exchanges and cross cultural understanding may 24, 2011 nakiye boyacıgiller dean sabancı school of...
Post on 26-Dec-2015
220 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
Exchanges and Cross Exchanges and Cross Cultural Understanding Cultural Understanding
May May 24,24, 201 20111
Nakiye BoyacıgillerDean
Sabancı School of ManagementSabancı University
Istanbul
19.04.23
1
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Discussion PointsDiscussion Points
What is culture?
Stereotyping vs. understanding critical dimensions of culture?
Culture Shock? Should one try to avoid it?
Getting the most out of your exchange: Developing a Global Mindset
2
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Why despite globalization do Why despite globalization do cross-cultural misunderstandings cross-cultural misunderstandings continuecontinue to exist?to exist?
Knowledge gained as a tourist/TV etc as opposed to deep cultural understanding
Complexity of cultureLack of cultural self-awarenessExistence of stereotypesCostly and tragic problems can occur
from cultural misattributions
3
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
What do you know about the What do you know about the country you are about to visit?country you are about to visit?
Economy/ Political environment History Culture Current challenges Relations with Turkey?Do you have any stereotypes about them? Might they have any stereotypes about
you?
4
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
StereotypingStereotypingA natural process that we all do. It can
be helpful when crossing cultures if: ◦Consciously held◦Descriptive rather than evaluative◦Accurate◦The first best guess◦Modified, based on further observation and
experience
5
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Perceptual BarriersPerceptual Barriers
1. Perception is selective2. Perceptual patterns are learned.3. Perception is culturally determined.4. Perception tends to remain constant.
We therefore see things that do not exist and do not see things that do exist.
6
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
What is What is CCulture?ulture?the collective programming of the mind---the software of the mind. (Hofstede, 1980:25.)
the shared deep-level values and assumptions of a specific group of people.
seen in personal values, attitudes, norms, behaviours, and artifacts; but really resides below the surface
Culture provides:◦ a sense of identity, belongingness, pride, safety,
in-group/out-group◦ efficiency, predictability, “smooth functioning”
7
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Exchange Countries for SU Exchange Countries for SU Students Students
Latin Europe◦France◦Italy◦Spain◦Switzerland
Eastern Europe◦Hungary◦Poland◦Slovenia
Germanic Europe◦Austria◦Germany◦Switzerland◦The Netherlands
Anglo Europe◦UK
Nordic Europe◦Sweden
8
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Selected dimensions from an Selected dimensions from an integrated framework* integrated framework*
Free will/determinism Mutability
Personal relationships individualism/collectivism specific/diffuse power differences
Sources of Truth universalism/particularism
Communication/Time & Space high/low context
Purpose of life/work*Phillips & Boyacigiller, 1996 Based on the work of Hofstede, Kluckhohn &
Strodbeck, Hall & Hall & Trompenaars9
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
The Collectivist IdentityThe Collectivist Identity
10
• Collectivists: A set of relationships organized around an individual
– Identity among collectivists is defined by relationships and group membership
• Individualists: An individual who does have relationships
– Individualists base identity on what they own and their experiences
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Conceptual RepresentationsConceptual Representations
11
Self
Family
SpouseFriend
Colleague
Friend
Individualist Self
Self
Family
SpouseFriend
ColleagueFriend
Collectivist Self
Source: Markus & Kitayama, 1991
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Individualism and CollectivismIndividualism and Collectivism
Self = IndependentPersonal goals have
priorityAttitudes, cost-benefit
analyses determine social behaviors
Emphasis is on rational analyses of advantages and disadvantages of maintaining a relationship
Self = InterdependentIngroup goals have
priorityNorms, obligations,
duties determine social behaviors
Emphasis on relationships, even when they are disadvantageous
12
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Power DistancePower Distance
SMALLAll should have equal
rightsPowerful people
should try to look less powerful
Senior people neither respected nor feared
Delegation
LARGEPower holders are
entitled to privilegesStatus symbols
accepted
Senior people respected and feared
Centralization
13
BACK
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Specific vs. diffuseSpecific vs. diffuseAre various domains of your life
interrelated or separated by strict boundaries?
Does work status carry over to social situations? (Sayin hocam” in social settings)---if so, a diffuse culture.
Would you help paint your bosses house on the weekend? If you think this is inappropriate---you come from more specific culture.
14
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Universalism-ParticularismUniversalism-ParticularismYou are riding in a car driven by a close friend. He hits a pedestrian. You know he was going at least 60 km per hour in an area of the city where the maximum allowed speed is 30 km per hour. There are no witnesses. His lawyer says that if you testify under oath that he was only driving 30 km per hour it may save him from serious consequences. What do you think you would do in view of the obligations of a sworn witness and the obligation to your friend?
◦Testify that he was going 30 km an hour.◦Not testify that he was going 30 km an hour.
From: F. Trompenaars, Riding the Waves of Culture
15
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
High vs Low Context High vs Low Context
Words + Context=MeaningHow important is context in terms of
understanding a message?Low context culture: US..High context culture: Japan/Turkey..
