Human Relations 5

Chapter 8 Cross-Cultural Relations and Diversity

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Learning Objectives After reading and studying this chapter and completing the exercises, you should be able to

1. Recognize who fits under the diversity umbrella. 2. Understand cultural differences. 3. Overcome many cross-cultural communication barriers. 4. Improve your cross-cultural relations.

Bright Horizons Family Solutions provides childcare and dependent care services to companies, hospitals, universities, and government agencies. The childcare centers are located on-site or near-site to help employers to reduce work/family challenges for employees who are parents of young children. Bright Horizons also offers in-home and center-based care for children as well as adults in need of personal care. The company operates 775 centers in the United States, the UK, the Netherlands, Ireland, Canada, and India. Bright Horizons has been selected as one of the 100 best companies to work for by CNN Money. One contributing factor to this ranking is that the company offers benefits rare for the child- and dependent-care industry, including higher pay, a generous 401(k) plan, and the opportunity for employee training and development. Bright Solutions highly values a domestically and culturally diverse workforce and client base. To reinforce the importance of diversity (also known as inclusion), a few years ago the company diversity

council sparked an initiative to challenge everyone in the organization to make a commitement to doing one thing to help advance diversity and inclusiveness at Bright Horizon. A key point of the one-thing initiative is that a corporate program alone is not sufficient to bring about a truly diverse organization; employees have to take actions themselves. Among the many One Thing commitments by employees have been to take a new employee to lunch to make him or her feel more welcome, to hold a discussion group about Tourette’s syndrome, and to read a book about diversity to gain new perspectives. [1]The One Thing initiative illustrates how employers give serious thought to strengthening diversity in their organizations. Top management at business firms continues to recognize the importance of a diverse workforce as well as diverse customers. Not only is the workforce becoming more diverse, but business has also become increasingly international. Approximately 15 percent of the US workforce is composed of people born in another country. Small- and medium-size firms, as well as corporate giants, are increasingly dependent on trade with other countries. An estimated 10 to 15 percent of jobs in the United States depend on imports or exports. Also more and more work, such as call centers and

manufacturing, is subcontracted to companies in other countries. All this workplace diversity has an important implication for the career-minded individual. To succeed in today’s workplace, a person must be able to relate effectively to people from different cultural groups from within and outside his or her country. Being able to relate to a culturally diverse customer base is also necessary for success. Being skilled at cross-cultural relations is also an asset in personal life because of the diversity within the society. This chapter presents concepts and techniques you can use to sharpen your ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. To get you started thinking about your readiness to work in a culturally diverse environment, take Self-Assessment Quiz 8-1.

The Diversity Umbrella • Learning Objective 1

Improving cross-cultural relations includes understanding the true meaning of appreciating diversity. To appreciate diversity, a person must go beyond tolerating and treating people from different racial and ethnic groups fairly. The true meaning of valuing diversity is to respect and enjoy a wide range of cultural and individual differences. Appreciating these differences is often referred to as inclusion to emphasize unity rather than diversity. To be diverse is to be different in some measurable way, even if what is measurable is not visible (such as religion or sexual orientation). To be highly skilled in interpersonal relations, one must recognize and appreciate individual and demographic (group or category) differences, as well as cultural differences. People from the same demographic group often come from many different cultures. For example, the Latino demographic group is composed of many different cultures. Some people are more visibly diverse than others because of physical features or disabilities. Yet the

diversity umbrella is supposed to include everybody in an organization. To value diversity is therefore to appreciate individual differences among people. Appreciating cultural diversity in organizations was originally aimed at assisting women and minorities. The diversity umbrella continues to include more people as the workforce encompasses a greater variety of people. For example, in recent years much attention has been paid to the rights of employees included in the group LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual). The rights of members of diverse religious groups are also receiving attention. At times, some of the religious groups may oppose the advances of the LGBT group. A current concern among many US employers is to ensure that Muslims are both not disciminated against and welcomed as much as other ethnic, religious, and racial groups. Although Muslims constitute less than one percent of the US population, they can be a Self-Assessment Quiz 8-1 •  


Cross-Cultural Skills and Attitudes Directions: Listed below are skills and attitudes that various employers and cross-cultural experts think are important for relating effectively to coworkers in a culturally diverse environment. For each of the statements, check applies to me now or not there yet.

