1. WELCOME TO THE
YSEALI Professional Fellows Program Evening Seminar Cross-Cultural Conceptions & Contexts By Dr. Udo Fluck Director, Global Gateway Global Competence Research, Instructional Development and Training Office of International Programs The University of Montana

2. Who is Udo Fluck?
Cross-Cultural Researcher and Global Competence Instructor
Developed Multicultural Learning Solutions (MLS) in 2003
Expanded into Global Gateway in 2014
Director, UM’s Global Gateway in the Office of International Programs
Global Gateway has provided over 170 professional global competence seminars in 2014.

3. How do we develop global competence?

4. In order to understand other cultures, we need to understand our own!

5. What is Culture?

6. What is Culture?
When we use the word culture, we usually mean one or more of the following:
High Culture
Traditional Culture
Popular Culture
Folk Culture
Corporate Culture

7. Understanding Culture – Culture is Multi-Layered!
It isn't easy to reach the deeper levels of culture and its meanings!
What you see on the surface may mask differences below the surface!

8. Russian Matryoshka Nesting Dolls

9. Understanding Culture = The Iceberg Theory
In order to understand cultural differences better, view culture as an iceberg.
Most of it is invisible, under the water.
Only a small part can be seen.
Obvious
Hidden

10. The Iceberg Theory Food Clothes Language Holidays Location Values
Traditions
Beliefs
Following Rules
Openness
Personal Space
Relationships
Leadership
Friendship
Work Ethic
Fairness
Feelings
Respect
Emotions
World View

11. The Intercultural Learning Process
Ethnocentrism
Awareness
Understanding
Acceptance/Respect
Appreciation/Valuing
Selective Adoption
Assimilation
Adaptation
Biculturalism
Multiculturalism

12. These Terms will help to understand Culture?
Proxemics
Chronemics
Kinesics
Oculesics
Haptics
Cultural Dimensions

13. Edward T. Hall Pioneer in this field
He was a cross-cultural researcher.
He is remembered for developing the concept of:
Proxemics
Chronemics (Polychronic and Monochronic Time)
High and Low Context Culture

14. Proxemics

15. What is Proxemics? Is the use of space, either personal or office.
In the United States people use one of four zones.
Intimate Zone
Personal Zone
Social Zone
Public Zone

16. Personal Space in the U.S.

17. Proxemics DemonstrationUS
Netherlands
Saudi Arabia

18. Low Contact Culture Examples
Great Britain
Japan
United States
Far East (being the most noncontact)

19. High Contact Culture Examples
Southern Europe
South America
Middle East (being the highest contact) 

20. Chronemics

21. Chronemics – What is it?
Reflect the use and perception of time in a culture.
Two dominant patterns are characteristic:
Monochronic
Polychronic

22. Monochronic Things are done in a linear fashion.
One activity at a time.
Time schedules and plans are important.
An appointment is treated seriously.

23. Monochronic Emphasize promptness Concentrate on the job
Are accustomed to short-term relationships
Are low-context and need information

24. Monochronic Cultures Examples
Germany
United Kingdom
Canada
Scandinavia
Switzerland
most parts of the United States

25. Why are only most parts of the USA monochronic?

26. Polychronic Things are done in a nonlinear fashion
People tend to do several things at the same time.
Schedules and plans are less important.

27. Polychronic Are highly distractible and subject to interruptions
Are committed to people and human relationships
Have strong tendency to build lifetime relationships
Are high-context and already have information

28. Polychronic Cultures Examples
Middle East
China
Mexico
Pakistan
India
Africa countries

29. High Context vs. Low Context

30. Visualize it this way

31. High Context Cultures Less verbally explicit
More internalized understandings
More long term relationships
Strong boundaries- who is accepted as belonging vs who is considered an "outsider"
Decisions and activities focus around personal face-to-face relationships.

32. Low Context Cultures Rule oriented, people play by external rules
Separation--of time, of space, of activities, of relationships
More interpersonal connections of shorter duration
Task-centered
Decisions and activities focus around what needs to be done.

33. High and Low Context Country Examples
Low Medium High
Scandinavia USA Greece African Countries
Germany France Asian Countries
New Zealand Italy India
Ireland Spain Latin America
Middle East
Men Women

34. Kinesics

35. Kinesics – The Study of Body Movements

36. Nonverbal Communication Challenges

37. Oculesics

38. Oculesics – The Study of Eye Movement

39. Dimensions of Oculesics
Eye Contact
Eye Movement
Pupil Dilation
Gaze Direction

40. Haptics

41. Haptics
Haptics, also known as touch, refers to communication through the use of bodily contact.

42. Cultural Facts
Researchers studied groups of people communicating and found that in:
England (8%)
France (5%)
Netherlands (4%), touching was rare compared to
Italy (14%) and
Greece (12.5%)
In a given time frame, Americans touch each other twice in social interactions, while people in Latin and South America touch each other up to 30 times in the same time frame!

