1. Spirit of Europe Intercultural Communication Workshop
Zuyd University for Applied Sciences
23 May 2011
10-12 a.m.
Br.3.02

2. Theresa M.J. Snyders Cross-Cultural communication Lecturer

3. Welcome to the Kingdom of The Netherlands

4. Intercultural failures
Unaware of the key features and biases of our own culture
Feeling threatened or uneasy when interacting
Unable to understand or explain behaviour
Unable to transfer knowledge
Not recognizing when own culture affects behaviour.
Unable to adjust to living and working in another culture.
Being unaware of the key features and biases of our own culture – not being able to see the forest because we are inside it!
Feeling threatened or uneasy when interacting with people who are culturally different.
Being unable to understand or explain the behaviour of others who are culturally different.
Being unable to transfer knowledge about one culture to another culture.
Not recognizing when our own cultural orientation is influencing our behaviour.
Being unable to adjust to living and working in another culture

5. Be able to improve their Cultural Intelligence
Workshop Objectives
By the end of the workshop, participants will:
be aware of how national, organizational and individual cultural values influence attitudes and behaviour
understand more about other cultures
develop culturally appropriate strategies for dealing with cultural differences in business customs, management styles and social protocols
develop tools to be more effective in an intercultural environment
Be able to improve their Cultural Intelligence
In short, to make you more flexible intercultural co-worker

6. Today’s Workshop Perceptions What is culture?
Explore U.S. (and some other) cultural values
Cultural Dimensions
Cultural Contrasts
Quiz
American Stereotypes
Cultural Encounter
Native English Speaker Activity

7. Perceptions – what do you see?

8. Perceptions – what do you see?

9. What image to you first see ?
Perception = Selection, Organisation, Interpretation

10. Perceptions – what is written?
PARIS
in the
the spring

11. Perceptions/Assumptions
The result of our many different culture standpoints means that:
‘Pure’ communication is impossible,
Much of our communication is unconscious.
We expect to see what we expect to see.
The result of our many different culture standpoints means that:
‘Pure’ communication is impossible, as we all bring prior associations to the communication process.
We communicate in many ways, and much of our communication is unconscious.
We expect to see what we expect to see. We don’t see what we don’t expect to see.
We all perceive things differently. Our perceptions are filtered through our culture.
Our life experiences teach us to perceive the world in certain ways.
Perceptions are learned, selective, culturally determined, consistent and often inaccurate.
Culture is an important factor in perceptions. A culture creates a common way of looking at things and determines what facts are important.

12. Perceptions/Assumptions - Summary
WE create the reality upon which our communication is based. We bring prior assumptions and associations, many of which are culturally based, to the process of communication. We can never assume that the assumptions we operate under are the same for everyone, particularly when we are engaged in cross-cultural communication.
The result of our many different culture standpoints means that:
‘Pure’ communication is impossible, as we all bring prior associations to the communication process.
We communicate in many ways, and much of our communication is unconscious.
We expect to see what we expect to see. We don’t see what we don’t expect to see.
We all perceive things differently. Our perceptions our filtered through our culture.
Our life experiences teach us to perceive the world in certain ways.
Perceptions are learned, selective, culturally determined, consistent and often inaccurate.
Culture is an important factor in perceptions. A culture creates a common way of looking at things and determines what facts are important.

13. Challenges of working across cultures
What is normal to us may not be normal to other cultures!
We make assumptions based on our own set of rules –
Yet they are often different from other people’s rules.
The use of handkerchiefs, when ‘clearing’ your nose

14. What is culture? What is culture?
In your groups, brainstorm what culture means to you.

15. What is culture? Some modern definitions:
“Culture is the deeper level of basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of an organization, that operate unconsciously and define in a basic ‘taken for granted’ fashion an organization's view of its self and its environment.”( Edgar Schein)
“Culture is an integrated system of learned behavior patterns that are characteristic of the members of any given society. Culture refers to the total way of life for a particular group of people. It includes everything that a group of people thinks, says, does and makes its customs, language, material artifacts and shared systems of attitudes and feelings. Culture is learned and transmitted from generation to generation.” (Robert Kohls)
“Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one human group from another.” (Geert Hofstede)
Schein Professor of Management at MIT
Dr Robert Kohls director of International Programmes San Francisco State University
Geert Hofstede Pioneer in ICC