Appli es to me now

No t the re yet

1. I have spent some time in another country.

2. At least one of my friends is deaf, blind, or uses a wheelchair.

3. Currency from other countries is as real as the currency from my own country.

4. I can read in a language other than my own.

5. I can speak in a language other than my own.

6. I can write in a language other than my own.

7. I can understand people speaking in a language other than my own.

8. I would be comfortable being supervised by a person with a sexual orientation different from mine.

9. My friends include people of races different from my own.

10. My friends include people of different ages.

11. I feel (or would feel) comfortable having a friend with a sexual orientation different from mine.

12. My attitude is that although another culture may be very different from mine, that culture is equally good.

Interpretation: If you answered applies to me now to 12 or more of the preceding questions, you most likely function well in a multicultural work environment. If you answered not there yet to 12 or more of the questions, you need to develop more cross- cultural awareness and skills to work effectively in a multicultural work environment. You will notice that being bilingual gives you at least four points on this quiz.highly visible target of

13. I am willing to eat (or have eaten) food from other countries that is not served in my own country.

14. I would accept (or have already accepted) a work assignment of more than several months in another country.

15. I have a passport.

16. I know the approximate difference in value between the US dollar and the euro.

17. I know how many hours difference there is between my time zone and at least two other overseas time zones.

18. I do not tell jokes that deal with the subjects of race or ethnic background.

19. I have purposely visited a neighborhood, store, or entertainment event at which most of the people were of a different race than mine.

20. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is just as important as other American official holidays.

discrimination. Many progressive employers have worked diligently to reduce tensions among Muslim and other workers. Islamophobia has been fostered by terrorism and wars against Muslim nations.[2] Efforts have increased in recent years for the inclusion of people with physical, emotional, and intellectual disabilities. Accomodations for people of physical disabilities would include such measures as wheelchair accessible workspaces and standup desks for people with back problems.[3] An accomodation for an intellectual disability would include a less noisy and distracting work space for a person with an attention- deficit disorder.

Figure 8-1 The Diversity Umbrella

The goal of a diverse organization is for persons of all cultural backgrounds to achieve their full potential, not restrained by group identities such as gender, nationality, or race. Another important goal is for these groups to work together harmoniously. Figure 8-1 presents a broad sampling of the ways in which workplace associates can differ from one another. Studying this list can help you anticipate the types of differences to understand and appreciate in a diverse workplace. The differences include cultural as well as individual factors. Individual factors are also important because people can be discriminated against for personal characteristics as well as group factors. Many people, for example, believe they are held back from promotion because of their weight-to-height ratio. A diverse workforce is noted to have many consequences to the organization, mostly positive, but some negative. A sampling of these consequences is as follows: • Multicultural experiences are strongly associated with

creative thinking, and creative outcomes such as ideas for new products.[4] If you work with people from different cultures on the job or associate with them in personal life, your creativity is likely to be enhanced.

• A diverse workforce helps generate more profits through such means as having employees onboard who look similar to and share the same customs as their customers.[5] Allstate, Home Depot, and Walmart exemplify companies whose culturally diverse workforce helps them attract more customers.

• When employees and managers working for a large retailer perceive that a positive climate (atmosphere) for diversity exists, the store is likely to prosper. A one-year study of more than 650 store units at J. C. Penney found that the largest sales growth occurred in stores wherein subordinates and managers perceived highly pro-diversity

climates. In contrast, the lowest sales growth was found in stores in which both managers and subordinates reported a less hospitable climate for diversity.[6]

• Cultural diversity within groups can sometimes lead to so much conflict and disagreement that productivity suffers. Diversity in educational background and age can also lead to conflict. However, a study in Germany found that in teams in which the need for intellectual stimulation was relatively high, team performance increased in the presence of diversity in educational experience and age.[7]

• A work environment perceived to be supportive of diversity is likely to foster more commitment to the organization, including a greater likelihood of staying with the firm. In contrast, perceived racial discrimination is negatively related to commitment to the firm and positively related to voluntary turnover. (A series of three studies with white, Latino, and black employees was the basis for these conclusions.)[8]

