HALL’S CULTURAL CONTEXT MODEL: CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH AND LOW CONTEXT CULTURES

Factor High-context culture

  Low-context culture

 

Directness of messages /

message speed

Many implicit messages: information given indirectly i.e. hints at meaning .. meaning is suggested

Many explicit messages that are simple and clear: information given directly.. meaning is stated 

 Use of non-verbal

communication

 Much nonverbal communication

More focus on verbal communication than body language

Level of commitment to

relationships

 Strong people bonds with strong sense of community identity. High commitment to long-term relationships.Relationship more important than task.

 More flexible bonds between people i.e. form new groups more easily. Less strong sense of belonging to a community. Lower commitment to long-term relationships. Task is more important than relationships.

Attitudes to time

(polychronic vs

monochronic) 

Time is more open and flexible; polychronic: many things can be done at same time). Process (how a task is completed) is more important than product (result / outcome)

Time is highly organized / structured / inflexible:monochronic: focus on completing one task then start another).Product is more important than process.

HOFSTEDE AND HALL : COMMONALITIESHOFSTEDE HALL

High PD cultures are invariably also HCC

Low IDV (High Collectivism) are invariably also

HCC

High UA is not as strongly correlated to context may occur in HCC or LCC

High MAS is not as strongly correlated to context may occur in HCC or LCC

i.e. high PD cultures are highly likely to be HCC; low PD cultures are highly

likely to be LCC.

high COLL (low IDV) cultures are highly likely to be HCC; low COLL (high

IDV) are highly likely to be LCC.

BUT high MAS may be HCC or LCC ie high MAS is not a good predictor of

context, nor is high UA.

Examine the readings for Wks 6+7 carefully: what model do they use (Hall or

Hofstede?) do they link HCC/LCC analysis to Hofstede’s dimensions? which

Hofstede dimensions do they focus on?