Richard Lewis:
When Cultures
Collide: Leading
across Cultures
4. The Use of Time
5. Bridging the
Communication Gap
7. Status, Leadership and
Organization
The Use of Time

How does the author describe the difference
between linear and multi-active use of time?

Give examples of problems that may occur in
business meetings when participants view
time differently.

Which individual cultures are the most
concerned with “time-keeping”? How does
Mr. Lewis describe the American concept of
time?
The Use of Time
 Explain
the concept of cyclic time.
 Describe
the way the Chinese view time.
Why does the author refer to this as “a
double standard”?
 How
 Do
do the Japanese relate to time?
you think cultures generally will have a
more linear-oriented concept of time in
the future? Why/ why not?
Bridging the Communication Gap
 Language
is a powerful tool. According to
Mr Lewis, how do the French and the
English use their languages? Do you
accept this view?
 How
does he describe the Spanish/ Italian
use of language as compared to German
communication style?
 How
are the Scandinavians seen as similar
– and different – in their use of language?
Bridging the Communication Gap
 How
does the author contrast American
and British use of language? (See Comp.
pages 39-40, 49-50)
 How
does the Japanese language differ
from most other languages?
 Mr.
Lewis emphasizes that different
cultures “use different speech styles,
wielding their language in the national
manner...”. What effect does this have
when people of different nationalities use
English as a lingua franca then?
Communication Patterns
 Compare
the French and German
communication patterns used at
meetings (Comp. p. 43)How different
are they?
 How
do English and Swedish
communication patterns differ?
 Compare
UK, US and Japanese
listening habits. Which cultures would
be the better match?
The Language of Management
 How
would you compare the German
and the Japanese languages of
management?
 According
to Mr. Lewis, the Arabic and
Russian languages also have some key
characteristics that we should know
about. Which?
Status, Leadership and Organization
 Sum
up the author’s view of the
intercultural competence of ”the Big Five”
and the challenges he sees in the 21st
century.
 Summarize
the main differences between
the German, French, and British concepts
of leadership.
 To
what extent does the Swedish concept
of leadership differ from the American
one?
Status, Leadership and Organization
 What
is a crucial element of leadership in
India?
 How
has Confucianism influenced the
concept of leadership in Asia?
 According
to the author, is the Asian
”family model” efficient, and will it be
adopted in the West? Why/ why not?
 Closing
comments