1. Cultural Frameworks

2. Group Presentations
Present your team’s analysis of the misunderstanding in the scenario you read. What was your discussion like? Did your team members all agree on the problem? What solutions might you suggest for this situation?

3. Final Project
National Identity: What does it mean to be “an American”? What is the US “national identity”?
Cultural Profile: Describe Americans according to the T/H-T dimensions. Provide recommendations for doing business with Americans.
Socializing Influences: How are Americans socialized? What are the most important sources of values for American children?
Regional Identity: Is Austin typical of Texas? Is Texas typical of the US? What regional patterns can you identify from your research?
Demographics: What cultural sub-groups characterize Austin? What characteristics do various groups exhibit?
Cultural Evolution/Influence: What issues (political, social, ethnic, generational, religious, etc.) are currently shaping American culture?

4. Using Cultural Frameworks

5. Models of Culture E. T. Hall The Silent Language
Culture Defines Boundaries – Dividing Line between What is Normal and What is Not (Consensual Sex vs. Rape in US and Mid-East)
Culture Is Subconscious
Perceived as “Real” or “Normal”
Recognized Only when Severely Challenged
(Taken from Dahl “Overview” Article)

6. Spencer-Oatey, H. (2000). Culturally Speaking : Managing Rapport through Talk across Cultures. London, Continuum
Culture Dictates
Expectation of Behavior from Others
Interpretation of Meaning in Others’ Behavior
So what happens when cultural norms are not shared?

7. Hofstede, Geert, (1991)
Values - broad tendencies to prefer certain states of affairs over others
Three Levels of Culture
- Rituals (ways of greeting and paying respect)
- Heroes (admired persons who serve as an example for behavior)
- Symbols (words, color or other artifacts that carry a special meaning)

8. Different people may see the same event differently

9. Trompenaars/Hampden-Turner, (1998) Riding the Waves of Culture
Culture is made of Basic Assumptions:
Universalism vs. Particularism
Analyzing vs. Integrating
Individualism vs. Collectivism
Time as sequence vs. Time as synchronization
Achieved status vs. Ascribed status
Equality vs. Hierarchy

10. Universalism/ Particularism
Security, Predictability
No Bold Action
Self-Determinism
Anarchy

11. Analyzing/Integrating
Holistic, Comprehensive
Lack of Clarity about Specifics
Analytical, Scientific
Paralysis by Analysis

12. Individualism/Collectivism
Efficient, Decisive
Inadequate, Unsupported
Thorough, Consensual
Indecisive, Unchanging

13. Time: Sequence/Synchronization
Synchronic
Efficiency, Accomplishment
Ignores Nuance/Complexity
Polychronic
Sees Multiple Opportunities
Difficulty Setting Course of Action

14. Achievement/Ascription
Encourages Excellence
Winning Valued
over Humanity
Noblesse Oblige
Promotes Incompetence

15. Lacks Direction/Clarity Decisions Made Efficiently
Equality/Hierarchy
Everyone Is Valued
Lacks Direction/Clarity
Decisions Made Efficiently
Good Ideas Not Heard

16. Problems Clear/Resolvable
Affective/Neutral
Problems Clear/Resolvable
Emotion over Reason
Logical/Rational
Difficult to Read

17. Discussion
Based on these cultural parameters, how would you describe the conflicts in the intercultural scenarios you analyzed earlier?

18. Exercise 3 Team 1: Denmark and Italy – Achievement/Ascription
Imagine that your team is a bi-cultural group as described below. Using the T/H-T handout, predict the challenges for your group working on a project.
Team 1: Denmark and Italy – Achievement/Ascription
Team 2: Switzerland and Venezuela - Universalist/ Particularist
Team 3: Canada and Korea – Individualism/Collectivism
Team 4: USA and China – Short Term/Long-Term Focus
Team 5: Germany and Spain – Low/High Context
Team 6: Spain and Japan – Affective/Neutral
Team 7: Great Britain and Germany – Analyzing/Integrating

19. Break

20. Discussion Reflect on the cultural models we have discussed.
Where do you fall on the continua in the Trompenaars/Hampden-Turner model?
Do you believe you are typical of people from your country of residence?
What factors are responsible for variation within your country of residence?
How helpful do you think the model is in predicting the behavior of people in your country of residence?

21. Cultural Difference Affects Business
Relationships Between Companies and their Representatives
Business Systems
Business Processes
Areas of Emphasis
Relationships Between Companies and their Representatives
Customer/Supplier, Partners, Competitors
Business Systems
Accounting, Management, HR, Finance, PR/Marketing,
Business Processes
Project Planning, Staffing, Scheduling, Delivery, Customer Support, Maintenance
Emphasis
On-Time Delivery, Product Quality, Customer Responsiveness,

22. For Next Time Schedule meeting with instructor for next class
Memorize Trompenaars Cultural Features

23. Review: What Have We Learned So Far about Cultural Interaction?

24. Cultural Models Identify Differences in Expectation and Behavior
They Don’t Account for Individual Variation

26. Homework 2 Due for Session 5
Reflect on the cultural models we have discussed. Based on the Trompenaars model:
Austrian and U.S. students: Create a profile of Chinese culture.
Chinese Students: Create a profile of Austrian culture using the German values where necessary. Interview Austrian students to learn differences between German and Austrian culture.
You will hand in a written cultural outline and present your findings in class.