GHRM Cross Culture Guide-1

7/28/2019 GHRM Cross Culture Guide-1

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Understanding Cross culture

Submitted by-

Ayushi Jain(B-15)

Disha Arora(B-39)

Shaifali Jain(B-54)


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INDIA

LOCATION: Asia

GOVERNMENT: Federal Republic

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Hindi is the national language

and primary tongue of 30% of the people; There are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu,

Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada,Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and

Sanskrit. Also English enjoys associate status MAJOR RELIGION(S): Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%,

Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1%.

MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian

25%, Mongoloid and other 3%.


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Greetings Man greeting Man and women greeting women- Light handshakes are

common after the initial "Namaste". Sometimes the Namaste alone

will suffice.

Greetings between Men & Women - In formal and business situationsit is usually best to let the women initiate contact, if at all. ManyIndian women will avoid contact with men in public situations. The"Namaste" is the most common form of greeting.

Mostly all meetings generally begin with palms pressed together ataround chest level and saying, Namaste or Namaskar (which ismore formal). People usually nod or bow slightly as well.

When greeting an elder, there is also a touching of the feet of the

elder, with the right hand, then touching your chest. After this, is thepalms pressed together.


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Communication style-

Indians tend to favor an indirect style of communication overdirect.

Personal space-

The comfortable amount of personal space duringconversations in India varies with different sub-cultures. Ingeneral Indians tend to stand about 3 or 3 feet apart.

Men and women hardly ever display any form of physicalaffection in public.

Eye contact-

Sustained eye contact is not generally the norm, especially awoman looking at a man.

If doing business, its not uncommon to keep eye contact, but itmay seem odd to hold it intently for a while. The best option isto look away or even down once in a while.

When communicating with elders it is common to use indirecteye contact.


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Value of time-

There is a well-accepted joke among Indians about IST (Indian

Standard Time). Its best to expect at least an hour delay

(although you should be punctual within about 15 minutes) Time is viewed as eternal. Indians usually have a chalta hain or

a relaxed attitude. It is not usually considered rude to be late in

social situations.

Gestures-

It is common to remove one's shoes at places of worship, when

visiting people's homes, and even in certain shops and

businesses.

Pointing with one finger is common here.

One usually always eats with the right hand.


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Dress

Quite conservative for both men and women.

For men: conservative, dark colored suits. Wear shoes that are

easy to slip on and off if possible.

For women: conservative business suits or dresses and blouses

are appropriate. Usually traditional dress like the salwar kameez

or sari is acceptable.

Titles and business cards-

Titles are very important. People like to address others directly by

using their professional title or Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by the

surname.

Business cards are usually handed out after the initial handshake

and greeting. Always present and receive business cards with

your right hand.


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Gift giving-

It is not necessary to bring a gift to a first meeting,

although it will be accepted graciously. Wrapping presents in green, yellow and/or red is the way

to go. Avoid black and white.

Safe gifts include chocolates or flowers (no frangipani or

white flowers).

Gifts are not opened in the presence of the giver. Wait

until giver leaves if its wrapped.

If you give money to an Indian as a gift make sure its an

odd number Rs-11/- instead of Rs-10/-. Usually add a

single digit.


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JAPAN

LOCATION: Asia

GOVERNMENT: Constitutional Monarchy

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Japanese is the official languageand spoken throughout the country.

MAJOR RELIGION(S): 84% Shinto/Buddhist, other 16

includes Christianity, Islam, and other sects.

MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS: 99% Japanese, 1% others,

including ethnic Korean, Chinese, Brazilian and Filipino.


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Greetings-

Man greeting Man and Woman greeting Woman-

Japanese men bow to one another when greeting anddeparting. The depth and length of the bow will fluctuate

depending on seniority and status. For foreigners a very

gentle handshake and a small bow will do.

Man greeting Woman- At a first meeting a bow will do. In

business settings a light handshake is common

Communication Style-

An indirect style of communication is preferred over a directstyle. Its best to imply what you are saying then actually

saying it.


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Personal Space and Touching-

The Japanese prefer standing at arms lengths from one

another. Two and half to three feet is normal. When

meeting strangers this distance is farther.

There is almost no touching between men and men, women

and women, and men and women while conversing.

Eye Contact- Japanese tend to favor indirect eye contact over direct. They

may view direct eye contact as intimidating and threatening.

Japanese usually use indirect eye contact when speaking

with their elders or superiors as a sign of respect anddeference.


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Value of Time-

Japanese place a great deal of emphasis on adhering to

schedules and deadlines. They value and expect punctuality.

The bus, train, and plane schedules are almost always on

time and it is the norm to show up to a social function at the

scheduled time.

Gestures- Waving your hand back and forth in front of your face means

"I don't know" or "no".

You should take your shoes off when entering a Japanese

home, many restaurants, and most hotel rooms.

The OK sign (index finger touching thumb with 3 other

fingers extended) is a gesture used to signify money or coins.


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Dress is quite formal for both men and women.

