increasing interconnectedness between societies” Globalization 3 things that come into our minds: English, Internet, Popular culture Interconnectedness people dealing with other people -Danger related to the use of English on the web; the hinterland of English is communication in general. The language we need has to be free from stereotypes. This language ‘will promote competence and transcend elites’. ICC = intercultural competence Identity is the starting point, a characteristic that has to be preserved.
CULTURE is the whole view of the universe from which people assess the meaning of life and their appropriate response to it. Cultural misunderstanding can be destructive to a company; mistakes can be unconscious and unintentional. ‘Culture’ can mean different things to different people:
- The sum total of all the beliefs, values and norms shared by a group of people.
- The way you have been conditioned in a society to think, feel, interpret and react.
- The collective programming of the human mind. (Hofstede)
- A large pool of experience composed of learned programmes for action and passed on from generation to generation.
- All you need to know and believe in order to be accepted in a society.
THE CULTURE ICEBERG: when you observe people from a certain culture, some characteristics (such as dress and the way people greet each other) are easy to see; others are not so easy. Culture is sometimes compared to an iceberg, some of which is visible, but much of which is difficult to see, or invisible. Things which you recognize easily physical gestures, greetings, facial expressions, styles of dress Things which take some time to recognize humor, social life, personal friendship Things which you recognize only when you are very familiar with a culture values and beliefs, work ethic, eating habits, concept of self, corruption
ONSTAGE BEHAVIOR is “what people who are in contact with one another find easiest to observe and react to”. It involves culturally identifiable actions such as: shaking hands, bowing (fare l’inchino), food and dances, costume and music, kissing upon meeting, holidays and traditional ways of celebrating them. Onstage behavior is often what people refer to when asked to describe another culture. BACKSTAGE CULTURE is “something that is not easily recognizable and identifiable and is absolutely not visible to someone who is unfamiliar with it”. …but, although backstage culture can seem very difficult to grasp, it definitely holds the reason why… Individuals’ specific cultural backgrounds give rise to the backstage reasons why people believe, act and look at things the way they do. Backstage culture underlies what others see… -backstage behaving reasons are usually unconscious
-actors are not aware that they are behaving in a culturally driven way -usually people think that their own backstage culture is simply normal Backstage cultural aspects in business include: the ways people make decisions, respond to deadlines, accomplish tasks, rank events by importance, conceptualize knowledge.
-Cultural briefing is the process of finding out about another culture.
THE BASIS OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES Every culture distinguishes itself from others by the specific solutions it chooses to certain problems. It is convenient to look at these problems under three categories: those which arise from our relationships with other people, those which come from the passage of time and those which relate to the environment. From the solutions different cultures have chosen to these universal problems, we can identify seven fundamental dimensions of culture (five of these come from the first category). From the solutions different cultures have chosen to universal problems, we can identify seven fundamental dimensions of culture:
- UNIVERSALISM versus PARTICULARISM the universalist approach is “what is good and right can be defined and always applies”, in particularist cultures far greater attention is given to the obligations of relationships and unique circumstances.
- INDIVIDUALISM versus COMMUNITARIANISM Do people regard themselves primarily as individuals or primarily as a part of a group?
- NEUTRAL versus EMOTIONAL Should the nature of our interactions be objective and detached or is expressing emotion acceptable? In North America and north-west Europe business relationships are typically instrumental and all about achieving objectives; but further south and in many other cultures, business is a human affair and the whole gamut of emotions deemed appropriate.
- SPECIFIC versus DIFFUSE when the whole person is involved in a business relationship there is a real and personal contact, instead of the specific relationship prescribed by a contract. In many countries a diffuse relationship is not only preferred, but necessary before business can proceed.
- ACHIEVEMENT versus ASCRIPTION achievement means that you are judged on what you have recently accomplished and on your record; ascription means that status is attributed to you, by birth, kinship, gender or age but also by your connections (who you know). In an achievement culture, the first question is likely to be “what did you study?”, while in a more ascriptive culture the question will more likely be “where did you study?”.
- ATTITUDES TO TIME the way in which societies look at time also differs. In certain cultures like the American, Swedish and Dutch, time is perceived as passing in a straight line, a sequence of disparate events; other cultures think of time more as moving in a circle, the past and present together with future possibilities.
- ATTITUDES TO THE ENVIRONMENT some cultures see the major focus affecting their lives and the origins of vice and virtue as residing within the person. Here, motivations and values are derived from within. Other cultures see the world as more powerful than individuals, they see nature as something to be feared or emulated.
