“GROWING
GLOBAL:
Developing the Cultural
Competencies for Success
in the 21st Century.”
DFA Intercultural Global Solutions
www.deanfosterassociates.com
Dean@Deanfosterassociates.com
+1.718-287-9890
d
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“CULTURE IS THE DNA
OF A NATION.
EVERYTHING ELSE…
POLITICS…
ECONOMICS…
SOCIAL & BUSINESS LIFE…
IS CONSEQUENCE”.
2
“IF YOU ENTER A REGION,
ASK WHAT ITS
PROHIBITIONS ARE;
IF YOU VISIT A COUNTRY,
ASK WHAT ITS
CUSTOMS ARE;
IF YOU CROSS A FAMILY’S
THRESHOLD, ASK WHAT ITS
TABOOS ARE.”
- Li Ji (The Book of Rites)
One of the Five Confucian Classics (500 BC)
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GLOBALISATION TRENDS REPORT*:
60% of all cross-border ventures
do not work out as planned.
 30% of all expatriates return
from assignment abroad
prematurely.
 48% of all repatriates leave their
company within two years of
returning home.

* Compiled from various statistics, The Economist, 2005-2008.
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DURING THIS ENCOUNTER...
 ...ASK
MANY PERSONAL
QUESTIONS
 ...TALK LOUDER THAN USUAL
 ...INTERRUPT WHENEVER YOUR
PARTNER SAYS ANYTHING
 ...STAND VERY CLOSE TO YOUR
PARTNER
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DURING THIS ENCOUNTER...
 ...SPEAK
VERY SOFTLY
 ...DO NOT INITIATE ANY TOPICS
OR ASK ANY QUESTIONS
 ...AVOID EYE CONTACT
 ...STAND 3-4 FEET AWAY FROM
YOUR PARTNER
 ...KEEP SMILING
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“WE DON’T SEE
THINGS
AS THEY ARE...
WE SEE THINGS
AS WE ARE”
-Anais Nin
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“CULTURAL FILTERS”...
 Brazilians
-
-
say...
always in a
hurry
serious,
reserved
cautious
restrained
composed
methodical
 Japanese
say...
- relaxed
- friendly,
spontaneous
- reckless
- uninhibited
- emotional
- impulsive
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“Culture hides more
than it reveals, and
strangely enough what
it hides, it hides most
effectively from its own
participants.”
-
Edward T. Hall
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“IF THE MIND IS THE
HARDWARE,
THEN CULTURE IS THE
SOFTWARE”
-Geert Hofstede
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Influencers of Work
Behaviors
Individual
Personality
Functional
Culture
National
Culture
Corporate
Culture
Global
Culture
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CULTURAL “ICEBERG”
EXPLICIT CULTURE
PERCEIVABLE BEHAVIOURS
TOPOGRAPHY
CLIMATE
IMPLICIT CULTURE
Traditions / Values / Norms
HISTORY
RELIGION
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EXPLICIT CULTURE







Language
Food
Architecture
Music
Dress
Literature
Forms of
Relationships




Religion
Pace of Life
Ways of Work
Etc., etc., etc.
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EXPLICIT WORK
BEHAVIOURS
Punctuality
Dress
Greeting styles
Social Etiquette
Verbal Communication
Giftgiving
Personal Space
Men & Women
Holidays & traditions
Meeting protocols
Negotiation Styles
Management
techniques
Non-verbal
Communications
Boss-subordinate roles
Decision-making
patterns
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IMPLICIT CULTURE...
• HOW DO WE DEFINE HUMAN
RELATIONSHIPS?
• HOW DO WE VIEW TIME?
• HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE
OURSELVES TO OTHERS?
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IMPLICIT CULTURE...
HOW DO WE DEFINE HUMAN
RELATIONSHIPS?
- INDIVIDUAL / GROUP
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Individualist / Other-Dependent
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INDEPENDENCE ...
INTERDEPENDENCE
1
5
10
_____________________________________
US UK
NETH
GER
FR INDIA ITY MEX CH JPN
NORD
BRAZIL
SAUD
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IMPLICIT CULTURE...
HOW DO WE DEFINE HUMAN
RELATIONSHIPS?
- INDIVIDUAL / GROUP
- EGALITARIAN / STATUS-RANK
(HIERARCHY)
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Egalitarian / Status-Rank
WESTERN & WESTERN
ASIAN & ASIAN
WESTERN & ASIAN
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HIERARCHY…EGALITARIAN
1
5
10
_____________________________________
JPN IND
SAUD
FR
MEX
CHN
BRAZ
US
ITY GER
UK NOR
NETH
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IMPLICIT CULTURE...
HOW DO WE DEFINE HUMAN
RELATIONSHIPS?
- INDIVIDUAL / GROUP
- EGALITARIAN / STATUS-RANK
(hierarchy)
- TRANSACTIONAL /
RELATIONSHIP
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Relationship-Building
“PEACHES”
“COCONUTS”
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TRANSACTIONAL ...
RELATIONSHIP
1
5
10
_____________________________________
US
UK NORD FR
BRAZIL ITY CH
NETH GERM
JPN INDIA MEX SAUD
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IMPLICIT CULTURE...
HOW DO WE DEFINE HUMAN
RELATIONSHIPS?
- INDIVIDUAL / GROUP
- EGALITARIAN / STATUS-RANK
(hierarchy)
- TRANSACT / RELATIONSHIP
- OBJECTIVIST /
SITUATIONALIST
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SITUATIONALIST…OBJECTIVIST
1
5
10
_____________________________________
CH MEX ITY
SAUD BRAZ
INDIA
FR
UK
US GER
NETH NOR
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IMPLICIT CULTURE...
HOW DO WE VIEW TIME?
-MONOCHRONIC /
POLYCHRONIC
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TIME
MONOCHRONIC
- sequential, progressive
-organized,
compartmentalized
- clock determines
action
- one thing at a time
- time is limited
commodity


