Understand How Different Cultures Communicate PDF

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Session 4 lecture notes for understanding how different cultures communicate topic...

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Understand How Different Cultures Communicate

Context culture: High vs Low These contexts have to do with the duration and quality of connections •

High context – Closer connection over a longer period

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Low Context – Many connections over a shorter period

High context refers to societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time. Many aspects of cultural behavior are not made explicit because most members know what to do and what to think from years of interaction with each other. Your family is probably an example of a high context environment. •

Less explicit communication, less written/formal information

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More internalized understanding of what is communicated

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Knowledge is situational and relational

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Multiple cross-cutting ties with others

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Strong identification of in-group versus out-group

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Focus on face-to-face relationships, and centered around a person of authority

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Difficult for outsider to enter in

Low context refers to societies where people tend to have many connections but of shorter duration or for some specific reason. In these societies, cultural behavior and beliefs may need to be spelled out explicitly so that those coming into the cultural environment know how to behave. -

People conform to external rules

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Knowledge is codified, public and accessible

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Interpersonal connections are of shorter duration

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Task centered – focus on what needs to be done with division of responsibilities

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Easier for an outsider to enter in

Cultural Proficiency Continuum •

Cultural Destructiveness: See the difference, stomp it out

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Cultural Incapacity: See the difference, make it wrong

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Cultural Blindness: See the difference, act like you don’t

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Cultural Precompetence: See the difference, respond inadequately

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Cultural Competence: See the difference, understand the difference that difference makes

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Cultural Proficiency: See the differences and respond positively and affirmatively

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Cultural Humility: See the differences and embrace their beauty and complexity all the while recognising competency and proficiency as process rather than attainable

One could make a general statement that most western cultures are low context cultures, and since NZ is a western society our culture, in general, is low context. However, this is a broad generalization, as within NZ society so many different cultures exists such as the Maori, Polynesian and Asian. Maori culture is a high context culture. There is high propensity towards face to face communication, less written down, more nuanced relationships, there exists ‘tikanga’ or practices, where the values are internalized and implicit. Such a culture is different from a lower context Pakeha culture. Maori: Tikanga in business 1. A tikanga approach places a high value on ethical codes to ensure commercial activities are situated in a cultural context to help address the challenge of reconciling a Māori worldview with the demands of a growth-oriented capitalist economy (Te Puni Kōkiri, 2006). 2. “It’s not about commercialising our culture, it’s about culturalising our commerce” (Ropata Taylor, Wakatu Incorporation)....