Welcome! International Project Week

Helsinki MetropoliaMay 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. True friends What culture has to do with ethics.

2. Connection, please! And cultural pitfalls

3. When in Rome…. Adaptation strategies 4. 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 encounters2. Dilemma #13. Who is right, who is wrong:

ethnorelativism4. Above and below the surface5. For tomorrow6. 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 Culture2. Norms and Values3. Basic Assumptions

• (Edgar Schein)

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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 tomorrow1. “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) Hide in the bunkerb) Pray to Zeusc) Build the space craftd) Drink frappe on Mykonos

When the world is about to collapse, what is the most probable thing that a Greek would do?

a) Hide in the bunkerb) Pray to Zeusc) Build the space craftd) Drink frappe on Mykonos

What will be the most likely answer when you ask someone from Poland ‘How are you?

a) I am fine, and you?b) That is none of your business!c) They start complaining about all kinds of thingsd) 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) I am fine, and you?b) That is none of your business!c) They start complaining about all kinds of thingsd) 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, eatingb) Having a nice conversationc) If they are enjoying the taste of the meal it is not

uncommon to smack and burpd) 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, eatingb) Having a nice conversationc) If they are enjoying the taste of the meal it is not

uncommon to smack and burpd) 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) When you are driving over 120 km/hb) When you are driving over 140 km/hc) When you are driving over 180 km/hd) When you look Polish

When will the police ask you to stop your car on the highway in Germany?a) When you are driving over 120 km/hb) When you are driving over 140 km/hc) When you are driving over 180 km/hd) When you look Polish

Some years back, what was the favourite vegetable of Finnish men?

a) Green beansb) Cabbagec) Beetrootd) Sausage

Some years back, what was the favourite vegetable of Finnish men?

a) Green beansb) Cabbagec) Beetrootd) Sausage

What should you avoid when you don’t like the food that you are eating in a Chinese home?a) Vomiting on the tableb) Fartingc) Choking the cookd) Face distractions

What should you avoid when you don’t like the food that you are eating in a Chinese home?a) Vomiting on the tableb) Fartingc) Choking the cookd) Face distractions

What do German students mean when they knock on the tables when a class is finished?a) They protest against the chopping of the rain forestsb) They show their appreciation to the teacherc) They are playing the new song of Rammsteind) 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) They protest against the chopping of the rain forestsb) They show their appreciation to the teacherc) They are playing the new song of Rammsteind) 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. Introduction2. Recap + evaluation: comparing +

discussing outcomes 3. The impolite business partner4. Critical incident: internship in Indonesia 5. Some explanation: Hofstede6. Help, caught by the police in Kuala

Lumpur!

High- context explanation

Who is the impolite business partner #1

USA Jack’ll blow this upGB Our chairmen might tend to disagree

USA This is such Bull Sh...GB I’m not quite with you on that

USA You gotta be kiddingGB 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 tomorrow1. Reflection

Write a short reflection on today’s cases. 2. Reading: the three chapters (pdf) +

http://geert-hofstede.com/national-culture.html

3. Presentation In teams of three, prepare a 10-minute presentation about one of the above topics.

About the presentation1. The aim is to explain and illustrate the

chapter/theory 2. Use your own words to explain what the

writers mean3. Find at least 3 pictures to show what you

mean4. Use one of the experiences of to illustrate

your story

Welcome! International Project Week

Helsinki MetropoliaWednesday 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

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Multicultural teams are never just “ordinary”

They are the best of teamsThey are the worst of teams Why?

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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.

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Best TeamsWhen 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.

3-Steps to Cultural Synergy

Step 1: What happened? Describe thesituation 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)