-
-
-
POLYCHRONIC
non-sequential,
circular
people & situations
determine action;
clock is secondary
many things at once
time is unlimited
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COMMUNICATING & TIME
MONOCHRONIC
Speaker 1:
Speaker 2:
Speaker 3:
(US, UK, Germany):
*****
*****
******
*******
******
******
*****
POLYCHRONIC (Brazil, Italy, Egypt):
Speaker 1:
Speaker 2:
Speaker 3:
***********
******
******* ***********
*********** ******
*****
******
****
*********
JAPAN:
Speaker 1:
Speaker 2:
Speaker 3:
*****
*
*
*****
*
*****
*****
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TIME & PROJECT PLANNING:
MONOCHRONIC:
POLYCHRONIC:
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POLYCHRONIC…MONOCHRONIC
1
5
10
_____________________________________
MEX
SAUD
BRAZ
IND
FR
ITY
CHN JPN
NORD
GER
NETH US UK
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IMPLICIT CULTURE...
HOW DO WE VIEW TIME?
-MONOCHRONIC /
POLYCHRONIC
- PAST (External Control) /
FUTURE (Internal Control)
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PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
BRAZIL
NIGERIA
VENEZUELA
BURKINA
FASO
MEXICO
ARGENTINA
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PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
USA
FRANCE
JAPAN
SPAIN
UK
NETHERLANDS
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PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
TURKEY
RUSSIA
ETHIOPIA
POLAND
UAE
CZECH
REPUBLIC
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PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
INDONESIA
HONG
KONG
SINGAPORE
CHINA
THAILAND
INDIA
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PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
ITALY
SWEDEN
AUSTRIA
GERMANY
BELGIUM
SLOVAKIA
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EXTERNAL CONTROL…
INTERNAL CONTROL
1
5
10
_____________________________________
SAUD
CHN
IND MEX
FR
US NETH
NORD JPN GER UK
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IMPLICIT CULTURE...
HOW DO WE VIEW TIME?
-MONOCHRONIC /
POLYCHRONIC
- PAST (Fate) / FUTURE
(Control)
-RISK-COMFORTABLE / RISKAVOIDANT
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NEED FOR CERTAINTY…
COMFORT WITH UNCERTAINTY
1
5
10
_____________________________________
JPN FR
GER
SAUD
NORD
MEX
CHN
US NETH
BRAZ
UK
IND
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IMPLICIT CULTURE...
HOW DO WE VIEW TIME?
-MONOCHRONIC / POLYCHRONIC
- PAST (Fate) / FUTURE (Control)
-RISK-TAKING / RISKAVOIDING
- DETAIL-PROCESS (deductive) /
DECISIVENESS-RESULT
(inductive)
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INFORMATION PROCESSING



INDUCTIVE (conclusion-oriented):
result
DEDUCTIVE (process-oriented):
result
ASSOCIATIVE (non-causal):
past experience = future result
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IMPLICIT CULTURE...
HOW DO WE
RELATE/COMMUNICATE WITH
THE LARGER WORLD ?
• HIGH CONTEXT (Implicit) / LOWCONTEXT (Explicit)
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HIGH / LOW-CONTEXT
COMMUNICATIONS
HIGH-CONTEXT: (“Yes” means “yes”, “maybe”, “I see”,
“no”…)
COMMUNICATION CONTEXT
LOW-CONTEXT: (“Yes” means “Yes”)
COMMUNICATION CONTEXT
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VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
HIGH CONTEXT:
- Meaning is dependent
upon situation,
individuals, context
- Can be indirect
- Non-verbals high
- Verbals can be invalid

-
-
LOW CONTEXT
Meaning is nonvariable, independent
of context & situation
Can be very direct
Verbal meaning high
Non-verbals secondary
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IMPLICIT CULTURE...
 HOW
DO WE
RELATE/COMMUNICATE WITH THE
LARGER WORLD ?
• HIGH CONTEXT (Implicit)/ LOWCONTEXT (Explicit)
• CONFRONTATION-DIRECT /
HARMONY-INDIRECT
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HARMONIZING…CONFRONTATION
1
5
10
_____________________________________
JPN
CHN MEX
SAUD IND
ITY
BRAZ
FR US GER
NORD
UK
NETH
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NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS






GESTURES, BODY
MOVEMENTS
EYE CONTACT
FACIAL
EXPRESSIONS
PHYSICALITY
GREETINGS
BODY COMPOSURE




PERSONAL SPACE
DRESS
USE OF SILENCE
FOOD & HYGIENE
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“PLEASE TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF
THE
CHAMBERMAID”
- Japanese hotel
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“SPECIAL TODAY:
NO ICE CREAM”
- Swiss mountain inn
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“AFTER ONE VISIT
WE GUARANTEE
YOU WILL
BE REGULAR”
- Indian restaurant
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“CUSTOMERS SHOULD
NOTE THAT ANY
COMPLAINTS ABOUT
RUDENESS IN THE STAFF
WILL BE DEALT WITH
VERY SEVERELY”
- British hotel
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“THE MANAGER HAS
PERSONALLY
PASSED ALL THE
WATER SERVED
HERE”
- Acapulco hotel
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“IT TAKES A VIRILE
MAN TO MAKE A
CHICKEN
PREGNANT”
- Translated chicken
advertisement in China
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“SALAD’S A FIRM OWN MAKE;
LIMPID RED BEET SOUP WITH
CHEESY DUMPLINGS IN THE
FORM OF A FINGER; ROASTED
DUCK LET LOOSE; BEEF
RASHERS BEATEN UP IN THE
COUNTRY PEOPLE’S FASHION”
- Warsaw restaurant menu
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“IF PEDESTRIAN OBSTACLE
YOUR PATH, TOOTLE HORN
MELODIOUSLY. IF HE
CONTINUE TO OBSTACLE,
TOOTLE HORN VIGOROUSLY
AND UTTER VOCAL WARNINGS
SUCH AS ‘HI, HI’.”
- Official Japanese Guidelines for
English-speaking Drivers in Japan
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“WE DISPENSE
WITH
ACCURACY.”
- English chemist shop
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“IF YOU FEEL WE
HAVE FAILED YOU IN
ANY WAY, WE SHALL
BE ONLY TOO PLEASED
TO DO IT AGAIN AT
NO EXTRA CHARGE.”
- Hong Kong dry cleaners
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“TO MOVE THE CABIN, PUSH
BUTTON FOR WISHING FLOOR.
IF THE CABIN SHOULD ENTER
MORE PERSONS, EACH ONE
SHOULD PRESS A NUMBER OF
WISHING FLOOR. DRIVING
THEN GOING ALPHABETICALLY
BY NATIONAL ORDER.”
- Serbian hotel lift
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“LADIES MAY
HAVE A FIT
UPSTAIRS”
- Taiwan tailor shop
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“THERE WILL BE A MOSCOW
EXHIBITION OF ARTS BY
15,000 RUSSIAN REPUBLIC
PAINTERS AND SCULPTORS.
THESE WERE EXECUTED
OVER THE PAST TWO
YEARS.”
- Russian newspaper announcement
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“STEAKS AND
CHOPS ARE
GRILLED BEFORE
OUR CUSTOMERS”
- Tokyo restaurant
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“TEETH
EXTRACTED BY
THE LATEST
METHODISTS”
- Hong Kong dentist
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“FUR COATS
MADE FOR
LADIES FROM
THEIR OWN
SKIN”
- Swedish furrier
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“LADIES ARE
REQUESTED NOT TO
HAVE CHILDREN AT
THE BAR”
- Norwegian cocktail lounge
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“PLEASE DO NOT FEED
THE ANIMALS. IF YOU
HAVE ANY SUITABLE
FOOD, GIVE IT TO THE
GUARD ON DUTY.”
- Budapest zoo
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“DROP YOUR
TROUSERS HERE
FOR BEST
RESULTS”
- Bangkok dry cleaners
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“LADIES, LEAVE YOUR
CLOTHES HERE AND
SPEND THE
AFTERNOON HAVING
A GOOD TIME”
- Rome laundry
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“I SLAUGHTER
MYSELF DAILY”
- Israeli butcher shop
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“BROKEN
ENGLISH,
SPOKEN
PERFECTLY”
- Mexico City hotel
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Overcoming Language Barriers
(Anywhere in the World)
Slow down, give time, silence OK.
 Simplify your words: speak in phrases.
 Avoid slang, sports terms, acronymns.
 Avoid double negatives & “yes/no”.
 Remain formal until cued otherwise.
 Never shout; if anything, tone down.
 Learn basic ten phrases of their
language.
 Tune into context & non-verbals.

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The Global Rule:
“DO UNTO
OTHERS AS
THEY WOULD
HAVE YOU DO
UNTO THEM.”
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