4.

0 Cultural Competence
https://youtu.be/zi3LesvEudw

At this point it is useful to do a quick recap on some of the key ideas we have covered
so far
1. Mediatisation describes the way the world works pretty well.
2. Globalisation is a (complicated) thing, and inexorably tied to media
3. Representation is fundamental to our engagement with the world.
This week we will add intercultural communications, based on the idea that we are now
in a globalised world where everyone who engages with media needs to understand at
least the basics of intercultural communications. The video below offers a striking (albeit
slightly dated) perspective on the importance of communication when two cultures
meet. In the video, a group of young people from Sudan travel to the United States and
are confused by many of the practices locals assume are normal.
Cultural Differences National Geographic

In terms of this week's topic, the most interesting aspect of the video is the apparent
openness of communications practices in Sudan compared to the US, and it would be
interesting to consider how "open" Australian communications are. We like to think of
ourselves as a friendly and inviting culture, but do we really welcome conversations with
strangers?
However before we can talk about communication, we need to step back and consider
"culture" more broadly.

4.1 So what is Culture?

Let's start with three broad definitions:

"Culture: learned and shared human patterns or models for living; day- to-day living
patterns. these patterns and models pervade all aspects of human social interaction.
Culture is mankind's primary adaptive mechanism" (Damen, 1987).
"A culture is a configuration of learned behaviors and results of behavior whose
component elements are shared and transmitted by the members of a particular
society“ (Linton, 1998).
"Culture...consists in those patterns relative to behavior and the products of human
action which may be inherited, that is, passed on from generation to generation
independently of the biological genes” (Parsons, 1954).

They're all pretty wordy definitions, but as we've noted before the key with multiple
definitions is to find the points of commonality between them. In the case of culture, you
tend to find three main themes that keep reappearing:

Culture is Learned
Culture is Shared
Culture is Dynamic

This is the foundation of all intercultural communications theory, and in fact it is the
foundation of all human communication in general. The following video unpacks these
concepts in a little more detail.

Culture is Learned Shared Dynamic

4.2 How we get our culture.

If we accept that culture is learned, shared and dynamic, it becomes clear that culture is
also actively communicated to us. In other words, we adopt elements of our culture
through our interactions with others in society, both formally and informally. This is
generally referred to as socialisation, and occurs through several key social institutions
such as the family, communities, organised religion, education and the media.
Put simply, you learn your culture from those around you, firstly through family then
through other institutions. You quickly learn through positive and negative reinforcement
what behaviours are considered acceptable and which ones aren't, though behaviours
can change with context. In our society today, the media plays a large role in
communicating and reinforcing culture, including our own use of social media to
transmit cultural ideas. Your cultural background also plays an important role in identity
formation, and the diagram on the left helps explain the process.

An example helps explain how this works in practice: If you grow up in a country like
Australia you might have a belief that having a tan indicates that you are healthy and
enjoy an outdoor lifestyle. This then becomes a value that someone with a tan is
"better" than someone who is paler, and this is translated to an attitude toward those
who are tanned an those who are not. Finally, this becomes associated with a
behaviour, such as seeking a tan at the beach. However if you were brought up in a
country like India, the reverse is more likely. Indian culture typically perceives darker
skin as being less socially desirable, as it is often associated with manual labour and
the lower classes. This results in very different behaviours to Australia, with women in
particular actively seeking out products to whiten their skin. This is illustrated in the two
before and after images taken from advertising appearing in the two countries.

What this means is that we are constantly learning and re-learning our culture, and this
also goes some way towards explaining how cultures evolve over time. To extend the
tanning example further, the last decade has seen a dramatic change in Australian
attitudes to tanning, as our understanding of the risks of skin cancer have become more
widely known. This in turn has prompted a change in behaviour, with increased use of
sunscreen and the closure of most tanning salons around the country. In time, the idea
of the "bronzed Aussie" might be looked on negatively, or at least as a sad remind of
our historical ignorance.
The key point to note here is that when you grow up in a culture, certain aspects of that
culture become normalised, even though they might not be as important or even exist in
other cultures. This has allowed researchers to identify key points of cultural
comparison, with one of the earliest examples being Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's work
on value orientation. This research argues that every culture faces the same basic
survival needs and must answer the same universal questions, leading the authors to
develop five core categories which are used to compare cultures:
Human Nature
Relationship to the natural world
Time
Human activity
Social relations

