Global expansion
Globalisation has meant that more and more organisations are managing operations, workforces, virtual teams, dealerships, subsidiaries, joint-venture operations and mergers across cultural boundaries. Staff and customers are having various levels of culture shock as these performance and task-oriented endeavours spread inexorably to every part of the world.
Universal training packages
As a result of this, organisations are deliverin g more and more ‘universal’ training packages in an attempt to achieve maximum levels of quality at minimum costs as they become more and more dependent for future growth and prosperity on the quality of their workforce -wherever it is based. For such training to achieve maximum efficiency however, the training needs to be suitably adjusted to the learning and communication styles of the local participants.
Why worry about culture?
A mismatch between the learner’s culture at work and the culture of the trainers and/or other learners can lead to:
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Ineffective learning during a programme.
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Ineffective transfer of learning back to work.
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Longer term loss of credibility, respect and, therefore, effectiveness for those leading or facilitating the learning process.
Making training more effective
The time that is spent on learning and development can be made more effective by taking culture into account. In order to achieve this you need to be able to:
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Identify how culture can influence the learning and development process.
 Recognise the main features of both your own culture and the learner’s culture.
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Identify the way cultural differences in a group of learners can affect learning.
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Show how cultural differences between the trainer and learner can affect learning.
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Take these cultural differences into account when planning, developing or delivering learning strategies and methodologies.
Understanding a learner’s culture
Understanding a learner’s culture involves recognising the following:
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How they see, think and feel about things and why.

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How they express what they see, think and feel.
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How this differs from your (trainer) culture and from other cultures they may have to relate to.
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How they solve problems, both as individuals and as a group, (which will of course be based on their assumptions, values and beliefs).
Assumptions trainers and consultants make
Before you can understand and work with other cultures effectively and consciously, it is necessary to understand ones own culture more fully. Trainers and consultants take into a learning environment their own set of ‘assumptions’ about how best to learn, how to structure a training and so on. Some classic examples of trainer assumptions include a belief that learning is best achieved through an exercise or activity based approach rather than having participants sitting quietly and making notes. Another set of assumptions made by trainers is about how they gather evidence (feedback) on how well the participants are experiencing the training and how successful the training event as a whole is.
Bridging the gap
If the learner is of a different culture to the trainer or consultant there may be some inherent differences in views and values. It is important to establish some common ground, or, to try to understand an d work with the learner’s culture and perceptions.
A trainer/consultant’s culture will affect:
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How they behave with others.
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Their attitudes towards learners.
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How they communicate.
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How they exert control.
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How they guide the learning process (or not!)
Here are some of the influences of culture that affect the learning process:
 Learner’s cultural background (Technical, Sociological, Economic, Political).
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Values and beliefs in relation to the subject being studied.
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Assumptions by learner and trainer/consultant about each other.
 Beliefs, values and assumptions about ‘ground rules’ and ‘learning contracts’.
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Previous learning experiences.
 Trainer/consultant’s workplace culture.
 Learner’s workplace culture.

Risks of ignoring cultural issues
Some of the main risks of not addressing cultural issues in a learning situation are that:
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Learners or trainers/consultants may switch off.
 Learners may call in ‘sick’ in order to avoid the learning event.
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Stereotyping is reinforced.
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Misunderstandings increase.
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Learners become obstructive or withdrawn in the training group.
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Frustrations can become intolerable for both learners and the trainer/consultant.
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Learners withdraw from the learning process - either physically or mentally.
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Learners have to return to work to dea l with a sudden ‘crisis’.
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Learners do not see the relevance of the material or concepts covered in the training.
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Defensiveness increases.
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Increasing intolerance may build up in the group.
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Blocking, criticising or attacking behaviours can increase.
The tra iner or consultant needs to know enough about the learner’s culture to be able to make an informed choice rather than guess or stereotype. The learner needs to be able to relate to the help that the trainer or consultant is offering.
What differences do we need to look at?
The key question for trainers, consultants and HR professionals is what are the actual differences (and are they being acknowledged/respected etc) firstly in the trainer or consultant’s home culture and secondly when the trainer or consultant is training/consulting away from their ‘home’ culture.
Cultural variables in the global training room
During global training sessions, where there are participants from different cultures, each participant brings with them a set of expectations based on their experience of being trained in his or her own culture. Even though it may be the case that the training will be delivered in a foreign language (English or other), a large number of participants may still expect that the training and interaction style they are familiar with will be utilised as the most appropriate by the trainer and the participants from other cultures. What makes this problem worse is that these expectations are usually unconscious. The result is often at best mild irritation; at worst a total breakdown in communications resulting in a wasted learning opportunity and all that can result from that.

These are some variable factors that can differ from culture to culture during delivery of a training programme.
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Accepted duration of training.
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Use of written training aids (Flipchart, OHP, tape recorder, Video, Whiteboard).
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Number of people attending the training.
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The extent to which participants will be expected to actively contribute and the quantity of talking time expected of them.
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The seating arrangement in the training room.
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Ultimate purpose of the training (big picture vs. small picture).
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Role of the trainer/facilitator.
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Degree of formality vs. spontaneous interchange expected.
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Management and style of turn-taking process.
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Types of training activities (brainstorming, pairs, group work, role-plays, discussion).
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Levels of listening and speaking skills in using English as a second language.
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Effect of differences in hierarchy on those present.
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Degree to which a humorous or serious ‘tone’ is expected in the training.
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Appropriateness of trainer (Senior manager/outside consultant, expert in field).
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Attitude towards conflict and compromise.
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Importance of ensuring harmonious relations.
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Amount of structure expected.
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Attitude to interruptions of the training (external and internal).
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Punctuality.
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Age & gender differences between trainer and participants and among participants.
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Attitude to frank exchange of views.
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Tone of voice, gesture and speed of interaction appropriate to training.
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Acceptable terms of address.
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Extent of expected prior notice and pre-training preparation.
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Acceptability of rhetorical style vs. Clarity of contribution.
The above list is just a beginning but perhaps its main usefulness is in providing us with a warning not to take even the simplest aspect involved in the development and delivery of training across cultures for granted. By recognising and appropriately adjusting to the learner’s culture it is possible to help learners to:
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Learn from and assist other learners in their group.
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Settle down more quickly with the other learners in their group.
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Discover alternative approaches, which may be more suitable to the situations they face.
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Identify, which ideas can be transferred effectively to their workplace.
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Adapt and modify suggestions, theories and models to take account of the culture in which they are working.
The result of this will be:

 A modified learning event that takes account of each learner’s culture.
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Reduce prejudice and stereotyping about learners.
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A better return on investment.
Conclusion
Taking cultural implications into account will not solve all learning and development problems in global training design and delivery. However, it is one of a number of important factors to respond to when trying to make the most effective use of time and other resources during the management of learning and development across cultural boundaries.