Understanding Cultural Differences • Learning Objective 2

The groundwork for developing effective cross-cultural relations is to understand cultural differences. The information about different communication patterns between men and women presented in Chapter 4 is relevant here. Here we discuss six aspects of understanding cultural differences: (1) cultural sensitivity, including political correctness, (2) cultural intelligence, (3) respect for all workers, (4) cultural fluency, (5) dimensions of differences in cultural values, and (6) avoidance of cultural bloopers. To work smoothly with people from other cultures, it is important to become competent in all six areas. Cultural Sensitivity and Political Correctness In order to relate well to someone from a foreign country, a person must be alert to possible cultural differences. When working in another country, a person must be willing to acquire knowledge about local customs, and learn how to speak the

native language at least passably. When working or socializing with people from different cultures, even from his or her own country, the person must be patient, adaptable, flexible, and willing to listen and learn. The characteristics just mentioned are part of cultural sensitivity, an awareness of and willingness to investigate the reasons why individuals of another culture act as they do.[9] A person with cultural sensitivity will recognize certain nuances in customs that will help build better relationships from cultural backgrounds other than his or her own. A survey from The Economist showed that 73 percent of the respondents indicated that this cultural sensitivity is a top skill for global managers (those who manage in an international environment).[10] cultural sensitivity An awareness of and willingness to investigate the reasons why people of another culture act as they do. Another aspect of cultural sensitivity is political correctness: being careful not to offend or slight anyone and being extra civil and respectful.[11] An effective use of political correctness would be to say, “We need a ladder in our department because we have workers of different heights who need access to the top shelves.” It would be politically incorrect to say, “We need ladders because we have some short workers who cannot reach the top shelves.” Carried too far, political correctness can push a person in the direction of being too bland and imprecise in language. The ultra- politically correct person, for example, will almost never mention a person’s race, sex, ethnicity, or health status when referring to another worker. For example, the ultra-politically correct person would not make a statement like, “Sadie is German, so she was a natural to be our liaison with the manufacturing group.” (The cultural stereotype here is that Germans are quite interested in manufacturing technology and think precisely.) Ultra political correctness also involves using supposedly correct terms to describe people, even if a given individual rejects the label. For example, many black people are correctly referred to

as “black” rather than “African-American,” because they might be citizens of Africa, Haiti, England, etc. Also, the same people do not consider themselves to be African-American. Empathy is a major trait and skill that facilitates cultural sensitivity and political correctness. You have to place yourself in the other person’s perspective, and ask yourself questions like, “How would I like it if somebody snarled and said an ugly word when he or she looked at my favorite food?” Kim Oliver and Sylvester Baugh offer this insight into developing the type of empathy helpful in building cross-cultural relations in the workplace: “We want to try to develop an understanding for the majority about what it might be like to be the minority, and help the minority understand what it’s like to be the majority.”[12] Cultural Intelligence An advanced aspect of cultural sensitivity is to be able to fit in comfortably with people of another culture by observing the subtle cues they give about how a person should act in their presence. Cultural intelligence (CQ) is an outsider’s ability to interpret someone’s unfamiliar and ambiguous behavior the same way that person’s compatriots would.[13] With high cultural intelligence, a person would be able to figure out what behavior would be true of all people and all groups, such as rapid shaking of a clenched fist to communicate anger. Also, the person with high cultural intelligence could figure out what is peculiar to this group, and those aspects of behavior that are neither universal nor peculiar to the group. These ideas are so abstract that an example will help clarify. cultural intelligence (CQ) An outsider’s ability to interpret someone’s unfamiliar and ambiguous behavior the same way that person’s compatriots would. An American sales representative for a company that manufactures large-scale earth-moving equipment was in conference in Seoul, South Korea to get final approval on additional design features that the Seoul company had demanded. The two key representatives of

the company smiled and nodded their heads as the American made a PowerPoint presentation on the new features and their added cost. All went so well with his presentation that the American was surprised when the South Korean team did not agree to the terms of the new features at the end of the meeting. The South Korean representatives said they would need a few more weeks to evaluate the proposal. At first the American was upset that agreement was not reached depite the warm reception he was receiving. During dinner that night, the American’s cultural intelligence kicked in. He thought to himself, “Maybe I went a little overboard in thinking that the South Korean team was so impressed with my presentation. I should have realized that South Korean businesspeople are polite and cordial. They don’t like to appear rejecting until it comes time to sign the contract.” Similar to emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence encompasses several aspects of behavior. The three sources of cultural intelligence relate to the cognitive, emotional/ motivational, and the physical, shown in Figure 8-2, and explained as follows:[14]

1. Cognitive (the Head): The cognitive part of CQ refers to what a person knows and how he or she can acquire new knowledge. Here you acquire facts about people from another culture such as their passion for football (soccer in North America), their business practices, and their promptness in paying bills. Another aspect of this source of cultural intelligence is figuring out how you can learn more about the other culture.

