Intercultural Market Communication

Week 36

Fall 2010

Bedlinen only 9.99

this week …

What is he talking

about

Practical

• Who am I?

• Who are you? Photos

• What is Intercultural Market Communication all about?

• Exam

• In English, please

Today

• Course introduction

• Lecturer’s presentation, discussions

• Please read: M&M, ch. 1; U&L ch. 3

• Group work based on questions 1, 2 and 3 in M&M

• Presentation of Assignment 1

• Academic Writing – presentation and discussion

What is culture?

• Culture theory

• Sociolinguistics

• Anthropologists – Alfred L. Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn

• Social semiotics

Functionalist vs. interpretivist

• From Hofstede and Hall to Geertz

• From predictive patterns of thinking and behaving to the complexity of overlapping, changeable small cultures

Functionalist

• Hofstede - dimensions

• Hall - context and time

Geert Hofstede’s 5 dimensions

"Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy.

Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster." - Dr. Geert Hofstede

http://www.geert-hofstede.com/

Exercise:

• What does it mean to be Danish?

• Please give me examples of a painting, a photograph, a person, a thing, a text, a song or piece of music, a poem, a dish, a place, an occation

Edward Hall: Context (high/low) ... High context culture  Low context culture

Overtness of messages Many covert and implicit messages, with use of metaphor and reading between the lines

Many overt and explicit messages that are simple and clear. Overtness of messages

Locus of control and attribution for failure

Inner locus of control and personal acceptance of failure

Outer locus of control and blame of others for failure

Use of non-verbal communication

Much nonverbal communication More focus on verbal communication than body language

Expression of reaction Reserved, inward reactions Visible, external, outward reaction

Cohesion and separation of groups

Strong diistinction  between ingroup and outgroup. Strong  sense of family

Flexible and open grouping patterns, changing as needed

People bonds Strong people bonds with affiliation to family and community

Fragile bonds between people with little sense of loyalty

Level of commitment to relationships

 High commitment to long-term relationships. Relationship more important than task

Low commitment to relationship. Task more important than relationships

Flexibility of time Time is open and flexible. Process is more important than product

Time is highly organized. Product is more important than process

Edward Hall: ... and timeMonochronic Culture Polychronic Culture

Interpersonal Relations Interpersonal relations are subordinate to present schedule

Present schedule is subordinate to interpersonal relations

Activity Co-ordination Schedule co-ordinates activity; appointment time is rigid

Interpersonal relations co- ordinate activity; appointment time is flexible

Task Handling One task at a time Many tasks are handled simultaneously

Breaks and Personal Time Breaks and personal time are sacrosanct regardless of personal ties

Breaks and personal time are subordinate to personal ties

Temporal Structure Time is inflexible; time is tangible

Time is flexible; time is fluid

Work/personal time separability Work time is clearly separable from personal time

Work time is not clearly separable from personal time

Organizational Perception Activities are isolated from organization as a whole; tasks are measured by output in time (activity per hour or minute)

Activitiesare integrated into organization as a whole; tasks are measured as part of overall organizational goal

(Adapted from http://stephan.dahl.at/research/online-publications/intercultural-research/halls-classic-patterns/)

Criticism

• Other identity factors than culture (as nationality): Age, gender, race, religion, family patterns, education, occupation.

• Various identities at home, at work, over time, etc.

• Ethnocentrism• Determinism• Stereotyping

Interpretive

• Clifford Geertz – webs of significance – thick description

• Victor Turner

• Etic/emic – Kenneth Pike

Clifford Geertz

• Webs of significance

• Thick description - Geertz’ Balinese cockfight example - almost like being there

Geertz: "Believing, with Max Weber, that man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himslef has spun, I take cultures to be those webs, and the analysis of it to be therefore not an experimental science in search of law but an interpretive one in search of meaning."(1973)

Criticism

• Utility - degree of usefulness

• Relativism

• Idealism

Group work

• Main differences between approaches?

• Define web of significance. How does it relate to intercultural communication?

• What is national identity?

Assignment 1

1. Take a close look at Arla’s international website www.arla.com to see in which countries Arla operates. Then identify some of the intercultural communication challenges that Arla faces operating in a globalised world. Please, discuss.