16. The Iceberg Model Behaviours Five Senses Philosophies Convictions
Viewpoints
Opinions
Values
Attitudes

17. The Iceberg Model Art & Literature Eye contact Emotions Sports
Gestures
Clothing
Music
Language
Leisure Activities
Importance of face, harmony
How the individual fits into society
Notions of Time
Importance of work
Communication styles
Attitudes about men’s/women’s roles
Tolerance for change
Beliefs about human nature
Preference for thinking style
linear or systematic
Rules about relationships

18. Characteristics of Culture
Culture is shared
Culture is learned/acquired and enduring
Culture is a powerful influence on behaviour
Culture is systematic and organized
Culture is largely invisible
Culture may be ‘tight’ or ‘loose’
Examples: NL: at National festive activities special colour code
ad. 3 : so-called directness (rudeness?) of the Dutch

19. What are US cultural values
Form small groups and brainstorm what you consider to be US cultural values.

20. Cultural Dimensions Equality – Hierarchy Direct – Indirect
Individual – Group
Task – Relationship
Risk – Caution
Time

21. Attitude to Equality/Hierarchy
A cultural style that is based on equality means people prefer to:
A cultural style that is based on hierarchy means people prefer to:
- be self directed
- take direction from above
- have flexibility in the roles they play in a
team
- have strong limitations about appropriate behaviour for certain roles
- have the freedom to challenge the
opinion of those in power
- respect and not challenge the opinions of those in power because of their status and position
- make exceptions, be flexible
- enforce regulations
- treat men and women in the same way
- expect men and women to behave and be treated differently
You may see the ‘equality’ cultural style for the greater part in the USA, Canada, but where does e.g. The Netherlands or Belgium and France fit in for that matter? (see next slide)
Source: Peterson

22. Attitude to Equality/Hierarchy
Denmark Norway UK Germany Netherlands Canada USA Italy Spain Greece Portugal Belgium Turkey France
Hierarchy
Source: Hofstede

23. Attitude to Direct/Indirect
A direct cultural style means people prefer to:
An indirect cultural style means people prefer to:
- be more direct in speaking and be less concerned about how something is said
- focus not just on what is said, but how it
is said
- openly confront issues or difficulties
- discreetly avoid difficult or contentious
issues
- communicate concerns straight forwardly
- express concerns tactfully
- express views or opinions in a frank
manner
- avoid conflict if at all possible
- say things clearly, not leaving much open
to interpretation
- count on the listener to interpret meaning
Those cultures that are more direct, often come across as being rude! See next slide for the position of the various countries
Source: Peterson

24. Attitude to Direct/Indirect
USA
Canada
Netherlands
Germany
Denmark
Norway UK
Belgium
Hungary
Italy
Spain
Portugal
Greece
Turkey
Indirect
Source: Hofstede

25. Attitude to Individual/Group
An individual cultural style means people prefer to:
A group cultural style means people prefer to:
- take individual initiative
- act cooperatively and establish group
goals
- use personal guidelines in personal situations
- standardize guidelines
- focus on themselves
- make loyalty to friends a high priority
- judge people based on individual traits
- determine their identity through group affiliation
- make decisions individually
- make decisions as a group
- put individuals before the team
- put the team or group before the
individual
- be nonconformists when necessary
- conform to social norms
- move in and out of groups as needed or desired
- keep group membership for life
Source: Peterson

26. Attitude to Individual/Group
USA UK
Canada
Netherlands
Italy
Belgium
Denmark
France
Norway
Germany
Hungary
Spain
Turkey
Greece
Portugal
Group
Source: Hofstede