2. Emotional/Motivational (the Heart): The emotional/ motivational aspect of CQ refers to energizing one’s actions and building personal confidence. You need both confidence and motivation to adapt to another culture. A man on a business trip to Africa might say to himself, “When I greet a work associate in a restaurant, can I really pull off kissing him on both cheeks? What if he thinks I’m weird?”

With strong motivation, the same person might say, “I’ll give it a try. I kind of greet my grandfather the same way back in the United States.”

3. Physical (the Body): The body aspect of CQ is the action component. The body is the element for translating intentions into actions and desires. Kissing the same-sex African work associates on both cheeks is the physical aspect just mentioned.


Figure 8-2 The Components of Cultural Intelligence
 
 
 We often have an idea of what we should do, but implementation is not so easy. You might know, for example, that when entering an Asian person’s home you should take off your shoes, yet you might not actually remove them, thereby, offending your Asian work (or personal life) associate.

To practice high cultural intelligence, the mind, heart, and body have to work together. You need to figure out how to act with people from another culture, you need motivation and confidence

to change, and you have to translate your knowledge and motivation into action. So when you are on a business trip to London, go ahead and hold your fork in your left hand! Respect for All Workers and Cultures An effective strategy for achieving cross-cultural understanding is to simply respect all others in the workplace, including their cultures. Respecting people from other cultures works equally well in personal life. An example is not joking about the fact that an acquaintance of yours puts his head on the floor to pray. An important component of respect is to believe that although another person’s culture is different from yours, it is equally good. Respect comes from valuing differences. Respecting other people’s customs can translate into specific attitudes, such as respecting one coworker for wearing a yarmulke on Friday or another for wearing African clothing to celebrate Kwanzaa. Another way of being respectful would be to listen carefully to the opinion of a senior worker who says the company should never have converted to voicemail and a voice recognition system in place of assistants answering the phone (even though you disagree). An aspect of respecting all workers that achieves current attention is the importance of respecting the rights of majorities, particularly white males. Many of these men want to be involved in—not excluded from—bringing about cultural diversity in organizations. For example, they might want to mentor minority group members.

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Company policies that encourage respect for the rights of others are likely to create a positive influence on tolerance throughout the firm. An example is that many employers have taken steps to recognize and affirm the existence of gay and lesbian workers. Among these steps are publishing formal statements of nondiscrimination and the inclusion of issues about sexual orientation in diversity training programs. A major policy change has been to grant same-sex couples the Skill-Building Exercise 8-1 •  


Developing Cultural Sensitivity Ask a few people from other countries, in-person or electronically, what they consider to be a couple of the most unusual practices from your country that they have heard about or read about. Also gently inquire as to why the practice is

perceived to be unusual. Collaborate with classmates to compile the list. After the list and the explanations are compiled, reflect on how this exercise enhanced your cultural sensitivity. For your curiosity, here is an example: A network member from Morocco, living in the United States said, “I don’t understand why so many Americans speak only one language. Almost all children from educated families in Morocco grow up speaking Arabic and French, and many of us also speak English. Don’t you Americans have enough time to learn another language?” same benefits granted to opposite-sex couples. Later legislation in many states and provinces made such a policy mandatory. Another formal (official) way of demonstrating respect for all workers is to provide for the presence of employee network (or affinity) groups. Such a group is composed of employees throughout the company who affiliate on the basis of group characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or physical ability status. The network group provides members of the same demographic or cultural group with an avenue for sharing ideas with management. An example of such a group would be the Hispanic Employee Network at McDonald’s. A study of 537 gay and lesbian employees working for a variety of organizations demonstrated that the more prevalent policies dealing with respect, the more equitably sexual minorities are likely to be treated at work. More equitable treatment, in turn, was associated with gays and lesbians being more satisfied and less likely to leave the firm.[15] Skill-Building Exercise 8-1 is a warm-up activity for achieving cultural sensitivity and, perhaps, respect for all workers. Cultural Fluency A high-level goal in understanding cultural differences is to achieve cultural fluency, the ability to conduct business in a diverse, international environment.[16] Achieving cultural fluency includes a variety of skills, such as relating well to people from different cultures and knowing a second language. Cultural

