1. Lecture 7 Intercultural communication and training
Cross-cultural psychology in organizations

2. Intercultural communication and training
Content:
Sojourners (Expatriates)
Intercultural training

3. Expatriates (Sojourners)
= reside in a different country or culture for a limited amount of time (duration of contract/course of study)
Have institutional support (university/company)
Dont have to change their identity and behaviors → need to acquire sociocultural skills

4. Expatriates

5. Expatriates Adjustment process:

6. Stages of adjustment process
Honeymoon (4-6 weeks)
Excitation abour being in new country
Fascination with sights and sounds
Rise in status and standards of living (business expats in Asia)
Culture shock (6-8 months)
Realisation of the cultural barriers
Ineffectivity in social interaction
Emotional distress
Traumatization of families
Frustration, anger, confusion, distrust

7. Stages of adjustment process
Gradual adjustment (1-2 years)
Trial and error
Contacts with locals, other expats
→ Adaptation to local culture
→ Apprecciation of local cuisine, language, business practices…
Basic competence (2-4 years)
Functional proficiency
Mastery (5-7 years)
Deep knowledge of the culture

8. Readjustment Similar process happens after coming back:
Thrill of being back (family, friends, known places, etc.) → disappointment (lost positive aspects of life abroad) → readjustment

9. Expatriates: Intercultural personality
What personal characteristics influence (accelerate) adaptation process?
What types of people are suitable for becoming expats?
How to predict individual performance in other culture?
→ identification of „overseas type“

10. Expatriates: Intercultural personality
Personality traits:
Extraversion
Emotional stability
Ability to cooperate
Self-discipline
Cultural-fit hypothesis:
„Fit“ between personal characteristics and norms of the host culture helps adaptation
Example: US expats in Singapore are more extraverted → feel frustrated and rejected
WORK: CCAI

11. Intercultural training
Some IT programs take weeks/months
Types of training programs:
Language courses
T-groups
Simulation games
Bicultural contacts
Intercultural workshops
Culture assimilators

12. T-Groups = sensitivity training groups 8-15 participants
No strict agenda
Participants share their emotional reactions (under guidance of facilitator)
Try to understand their emotions, emotions they trigger in other people
Anger, fear, envy…

13. Simulation games Imaginery cultures
Groups familiarize with the culture
Interaction between cultures
Debriefing
Examples: BAFA- BAFA, NaZa

14. Culture assimilators
Short epizodes decribing interactions between people of 2 cultures → something goes wrong → 4/5 possible reasons for communication failure (1 right/rest are distractors) → feedback with culturally relevant information

15. Culture assimilators: Example I
One day a Thai administrator of middle academic rank kept two of his assistants waiting about an hour from an appointment. The assistants, although very angry, did not show it while they waited. When the administrator walked in at last, he acted as if he were not late. He made no apology or explanation. After he was settled in his office, he called his assistants in and they all began working on the business for which the administrator had set the meeting.

16. If you happened to observe the incident exactly as it is reported in this passage, which one of the following would you say describes the chief significance of the behavior of the people involved?
The Thai assistants were extremely skillful at concealing their true feelings
The Thai administrator obviously was unaware of the fact that he was an hour late for the appointment
In Thailand, subordinates are required to be polite to their superiors, no matter what happens, nor what their rank may be.
Clearly, since no one commented on it, the behavior indicated nothing of any unusual significance to any of the Thais

17. You selected 1: The Thai assistants were extremely skillful at concealing their true feelings
This is not entirely correct.
It is quite characteristic of Thais to try to appear reserved under any circumstances. If the assistants were extremely skillful at concealing their true feelings, would you know that you were not seeing their true feelings? Also, does the reference to the chief significance of the behavior of “the people involved” limit it to the assistants?
Please return to questions and try again.

18. You selected 2: The Thai administrator obviously was unaware of the fact that he was an hour late for the appointment
A very poor choice. While the administrator acted as if he were unaware of his tardiness after observing the hour’s wait, don’t you suspect that perhaps he was acting? Please return to questions and try again.

19. You selected 3: In Thailand, subordinates are required to be polite to their superiors, no matter what happens, nor what their rank may be.
Very good.
You are utilizing the information in the episodes to its fullest extent. Continue. This is the correct response.

20. You selected 4: Clearly, since no one commented on it, the behavior indicated nothing of any unusual significance to any of the Thais
This is completely wrong.
While the behavior reported in the passage does not seem so significant for the Thais in this relationship as it might be to Americans, why was nothing said about the tardiness? And why were the assistants “very angry” although they “did not show it?” Isn’t there a more significant level of meaning for this behavior?
Please return to questions and try again.

21. Further reading and sources
Conversational-Nonverbal-Signals.pdf
chapter10