For a more detailed discussion of these value orientations and more, you can read this
academic paper
Links to an external site.
on the topic.
Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's value orientations offer a useful way of comparing the
fundamental principles on which cultures are based, and help us understand why
people from different cultures often have trouble understanding each other's words and
actions. Edward Hall's work on high and low-context cultures takes a similar approach,
dividing cultures according to what their communications practices reveal about the
deep structures of their society.
According to Hall, in high-context cultures, communication relies heavily on implicit,
non-verbal cues, shared experiences, and contextual elements. People in these
cultures tend to place significant emphasis on the context in which communication
occurs. Much of the information is implicit and embedded in the context or relationships,
and people are expected to understand meaning through subtle signals, gestures, and
shared cultural knowledge. Many East Asian, Middle Eastern and Southern European
cultures are considered high-context, where their strong community bonds allow for
implicit communication to work effectively. By contrast, in low-context cultures,
communication is more explicit and relies on clear, direct verbal expression. People in
these cultures tend to value clarity and precision in communication, and messages are
expected to be conveyed directly through words. Most western cultures are considered
to be low-context, with people tending to use straightforward language with an
emphasis on the explicit content of the message. Interestingly, Hall argued that these
contextual differences also extended to how time is perceived in different cultures, with
high-context cultures tending to have a looser, less organised perspective on time than
low context ones.
The video below provides a good example of what happens when high and low-context
cultures interact. Notice how much is NOT being said directly:
Cultural conflicts in the family dinner party

For a more detailed look at how this theory works in practice, THIS
Links to an external site.
article offers an interesting discussion of how a person's high or low-context
background affects their media choice.

4.3 Comparing Cultures

While the methods for comparing cultures discussed in the previous section are widely
used, by far the most famous is what became known as the Hofstede measures. Geert
Hofstede conducted a pioneering study in the 1970s and 1980s, which involved
surveying IBM employees from various countries, with the goal being to identify and
quantify cultural differences in order to help businesses and organizations navigate the
challenges of working across diverse cultures. Hofstede's research resulted in the
identification of six cultural dimensions:
Measure Description

Power Distance
This dimension expresses the degree to
which the less powerful members of a
society accept and expect that power is
distributed unequally. The fundamental
issue here is how a society handles
inequalities among people.
People in societies exhibiting a large
degree of Power Distance accept a
hierarchical order in which everybody has
a place and which needs no further
justification. In societies with low Power
Distance, people strive to equalise the
distribution of power and demand
justification for inequalities of power.

Individualism/Collectivism
The high side of this dimension, called
Individualism, can be defined as a
preference for a loosely-knit social
framework in which individuals are
expected to take care of only themselves
and their immediate families.
Its opposite, Collectivism, represents a
preference for a tightly-knit framework in
society in which individuals can expect
their relatives or members of a particular
ingroup to look after them in exchange for
unquestioning loyalty. A society’s position
on this dimension is reflected in whether
people’s self-image is defined in terms of
“I” or “we.”

Masculinity/Femininity
The Masculinity side of this dimension
represents a preference in society for
achievement, heroism, assertiveness,
and material rewards for success. Society
at large is more competitive. Its opposite,
Femininity, stands for a preference for
cooperation, modesty, caring for the weak
 and quality of life. Society at large is more
consensus-oriented.
In the business context Masculinity
versus Femininity is sometimes also
related to as “tough versus tender”
cultures.

Uncertainty Avoidance
The Uncertainty Avoidance dimension
expresses the degree to which the
members of a society feel uncomfortable
with uncertainty and ambiguity. The
fundamental issue here is how a society
deals with the fact that the future can
never be known: should we try to control
the future or just let it happen?
Countries exhibiting strong UAI maintain
rigid codes of belief and behaviour, and
are intolerant of unorthodox behaviour
and ideas. Weak UAI societies maintain a
more relaxed attitude in which practice
counts more than principles.