Culture is only one category or dimension of human behavior, the other two dimensions are the universal and the personal. They can be distinguished as follows:
- “Universal” refers to ways in which all people in all groups are the same (sleeping, eating, speaking)
- “Cultural” refers to what a particular group of people have on common with each other and how they are different from every other group (nothing to do with needs)
- “Personal” describes the ways in which each one of us is different from everyone else, including those in our group (colour etc.)
- An attitude is a tendency to respond the same way to the same object
- An attitude is a feeling about things based on values that range from very positive to very negative
- Attitudes can change, even if it can be very difficult
- Attitudes are based on beliefs as well as values Beliefs are convictions or certainties that are based on subjective and often personal ideas rather than on proof or fact; they are totally personal and totally individual. Belief system, or religions, are powerful sources and attitudes in cultures.
Culture DICTATES BEHAVIOUR: behavior comes directly from attitudes about how significant something is, how it is valued. Values drive actions... Business is a composite of actions, so… cultural priorities motivate business behaviour. -Responces to other cultures (2 opposite ways) one response is to clash and struggle for the dominance of one set of values over another: this is ‘hostility’. Another response is for adaptations to take place. -Diversity at home, diversity abroad today being markets, successful business people who are looking for markets/suppliers, or joint-venture companies in foreign countries must be able to communicate interculturally, both at home and abroad. To be effective in a foreign setting, you need to know at least something about: a culture’s priorities, its members’ attitudes, how they think people should behave.
CULTURE SHOCK : the discomfort experienced while adjusting to live in a culture different from one’s own. -when immersing in a new and unfamiliar culture -refers to a range of responses that take place over time -it’s a sense of dislocation -causes stress, psychological and physical diseases -it’s divided in 4 different stages: ■ 1 st^ stage: HONEYMOON PHASE/ EUPHORIA. Everything is wonderful (first 2 months usually) ■ 2 nd^ stage: DISILLUSONMENT AND FRUSTATION- DOWNTURN. When you find out that you cannot understand everything happening around you in the new culture; when you know that you don’t know something but you don’t know what you don’t know; when you make mistakes and those create disappointments in yourself and in others; when there are things that seemed acceptable at first, which now become irritations; when you experience physical symptoms (aches and pains mainly). ■ 3 rd^ stage: ADJUSTMENT. When you start cooperating more effectively with the host culture; at this stage, business probably can be conducted successfully. ■ 4 th^ stage: INTEGRATION. When you become fluent enough in another culture; when you move rather easily in the other culture and you tend not to make other mistakes or misunderstandings. SYMPTOMS Strain / sense of loss and feelings of deprivation / rejection / confusion / surprise, anxiety and indignation / feelings of inadequacy (due to fear of not being able to succeed in the new culture) ART OF EMPATHY: the practice of empathy can be seen as a three-stage process
- Recognize that the other person does, in fact, have a different point of view. He or she is looking at the situation through his or her own unique filter of experiences, biases and values. This is the easiest part of the empathy process because it is so obvious and because it a rational, logical and intellectual step.
- Accept the idea that it is all right for another person and this one in particular, to have a viewpoint that is different from yours. Most people find this much more difficult stage of the empathy process. Often when we find that another person has a different viewpoint, our impulse is to ‘get it shaped
up’. Note that this second step doesn’t mean adopting, or even approving of, the specific opinion another person has, only accepting the idea that it is all right for that person to be unique and have a different set of experiences from those you have.
- The final step in the practice of empathy might be expressed. “I really want to understand your point of view- not judge it, shape it up, argue with it or endorse it- I just want to understand”. If that is your attitude, the way that you are feeling about the relationship and the discussion, then it will not be necessary to verbalize that attitude. It will be apparent in your behavior.
When experiencing cultural differences, there may be typical responses (which are individual) depending on: -situational context -assumption based on one’s own experience -knowledge of other’s experience -linguistic fluency -similarity in age/ gender/ social class/ work/ …
One typical response to diversity is curiosity and interest in the unfamiliar but at the same time a common response could be: not to accommodate it or to reject differences and diversity; but also a. Assumption of superiority: “I know we’re different but I’m better” “If you knew my culture, you’d prefer it to yours”. Most culture assume that their own values/ behaviors/ practices are superior to those of the rest of the world. b. Ethnocentrism: -members of a culture are really convinced that their own culture is the right one, the best. -assessment of other cultures depends on how closely they resemble their own (the more it’s similar to my own, the better it is) -people tend to evaluate things on the basis of their own background and then act accordingly (the so called “self-reference”) -those with little or no experience of other cultures believe that their own culture is normative and at the center of human experience. The closer a culture is to yours, the further it is. So… difference is wrong and dangerous; difference is a threat to normality; difference becomes an offence against the right world code. c. Assumption of universality: When you think you know how people value things/ think/ act/ behave because you assume they are like your own …BUT… people are not alike and assuming you know what others think can lead to misrupted communication and even conflict.
