By Ryan W., Enrique, Sebastian, Noah, Nico Outliers Chapter 7 Part 2 By Ryan W., Enrique, Sebastian, Noah, Nico

Journal Topic What problems have you faced when interacting with people of different cultures? Describe an experience.

Summary This chapter talks about the respect of authority that is involved with different cultures and how well that they are willing to question authority. The difference in authority structures in some cultures makes it difficult for them to convey their issues. Also they talk about the misconception that a single problem will cause a whole situation to fail. Instead it is a mixture of different small problems that add up together to cause the ultimate big problems. The plane crashes were caused by a mixture of both these problems that ultimately led to both planes demises.

Chapter Questions Through reading the story of the Guam plane crash and Suren Ratwatte’s experience with his own risky flights (Helsinki) what was the most significant event in his success? Explain. When have you found yourself in a complicated situation where communication was the key to your own success? How significant are problem solving skills throughout this chapter? Explain.

Chapter Questions Continued “Each of us has his or her own distinct personality. But overlaid on top of that are tendencies, assumptions and reflexes handed down to us by the history of the community we grew up in, and those differences are extraordinarily specific.” This is a theme that travels throughout Outliers. Describe how this quote interacts with your own individuality. What makes you distinct? How does this differ from other aspects of you? The willingness to change is crucial in the restructuring of Korean Air. How does Gladwell describe this and how does this compare to a time when you made a change in your own life? What effect has this change had on your current situation and was this change internal or external?

Avianca Flight Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie8kLg9Xvd8

Group Discussion If you were a subordinate to the pilot in Avianca Flight 052, how would you have acted differently than the first officer and flight engineer aboard the plane? Of the 6 ways to persuade the pilot to change course, which would you use and why: Command, Crew Obligation Statement, Crew Suggestion, Query, Preference, or Hint? Keep in mind that one is required to stay calm in the cockpit of an airplane and would not lose his/her cool and yell at the pilot in a situation like this.

10 questions about chapter 7 part 2 What is the “Power Distance Index”? Why didn't any of the co-pilots of either of the plane crashes speak up to the pilot even though they knew there could be a fatal problem? What was the ultimate problem that led to both plane crashes? What was wrong with the pilots in both plane crashes? What was the problem the Colombian pilots had with ATC? What is Hofstede’s idea of “uncertainty avoidance”? What’s the name of the veteran pilot who studies airline disasters? What’s a country with a high power distance index ratio? How does this chapter relate back to the general theme of Outliers? What does this chapter show about cultural relations?