16
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Turkish CultureTurkish CultureDeterminism/
MasteryRelationships
◦Collectivism◦Diffuse◦Hi Power Diffs◦Ascription◦“Evil”
Truth◦Particularism◦Relationships◦Hi uncertainty
avoidance
Time/communication◦Hi context◦Past/present/future◦ST◦Mono/polychronic◦Public/Private
Purpose of life/work◦Being◦Moderate femininity
17
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller18
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller19
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller20
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
GLOBE Culture ClustersGLOBE Culture Clusters
21
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
A quick cultural comparison: A quick cultural comparison: the Netherlands and Turkey the Netherlands and Turkey
NetherlandsIndividualisticSmall power
distancelow contextuniversalisticspecificweak uncertainty
avoidance
TurkeyTurkeyCollectivisticHigh power
distancehigh contextparticularisticdiffusemed. uncertainty
avoidance
22
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
BEWARE: Caveats regarding BEWARE: Caveats regarding cultural frameworkscultural frameworks
Beware the ecological fallacy◦Culture is a group level construct◦Do not confuse culture with personality
Variations exist in all cultures: Culture as “normal distribution”
Existence of subcultures◦“Which Turkey?”
Multiple cultural identities◦National, industry, corporate, regional, gender, function (discipline), other?
Cultures are dynamic 23
24
25
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Cultural UnderstandingCultural UnderstandingOur own cultural blinders are the main
barriers to cultural understanding◦self-reference/importance of assumptions
Cultural understanding does not equal culturally appropriate behavior
Existence of cultural paradoxes (Osland & Bird)◦Anomalies are important--the devil is in the
details◦Cultural trumping
26
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Communication BarriersCommunication BarriersA. Language Barriers
1. Fallacy of English as a universal language.2. The problem of translation:Big Bus. Blunders
B. Cultural Barriers-Appropriacy: Who/to whom/what/how/when/where
C. Perceptual Barriers1. Perception is selective2. Perceptual patterns are learned.3. Perception is culturally determined.4. Perception tends to remain constant.
D. Nonverbal communication
E. Lack of cultural self-awareness
27
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Cross Cross CCultural ultural CCommunicationommunication“I can speak to you in your language, but I can’t
always tell you what I am thinking in my own language” (Lane, DiStefano, Maznevski, 2000:49)
What we need in business is to be able to think like a Japanese and speak English, rather than think like an American and speak Japanese.
Roberto Goizueta, late CEO, Coca-Cola
“I miss my language” (Aydin Celebi, age 10, when asked what he missed most about America)
28
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
What do effective cross-cultural What do effective cross-cultural communicators do?communicators do?
They assume difference until similarity is proven.
They emphasize description rather than interpretation or evaluation.
Try to see it through the eyes of the other.
Treat their explanations as guesses, and constantly check with knowledgeable others.
29
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Competencies required of Competencies required of International ManagersInternational ManagersInterpersonal –relationship skillsMotivation to live abroad/curiosityLinguistic abilityTolerance for uncertainty and ambiguityFlexibilityPatience and respectCultural empathyStrong sense of selfSense of humorHardinessAnd…a global mindset
… From Schneider & Barsoux (2003) and Lane et al (2004)
30
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Cultivating Cultivating KKnowledge nowledge RRegarding egarding DDiverse iverse CCultures and ultures and MMarketsarketsFormal educationParticipation in cross border endeavorsUtilization of diverse locations for team
and project meetingsImmersion experiences in foreign
culturesExpatriate assignments…but not
everyone benefits Cultivate geographic and cultural
diversity among the senior management ranks
Location of business unit headquarters…
From Gupta & Govindarajan, 2002: 121-12331
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Culture shockCulture shock◦Feeling uncertain about the
appropriateness of your actions
◦Feeling confused and helpless
◦Detesting local customs but feeling guilty
◦Feeling homesick
◦Suffering loss of status
◦Missing the conveniences of your country
32
33
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
RecommendationsRecommendations What is culture shock? Should it be avoided? How to manage culture shock? The importance of “homework”
◦ Some background reading◦ History; Economist country surveys
Social relations◦ Don’t spend all your time with fellow Turks◦ Confidants
◦Local◦Turkish
◦ OK to “hide” sometimes
34
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
An example of the S-curve An example of the S-curve and global mindset*and global mindset*
I have been here for seven years. In an almost predictable manner, I have found that whenever I begin to get a sense that now I really do understand the French, something strange will happen that will throw me off completely. As I would reflect on the event and talk it over with my husband and friends, I would begin to develop a more complex view of the French. Then things would begin to go fine for several months until the whole process would repeat itself in some other areas (emphasis mine).
Jenny Stephens, 7 years in France, fluent in French married to a Frenchman. Quoted in Govindarajan& Gupta, 2002:126..
35
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
What is a What is a GGlobal lobal MMindset?*indset?*Cosmopolitanism: open to diversity
across cultures and markets
Cognitive complexity: a) knowledgeable about diversity across cultures and markets and b) ability to integrate diversity across cultures and markets
*Based on Beechler, Boyacigiller, Levy &Taylor, 2000and Govindarajan & Gupta, 2002.
36
© Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Assessing Assessing IIndividuals*ndividuals*1. In interacting with others does national origin
have an impact on whether or not you assign equal status to them?
2. Do you consider yourself as open to ideas from other cultures as your are to ideas from your own country/culture?
3. Does finding yourself in a new cultural setting cause excitement or anxiety?
4. Are you sensitive to cultural differences w/o becoming a prisoner to them.
5. In interactive w/indivs from other cultures do you view them as individuals or as representatives of their national cultures?
6. Are your values a hybrid acquired from multiple cultures as opposed to just one culture?
From Gupta & Govindarajan, 2002: 11737
38
top related