2. How should Arla deal with the intercultural communication challenges that you have identified above? Please, discuss.

3. What could other companies learn from Arla about operating across cultures?

Assignment 1 continued

Practical stuff when working on this assignment:

1. Check spelling and grammar

2. Answer all questions

3. Provide notes when you quote, paraphrase and refer to someone else’s words and opinions

4. Find facts, articles, etc. to support your case

5. Search for information on the internet, in other works of literature, etc. (remember references)

6. Use meta-language – tell what you’re doing and why

7. Be cohesive – demonstrate a logical flow

8. Demonstrate that you understand relevant theoretical issues and that you can use them in your argumentation

9. Everything is up for discussion, so please discuss

10. Remember this is an academic paper

11. Deadline: Session 3 – 23 September

12. Write no more than 10 pages per group (the final exam will be up to 6 pages per person)

A

Group 1:•Astrid Hedermann Pedersen•Katrine Bæk Larsen•Eva Bøge Josefsen•Mette Bruun Sørensen•Janni Ank Mertz

Group 2:•Steffen Berg Jensen•Christina Nielsen•Maren Bork Villadsen•Mariann Daugaard•Mads Boye Holst

Group 3:•Pia Bloch Mikkelsen•Ragnheidur Georgsdottir•Jeanette Kjær Olsen•Julie Veggerby Jensen•Janne Hougaard Rasmussen

Group 4:•Mads Steen Hebbelstrup•Patrick Hoban•Ellen Kraaijenzank•Fawzie El-Fil•Trine Moesgaard Thomsen

Group 5:•Christina Thomsen•Sanne Skov Iversen•Trine Nielsen•Hanne Kragh•Anastasia F. X. Hjorth

Group 6:•Lise Anna Kløcker Grove•Anne Sofie Weiersøe Skovholm•Kathrine Ærthøj Kanne Pedersen•Kristian Skriver Jensen•Martin Norup Thomsen

Group 7:•Kathrine Frost Eriksen•Jesper Skov Christensen•Anja Rank Jensen•Christina Kirk Kjærsgaard

Group 8:•Janni Lanzky Jensen•Anja Hansen Støvring •Stine Bundgaard Jensen•Maia Haferbier

B

Group 1:•Anne Katrine Stouby•Anders Kilgast Jensen•Søren Kronborg•Janicell Karina Rasmussen•Maja Repic

Group 2:•Thomas Maegaard-Nielsen•Simon Ulrik Jeppesen•Stine Smedstrup Mortensen•Sacha Vernstrøm Prosberg•Sandra Schnoor

Group 3:•Tine Nørgaard Winther•Trine Kristensen•Maria Thomsen•Stine Møgelvang Mogensen•Camilla Størup Ugilt

Group 4:•Kasper Miki Laursen•Ida Wøjcik-Jonasson•Lars Jørgensen•Gitte Adamsen•Jessica Støvring

Group 5:•Maria Nørgaard Lundsgaard•Anita Bjørn Kristoffersen•Emir Catak•Christian Ohm Nørgaard•Mads Skov Mathiesen

Group 6:•Tina Buhelt Olesen•Andreas Brogaard Christensen•Jonas Rusborg Frederiksen•Anna Skovgaard Pedersen•Line Geltzer Johansen

Group 7:•Katrine Engberg Holm•Lene Filtenborg Buhl•Mia Darschana Hansen•Ianne Jill Griffin

Useful academic writing sites:• For resources in various academic fields:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/1/2/

• Essay writing:http://www.victoria.ac.nz/st_services/slss/studyhub/assignment/Essay%20Writing%20Process.pdf

• Using English for Academic Purposes - A Guide for Students in Higher Education - Academic Writing: http://www.uefap.com/writing/writfram.htm

• How to develop arguments, counterarguments, etc. in academic writing:http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/argument.html

(All sites last visited on 26 August 2010, Elisabeth Houe Thomsen)

Furthermore, you may find inspiration in the Danish book: “Den gode opgave”, Lotte Rienecker, Stray Jørgensen, Forlaget Samfundslitteratur

Text to prepare for next week

• http://www.unicef.org/maternalhealth/

• Identify the discourses and rhetorical strategies used in the text