Long-term/short-term orientation
Societies who score low on this
dimension, for example, prefer to
maintain time-honoured traditions and
norms while viewing societal change with
suspicion.
Those with a culture which scores high,
on the other hand, take a more pragmatic
approach: they encourage thrift and
efforts in modern education as a way to
prepare for the future.

Indulgence/Restraint Indulgence stands for a society that

allows relatively free gratification of basic
and natural human drives related to
enjoying life and having fun. Restraint
 stands for a society that suppresses
gratification of needs and regulates it by
means of strict social norms.

Source: Hofstede Institute

The actual measures have varied slightly over time, with the understandably
problematic "Masculinity/Femininity" being replaced with "Motivation Towards Success".
However, the Hofstede measures remain a useful way of seeing how different one
culture might be from another, and getting an insight into how individuals within a
culture can be guided by broad cultural norms. Importantly, they are not used to say that
one culture is better or worse, they are simply a way of demonstrating how different
cultural characteristics can affect the way people interact. It is also crucial to state again
that just because Hofstede says people in a particular culture act in a particular way
doesn't mean that EVERYONE in that culture will adopt the same behaviours. However
there is often a cultural tendency which consciously or unconsciously encourages
people to act in particular ways, based on the socialisation process we discussed
earlier. The table below serves to demonstrate this point, and compares Australia and
Japan.

Dimension Australia Japan

Individualism/Collectivism 73 62
Uncertainty Avoidance 51 92
Power Distance 38 54
Long-term/short-term 58 100
orientation
Indulgence/Restraint 71 42
Motivation towards success 61 95

Based on the Hofstede measures, people who grew up in Australia would be more
focused on achieving individual goals than working with peers, and would also be
more open to adventure and the unexpected. They would respect power
differentials less than their Japanese counterparts and also be more interested in
short-term outcomes rather than playing the long game. Australians are also more
likely to indulge themselves when compared to Japanese people, whereas the
Japanese are far more likely to be driven in their goals, especially in the workplace.
If you've spent time in both places, you'll probably see that many of these
statements ring true, at least on a very broad scale. This is because each society
has sets of broad cultural norms that people tend to abide by, just because that's
the easiest way of getting by in that culture. There will always be those who go
against the norm, as well as those who adhere to the norms but to a greater or
lesser degree. A good overview of an earlier iteration of Hofstede's dimensions can
be found HERE
Links to an external site.
.

Hofstede's measures are widely used in many industries to explain cultural differences,
and for this reason we are using it as the basis for one of the questions in the final
assessment item for this unit. This will require you to use the Cultural Comparison tool,
which can be found here: Country comparison tool (hofstede-insights.com)
Links to an external site.

4.4 Life, Death and other

Worldviews
Of course, culture does more than influence the way we communicate with each other.
The culture we are raised within shapes how we view the world around us, and deeply
affect how we interpret events both large and small. Indeed, our views about life and
death itself are often deeply rooted in our culture, sometimes tied to religion but always
the result of years and years of socialisation.
We often call these broad perspectives "worldviews", and they can change from culture
to culture, and from era to era. They affect most aspects of our lives, but can sometimes
be difficult to recognise in ourselves because they are so deeply embedded. Our
worldviews seem natural to us because we have likely been raised in an environment
where they were doxa, and thus we often assume that EVERYBODY sees the world as
we do. It is often only when we meet people from different cultural backgrounds that we
realise that not everyone sees the world as we do. In this respect it is important to
remember that worldviews are neither "right" nor "wrong", and need to be considered
within the context of the cultures they are derived from. We sometimes call this
approach "cultural relativism
Links to an external site.
" and it offers a way of engaging with the world that respects cultural difference.
From a media worker's perspective, worldviews are important in two main ways. Firstly,
they shape how we interact with co-workers and clients whether we realise it or not.
Expressing excitement at an upcoming holiday may be understood differently
depending on the cutral upbringing of both parties, with Easter being a good example of
this. Easter is a very important holiday for those with a strong Christian upbringing, and
the significance of this may be lost on someone with a different religious background.
Secondly, understanding the worldview of your audience helps you to create content
that will be received more favourably, or at least not cause offence. While it is
impossible to create content that conforms to the worldview of every member of your
audience, approaching content creation through a relativistic lens will allow you to be
culturally sensitive to a broad cross-section of consumers.
To illustrate how deeply culture affects our worldviews, the section below offers a few
common concepts that have a deep impact on how we live our lives.