fluency also includes knowledge of the international business environment, such as how the exchange rate can affect profits. Having high cultural intelligence would contribute to cultural fluency because such intelligence makes it easier to work well with people from other cultures. If you are culturally fluent, you will also find it easier to make friends (real and virtual) from other cultures. cultural fluency The ability to conduct business in a diverse, international environment. Dimensions of Differences in Cultural Values One way to understand how national cultures differ is to examine their values or cultural dimensions. The formulation presented here is based on the worldwide research in 62 societal cultures and builds on previous analyses of cultural dimensions.[17] The cultural dimensions presented here are those most directly related to interpersonal skills. Keep in mind that these cultural dimensions are stereotypes that apply to a representative person from a particular culture and are not meant to insult anybody. These cultural dimensions are differences between national societies and may not be representative of a given individual. As with gender stereotypes in communication,

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individual differences are substantial. For example, many Americans are not assertive, and many French are willing to work 70 hours per week.

1. Performance orientation is the degree to which a society encourages, or should encourage, and rewards group members for performance improvement and excellence. Countries high on this dimension are the United States and Singapore, whereas those low on this dimension are Russia and Greece.

2. Assertiveness is the degree to which individuals are (and should be) assertive, confrontational, and aggressive in their relationships with one another. Countries scoring high on this dimension are the United States and Austria, whereas those low on this dimension are Sweden and New Zealand. Assertive people enjoy competition in business, in contrast to less assertive cultural groups who prefer harmony, loyalty, and solidarity.

3. Time orientation is the importance nations and individuals attach to time. People with an urgent time orientation perceive time as a scarce resource and tend to be impatient. People with a casual time orientation view time as an unlimited and unending resource and tend to be patient. Americans are noted for their urgent time orientation. They frequently impose deadlines and are eager to get started doing business. Asians, Mexicans, and Middle Easterners, in contrast, are patient negotiators.

4. Humane orientation is the degree to which a society encourages and rewards, and should encourage and reward, individuals for being fair, altruistic, caring, and kind toward others. Egypt and Malaysia rank high on this cultural dimension, and France and Germany rank low.

5. In-group collectivism is the degree to which individuals express, and should express, pride, loyalty, and cohesiveness in their organizations and families. Asian

societies emphasize collectivism, as do Egypt and Russia. One consequence of collectivism is taking pride in family members and the organizations that employ them.

6. Gender egalitarianism is the degree to which a culture minimizes, and should minimize, gender inequality. European countries emphasize gender egalitarianism, and so do the United States and Canada. South Korea is an example of a country that is low on gender egalitarianism and is male dominated.

7. Acceptance of power and authority is the degree to which members of a society expect, and should expect, power to be distributed unequally. Individuals who accept power and authority expect the boss to make the major decisions. These same individuals are more formal; however, being formal toward people in positions of authority has decreased substantially throughout the world in recent years. Examples of societies that score high on acceptance of power and authority are Thailand, Brazil, France, and Japan.

8. Work orientation is the number of hours per week and weeks per year people expect to invest in work versus leisure or other nonwork activities. American corporate professionals typically work about 55 hours per week, take 45-minute lunch breaks, and two weeks of vacation. Americans tend to have a stronger work orientation than Europeans, but a weaker one than Asians. US employees average 1,797 hours of work per year, compared with 1,336 for Dutch workers and 1,392 for the French. Workers in South Korea were on the job about 2,193 hours per year.[18]

9. Social support seeking is the degree to which people seek out others to help them with difficult problems through such means as listening, offering sympathy, and giving advice. Asians and Asian-Americans are more reluctant to explicitly request support from close others than are European Americans. The hesitancy comes about because the Asians

and Asian-Americans are more concerned about negative relationship consequences, such as disrupting group harmony or receiving criticism from the other person. Another possible reason for the hesitancy is that Asians and Asian-Americans expect social support without having to ask.[19]

