Culture map 1. Communicating

• INT1
• MBO
• Studiejaar 2

The Culture Map

      Exploring cultural differences 

Q: how can we measure 'cultural differences'? 

The Culture Map

We will be exploring ('measuring') cultural differences, 

looking at 8  dimensions. 

These dimensions will be worked out on a 'map'.  

 

 

What is the biggest cultural
difference between Holland
and Germany?

1. Communicating 

Business case

• Purchase drill machine
• Soilmec SR60 from India
• Date of invoice: Dec. 13th
• Purchase condition: new     paint, delivered port   within  6 weeks.  

 

 

Business case

So the machine MUST be shipped by January 25th to Mexico for a job at the airport of Mexico City.

 

Important and vital question (made in person by buyer at closing the deal): "Can you make it in time?" . 

Answer Indian supplier: "I think we are ok, we do our best"

 

 

"I think we are ok, we do
our best"
Is this answer a 'low-context'
one or a 'high-context' one?

1. Low context
2. High context

FYI : Mumbai port, February 26th 

Business case

Answer: "I think we are ok, we do our best"

Indian meant: 'difficult, almost impossible' 

German understood: 'ok', so all fine.  

 

 

Low context communication 

•  Precise, detailed and specific
•  Use of written confirmations ('so we meet for dinner at 20.15 hrs' ) 
•  'No means no, yes means yes​' 
  
•   'What you see is what you get'
• ​   Use of contract​s
•    Mainly in ‘open’ societies, countries with ​a relative short history                      ​(E.g. U.S.A. and  Australia).   

 

 

High context communication 

•  Not specific, reading & listening between the lines
•  Assumptions ( 'dinner will be around 20.00 or so, as usual, I reckon' )
•  'Yes' means ' yes', and sometimes it means ' no' as well'
  
•   A handshake to close a deal; 'a man a man, a word a word' 
•   Mainly in ‘closes’ societies, countries with ​a relative long history ​                      (E.g. Japan and Iran).   

 

 

The image shows
closing a deal in a:

1. Low context country
2. High context country

In which way is Sandra Bullock communicating:

1. In a low context way
2. In a high context way

Mr. Díaz is a Spanish manager working in a plant in China. 

It is Friday and he received a call from an important client who likes to visit the plant on Sunday to see the production of a product in which he is interested to buy. 

Mr. Díaz is going to ask Mr. Chen if he can attend to this visit. 

 

 

Will Mr. Chen be working/receiving the client for a moment on Sunday?

1. Yes, of course
2. No way!

Work in progress

Please confirm  your group’s choice of a 3rd (Non-EU) country  to compare with ‘our own countries’. ​E.g.: U.S.A / China / Russia / Saudi Arabia / Brazil / Mexico/ Australia. ​

Twinspace:  visit Assignment 2-1 Communicating- ‘Low Context ​

vs High context’  for more background information as well as for  ​

a default ‘8 scales’ Excel sheet you can use as a tool. ​

In which way is Sandra Bullock communicating:

1. Low context
2. High context

Giving feedback in the U.K. is rather:

1. Direct
2. Indirect