Justice
We tend to take the idea of "justice" as a given, and seldom give any thought to the
origins of the concept. Justice actually has a long cultural history and can be traced
back at least as far as the Egyptians with their concept of Ma'at. It was then picked up
by the Greeks with Themis, before being adapted by the Romans who termed it Justita,
which is where we get our English word from. The blindfold that you see in the image
above is a relatively new addition, being introduced in the 16th Century.
Links to an external site.
Although seldom discussed explicitly, the many of the laws that make up our modern
justice system have their origins in religious doctrine. Most cultures have a dominant
religion that offers explanations for both creation and extinction; on the large scale they
describe the beginning and end of the universe and on a smaller scale they describe life
and death. Most will also generally will set rules for leading a “good life”, and these rules
are what often become the basis for our laws. This is most easily seen in controversial
issues (murder, assault, abortion, euthanasia etc), but many of the core statutes in our
law books are based on distinctly moral imperatives.

Religion
The justice system is a very specific example of how religious ideas can impact public
life, but there are many other instances where our behaviour and attitudes can be
traced back to ideas that had their roots in religion. Superstitions are sometimes directly
derived from religious practice (such as crossing oneself for protection) and in other
cases are based on practices that were relevant to ancient cultures but irrelevant today.
The practice of throwing salt over one's shoulder, for example, has been traced back to
ancient Sumerian practice, while a fear of walking under a ladder can be traced back to
ancient Egypt. The origins of some additional superstitions can be found HERE
Links to an external site.
.
Religion also often forms the basis of what is considered a "normal" family, and in
particular the roles of different genders within the family. However what is considered
"normal" varies widely between cultures. For example, extended families are the norm
in many parts of the world, with many generations often sharing the same house. This
has a flow-on effect in many areas of life, with home design in these regions being
focused on accommodating large groups of people, and even home financing being
tailored to multigenerational families.
 Even the way we experience time can be affected by the culture we were socialised
into; cultures that have a strong belief in an afterlife often have a more relaxed view of
time, with it being seen as a resource to be enjoyed. By contrast, cultures that are more
secular tend to view time as being finite and therefore requiring careful management.
Our language can also be affected by religious beliefs, with phrases like “bless you” and
“good luck” commonly used in everyday conversation. More seriously, the perceived
improper use of religious terminology is one of the fastest ways to cause offence, with
the names of key deities requiring extreme caution when being used.

Capitalism

Capitalism can be defined as "An economic system based on a free market, open
competition, profit motive and private ownership of the means of production".
(Dictionary.com). The central here is the idea that ownership of the means of production is
limited, and that those who control production within society are usually its elite.
Most of us have grown up in societies where capitalism is the dominant economic
discourse, and it has had an interesting effect on the way our worldviews are constructed.
The accumulation of wealth and goods seen as positive, and most importantly consumption
regarded as essential for happiness. EVERYTHING is reduced to its economic value, from
the education you're now pursuing to the virginity of young people

Links to an external site.

in many parts of the world. Even time is not immune to commodification, because after all,
time IS money...

This is one of the hardest worldviews to understand because we’re immersed in it, and it
requires big leap of faith to imagine a way of life not dependent on capitalist ideology. This
is actually one of the areas where science fiction provides us with valuable food for thought,
as many science fiction worlds are based on non-capitalist or anti-capitalist models.

Links to an external site.

The key point to note here is that many concepts that we take for granted are actually quite
culturally specific, and that it is important to never assume everyone sees world exactly as
we do.

