“Culture” has become so broad a term that it is almost impossible to find the right angle or an allencompassing example to begin this article with. Although, Hall stated that “culture is a word that has so many meanings already that one more can do it no harm” it is not the aim of this article to contribute yet another “meaning”. Rather than adding to the vast amount of research on what “culture” is and where it comes from this article aims at making the case for why culture matters and how it can be properly analysed. The view put forth in this vein suggests that the analysis of cultural issues which lies at the heart of intercultural communication is one of the most important scientific endeavours of contemporary times. Prior to elaborating on the details of this endeavour it is necessary to address two crucial facts that emphasize the relevance of the applied approach as well as of intercultural communication in general. First, as numerous researchers and scholars have repeatedly pointed out the globalisation is expected to continue at even faster rate than before. As a result of immigration that comes along with the process of globalisation – and that will continue to come along despite current efforts to restrict it – Western societies will undergo severe changes. Evolving concepts such as “super” or “hyper diversity” acknowledge this development and will contest the way societies and nations are perceived. It is beyond doubt, that a more sophisticated understanding of cultures is essential the more the globalisation shapes every aspect of modern life. If an increasingly diverse world will eventually lead to a “clash of civilizations” or to their ultimate “fusion” has to remain unanswered. What both outlooks have in common, however, is that they rely on intercultural competence in some ways. Whether to avoid cultural conflicts or to contribute to a so-called “supra- culture” intercultural competence is the key to unlock the potentials of diversity. To sum up, the more the globalisation – and in particular its cultural by-products – impact virtual all levels of societies the more cross-cultural cooperation and therefore intercultural competence is needed. In order to succeed in building up this competence, however, knowledge has to be acquired through the meticulous analysis of cultural issues. This article is an attempt to fulfil that ambition.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Critical Incidents
2.1 What are “critical incidents”?
2.2 Critical incident: cultural challenges in a diverse team – international university students working on a group-based project
3. Translating theories into practice
3.1 Making sense of context: Hall’s high-context- and low-context-approach
3.2 Hofstede and GLOBE: investigating cultural dimensions
3.2.1 Hofstede’s 6-D Model©
3.2.2 GLOBE study
3.3 Between ethnocentrism and -relativism: Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity©
4. Intervention strategies
5. Conclusion
Objectives & Core Topics
This article aims to investigate the role of culture in intercultural communication by applying a "critical incident" approach. It explores how cultural differences and varying interpretations of context can lead to misunderstandings in diverse group settings and evaluates theoretical frameworks to analyze and resolve such interpersonal conflicts.
- The "critical incident" technique as a qualitative research method.
- Application of Hall’s high-context/low-context theory to diverse team dynamics.
- Comparative analysis of cultural dimensions using Hofstede and the GLOBE study.
- The role of ethnocentrism and intercultural sensitivity based on Bennett’s model.
- Strategies for fostering supportive climates in culturally diverse student teams.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2 Critical incident: cultural challenges in a diverse team – international university students working on a group-based project
“In July 2017, I [a Japanese woman; the author] took a seminar as part of a module at my university in which all students had to do a group assignment. There were five people in my group (including me): three Asian women (one Japanese, one Thai-Japanese, and one Indonesian), one African woman and one African man (a Nigerian). The aim of the group assignment was to work out schedules of distributing a special resource using a complicated calculation software and to describe the effects of it in a closing report. Along with this assignment, we also needed to decide on lots of parameters which were supposed to be obtained from a review of current literature in the field.”
“However, as the two Africans skipped lots of classes, only three of us had to do all the work together. I do not remember how many classes they skipped but I would say they did not show up probably half of the classes. Sometimes the African guy came after class and asked us how the group assignment was going and what he should do, but it was quite hard to explain to him from the very beginning including how to use the software. When we had a group meeting, he was just sitting there quietly without taking part in our discussion. No wonder that my Thai-Japanese colleague snapped once. As he seemed to have no idea why she was angry with him, I exchanged messages with him for over one hour trying to explain why she was angry.”
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Discusses the necessity of analyzing culture due to increasing globalization and the subjective nature of "culture" itself.
2. Critical Incidents: Defines the critical incident technique as a tool for social research and provides a detailed account of a real-world conflict in a student group.
3. Translating theories into practice: Applies frameworks like Hall’s context-approach, Hofstede’s dimensions, the GLOBE study, and Bennett’s sensitivity model to explain the group incident.
4. Intervention strategies: Outlines methods for creating a "supportive climate" and emphasizes the role of institutions in fostering intercultural awareness.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes findings, noting that the conflict stemmed from context-gaps and differing cultural values, and addresses the study's limitations regarding micro-level data application.
Keywords
Intercultural communication, critical incident, cultural dimensions, Hall, Hofstede, GLOBE study, ethnocentrism, intercultural sensitivity, Bennett, team diversity, supportive climate, conflict resolution, cultural context, globalization, student group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The work focuses on analyzing how cultural differences affect communication and collaboration within an international student project group by using a specific conflict scenario.
Which primary themes are addressed?
The main themes include cultural context, power distance, individual versus collective responsibility, and the development of intercultural sensitivity.
What is the main goal of this research?
The goal is to demonstrate the applicability of established cultural theories to real-life situations and to gain insights that help build intercultural competence.
Which methodology is utilized?
The article uses the "critical incident" technique, a qualitative research approach that analyzes specific personal experiences to derive broader psychological or sociological principles.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body presents the critical incident report followed by an in-depth application of various theories, including Hall’s high-context theory, Hofstede's and the GLOBE study's dimensions, and Bennett’s development model.
How would you summarize the key characteristics of this study?
It is an interdisciplinary study that bridges cultural studies, sociology, and social psychology to interpret personal social interactions through a academic lens.
How do "high-context" and "low-context" factors impact the incident described?
The Japanese students, coming from a high-context culture, expected unspoken cues regarding group commitment and participation, whereas the Nigerian student prioritized explicit communication and felt no obligation to share personal context about his absence.
What role does "power distance" play in the group dynamics?
The Nigerian student viewed himself as superior due to his age and professional experience, while the Asian women expected all members to be on the same horizontal hierarchical level, leading to friction in how they appraised each other's work.
- Citar trabajo
- Bachelor of Arts Lars Urhahn (Autor), 2017, Why Culture Matters.Challenges of a Diverse Team through the Lens of Intercultural Theories, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/418861