Ethnocentrism and universality could lead to PREJUDICE: -when we leap to an evaluative conclusion usually without gathering info about the individual/ culture/ context -following mental representations of that culture -relying our judgment on irritational basis or emotions Moreover, prejudice is not based on facts, is usually negative and is usually based on or accompanied by suspition, fear, hatred, contempt… Business communicators need to be aware of the dangers linked to prejudices, therefore consciously avoid acting on them. Focus of prejudice are: racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia; when prejudices are acted on, the actor shows discrimination. Another form of prejudice is STEREOTYPING which occurs when someone claims that members of another culture all share the same, often inferior or offensive characteristics. There are dangers in doing this: first, a stereotype is a very limited view of the average behavior in a certain environment, it exaggerates the culture observed; second, people often equate something different with something wrong; finally,
To summarize: the individualist culture sees the individual as “the end” and improvements to individual capacities as a means to that end. The communitarian culture sees the group as “the end”. Recognizing the differences: -Individualism: more frequent use of “I” form / Communitarianism: more frequent use of “We” form -Individualism: people ideally achieve alone and assume personal responsibility / Communitarianism: people ideally achieve in groups which assume joint responsibility. -Individualism: vacations taken in pairs, even alone / Communitarianism: vacations in organized groups
- NEUTRAL vs EMOTIONAL/AFFECTIVE – the range of feelings expressed in relationships with people, we are affective when we show our feelings (laughing, smiling, gesturing) and emotions and we probably get an emotional response in return; the opposite dimension involves being emotionally neutral in our approach, which means keeping feelings and emotions under control. Neutral cultures are not necessarily cold or unfeeling, the amount of emotion we show is often the result of conventions. When our own approach is highly emotional we are seeking a direct emotional response: “I have the same feelings as you on this subject”; when our own approach is highly neutral we are seeking an indirect response: “Because I agree with your reasoning or proposition, I give you my support.” Cultures also vary on the permissible use of humour: in Britain or USA, the use of humour is always a success but it isn’t the same for the Germans. Overly neutral or affective cultures have problems in doing business with each other. The neutral person is easily accused of being with no heart, the affective person is seen as out of control. Recognizing the differences: -Neutral: do not reveal what they are thinking or feeling / Affective: reveal thoughts and feelings verbally and non-verbally -Neutral: Physical contact, gesturing or strong facial expressions are often taboo / Affective: touching, gesturing and strong facial expressions are common -Neutral: Statements often read out in monotone / Affective: Statements declaimed fluently and dramatically
- SPECIFIC vs DIFFUSE – the range of involvement it is the degree to which we engage others in specific areas of life and single levels of personality, or diffusely in multiple areas of our lives and at several levels of personality at the same time. Personality should be represented with a series of concentric circles. The most personal and private spaces are near the centre, the most shared and public spaces are at the outer peripheries. The specific-attitude cultures have much more public tan private spaces, divided into many different and specific sectors to which it’s quite easy to access. Being admitted into one public layer is not a very big commitment but at the same time those who enter any of these spaces are not necessarily close buddies, they don’t have necessarily entered the private sector. Specific individuals concentrate on hard facts (realtà nuda e cruda), standards, contracts. People from specific cultures: start with the elements, the specifics; analyze the elements separately; consider each person’s life as divided into many components and you can enter one at a time; have highly purposeful (con uno scopo ben preciso) and well-defined interactions.