For men: conservative, dark colored suits with white shirtsand conservative ties. Wear shoes that are easy to slip onand off if possible.

For women: conservative business suits or dresses andblouses are appropriate. Avoid tight fitting and sleevelessattire.

Jeans and less casual attire are not recommended.

Gift Giving- Gifts are not usually exchanged at a first business meeting.

If invited to a Japanese house, it is appropriate to bringflowers (avoid white), cakes, chocolates, or expensive fruit

like melons. Gifts should always be nicely wrapped and carried in a bag

before being given.

Gifts are not to be opened when they are received. It isbest to do this in private.


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Titles and Business cards- Titles are very important and it is best to address people

directly by using their professional title or Mr., Mrs., orMiss, followed by the surname.

Japanese names begin with a family name followed by a

given name.

It is advisable to have one side of your business card

translated into Japanese and be sure to present your

business card with two hands with the Japanese side

facing the recipient.

Look at business cards you receive them (with two

hands) with interest by examining them carefully.


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UNITED STATES

LOCATION: North America & The Caribbean

GOVERNMENT: Constitution-based federal republic.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: English , Spanish , other Indo-

European , Asian and Pacific island , other , Hawaiian isan official language in the state of Hawaii.

MAJOR RELIGION(S): Protestant , Roman Catholic ,

Mormon , Jewish , Muslim , other .

MAJOR ETHNICGROUPS: White 81.7%, black 12.9%,

Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1%, native

Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2%.


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Greetings

Man greeting Man - Men shake hands when greeting oneanother and maintain direct eye contact. A relatively firmhandshake is the way to go. Light hugs are common betweengood friends and family.

Woman greeting Woman-At a first meeting, a light handshakewill suffice. Light hugs are common between good friendsand family.

Man greeting Woman- At a first meeting a regular handshakewill do. Light hugs are common between good friends .

Note: When Americans say "Hi, how are you?", they are onlyexpecting a "Fine," or a "Fine, thank you" or a "Good" inresponse. It is not usually an invitation to a lengthyconversation.


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Personal space and touching

Americans value their personal space and tend to be

comfortable with 2-3 feet of personal space duringconversations.

For most Americans there is little to no touching during

conversations. This may be different between good friends

and family.Eye contact

Americans value direct eye contact during conversations. It is

viewed as a sign of respect and interest in what the person

speaking is saying. Staring is considered rude and to be avoided. Especially in the

larger cities.


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Value of time

Americans value punctuality and expect things to be on

time. This includes appointments, services, and deliveries. It is best to show up exactly on time for appointments and

social functions.

Time is money. This tends to be followed more in urban vs.

rural environments.Gestures

The OK sign and "thumbs up" sign mean good or acceptable

and are commonly used throughout the country.

Whistling at performance events is a sign of appreciation.

Raising the middle finger is seen as highly offensive. Avoid

using it, even when pointing to objects or scratching your

face.


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DressPeople in upper management tend to dress formally at all times.

For Men: For a first meeting, a a relatively conservative business suit

is a good idea. Blue, gray, or black with a white or blue shirt andmatching tie. Many companies allow business casual dress, which isusually nice pants and a collared shirt with or without a jacket.

For Women: Dresses, pantsuits, or business suits are a good idea fora first meeting. Limited accessories are fine and it is best to avoid

overly revealing clothing. Jeans and more casual attire are common in some industries.

Gift Giving

It is not common to bring gifts to an initial business meeting,

although they will be welcome. Avoid anything to expensive asit may be be seen as a potential bribe.

If you are invited to an American home, good gifts to bringinclude, a bottle of wine, flowers, or chocolates.


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Titles and Business Cards

Most Americans will want to interact on a first name basis as

quickly as possible. It's best to begin addressing people using,

Mr. Mrs,. or Miss, and wait for them to invite you to call them

by their first name.

There is no specific protocol surrounding the giving andreceiving of business cards.

Many Americans may fold or write on a card they are

given. This should not be taken as a sign of disrespect.


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ENGLAND

LOCATION : Europe

GOVERNMENT: Constitutional Monarchy

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE : English

MAJOR RELIGION(S) : Christian (Anglican, RomanCatholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim

2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none

23.1%.

MAJOR ETHNICGROUPS : White (of which English

83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%, Northern Irish 2.9%)

92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%, mixed

1.2%, other 1.6%.


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Greetings

Man greeting Man - Men shake hands when greeting one

another and usually throw in a "How do you do." Handshakesare usually on the lighter side and don't linger that much.

Woman greeting Woman- At a first meeting, women

generally shake hands.

Man greeting Woman- At a first meeting a regular handshakewill do. Women tend to extend their hand first.

Eye Contact

Direct eye contact is generally maintained during

conversations, but not to the point of staring.

Looking away when an elder is speaking is usually viewed as

disrespectful.


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Personal Space

The English tend to keep about an 2-3 feet between them

while speaking. Touching is usually kept to a minimum.

