Understanding Understanding Cultural DifferencesCultural Differences

Dennis White, Ph.D.Dennis White, Ph.D.

dkwhitedkwhite@@itolitol.com.comwww.yeoresources.org www.yeoresources.org

YEO Pre-Convention ConferenceYEO Pre-Convention ConferenceChicago, Illinois, USAChicago, Illinois, USA

June 17, 2005June 17, 2005

www.yeoresources.orgwww.yeoresources.org

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CultureCulture

An integrated system of An integrated system of learned behavior patterns that learned behavior patterns that are characteristic of any given are characteristic of any given society. It refers to the total society. It refers to the total way of life, including how way of life, including how

people think, feel and behave.people think, feel and behave.

The Cultural The Cultural IcebergIceberg

1/81/8thth above above the surfacethe surface

7/87/8thths below s below the surfacethe surface

Conscious Conscious behaviorsbehaviors

Unconscious Unconscious beliefs and beliefs and

valuesvalues

““Nothing sucks like Nothing sucks like Electrolux!”Electrolux!”

Ethnocentrism:Ethnocentrism:

The universal tendency The universal tendency for any culture to see its for any culture to see its own values and practices own values and practices as natural and correct. as natural and correct.

Ethnorelativism:Ethnorelativism:

The acquired ability to The acquired ability to see many values and see many values and

behaviors as cultural rather behaviors as cultural rather than universal.than universal.

““The world in which you were The world in which you were born is just one model of born is just one model of

reality. Other cultures are not reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being like failed attempts at being like

you. They are unique you. They are unique manifestations of the human manifestations of the human

spirit ”. spirit ”.

Wade DavisWade Davis

    Five Basic Questions Every Culture Five Basic Questions Every Culture Must Answer:Must Answer:

1. 1. What is human nature?What is human nature?

    2. How do humans relate to the environment?2. How do humans relate to the environment?

3. What is the time focus of human activity?3. What is the time focus of human activity?

    4. What is the nature of human activity?4. What is the nature of human activity?

    5. How do humans relate to one another?5. How do humans relate to one another?

Individualism Group Individualism Group OrientationOrientationFormality Formality InformalityInformalityPast Past Future Future Directness Directness

IndirectnessIndirectness ChangeChange PermanencePermanence

ChangeChange Permanence Permanence

American Advertising slogan:American Advertising slogan:

At General Electric …At General Electric …

Progress is our most Progress is our most important product.important product.

Saudi anniversary slogan:Saudi anniversary slogan:

Islamic Proverb:Islamic Proverb:

Better 1000 years of Better 1000 years of tyranny than one day tyranny than one day

of chaos.of chaos.

without change.without change.

60 years of progress…60 years of progress…

IndividualismIndividualism Group Group orientationorientation

ChangeChange PermanencePermanence

IndividualismIndividualism

Group Group orientationorientation

Many Middle-Many Middle-Eastern Eastern culturescultures

Formal Formal InformalInformal

Call me Call me “sweetie “sweetie

pie”!pie”!

Directness Directness IndirectnessIndirectness

Directness Directness IndirectnessIndirectness

Saving Saving faceface

““Americans are a very patriotic people. Americans are a very patriotic people. They are very open and they wear their They are very open and they wear their hearts on their sleeves. They don’t stand hearts on their sleeves. They don’t stand on ceremony. They take people as they on ceremony. They take people as they are. They make no distinction about a are. They make no distinction about a person’s background. They say what person’s background. They say what they mean, with real forcefulness. They they mean, with real forcefulness. They invite you to visit them in their homes invite you to visit them in their homes from the moment they meet you. They from the moment they meet you. They are irrepressible, good-humored, are irrepressible, good-humored, ambitious and brimming with self-ambitious and brimming with self-confidence in any company... confidence in any company...

… … Aside from all that, I Aside from all that, I have nothing against have nothing against them.”them.”

Lessons we can learn:Lessons we can learn:

1.1. Don’t assume similar Don’t assume similar values.values.

2.2. Be aware of your own Be aware of your own hidden hidden values.values.

3.3. Adapting means taking risks Adapting means taking risks and trying new behaviors.and trying new behaviors.

4.4. Be Like Mickey Mouse.Be Like Mickey Mouse.

Finlandia Finlandia (The Rebound Prayer)(The Rebound Prayer)

This is my prayer, oh God of all the nations,This is my prayer, oh God of all the nations,

A prayer of peace for lands afar and mine,A prayer of peace for lands afar and mine,

This is my home, the country where my heart This is my home, the country where my heart lies, lies,

Here lie my hopes my dreams like stars that Here lie my hopes my dreams like stars that shine.shine.

But other hearts in other lands are beating,But other hearts in other lands are beating,

With hopes and dreams as true and high as With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.mine.

Finlandia Finlandia (The Rebound Prayer)(The Rebound Prayer)

My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,

And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine.And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine.

But other lands have sunlight too and clover,But other lands have sunlight too and clover,

And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.

Oh hear my prayer oh God of all the nations,Oh hear my prayer oh God of all the nations,

A prayer of peace, for their lands and for A prayer of peace, for their lands and for mine.mine.

2006 Conference – March 9-2006 Conference – March 9-12,12,

Houston, Texas, USAHouston, Texas, USA

Y’all Come!Y’all Come!

Understanding Understanding Cultural DifferencesCultural Differences

Dennis White, Ph.D.Dennis White, Ph.D.

dkwhitedkwhite@@itolitol.com.comwww.yeoresources.org www.yeoresources.org

YEO Pre-Convention ConferenceYEO Pre-Convention ConferenceChicago, Illinois, USAChicago, Illinois, USA

June 17, 2005June 17, 2005