The diffuse-attitude instead implies a very small public space and private spaces are large and diffuse, which means that once someone is admitted, this lets him/her into all (or almost all) your private spaces. But life spaces here are guarded by a thick line and getting accepted to access is harder. Problems begin with the overlap between those 2 circles: the specific attitude considers impersonal something that the diffuse attitude sees as highly personal. Diffuse individuals like best qualities such as: style, trust, understanding. People from diffusely oriented cultures: start with the ‘whole’ and see each element in perspective of the total; consider all elements related to each other; do not
easily accept newcomers, but once they do, they are admitted into all layers of the individual life (a friend is always a friend). Losing face : it happens when something perceived as being private is made public. It will be very easy for a diffuse speaker to feel insulted by a specific speaker; the importance of avoiding loss of face is why in diffuse cultures so much more time is taken to get to the point. Doing business with a culture more diffuse than our own feels time-consuming. Some cultures refuse to do business in a mental subdivision called “work” or “commerce” which is kept apart from the rest of life. In diffuse cultures, everything is connected to everything. Recognizing the differences: -Specificity: direct, to the point, purposeful in relating / Diffuseness: indirect, circuitous, seemingly “aimless” forms of relating -Specificity: precise, blunt, definitive and transparent / Diffuseness: evasive, tactful, ambiguous
- (^) ACHIEVEMENT vs ASCRIPTION – how status is accorded while some societies accord status to people on the basis of their achievements, others ascribe it to them by virtue of age, class, gender, education, and so on: the first kind of status is called achieved status and refers to doing , the second ascribed status and refers to being. In these doing cultures, people are looked up and respected because of their personal and especially their professional accomplishments; you get ahead into positions of power and influence by virtue of your achievements and performance. Your status is earned and not merely a function of birth, age or seniority; people aren’t particularly impressed with titles. Education is important but not the mere fact of it, status is not automatic and can be forfeited if you stop achieving. In these being cultures, a certain amount of status is built into the person, it is automatic and therefore difficult to lose. You are looked up because of the family and social class you are born into and because of your age and seniority. The school you went to and the amount of education you received also confer status; titles are important and should always be used. While you cannot lose your status completely, you can lose respect by not realizing your potential. What appears to be happening is that some very successful business cultures are ascribing status to persons, technologies or industries which they anticipate will be important to their future as an economy, with the result that these persons and sectors receive special encouragement. Recognizing the differences: -Achieved-oriented: use of titles only when relevant to the competence you bring to the task / Ascription-oriented: extensive use of titles, especially when this clarify your status in the organization -Achieved-oriented: respect for superior in hierarchy is based on how effectively his or her job is performed / Ascription-oriented: respect for superior in hierarchy is seen as a measure of your commitment to the organization and its mission -Achieved-oriented: most senior managers are of varying age and gender and have shown proficiency in specific jobs / Ascription-oriented: most senior managers are male, middle-aged and qualified by their background -Achieved-oriented: use the title that reflects how competent you are as an individual / Ascription- oriented: use the title that reflects your degree of influence in your organization -Achieved-oriented: respect for a manager is based on knowledge and skills / Ascription-oriented: respect for a manager is based on seniority
- ATTITUDES TO TIME – how we manage time another of the ways in which cultures differ is in how people conceive and handle time and how their concept of time affects their interactions with each other. Different cultures give different importance to the past, the present and the future. Recognizing the differences:
- Past : talk about history and origin of family; show respect for older people; everything viewed in the context of tradition or history; future seen as a repetition of past experience.
In summary you should learn to: -Recognise cultural differences cultural awareness is understanding states of mind, analyzing ways in which people attribute meaning to the world around them. -Respect cultural differences respect is most developed once we realize that most cultural differences are in ourselves, even if we have not yet recognized them. -Reconcile cultural differences be ourselves but yet see and understand how the other’s perspective can help our own.
DIFFERENT CORPORATE CULTURES
Four types of corporate cultures described as: the family, the Eiffel Tower, the guided missile, the incubator. Each of these types of corporate culture are “ideal types”. -THE FAMILY CULTURE: we use the metaphor of family for the culture which is at the same time personal, with close face-to-face relationships, but also hierarchical, in the sense that the ‘father’ of a family has experience and authority. The result is a power-oriented corporate culture in which the leader is regarded as a caring father who knows better than his subordinates what should be done. The idea is always to do more than a contract or agreement obliges you to; the relationship to the corporate is long-term and devoted. Relationships tend to be diffuse , the ‘father’ is influential in all situations. EX: Belgium, India and Spain. -THE EIFFEL TOWER CULTURE: we have chosen the Eiffel Tower to symbolize this cultural type because it is steep, symmetrical, narrow at the top and broad at the base, stable, rigid and robust. Its hierarchy It’s very different from that of the family, you obey the boss because it is his or her role to instruct you ( the boss here is only incidentally a person, essentially is a role). Relationships are specific and status is ascribed. Almost everything the family culture accepts, the Eiffel tower rejects. EX: Australia and Venezuela. -THE GUIDED MISSILE CULTURE: this culture differs from both the family and the Eiffel Tower by being egalitarian , but differs also from the family and resembles the Eiffel Tower in being impersonal and task-oriented. Everything must be done to persevere in your strategic intent and reach you target; all are equals. Guided missile culture are expensive and typify the neutral culture. EX: USA, Norway and Ireland. -THE INCUBATOR CULTURE: it is based on the existential idea that organizations are secondary to the fulfilment of individuals. The purpose is to free individuals from routine to more creative activities; the incubator is both personal and egalitarian and it has almost no structure at all. The roles of other people in the incubator, however, are crucial. In contrast to the family culture, leadership here is achieved, not ascribed. EX: The United Kingdom, Canada and Switzerland.
