1. Explicit Culture – What we perceive with our senses. Explicit Culture Explicit Culture 2

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November 12, 2011 Dr. Suzanne Droleskey

Engineers Without Borders

Behaviors

Attitudes and Beliefs

Core Values

Explicit Culture – What we perceive with our senses.

Explicit Culture

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Styles of Interaction/Relationships

Communication Preferences

World Views

Below the Waterline- Concepts and ideas that differ from culture to culture.

Implicit Culture

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Domestic View International View

What is U.S. Culture?

Many Groups

Shared Charac-teristics

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• Concept of Self • Concept of Time• Degree of Directness• Level of Context• Achievement over Time• Rules & Relationships• Concept of Space

Sample Elements of Culture

Caution: You are about to hear broad generalizations related to cultural groups – to presume that ALL people of any cultural group behave or believe in identical ways stereotypes them.

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Concept of Self

After six weeks, you and two others have completed a special project. The three of you have been awarded a prize of $20,000 for the project. How should the money be distributed?

A. Person A did 30% of the workB. Person B did 60% of the workC. Person C did 10% of the work

Concept of Self

Individualist Collectivist

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How do you respond when one friend or acquaintance knowingly arrives 45 minutes late to your eight person dinner party?- Expect an explanation (and perhaps and apology)- Have no problem with it, and proceed as if nothing

unusual had happened

Concept of Time

Concept of TimeMonochronic Polychronic

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Degree of Directness

If the leadership in your project location had a problem with your design or plans, would you prefer they tell you that directly or drop hints, (perhaps through other people) that you may need to piece together and figure out?

Degree of DirectnessDirect Indirect

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Individualist Collectivist

Concept of Self

US UK F G R,I,S J ME, M A SEA,C

J R F,S C SEA I,A,ME,M

Concept of Time

Monochronic Polychronic

US UK G

Storti: Personal Cultural Scales

by Target Areas

Degree of Directness

Direct Indirect

G US F, R S,UK I ME,M A,SEA,C J

Rules vs. Relationships

Universalists/Generalists: Rule Dominated

Particularistic: Relationship Dominated

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Level of Context:

Communication Preferences

Low Context

High Context

Explicit verbal communicationOpinions

Values

Feelings and context convey less of the message Context and feelings

Values

Opinions

Words convey a minimal part of the message

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Cultural Priorities: Achievement over time:

Achievement over Time:

Cultural Priorities

Results

Results

Time Passing

Time Passing

Focuson

Results/Tasks

Focuson

Function/ Relationships

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Universalist Particularist

Rule vs. Relationships

US UK J F R S I,M, SEA A,C, ME

R F I,S, UK M,ME, SEA A,C, J

Role of Context

Low Context High Context

US G

Storti: Personal Cultural Scales

by Target Areas

Achievement over Time

Achievement Quality of Life

J US, G, UK I,C, M, SEA, ME, F, S, R,A

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Proximity

• Intimate Distance

• Personal Distance

• Social Distance

• Public Distance

Proxemics: Culture and Space

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Domestic View International View

Remember: People Outside

Looking In Miss Complexities

Many Groups

Shared Characteristics

Remember: Cultural Perspective Makes a Difference

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