4.5 Cultural and Other Identities

You'll remember from earlier sections that your identity is at least partially shaped by
your cultural background, and that even concepts we think are universal are actually
culturally based. Identity, however, is very complex and we simultaneously hold many
different identities as social beings. At the most basic level, Hall argued that we have
three distinct identity categories that are interconnected, as illustrated by the diagram to
the right. Your personal identity is the thing that sets you apart from other individuals
and makes you unique, while your relational identity is created through your
relationships with other people. The person you are when talking to your teacher is
likely to be quite different to the person you are when you're hanging out with friends,
and this also has an impact on your personal identity. Finally, your communal identity is
the identity you form when you interact with large groups or organisations. If you're a
passionate footy supporter then your allegiance to the team forms part of your
communal identity, as does your role as a student of Swinburne University. Importantly,
all these identities affect the others: your communal identity as a student might change
the way you view yourself as an individual, and will also most likely alter some of the
relational identity you show to your family and friends. Sometimes these identities
reinforce each other, and sometimes they conflict with each other, but they are
constantly in dialogue.
Further complicating the situation is the fact that across these three categories we also
have multiple identities that are either ascribed to us by social institutions or which we
use to define ourselves in relation to others. Samovar et. al have identified seven forms
of identify that commonly impact our social relations:

Racial Identity
Racial identity relates to the complex interplay of individual and collective experiences,
perceptions, and affiliations related to one's racial or ethnic background. It is a
multidimensional construct encompassing a person's self-concept, how they perceive
their racial group, and the significance they attribute to that affiliation within the broader
societal context. Individuals develop their racial identity through a dynamic process
influenced by various factors such as cultural heritage, family upbringing, societal
interactions, and personal experiences. This process often involves stages of
exploration, awareness, and internalization, where individuals grapple with questions of
belonging, acceptance, and understanding of their racial identity.

Gender Identity
Gender identity refers to an individual's deeply-felt internal sense of their own gender,
which may or may not align with the sex assigned to them at birth. This concept goes
beyond the binary framework of male and female, recognizing that gender exists on a
spectrum and is a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural
factors. The distinction between gender identity and gender expression is important.
Gender expression refers to the outward manifestation of one's gender, encompassing
behaviors, clothing, and other visible cues, while gender identity is an internal and
deeply personal experience.

Ethnic Identity
Ethnic identity refers to the subjective sense of belonging and attachment that
individuals feel toward a particular ethnic or cultural group. It encompasses the
recognition, understanding, and internalization of one's cultural heritage, including
shared traditions, language, customs, and historical experiences. Ethnic identity is a
multidimensional construct influenced by personal experiences, family upbringing,
societal interactions, and broader cultural contexts. The development of ethnic identity
often involves a process of exploration and negotiation, especially in multicultural
societies where individuals may navigate multiple cultural influences.

National Identity
National identity often relates to the collective sense of belonging and shared
characteristics that individuals within a particular nation attribute to themselves. It is
often constructed through a narrative that emphasizes historical events, cultural
practices, symbols, and values that are deemed representative of the nation. The
development of national identity is influenced by a variety of factors, including historical
events, shared experiences, language, religion, and cultural traditions. Individuals may
develop a sense of loyalty, attachment, and pride in being part of a particular nation,
contributing to a shared identity that distinguishes one nation from another. National
identity can be inclusive, embracing diversity within a nation, or exclusive, defining
certain characteristics as essential to being a part of the national community. National
identity in Australia has been a hot topic for many years, with some of the more
common debates illustrated by the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLRMXS2i35k
Regional Identity
While many people express an affiliation with a national identity, some also feel
connection to an identity based on a region within that broader nation state. In some
cases this is expressed through different dialects, while in others different accents are
associated with different parts of a nation. Many of us will be familiar with the "Southern"
accent associated with some parts of the United States, and you might also be aware of
different accents of English associated with different part of the United Kingdom. Even
Australia has different has different identity markers associated with different parts of
the country, though these tend to be fairly subtle and difficult for outsiders to discern.
Regional identities sometimes conflict with national identities, and in some cases lead to
calls for the region to be recognised separately from the nation itself.

Organisational Identity
People can also identify with organisations to which they belong Organizational identity
encompasses the organization's core values, mission, vision, culture, symbols, and the
way it presents itself to both internal and external stakeholders. The development of
organizational identity involves a combination of intentional efforts, historical evolution,
and ongoing interactions within the organizational context. It is often communicated
through various channels, including mission statements, branding, organizational rituals,
and shared narratives. Organizational members play a significant role in shaping and
embodying the identity through their behaviors, language, and adherence to shared
values.

