Second online training Nova College

• Internationalisering
• MBO
• Studiejaar 4

Cultural issue management

Cultural group identities are defined by enduring, powerful norms developed over history and taught to its members through communication

Culture: the ongoing negotation of learned and patterned beliefs, attitudes, values and behaviors (University of Minnesota, 2016)

Intercultural communication: communication between people with differing cultural identities

Risks of miscommunication

Different groups or different people have strong sets of their own cultural norms. It is hard to find common ground.

Potential challenge: other focused orientation

Our own culture is normal / the standard; 'their culture' is the other, the different one. This automatically establishes that the other is off the norm.

Potential challenge: ethnocentrism

We have a tendency to view our own culture as superior to other cultures. This is a coping meganism to deal with discomfort when meeting someone from a culture with other values, norms, etc.

Our goal is intercultural communication competence: 'the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately in various cultural contexts'. It is about being aware of and consciously working on those principles that enable us to see where another culture is from, rather than automatically judge it as different than us.

In the first online training about intercultural issue management we introduced the cultural dimensions of Geert Hofstede to understand cultural communication

Recap...

POWER DISTANCE

This dimension deals with the fact that all individuals in societies are not equal – it expresses the attitude of the culture towards these inequalities amongst us. Power Distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.

Finland

Italy

The Netherlands

POWER DISTANCE

This dimension deals with the fact that all individuals in societies are not equal – it expresses the attitude of the culture towards these inequalities amongst us. Power Distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.

Lithuania

INDIVIDUALISM

The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members. It has to do with whether people´s self-image is defined in terms of “I” or “We”. In Individualist societies people are supposed to look after themselves and their direct family only. In Collectivist societies people belong to ‘in groups’ that take care of them in exchange for loyalty.

Finland

Italy

The Netherlands

INDIVIDUALISM

The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members. It has to do with whether people´s self-image is defined in terms of “I” or “We”. In Individualist societies people are supposed to look after themselves and their direct family only. In Collectivist societies people belong to ‘in groups’ that take care of them in exchange for loyalty.

Lithuania

MASCULINITY

A high score (Masculine) on this dimension indicates that the society will be driven by competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner / best in field – a value system that starts in school and continues throughout organisational life.

A low score (Feminine) on the dimension means that the dominant values in society are caring for others and quality of life. A Feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable. The fundamental issue here is what motivates people, wanting to be the best (Masculine) or liking what you do (Feminine).

Finland

Italy

MASCULINITY

A high score (Masculine) on this dimension indicates that the society will be driven by competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner / best in field – a value system that starts in school and continues throughout organisational life.

A low score (Feminine) on the dimension means that the dominant values in society are caring for others and quality of life. A Feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable. The fundamental issue here is what motivates people, wanting to be the best (Masculine) or liking what you do (Feminine).

Lithuania

The Netherlands

UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE

The dimension Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? This ambiguity brings with it anxiety and different cultures have learnt to deal with this anxiety in different ways. The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these is reflected in the score on Uncertainty Avoidance.

Finland

Italy

UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE

The dimension Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? This ambiguity brings with it anxiety and different cultures have learnt to deal with this anxiety in different ways. The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these is reflected in the score on Uncertainty Avoidance.

Lithuania

The Netherlands

LONG TERM ORIENTATION

This dimension describes how every society has to maintain some links with its own past while dealing with the challenges of the present and future, and societies prioritise these two existential goals differently. Normative societies. which score low on this dimension, for example, prefer to maintain time-honoured traditions and norms while viewing societal change with suspicion. Those with a culture which scores high, on the other hand, take a more pragmatic approach: they encourage thrift and efforts in modern education as a way to prepare for the future.

Finland

Italy

LONG TERM ORIENTATION

This dimension describes how every society has to maintain some links with its own past while dealing with the challenges of the present and future, and societies prioritise these two existential goals differently. Normative societies. which score low on this dimension, for example, prefer to maintain time-honoured traditions and norms while viewing societal change with suspicion. Those with a culture which scores high, on the other hand, take a more pragmatic approach: they encourage thrift and efforts in modern education as a way to prepare for the future.

Lithuania

The Netherlands

INDULGENCE

One challenge that confronts humanity, now and in the past, is the degree to which small children are socialized. Without socialization we do not become “human”. This dimension is defined as the extent to which people try to control their desires and impulses, based on the way they were raised. Relatively weak control is called “Indulgence” and relatively strong control is called “Restraint”. Cultures can, therefore, be described as Indulgent or Restrained.

Finland

Italy

INDULGENCE

One challenge that confronts humanity, now and in the past, is the degree to which small children are socialized. Without socialization we do not become “human”. This dimension is defined as the extent to which people try to control their desires and impulses, based on the way they were raised. Relatively weak control is called “Indulgence” and relatively strong control is called “Restraint”. Cultures can, therefore, be described as Indulgent or Restrained.

Lithuania

The Netherlands

It is useful to learn about the culture of the nation/region where you are going. But there is a risk to judge individual people based on the cultural stereotype of the group (prejudice)

We have a natural tendency to stereotype, it is a way of processing information, to simplify the complex world around us.

By learning what stereotypes and unconscious bias we tend to have and how they influence our thinking, we can learn to identify them and disable their effect in making decisions.

Key factors to prevent stereotypes influencing behaviour (Patricia Devine):

Consciousness about the fact that one has stereotypes

Motivation to do something about it

Having the opportunity (stereotyping strongly influences behaviour while under pressure)

Practical tips

What is false?

1. Dutch people are rude
2. Italian people are mean
3. Finnish people are happy
4. Lithuanian people are superstitious

This was probably the worst quiz ever. Was there even a false or right answer? 

What your perception of rude, mean, happy or superstitious is, may well be interpreted differently by someone from another culture.

Not all people are the same, we should not judge individuals by stereotypes.

We should visit these countries, make contact with individual people and meet all kinds of different people: rude, polite, mean, friendly, happy, unhappy, superstititous and rational. 

Remember: we look to the world through different lenses, with other norms and values, and this should encourage us to ask open questions, be curious and truely connect with others. 

Find out yourself where all those stereotypes come from...