Welcome!
International Project Week
Helsinki Metropolia
May 12th, 2014
Floor de Groot MA
Connection First
We are all connected
This module will make us aware of
our basic assumptions, in order to
communicate respectfully and
effectively with people from other
cultures.
Program of this week
1.
2.
3.
4.
True friends What culture has to do with ethics.
Connection, please! And cultural pitfalls
When in Rome…. Adaptation strategies
Keep the connection- at any cost??
Saying no and saving face
5. Succeed with a Poster
True friends
What culture has to do with ethics
1. Cultural encounters
2. Dilemma #1
3. Who is right, who is wrong:
ethnorelativism
4. Above and below the surface
5. For tomorrow
6. intercultural quiz
Culturele verschillen
Question:
who has intercultural experience?
- Travelling
- Living abroad
- International parents
Visible and Invisible Culture
Culture comes in layers like
an onion
1. Visible Culture
2. Norms and Values
3. Basic Assumptions
• (Edgar Schein)
8
Basic Assumptions of Culture
abstract and invisible.
We learn them very young – before the age of 7.
We are unaware of their influence.
Basic assumptions shape and distort our
perception and judgement.
What is considered good food?
Please, enjoy a taste of Dutch life!
What is considered good behaviour?
You are the passenger in a car driven by a close
friend. He hits a pedestrian. You know that his
speeds was at least 70 km/hour in an area of the
city where the maximum speed allowed is 30
km/hour. There are no witnesses. His lawyer
says that if you are prepared to testify under
oath that he was only driving at 30 km/hour it
may save him from serious consequences.
What right has your friend to expect
you to protect him??
A. My friend has a DEFINITE right to expect me
to testify to the lower figure
B. He has SOME right to expect me to testify to
the lower figure
C. He has NO right to expect me to testify to the
lower figure.
Do you talk one at a time or all
together?
Assignments for tomorrow
1. “Why my grade will be a 5”
2. Personal Programming
3. InterCultural Assessment Profiler (IAP)
Quick scan
How well do we know other
cultures?
An intercultural quiz
(made by international students)
When the world is about to collapse, what is
the most probable thing that a Greek would
do?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Hide in the bunker
Pray to Zeus
Build the space craft
Drink frappe on Mykonos
When the world is about to collapse, what is
the most probable thing that a Greek would
do?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Hide in the bunker
Pray to Zeus
Build the space craft
Drink frappe on Mykonos
What will be the most likely answer when
you ask someone from Poland ‘How are
you?
a)
b)
c)
d)
I am fine, and you?
That is none of your business!
They start complaining about all kinds of things
I have such a bad hangover! Shouldn’t drink this
illegally imported pure alcohol from Ukraine
anymore
What will be the most likely answer when
you ask someone from Poland ‘How are
you?’
a)
b)
c)
d)
I am fine, and you?
That is none of your business!
They start complaining about all kinds of things
I have such a bad hangover! Shouldn’t drink this
illegally imported pure alcohol from Ukraine
anymore
What do Finns do while having dinner?
a) Concentrating on the main point, eating
b) Having a nice conversation
c) If they are enjoying the taste of the meal it is not
uncommon to smack and burp
d) Finns do not like to have dinner together, so they
prefer to eat in the bathroom
What do Finns do while having dinner?
a) Concentrating on the main point, eating
b) Having a nice conversation
c) If they are enjoying the taste of the meal it is not
uncommon to smack and burp
d) Finns do not like to have dinner together, so they
prefer to eat in the bathroom
When will the police ask you to stop
your car on the highway in Germany?
a)
b)
c)
d)
When you are driving over 120 km/h
When you are driving over 140 km/h
When you are driving over 180 km/h
When you look Polish
When will the police ask you to stop
your car on the highway in Germany?
a)
b)
c)
d)
When you are driving over 120 km/h
When you are driving over 140 km/h
When you are driving over 180 km/h
When you look Polish
Some years back, what was the favourite
vegetable of Finnish men?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Green beans
Cabbage
Beetroot
Sausage
Some years back, what was the favourite
vegetable of Finnish men?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Green beans
Cabbage
Beetroot
Sausage
What should you avoid when you don’t
like the food that you are eating in a
Chinese home?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Vomiting on the table
Farting
Choking the cook
Face distractions
What should you avoid when you don’t
like the food that you are eating in a
Chinese home?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Vomiting on the table
Farting
Choking the cook
Face distractions
What do German students mean when
they knock on the tables when a class
is finished?
a)
b)
c)
d)
They protest against the chopping of the rain forests
They show their appreciation to the teacher
They are playing the new song of Rammstein
They wake up the students that were sleeping
What do German students mean when
they knock on the tables when a class
is finished?
a)
b)
c)
d)
They protest against the chopping of the rain forests
They show their appreciation to the teacher
They are playing the new song of Rammstein
They wake up the students that were sleeping
Welcome!
When in Rome…. Several
adaptation strategies.
Tuesday May 13th, 2014
Floor de Groot MA
Today
1. Introduction
2. Recap + evaluation: comparing +
discussing outcomes
3. The impolite business partner
4. Critical incident: internship in Indonesia
5. Some explanation: Hofstede
6. Help, caught by the police in Kuala
Lumpur!
High- context explanation
Who is the impolite business
partner #1
USA
GB
Jack’ll blow this up
Our chairmen might tend to disagree
USA
GB
This is such Bull Sh...
I’m not quite with you on that
USA
GB
You gotta be kidding
Hm, that’s an interesting idea
Who is the impolite business
partner #2
A British business man in Saudi Arabia is keen to
secure an important deal. He has a tight
schedule, and can’t afford to waste any time.
His frustration increases because he has to
wait for ages to get an appointment with his
Saudi partner. Meetings never start on time,
and when they do, there are frequent
interruptions, with people coming in to get
papers signed. The Saudi partner even takes
phone calls when his visitor is in the room.
Monochronic and Polychronic Time
•
•
•
•
Monochronic: one thing at a time
Polychronic: many things at a time
Both are just as good
Taking our personal or cultural basic
assumptions about time for granted is one
of the biggest obstacles in intercultural
communication
Critical incident: Indonesia
Tessa, an IBL student from the Netherlands, has found an
internship for three months in Indonesia. It is a
recently founded company, nice young people. She
will write a marketing plan for a childrens’ indoor
playground. However, after a few weeks, it becomes
harder and harder to finish the company analysis.
She needs lots of information of her colleagues and
although they are kind, people seem reluctant or
forgetful to give Tessa the information she needs. It
seems that her colleagues don’t think it is important
at all. And yet, they wanted the plan!
Critical incident: Indonesia
In the meantime she picks up quite some small tasks for
her colleagues. In meetings, people are quite
interested in her opinion. Tessa thinks, well I could
give a lot of advice, if I would just have the proper
business information.
Towards the end of the internship, she is quite
frustrated. Even her company coach is still not
helpful: Doesn’t she want a realistic marketing plan
for her company?
To her astonishment, by the end of the internship she
gets a good grade, although the marketing plan she
has written has turned out superficial.
Critical incident: Indonesia
Together in teams: Find reliable information about both
cultures. Questions to be answered :
1. Which basic assumptions are possibly the cause of the
student’s frustration?
2. What would your own reaction be in this case?
3. Could you work in these circumstances?
4. What advice would you give at the student, and the
company coach?
A possible
explanation:
Hofstede’s
cultural
dimensions
Assumption: individualism = egoism
For tomorrow
1. Reflection
Write a short reflection on today’s cases.
2. Reading: the three chapters (pdf)
+http://geert-hofstede.com/nationalculture.html
3. Presentation
In teams of three, prepare a 10-minute
presentation about one of the above
topics.
About the presentation
1. The aim is to explain and illustrate the
chapter/theory
2. Use your own words to explain what the
writers mean
3. Find at least 3 pictures to show what you
mean
4. Use one of the experiences of to illustrate
your story
Welcome!
International Project Week
Helsinki Metropolia
Wednesday 14th, 2014
Floor de Groot MA
Today
• Presentations about cultural dimensions,
adaptation strategies, cultural synergy and
growth process
• The staff meeting
• The lunch break
• The seaside management day
• Recap + conclusions
Multicultural teams are never just “ordinary”
They are the best of teams
They are the worst of teams
Why?
47
Worst Teams
When cultural differences are ignored.
• “We are all the same”
Means: I expect you to behave like me.
• “I treat everyone as an equal individual”
Means: I treat you like I like to be treated.
We are equal. But we are not the same.
And how I like to be treated, is not how you like
to be treated.
48
Best Teams
When cultural differences are recognised and
managed.
When the advantages of diversity are recognised.
And when time is invested in trust building, and
coming to an agreement. Multicultural teams
have greater difficulty with this.
49
Step 1: What happened? Describe the
situation from all points of view.(2 descriptions)
Step 2. Recognize and name the underlying basic
assumptions of each culture involved.
Step 3. Consider several alternative solutions that
are not restricted to one culture, but transcend
cultures. Look beyond cultural borders. Grow
beyond ordinary solutions. Reach the
extraordinary.
Case
• Describe a situation when you had a clash
or misunderstanding with someone from
another culture. (Other group/ age group/
gender/ professional culture/ or country)
• How would you solve it according to the 3
steps of cultural synergy?
Mensheid
• Hoe zien mensen zichzelf?
• Hoe beoordelen ze andere mensen?
• Het goede: veel onderling vertrouwen
– Geen sloten op deuren, achteraf betalen etc.
• Het slechte: wantrouwen en uitgaan van het
“slechte”
– Deuren op slot, vooraf betalen etc.
For tomorrow:
• Thursday
Keep the connection- at any cost??
• The best way to synergy: Recap cases
• But what if….
• Exercise: “Dear professor” , we only need a 54% to pass, Kind
regards, Shivani, Mallika and Chifaz”
• Conclusions + feedback: did you do as you promised yourself?
Any feedback?
• The Golden Circle: start with the why…
• The world is where we live!
Bronnen handouts & video’s
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpS8oLLy51Q&feature=related
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_676LCiEo1_8/TFx5GRsCwWI/AAAAAAAAABY/JyNUg3Y0
MGM/s1600/sha0335l.jpg
http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/dro0855l.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=S1Ckb9sdLTk&feature=endscreen
PPT behorend bij boek culturele waarden en communicatie
Claes & Gerritsen (2011), Culturele waarden en communicatie, hoofdstuk 1
(uitgedeeld in week 3)
Jacobs (2012), Cross-cultural Communication, Hoofdstuk 8: Saying no and saving
face (uitgedeeld in week 3)