Family members are more relaxed and familiar with each

other, so touching of the arms, elbows, or hands is

acceptable. However in a business environment, touching isvery minimal and personal space is respected much more

than in a family setting.

Value of Time Being prompt is the way to go.


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Gestures

An inverted two-finger "peace sign" or "V for victory sign is an

obscenity.

People tend to walk on the left and pass on the right.

Tapping the side of the forehead in the UK means you are

stupid, not smart.

Gift Giving Gifts are not usually exchanged at a first meeting.

If invited to an English household, it is appropriate to bring

flowers (avoid white lilies as they are reserved for funerals),

good wine, liquor, or chocolates. Make sure that gifts are nicely wrapped.


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Dress

The English value being well dressed and nicely groomed.

For men: conservative, dark or medium colored suits with

shirts and conservative ties. Avoid striped ties.

For women: stylish yet classic business suits or dresses and

blouses. Accessories are usually worn.

Titles and Business Cards

Titles are important and it is best to address people directly by

using Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by the surname. Note that

these are spelled without the . throughout the country.

One should always wait to be invited to use first names before

doing so yourself.

Business cards are essential and usually exchanged.


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ITALY

LOCATION: Europe

GOVERNMENT: Republic

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Italian (official), German ,French

Slovene MAJOR RELIGION(S): Approximately 90% Roman

Catholic; mature Protestant and Jewish communities

and a growing Muslim immigrant community.

MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS: Italian (includes small

clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in

the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in

the south).


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Greetings

Man greeting Man Men usually shake hands when greeting

one another while maintaining direct eye contact. Goodfriends and family will engage in a light hug. In certainregions, good friends and family.

Woman greeting Woman- Light kisses on the cheeks (usually2 or 3) are the most common form of greeting for friends and

family. Often times it is just a light touching of cheeks ratherthan actual kisses. At a first meeting a regular handshake orsimple nod of acknowledgment will usually do.

Greetings between Men & Women- Light kisses (usually 2 or

3) on the cheeks are the most common form of greeting forfriends and family. Often times it is just a light touching ofcheeks rather than actual kisses. At a first meeting a regularhandshake will do.


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Communication Style Italians tend to be direct but in a diplomatic way. The will tell

you the truth but often in a polite manner.

Communication tends to be more on the formal side when inpublic and much less so in private.

Italians are known for being very animated and dramatic(sometimes overly) during conversations.

Large displays of emotion are very common and acceptable in

public situations.

Personal Space & Touching

An arm's length distance or a bit less is usually an appropriateamount of personal space during conversations. This space

tends to be considerably less between friends and family. Italians tend to touch quite a bit during conversations. This is

more common with good friends and family then say inbusiness or formal situations.


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Eye Contact

Direct eye contact tends to be the norm and is expected and

appreciated. It is usually considered extremely rude to notlook someone in the eyes when speaking, especially when

shaking hands.

Value of Time

The view of time in tends to be somewhat flexible. In social

situations it is common to show up late but being on time for

business situations is expected.

Appointments and deadlines tend to be kept and most

transportation services run on time.


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Dress Ones manner of dress is a reflection of ones public image,

and hence brand names and sense of style are all important

ways to judge someone in Italy. For Men: Stylish suits with shirts and ties. Bright color shirts

are usually acceptable.

For Women: Stylish business suits or dresses andblouses. Accessories are usually worn as are high

heels. Somewhat revealing clothing may be acceptable invarious situations.

Gift GivingGifts are generally not given in business settings, unlessperhaps there is a very important delegation that visits.

Avoid gifts like a letter opener, knives, and or scissors as theycan mean a severing of relations.

Gifts tend to be opened when received.


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Titles & Business Cards

Titles are important and it is best to address people directlyby using Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by the surname. Note:

Signore is for Mr., "Signora " is Mrs. and "Signorina" is Miss.

People with university degrees are usually addressed as

Dottore or Dottoressa followed by the family name. You should always wait to be invited to use first names before

doing so yourself.

It is very common to have your title prominent on your

business card. Before a meeting, business cards are usually exchanged using

one hand, it doesnt tend to matter if it is the right or left.


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Difference between Indian culture and

Western culture

INDIAN CULTURE

Strong believer in faith andluck.

Indians believe inSpiritualism

Exposure of body in dressstrongly objected to andconsidered obscene.

WESTERN CULTURE

Do not believe in faith and

luck . Rather believe that

everything is possiblethrough hard work and

efforts.

Westerners believe in

materialism.

Fashionable cloths even

exposing they may be are

in thing in west.


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INDIAN CULTURE

Sons are required to takecare of their parents.

Women is given respect in

traditional sense.

Lesser freedom of doingjobs and movement.

WESTERN CULTURE

Old parents are not caredfor. They have to look for

old age persons home .

Women are looked as an

object of pleasure.

Women are very free in

every aspect.


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Different Dressing styles of different

countries

ITALY

ENGLAND

JAPAN

INDIA


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Documents

GHRM Cross Culture Guide-1