27. Attitude to Task/Relationship
A task cultural style means people prefer to:
A relationship cultural style means people prefer to:
- define people based on what they do
- define people based on who they are
- move straight to business, relationships come
later
- establish comfortable relationships and a sense of mutual trust before getting down to business
- keep most relationships with co-workers impersonal
- have personal relationships with co- workers
- sacrifice leisure time and time with family in
favour of work
- sacrifice work in favour of leisure time and time with family
- get to know co-workers and colleagues
quickly but usually superficially
- get to know co-workers and colleagues slowly and in depth
- use largely impersonal selection criteria in
hiring (such as CVs and test scores)
- use largely personal selection criteria
(such as family connections) when hiring
- allow work to overlap with personal time
- not allow work to impinge on personal life
Source: Peterson

28. Attitude to Task/Relationship
USA
Denmark
Netherlands UK
Canada
Norway
Germany
Belgium
Italy
Greece
Hungary
Spain
Portugal
Turkey
Relationship
Source: Hofstede

29. Attitude to Risk/Caution
A risk cultural style means people prefer to:
A cautious cultural style means people prefer to:
- make decisions quickly with little
information
- collect considerable information before making a decision
- focus on present and future
- focus on the past
- be less cautious – in a “ready, aim, fire way”
- be more cautions – in a “ready, aim fire way”
- change quickly without fear of risk
- change slowly and avoid risks
- try new and innovative ways of doing
things
- refer to past precedents of does and doesn’t work
- use new methods for solving ,problems
- stick to proven methods for solving problems
- have fewer rules, regulations, guidelines
and directions
- want more rules, regulations, guidelines
- be comfortable changing plans at the last
minute
- not change plans at the last minute
Source: Peterson

30. Attitude to Risk/Caution
Denmark UK
USA
Canada
Norway
Netherlands
Germany
Italy
Turkey
Spain
France
Belgium
Hungary
Portugal
Greece
Caution
Source: Hofstede

31. Attitude to Time Flexible With Time Strict Linear Time
Tasks need to be given strict time periods
Time is spent on interaction with people as well as on task accomplishment
Take time commitments seriously (e.g. deadlines, schedules)
Deadlines can be negotiable
Preference for scheduling one thing at a time
Comfortable doing many things at once
No interruptions
Interruptions accepted
Quick pace
Time is not always the priority
Source: Hall

32. Attitude to Time Strict Linear Time Flexible With Time North America
Western Europe
Scandinavia
Hungary
Mediterranean
Countries
Flexible
With Time
Source: Hall

33. Origin of Cultural Contrasts
Form a pair with another student you don’t know very well.
Identify which statement is closest to US culture.
Identify which value from the “Value Contrasts” handout its selected sentence might represent.
Speculate as to what factors, historically, might have contributed to the formation of the identified value in American culture.

34. Quiz
In your groups
Create 3 questions (2 Multiple choice and 1 open Q) about the content of the lecture

35. American Stereotypes
In small groups, brainstorm what kind of stereotypes you think foreigners have of Americans.
Furthermore, think of at least three stereotypes you have heard of related to European nationalitites.

36. Culturally Intelligent Leader
The global leader of today and tomorrow must learn to be:
flexible enough to adapt with knowledge
sensitive to each new cultural situation that
they face
Do you think you are heading in that direction ?
What do you think of Mrs Hilary Clinton’s cross-cultural leadership style?
Or that of President Obama ?

37. Is that it? Royal Regards, Wishing you a great ‘Spirit of Europe’
experience

38. Native English Speaker Activity
Read pp.22 – 24 in the ‘Intercultural awareness’
Document
Figure out the linguistic mistakes in the ‘howlers’ on pp Try to rephrase at least 6 of them in such a way that it is understandable for people from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
Fill in the ‘cultural Intelligence checklist’ on p. 29

39. Which culture(s) can you perceive in this picture ?