43. Dimensions of Culture

44. Geert Hofstede
Dimensions of Culture

45. "Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy
"Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster." – Dr. Geert Hofstede

46. What did he do?
He conducted one of the early empirical studies of cultural traits.
Two surveys: 1968 and 1972
He collected data on the values and attitudes of 116,000 employees at IBM subsidiaries.
In 64 different countries around the world.

47. Hofstede classified a county's cultural attitudes as five dimensions

49. The Power Distance Dimension

50. Power Distance Shows the difference between people in a society.
Difference in authority, power, influence.
It also determines how formal and informal people in a culture are and how they interact.

51. Power Distance in Comparison
Small Power Distance
All people should be independent.
Superiors consider subordinates to be “people like me”.
Superiors are accessible.
All should have equal rights.
Large Power Distance
A few people should be independent; most should be dependent.
Superiors consider subordinates to be a different kind of people.
Superiors are inaccessible.
Power-holders are entitled to privileges.

52. Power Distance Index

53. The Individualism/Collectivism Dimension

54. Definition Individualism
People are interested in their own achievement.
Make decisions for themselves.
Value is placed on “I”
Collectivism
People are group oriented and are interested in group achievement.
The prefer to make decisions involving others.
Value is placed on “We”

55. Individualistic/Collectivistic in Comparison
In society, people are born into extended families or clans who protect them in exchange for loyalty.
Private life is invaded by organizations and clans to which one belongs.
Belief is placed in group decisions.
Individualist
In society, everybody is supposed to take care of himself/herself.
Everybody has a right to a private life.
Belief is placed in individual decisions.

56. Individualism Ranking
There are only six countries in the Geert Hofstede research that have Individualism (IDV) as their highest Dimension:
USA (91)
Australia (90)
United Kingdom (89)
Netherlands and Canada (80) and
Italy (76)

57. Individualism By Country

58. Individualistic Country Example - USA
The United States can clearly been seen as individualistic (scoring a 91).
The “American dream” is clearly a representation of this.

59. Individualistic versus Collectivistic
Individualistic-Oriented Cultures:
United States
Canada
Australia
Great Britain
Germany
Italy
France
Sweden
Collectivistic-Oriented Cultures:
China
Japan
Columbia
Venezuela
Indonesia
Pakistan
Costa Rica
Peru

61. The Femininity/Masculinity Dimension

62. Masculinity-Femininity Cultural Dimension
Is addressed as a societal, not an individual's, characteristic and "refers to the distribution of values between the genders”.

63. Definitions
Masculinity A culture in which the dominant values in society are achievement, heroism, assertiveness, money and material rewards for success.
Femininity A culture in which the dominant values in society are cooperation, modesty, caring for the weak and quality of life.

64. Femininity/Masculinity in Comparison
Sex roles in society are more fluid.
There should be equality between the sexes.
Quality of life is important.
You work in order to live.
People and environment are important.
Masculinity
Sex roles in society are clearly differentiated.
Men should dominate in society.
Performance is what counts.
You live in order to work.
Money and material things are important.

65. Masculinity and Femininity by Country

67. The Uncertainty Avoidance Dimension

68. Definition
The extend to which people feel threatened by ambiguous situations, tolerate uncertainty and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these.

69. Uncertainty Avoidance in Comparison
Weak Uncertainty The uncertainty inherent in life is more easily accepted and each day is taken as it comes.
Time is free.
There is more willingness to take risks in life.
There should be as few rules as possible.
Strong Uncertainty The uncertainty inherent in life is felt as a continuous threat that must be fought.
Time is money.
There is great concern with security in life.
There is a need for written rules and regulations.

70. Uncertainty Avoidance

72. Long-Term Orientation

73. Long-Term Orientation
The values are taken straight from the teachings of Confucius.
A number of Chinese social scientists were consulted to create a list of 10 basic values for Chinese people.
To westerners some of these questions were difficult to relate to, as they were dealing worth topics such as:
Honoring ancestors and obedience
Respect for tradition,
Preservation of "face”
Respect for and financial support of parents

74. Country Examples Samples for long-term orientation are: China
Hong Kong
Taiwan
Japan
South Korea
Thailand
Singapore
Bangladesh

75. Long-Term Orientation

77. Indulgence versus Restraint

78. Indulgence
Indulgence stands for a society that allows relatively free gratification of basic and natural human drives related to enjoying life and having fun. 
Indulgence stands for a culture that can freely satisfy their basic needs and desires.
Indulgence as a cultural value also tends towards a perception of personal life control.
Indulgent cultures will tend to focus more on individual happiness and well being.
Leisure time is more important.
There is greater freedom and personal control. 

79. Restraint
Restraint "controls gratification of needs and regulates by means of strict social norms".
In restrained cultures, positive emotions are less freely expressed and happiness, freedom and leisure are not given the same importance.
Restraint as a cultural value tends towards a perception of helplessness and that what happens in one's life is beyond his/her own control.

80. Indulgence By Country

81. Thank you for your attention and interest.
I would be happy to answer your questions

82. Thank you for your interest in Global Gateway For more information please visit Udo Fluck, Ph.D. Director, Global Gateway Office of International Programs (OIP) International Center The University of Montana Missoula, MT Phone: