1. INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION Asta Reiff, M.Ed

2. “A fish only discovers its need for water when it is no longer in it. Our own culture is like water to a fish. We live and breathe through it.” Trompenaars and Hampden Turner

3. Intercultural Competence The capability to shift cultural perspective and appropriately adapt behavior to cultural differences and commonalities.

4. https://idiinventory.com

5. Culturally Shaped Perceptions Preconceptions, or how we interpret the world around us, are affected by our bias, motivations and emotions. All if these are rooted in culture. Biases often allow people to see themselves in a more favorable light. Culture provides structure, guidelines, expectations, and rules to help people understand and interpret other’s behavior. Stereotypes can be positive or negative, but a significant problem they present in intercultural communication is that preconceptions often lie outside of awareness.

6. Meyers’s Scales of Intercultural Communication It matters not where the country is positioned on the scale by itself. Relative positioning determines how people view one another.

7. What Makes a Good Communicator? Who is responsible for the miscommunication, the speaker or the listener? Who is responsible for checking if the facts are accurate, the writer or the reader? What does ‘maybe’ mean?

8. Meyer (2014)

9. Kaplan’s Thought Patterns in Inter-Cultural Education Kaplan (1966)

10. Communication Strategies in Low-context Cultures Be transparent, clear, and specific as possible Explain exactly why you are calling/meeting At the end of the phone call/meeting recap all the main points (decision made, steps to be taken, responsibilities, and deadlines). Send an email restating the same. If you are not 100 percent sure of what you are being asked to do, state clearly that you do not understand and ask for clarification. Reply to all emails promptly, if you do not have an answer, state when the answer will be given.

11. Disagreeing in Low-Context Cultures Disagreement is deemed to be healthy and transparent, and is expected to lead to better solutions. If you disagree with what is being agreed upon, state your opinions clearly, do not wait until after the meeting. Be specific with your yes and no’s

12. Constructive Criticism? How do you give feedback to your boss? What is the best way to share constructive criticism with your colleagues? Do you have a preference of how feedback on your work should be shared with you?

14. Giving (and receiving) Feedback in US State positives first, make sure you are honest and explicit. While discussing negatives, use downgraders, words that minimize the impact of negative. For example instead of “a total disaster” say “it was a bit of a disaster.” While receiving feedback, place equal value on positive as well as negatives. Softer language does not minimize the real value of negative feedback. Be explicit with both positive and negative feedback

15. Yes, Boss! Is it important for a manager to have at hand precise answers to most of the questions that subordinates may raise about their work? What sets bosses apart from their subordinates? What do you think about a word ‘subordinate’? Do you call your boss by their first name?

16. Meyer (2014)

17. Working with People from an Egalitarian Society Go directly to the source. Think twice before copying the boss. Doing so could suggest to the recipient that you don’t trust them or are trying to get them in trouble. Use first name when writing e-mails. When in doubt, address a person with title and first name or degree and last name if corresponding for the first time and use the signature name in subsequent communications. If you are not sure which culture you are working with, revert to the hierarchical communication rules, they are safer and more respectful.

18. Meyer (2014)

20. Results based on interactive tool found on https://geert-hofstede.com

21. Use of power should be legitimate and is subject to criteria of good and evil Power is a basic fact of society antedating good or evil: its legitimacy is irrelevant Parents treat children as equals Parents teach children obedience Older people are neither respected nor feared Older people are both respected and feared Student-centered educationTeacher-centered education Hierarchy means inequality of roles, established for convenience Hierarchy means existential inequality Subordinates expect to be consulted Subordinates expect to be told what to do Income distribution in society rather even Income distribution in society very uneven Religions stressing equality of believersReligions with a hierarchy of priests Small- and Large- Power Distance Societies

23. Individualism Collectivism Everyone is supposed to take care of him- or herself and his or her immediate family only People are born into extended families or clans which protect them in exchange for loyalty "I" – consciousness "We" –consciousness Right of privacy Stress on belonging Speaking one's mind is healthy Harmony should always be maintained Others classified as individuals Others classified as in-group or out-group Personal opinion expected: one person one vote Opinions and votes predetermined by in- group Transgression of norms leads to guilt feelings Transgression of norms leads to shame feelings Purpose of education is learning how to learnPurpose of education is learning how to do

26. Weak Uncertainty Avoidance Strong Uncertainty Avoidance The uncertainty inherent in life is accepted and each day is taken as it comes The uncertainty inherent in life is felt as a continuous threat that must be fought Ease, lower stress, self-control, low anxiety Higher stress, emotionality, anxiety, neuroticism Tolerance of deviant persons and ideas: what is different is curious Intolerance of deviant persons and ideas: what is different is dangerous Comfortable with ambiguity and chaos Need for clarity and structure Teachers may say ‘I don’t know’ Teachers supposed to have all the answers Changing jobs no problem Staying in jobs even if disliked Dislike of rules - written or unwrittenEmotional need for rules – even if not obeyed

28. Short-Term Orientation Long-Term Orientation Most important events in life occurred in the past or take place now Most important events in life will occur in the future Personal steadiness and stability: a good person is always the same A good person adapts to the circumstances There are universal guidelines about what is good and evil What is good and evil depends upon the circumstances Traditions are sacrosanct Traditions are adaptable to changed circumstances Supposed to be proud of one’s country Trying to learn from other countries Service to others is an important goal Thrift and perseverance are important goals Social spending and consumption Large savings quote, funds available for investment Students attribute success and failure to luckStudents attribute success to effort and failure to lack of effort

30. Indulgence Restrained Higher percentage of people declaring themselves very happy Fewer very happy people A perception of personal life control A perception of helplessness: what happens to me is not my own doing Freedom of speech seen as important Freedom of speech is not a primary concern Higher importance of leisure Lower importance of leisure More likely to remember positive emotions Less likely to remember positive emotions In countries with enough food, higher percentages of obese people In countries with enough food, fewer obese people

32. References Nisbet E.R. (2003) The Geography of Thought: how Asians and Westerners Think Differently – and Why. Free Press: NY Hofstede, G.H. (2001) 2 nd. Ed. Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work Related Values. Sage Publications: CA Hofstede G., Jan Hofstede J.,Minkov M., (2010)Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. Revised and Expanded 3rd Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill USA Hofstede, G. (2011). Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1014 House, R.J.,(2014) Culture, Leadership, and Organizations: the GLOBE Study of 62 Societies. Sage Publications: NY Chua R. J. and Moris M. W (2009) Guanxi vs. Networking: Distinctive Configurations of Affect- and Cognition-based Trust in the Networks of Chinese vs American Managers. Journal of Business Studies v40 n3:490-508 Grosse C. U. (2005) US-Asian Communication Strategies to Develop Trust in Business Relationships. Global Business Language, Vol.10, Article 5. http://docslib.purdue.edu/glb/vol10/iss1/5http://docslib.purdue.edu/glb/vol10/iss1/5 Hall E. T. and Hall M.R (1990) Understanding Cultural Differences.

33. References cont. Kaplan, R (1966) Cultural Thought Patterns in Intercultural Education. Language Learning. Blackwell Publishers. Feng, A. Byram, M., Fleming M. (2009). Becoming Interculturally Competent through Education. Channel View Publication: Clevedon Hall, E.T. (1985). Hidden Differences: Studies in International Communication. Hamburg: Grunder and Jahr Hammer M.R., Bennet M.J., Wiseman R. (2003) Measuring intercultural sensitivity: The intercultural development inventory. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. www.sciencedirect.comwww.sciencedirect.com Goodman, M. (2013) Intercultural Communication for Managers. Business Expert Press: NY Novinger, T. (2001). Intercultural Communication. University of Texas Press: Austin Meyer, E. (2014). The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business. Perseus Books: PA

34. Asta Reiff, M.Ed. English as a Second Language Specialist International Studies and Programs P: 402.554.2293 AReiff@unomaha.edu