An analysis of 600 studies about cultural values, stemming three decades, arrived at a few conclusions for better understanding human relations on the job.[20] First, an individual’s cultural value profile is more important in understanding how that person will behave than the typical value for his or her profile. For example, South Koreans may in general have high respect for power and authority, but your coworker Helen Kim might be more egalitarian. Second, cultural values may have a stronger effect on job behavior for workers who are older rather than younger, male rather than female, and for more highly educated workers. Third, cultural values have their biggest impact on job behavior when certain emotional responses, beliefs, and attitudes are critical to the position. For example, a humane orientation would usually be helpful in customer service positions. Fourth, cultural values are more predictive of how workers behave from culturally tighter rather than looser cultures. A tight culture is more homogeneous with respect to values, whereas a loose culture is more heterogeneous. Also, social norms are stronger in a tight culture, such as India or Singapore, rather than in a loose culture, such as the United States or Canada. How might someone use information about cultural differences to improve his or her interpersonal relations on the job? A starting point would be to recognize that a person’s national values might influence his or her behavior. Assume that you wanted to establish a good working relationship with a person from a high humane-orientation culture. An effective starting point would be to emphasize care and concern when communicating with the individual. Attitudes toward acceptance of power and authority can make a difference in establishing working relationships. A worker who

values deference to age, gender, or title might shy away from offering suggestions to an elder or manager to avoid appearing disrespectful. This worker would need considerable encouragement to collaborate in decision making.[21] Time- orientation may create a conflict if you are committed to making deadlines and a team member has a laid-back attitude toward time. You might explain that although you respect his attitudes toward time, the company insists on getting the project completed on time. Self-Assessment Quiz 8-2 will help you think about how cultural dimensions might be influencing your interpersonal relations in the workplace. Cultural Bloopers An effective way of being culturally sensitive is to minimize actions that are likely to offend people from another culture based on their values. Cultural bloopers are most likely to take place when you are visiting another country. The same bloopers, however, can also be committed with people from a different culture within your own country. To avoid these bloopers, you must carefully observe persons from another culture. Studying another culture through reading is also helpful. E-commerce and other forms of Internet communication have created new opportunities for creating cultural bloopers. The Web site developers and workers responsible for adding content must have good cross-cultural literacy, including an awareness of how the information might be misinterpreted. • Numerical date formats can be readily misinterpreted. To an

American, 4/9/16 would be interpreted as April 9, 2016 (or 1916!). However, many Europeans would interpret the same numerical expression as September 4, 2016.

• Colors on Web sites must be chosen carefully. For example, in some cultures purple is the color of royalty, whereas in Brazil purple is associated with death.

• Be careful of metaphors that may not make sense to a person for whom your language is a second language.

Examples include “We’ve encountered an ethical meltdown” and “Our biggest competitor is over the hill.”

English has become the language of business and science throughout the world, yet communicating in a customer’s native tongue has its advantages. Being able to communicate your message directly in your customer’s mother tongue provides a competitive advantage. Bilingualism also has career implications. Some telemarketing, banking, engineering, and financial service companies are searching for workers with bilingual skills. The two major contributing factors are the growing immigrant population in the United States that companies are engaged more in international business.[22] Self-Assessment Quiz 8-2 •  


Charting Your Cultural Dimension Profile Directions: For each of the nine cultural dimensions, circle the number that most accurately fits your standing on the dimension. For example, if you perceive yourself to be highly humane, circle 2 on the fourth dimension (item 4).

High performance orientation Low performance orientation

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Low assertiveness High assertiveness

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Urgent time orientation Casual time orientation

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

High humane orientation Low humane orientation

Scoring and Interpretation: After circling one number for each dimension, use a pen or pencil to connect the circles, thereby giving yourself a profile of cultural values. Do not be concerned if your line cuts through the names of the dimensions. Compare your profile to others in the class. Should time allow, develop a class profile by computing the class average for each of the nine points and then connecting the points. Furthermore, according to the research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), consumers are four times more likely to purchase a product online if the Web site is in their preferred language.[23] Many Web sites give the viewer a language choice,

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

In-group collectivism In-group individualism

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

High gender egalitarianism Low gender egalitarianism

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

High acceptance of power and authority

Low acceptance of power and authority

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Work orientation Leisure orientation

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Social support seeking Social support avoidance

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

but seeing the site at first glance in one’s native language is still generally more compelling. The translator, of course, must have good knowledge of the subtleties of the language to avoid a blooper. An English-to-French translator used the verb baiser instead of baisser to describe a program of lowering prices. Baisser is the French verb “to lower,” whereas baiser is the verb “to kiss.” Worse, in slang baiser is a verb that refers to having intimate physical relationships! Keep two key facts in mind when attempting to avoid cultural mistakes. One is that members of any cultural group show individual differences. What one member of the group might regard as an insensitive act, another might welcome. Recognize also that one or two cultural mistakes will not peg you permanently as a boor. Skill-Building Exercise 8-2 will help you minimize certain cultural bloopers. Overcoming Cross-Cultural Communication Barriers • Learning Objective 3

We have already discussed the importance of overcoming communication barriers in Chapter 4. Cultural differences create additional barriers. Here are some guidelines for overcoming cross-cultural communication barriers.

1. Be sensitive to the fact that cross-cultural communication barriers exist. If you are aware of these potential barriers, you will be ready to deal with them. When you are dealing with a person in the workplace with a different cultural background than
 Skill-Building Exercise 8-2

•  


2. Cultural Mistakes to Avoid with Selected Cultural Groups


Europe

1.Great Britain

• Asking personal questions. The British protect their privacy.

• Thinking that a businessperson from England is unenthusiastic when he or she says, “Not bad at all.” English people understate their positive emotion.

• Gossiping about royalty.

1.France • Expecting to complete work during the French two-hour lunch.

• Attempting to conduct significant business during August—les vacances (vacation time).

• Greeting a French person for the first time and not using a title such as “sir,” or “madam,” or “miss” (monsieur, madame, or mademoiselle).

1.Italy • Eating too much pasta, as it is not the main course.

• Handing out business cards freely. Italians use them infrequently.

1.Spain • Expecting punctuality. Your appointments will usually arrive 20 to 30 minutes late.

• Making the American sign for “okay” with your thumb and forefinger. In Spain (and many other countries) this is vulgar.

1.Scandi navia

• Being overly rank conscious. Scandinavians pay (Denmark, relatively little attention to a person’s rank in Sweden, the hierarchy. Norway)

1.
 
 
 
 Asia

1.All Asia n

• Pressuring an Asian job applicant or employee to countries brag about his or her accomplishments. Asians feel self-conscious when boasting about individual accomplishments; they prefer to let the record speak for itself. In addition, they prefer to talk about group rather than individual accomplishment.

1.Jap an

• Shaking hands or hugging Japanese (as well as other Asians) in public. Japanese consider these practices to be offensive.

• Not interpreting “We’ll consider it” as a “no” when spoken by a Japanese businessperson. Japanese negotiators mean “no” when they say “We’ll consider it.”

• Not giving small gifts to Japanese when conducting business. Japanese are offended by not receiving these gifts.

• Giving your business card to a Japanese businessperson more than once. Japanese prefer to give and receive business cards only once.

1.Chi na

• Not taking a business card presented to you seriously, such as quickly stuffing it in your pocket.

• Using a strong handshake instead of a limp one. Insisting on a handshake rather than a polite bow.

• Giving expensive gifts, because this may obligate the person to reciprocate with something of equal value to you. Giving a clock can sometimes backfire, because the Mandarin word for “to give clocks” resembles “to attend to a dying relative.”

• Making cold calls on Chinese business executives. An appropriate introduction is required for a first-time meeting with a Chinese official.

1.Kor ea

• Saying no. Koreans feel it is important to have visitors leave with good feelings.

1.Indi a

• Telling Indians you prefer not to eat with your hands. If the Indians are not using cutlery when eating, they expect you to do likewise.

1.Thai land

• Pointing the sole of your shoes toward another person. (It’s not so cool in other countries also.) Be aware of this potential mistake when sitting.

1.
 
 
 Mexico and Latin America

1.Me xic o

• Flying into a Mexican city in the morning and expecting to close a deal by lunch. Mexicans build business relationships slowly.

1.Br azil

• