Intercultural Relations Communication, Identity, and Conflict

by Weaver, Gary R.

• ISBN13: 9781269616171
• ISBN10: 126961617X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2013-12-11
• Publisher: Pearson Learning Solutions

Summary

With modern global communications and transportation and the international nature of politics and commerce, almost every organization requires executives and managers who can deal with people of all cultural backgrounds. This is also true within countries due to the steady flow of people across national borders and the domestic growth of multicultural workforces. Understanding other cultures and developing skills for more effective cross-cultural communication is increasingly more important in the culturally interdependent world of today and tomorrow.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents SECTION I: WHAT IS CULTURE?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 WHAT IS CULTURE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 MODELS FOR ANALYZING CULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 THE ICEBERG ANALOGY OR MODEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 THEORIES OF INTERCULTURAL RELATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 CROSS-CULTURAL AND INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION . . . . . . . . . .21 DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 CONTRAST CULTURE CONTINUUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 REALISTIC CULTURAL EMPATHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 DOES CULTURE MATTER? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Readings: Hall and Hall, “How Cultures Collide” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Marshall Singer, “The Role of Culture and Perception in Communication” . . . .42 Ferdinand Tönnies, “On Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Doug Struck, “Think American, Japanese Are Advised” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Lawrence E. Harrison, “Culture Matters” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 SECTION II: COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES. . . . . . . . . . . 67 COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Verbal and Nonverbal Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Interpersonal Communication and Thought Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Friendship, Dating, and Action Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 The Frustrations of Intercultural Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Racial and Gender Differences in Communication Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Readings: Albert Mehrabian, “Communication without Words” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Motoo Unno, “Cultural Differences in Crisis Communication”. . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 SECTION III: INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 LIVING AND WORKING IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND RESEARCH: AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 000200010271788838_CH00_FM_pi-viii.pdf iii 00200010271788838_CH00_FM_pi-viii.pdf iii 11/12/13 8:33 AM 1/12/13 8:33 AM iv CONTENTS PUBLIC DIPLOMACY, EXCHANGE OF SCHOLARS, AND STUDY ABROAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 RACE RELATIONS, IDENTITY MOVEMENTS, AND DIVERSITY TRAINING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN CULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 Individual Achievement and Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 A Distrust of an Overly Powerful Central Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 THE MELTING POT MYTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Diversity in the Workplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 ETHICS AND INTERCULTURAL RELATIONS TRAINING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 (1) Bad training may be worse than no training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 (2) Don’t always give people what they want. It might not be what they need. .116 (3) Primum non nocere. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 (4) Professional behavior is ethical behavior. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 (5) Practice what you preach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 THE FUTURE OF INTERCULTURAL RELATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 Readings: Gary Althen, “The Intercultural Meeting” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 M. Cordell Hart, “The Chinese Practice of Guanxi” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 Robert Wright, “Islamophobia and Homophobia” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 SECTION IV: CROSS-CULTURAL ADAPTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 THE DYNAMICS OF CROSS-CULTURAL ADAPTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136 ENTRY STRESS OR CULTURE SHOCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 The U-Curve of Cross-Cultural Adaptation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 CAUSES OF CULTURE SHOCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140 (1) Collision of Internal Cultures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 (2) Breakdown of Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 (3) The Loss of Cues or Reinforcers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 (4) Identity Crisis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143 THE REACTIONS OR “SYMPTOMS” OF CULTURE SHOCK AND COPING STRATEGIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 “Out of Control” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 Flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 000200010271788838_CH00_FM_pi-viii.pdf iv 00200010271788838_CH00_FM_pi-viii.pdf iv 11/12/13 8:33 AM 1/12/13 8:33 AM CONTENTS v Fight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147 Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147 Flex Behavior—A Proactive Response to Culture Shock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 A Few Coping Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149 HELPING SOJOURNERS THROUGH THE ADJUSTMENT CYCLE . . . . . . . . .152 Support from Home and from Hosts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152 Some Danger Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153 REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154 Good News–Bad News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154 The W-Curve of Cross-Cultural Adaptation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155 Why Is Reverse Culture Shock Worse than Culture Shock?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 The Causes of Reverse Culture Shock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 The “Uncle Charlie Syndrome” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162 Unrealistic Expectations and New Ascribed Roles and Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163 Reactions or “Symptoms” of Reverse Culture Shock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 A Few Reentry Coping Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165 CROSS-CULTURAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 TYPES OF PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170 A Word about Safety and Security Overseas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173 SELECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173 IMPACT ON THE FAMILY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176 Readings: Geert Hofstede, “Dimensionalizing Cultures” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178 Don Phillips, “Building a ‘Cultural Index’ to World Airline Safety” . . . . . . . . .192 SECTION V: CULTURE AND IDENTITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 WHO AM I? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196 THIRD-CULTURE KIDS (TCKs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198 Characteristics of TCKs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201 MULTICULTURAL PERSONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204 TCKs and Multicultural People as Outsiders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206 Barack Obama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207 000200010271788838_CH00_FM_pi-viii.pdf v 00200010271788838_CH00_FM_pi-viii.pdf v 11/12/13 8:33 AM 1/12/13 8:33 AM vi CONTENTS GENERATIONAL CULTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 Communications, Technology, and Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 Conflict Between Generations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211 Readings: Kathleen A. Finn Jordan, “Third Culture Persons” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214 Sarah J. McCarthy, “Why Johnny Can’t Disobey” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222 David Ignatius, “The Obama of ‘Dreams’” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228 Rogelio R. Gomez, “Foul Shots” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229 SECTION VI: INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT AND INTERCULTURAL RELATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 FOREIGN POLICY AND CULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234 THE IMPACT OF THE MASS MEDIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235 INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236 NATIONAL IMAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238 MELODRAMA AND TRAGEDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240 INTERCULTURAL ASPECTS OF CONFLICT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242 INTERCULTURAL ASPECTS OF NEGOTIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243 CULTURE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247 INTERCULTURAL RELATIONS AND GLOBALIZATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248 Readings: Jerome D. Frank, “The Face of the Enemy” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249 Sam Keen, “Faces of the Enemy” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255 Robert Jervis, “Cognitive Dissonance and International Relations” . . . . . . . . .258 Glen Fisher, “International Negotiation: Cross-Cultural Perception” . . . . . . . .260 ENDNOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267 COPYRIGHT ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289