Definitions according to (1) “Exploring Intercultural Competence:
A Construct Proposal”,
Alvino E. Fantini, Ph.D., School for International Training, Brattleboro-Vermont/USA and
(2) CICB Center of Intercultural Competence, Kloten Switzerland
What is intercultural competence?
The topic of intercultural competence became more and more important during the
past years: globalisation and worldwide contacts between companies, organizations
and individuals need the ability to communicate in a successful way.
Basic needs are sensitivity and self-consciousness: the understanding of other
behaviours and ways of thinking as well as the ability to express one’s own point of
view in a transparent way with the aim to be understood and respected by staying
flexible where this is possible, and being clear and transparent where this is
necessary.
Intercultural competence is the ability for successful communication with people of
other cultures. This ability can be existing already at a young age, or be developed
and improved thanks to willpower and competence. The bases for a successful
intercultural communication are emotional competence, together with intercultural
sensitivity.
The goal of assessing intercultural competence is to find out if a person has this
ability or the potential for it.
Cultures can be different not only between continents or nations, but also within
the same company or even family: every human being has its own history, its own
life and therefore also (in a certain extent) its own culture resp. cultural affiliation
(geographical, ethnical, moral, ethical, religious, political, historical).
The Components of ICC
ICC is a complex phenomenon with multiple components. These components include:
• a variety of characteristics or traits;
• three areas or domains;
• four dimensions;
• proficiency in a second language;
• and various levels of a longitudinal and developmental process.
Characteristics or Traits - Some commonly cited traits of ICC include: flexibility, humor,
patience, openness, interest, curiosity, empathy, tolerance for ambiguity, and suspending
judgment, among others.
Three Areas - ICC involves ability in three areas or domains:
• the ability to establish and maintain relationships;
• the ability to communicate with minimal loss or distortion;
• the ability to collaborate in order to accomplish something of mutual interest or need.
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© Alvino E. Fantini, Brattleboro, VT, USA 1995; Revised 2001
Four Dimensions - ICC has four dimensions; these include:
• knowledge;
• (positive) attitudes;
• skills; and
• awareness.
Proficiency in Another Language – Ability to communicate in a second or foreign language is
important to the development of ICC. Grappling with another language challenges how one
perceives, conceptualizes, and expresses oneself; and in the process, it opens the possibility of
developing alternative communication strategies on someone else's terms. This humbling
process often results in transcending and transforming how one understands the world. Lack
of a second language – even at a minimal level – constrains one to continue to think about the
world and act within it, only in one's native system, and deprives the individual of one of the
most valuable aspects of the intercultural experience.
Why intercultural competence?
Intercultural competence is needed as the basic ability for any interaction! It is not
only necessary to have social skills, but also to improve the sensitivity and
understanding for other values, views, ways of living and thinking, as well as being
self-conscious in transferring one’s own values and views in a clear, but
appropriate way.
Intercultural competence helps understanding others and achieving goals.
How to assess intercultural competence?
Although its importance is more and more recognized, only few companies and
organisations assess intercultural competence in a specific and structured way.
Social skills are part of every assessment, but intercultural competence is mostly
judged by an assessor concerning his or her subjective impression.
Intercultural competence can hardly be defined in numbers or in a percentageprofile, but many different tools allow a reliable statement:
•
computer-based validity-testing by questioning
•
computer-based simulation-tests
•
structured biographical interviews
•
simulation-games by interacting in groups and specific situations
•
differentiating between respect/empathy, prejudices, frustrationtolerance and learning-/ contact-activity
•
analyzing self-assurance and adaptation-tendency
•
structuring mental, emotional and spiritual competence and
related cross-connections
Using similar tests allows to increase the validity; using different tests allows to
increase the evidency.
Intercultural competence enables you to interact both effectively and in a way that is acceptable to
others when you are working in a group whose members have different cultural backgrounds. The
group may consist of two or more people including yourself. ‘Cultural’ may denote all manner of
features, including the values and beliefs you have grown up with, your national, regional and local
customs and, in particular, attitudes and practices that affect the way you work.
Literature:
(01) Myron W. Lustig, Jolene Koester, „Intercultural
Competence: Interpersonal
Communication Across Cultures” (4th Edition) 2003
(02) Mary Margaret Wang, “Reentry and Reverse Culture Shock” in Kenneth Cushner and Richard W. Brislin (ed),
Improving Intercultural Interactions. Modules for Cross-Cultural Training Programms.Volume 2 London, 1997.
pp.109-128. ISBN 07619 0536 5
(03) Edward C. Stewart, Jack Danielian and Robert j. Forster, “Cultural Assumptions and Values” in Milton J.
Bennett (ed) Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication. Selected Readings. Yarmouth, Maine, 1998. pp.
157-172. ISBN 1 877864 62 5
(04) Laray M. Barna, “Stumbling Blocks in Intercultural Communication. in Milton J. Bennett (ed) Basic Concepts
of Intercultural Communication. Selected Readings. Yarmouth, Maine, 1998. pp. 173-189, ISBN 1 877864 62 5
(05) “The Dispute Over Defining Culture” (pp. 3-23) in Fred E. Jandt, Intercultural Communication. An
Introduction. 2nd Edition. London, 1998. ISBN 0 7619 1342 3
(06) “Defining Communication as an Element of Culture” (pp. 24-46) in Fred E. Jandt, Intercultural
Communication. An Introduction. 2nd Edition. London, 1998. ISBN 0761913423
(07) “Barriers to Intercultural Communication” (pp. 47-69) in Fred E. Jandt, Intercultural Communication. An
Introduction. 2nd Edition. London, 1998. ISBN 0 7619 1342 3
(08) “Verbal Communication” (pp. 135-159)9) in Everett M. Rogers and Thomas M. Steinfatt, Intercultural
Communication. Illinois, 1999. ISBN 1 55766 032 3
(09) “Nonverbal Communication” (pp. 161-188) in Everett M. Rogers and Thomas M. Steinfatt, Intercultural
Communication. Illinois, 1999. ISBN 1 55766 032 3
(10) “Barriers to Communicating Across Cultures” (pp. 158-191), in Maureen Guirdham, Communicating Across
Cultures. Suffolk, 1999. ISBN 0 333 75410 7
(11) ”Intercultural Communication Theories” (pp. 192-236) in Maureen Guirdham, Communicating Across
Cultures. Suffolk, 1999. ISBN 0 333 75410 7
(12) Roger A. Axtell “The Innocent Abroad Shortlist” in: Gestures. The Do’s and Taboos Body Language Around
the World. New York, 1998. pp. 121-128 ISBN 0 471 18342