Personal Identity
Personal identity pertains to the persistent and unique characteristics that define an
individual as distinct from others. It involves a complex interplay of physical,
psychological, and social elements that contribute to a person's sense of self and
continuity over time, and can contain elements of all the other identities discussed
above. Most importantly, it is not a static concept; it can evolve over time as individuals
undergo personal growth, engage in self-reflection, and navigate life experiences.

4.6 When cultures collide

Over the past few sections we've covered a few really important things about culture,
and it is useful to revisit them here before discussing how they might relate to your work
as media professionals. Firstly, we learned that we are all the products of the culture we
were socialised into, and that many of our present attitudes and behaviours can be
traced back to cultural elements that we may not even be consciously aware of.
Secondly, we learned that because of this, it is possible to compare cultures against
each other, and provided examples of some well-known frameworks that are used to do
this (Hofstede, Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck and Hall). Finally, we saw that our cultural
identity intersects with a number of other constructs to form who we are today.
For media professionals this becomes important in two main contexts: working with
people with different cultural backgrounds and creating content for dissemination in
different cultural contexts. Below we explore how the conceptual information we have
covered in the module can be practically applied in a number of typical workplace
scenarios.

Operating in a Multicultural Workplace

With very few exceptions, the work you will be engaged in after uni will involve working
with people from a range of different cultures. Recent data suggests that in Australia at
least 29 percent of the population
Links to an external site.
originates from another country, and out of this 29 percent, 19 percent come from a
non-English speaking country. This means that your interactions with colleagues will
inevitably involve navigation through a range of different cultural differences.
Recognising that a person's identity is at least partially the result of their cultural
background is a great starting point. Even better is realising that your OWN identity is
also culturally inscribed, and that many of the misunderstandings that regularly occur in
the workplace can be traced to cultural difference. For example, Australians often like to
socialise at a pub or bar after work, but in many cases this might make a Muslim co-
worked feel uncomfortable, as alcohol is forbidden in Muslim cultures.
Links to an external site.
Communication Styles is another area where having some knowledge of how different
cultures work can be very beneficial. In some East Asian cultures, communication tends
to be more indirect and implicit, with an emphasis on non-verbal cues and gestures.
Meanwhile, in Western cultures, particularly in the United States, communication is
often direct and explicit. These varying approaches can lead to misunderstandings, as a
direct communicator might perceive an indirect communicator as evasive, while the
latter might view the former as too assertive. This of course is exactly what Hall's theory
of high-context and low-context cultures is about, so being aware of the basic principles
of that framework can help you adapt you communication style depending on who you
are communicating with.
For managers in particular, understanding how hierarchy and authority work in different
cultures can be vital. In Japanese culture, for example, there is a strong emphasis on
hierarchy and respect for authority figures. Decisions are often made collectively, and
subordinates may hesitate to challenge their superiors openly. On the other hand, in
Scandinavian cultures, there's a more egalitarian approach, with a flatter organizational
structure. This can create conflicts when team members from hierarchical cultures work
with those accustomed to a more egalitarian environment, impacting decision-making
dynamics and collaboration. Once again, being aware of the conceptual frameworks
we've discussed in this module can be really helpful here, especially Hofstede's
measures and Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's value orientations. Both of these explicitly
describe how authority is perceived across different cultural groupings.
A related concept that is important for all workers is"face",
Links to an external site.
which is a sociological concept that refers to the dignity, prestige, and respectability
that a person has in their social relationships. This concept is observed in many
societies and cultures such as Chinese, Arabic, Indonesian, Korean, Malaysian,
Laotian, Indian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Thai, Russian and other Slavic
cultures. In these cultures, "face" can be lost, maintained, or enhanced, and must be
constantly attended to in interaction. In the context of a multicultural workplace,
understanding the concept of "face" is crucial for effective communication and
collaboration. It can influence decision-making, conflict resolution, and interpersonal
relationships. In interactions with others, individuals may need to engage in "facework",
which refers to strategies individuals use to meet their own or others’ desired needs.
Finally, even organising regular meetings can be impacted by cultural difference, as
how people approach time can vary between cultures. German culture typically places a
high value on punctuality and efficiency, and meetings are expected to start and end on
time. In contrast, some Latin American cultures prioritize relationship-building over strict
adherence to schedules, and meetings may extend beyond their scheduled duration.
This difference in time management can lead to frustration and conflict, as those from
punctual cultures may perceive their counterparts as disorganized or lacking
commitment. Again, Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's framework is the most useful here,
though elements of Hofstede are also useful in terms of its perspective on long and
short-term orientations.

4.7 The Complexities of

Intercultural Communication
GMI Week 4 Outro

This module has introduced you to a lot of new ideas, but they all have a common
theme: when interacting with people from a different cultural background, many of the
things that we take for granted simply fail to work in the way we expect them to. This is
because we are all the products of our socialisation, and for this reason we can use
frameworks like Hofstede, Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck and Hall to compare cultures
against each other. Not everyone from a culture will adhere to the norms these
frameworks propose, but at the very least they can help us gain an understanding of
how to minimise offence when dealing with people from different backgrounds.
In this context, there are three main things that we can all do to prepare for
communicating across cultures, whether that be in the workplace or communicating with
audience:
1. Research the cultures you're interacting with. Obviously, you're never going
to be able to pre-research every culture you come into contact with, but there
are plenty of situations where you will have both the time and resources to
make any kind of interaction go more smoothly. If you find yourself working
for a company where many of your co-workers share a particular cultural
background, spend some time researching beliefs and customs so you have
an insight into where they are coming from. Similarly, if you're producing
content for a particular cultural market, so some research into the key cultural
markers of that market to ensure your product is received as well as possible.
2. Treat people as individuals first, and cultures second. Perhaps counter
intuitively, while it is good to recognise the influence culture can have on
identity, it is important to remember that culture is just one part of the identity
matrix. This means that while you should be aware of the cultural background
of a person or audience, it is dangerous to assume that they will adhere to all
the norms commonly associated with that culture.
3. Be really conscious of your own culture. This is probably the most difficult
thing to do, because we seldom recognise the norm of our own culture.
However, if you can take a second to reflect on how culture has shaped your
attitudes and behaviours, you will be in a much better position to adjust when
the situation requires, making you more valuable as both an employee and
creative.
In the next module, we will explore these ideas in much more detail, and look a model
that explains the practicalities of intercultural communication more fully.

References for this Week

Damen, L 1987, Culture Learning: The Fifth Dimension on the Language Classroom.
Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Links to an external site.
Howard, SC 2012, ‘Intercultural (Mis)Communication: Why Would You “Out” Me in
Class?’, Sexuality & culture, vol. 16, no. 2, Springer US, Boston, pp. 118–133.
Links to an external site.
Linton, R 1998, The Cultural Background of Personality. New York, Routeledge
Maznevski, M. L., Gomez, C. B., DiStefano, J. J., Noorderhaven, N. G., & Wu, P.-C.
(2002). Cultural Dimensions at the Individual Level of Analysis: The Cultural
Orientations Framework. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 2(3),
275-295. https://doi.org/10.1177/147059580223001
Links to an external site.
Parsons, T 1954, Essays in Sociological Theory. Glencoe, The Free Press
Links to an external site.
Samovar, L.A., McDaniel, E.R., Porter, R.E. and Roy, C.S., 2013. Communication
between cultures.
Venaik, S, Brewer, P, & Midgley, D 2023, Management Research, International
Business, and National Culture : Evaluating Hofstede and GLOBE, Taylor & Francis
Group, Milton.
Ward, M 2010, ‘Avatars and sojourners: explaining the acculturation of newcomers to
multiplayer online games as cross-cultural adaptations’, Journal of intercultural
communication, vol. 23.
Links to an external site.
Yang, X., Hou, J., & Arth, Z. W. (2021). Communicating in a proper way: How people
from high-/low-context culture choose their media for communication. International
Communication Gazette, 83(3), 238-259. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748048520902617
Links to an external site.

We covered a lot this week, so make sure you have a good understanding of:
● The 3 characteristics of culture
● How culture is transmitted
● Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's work on value orientation
● Hall's notion of high and low-context cultures
● The Hofstede measures
● Culture and its relationship to other forms of identity.
You can search for appropriate sources using the Library website
Links to an external site.
or Google Scholar.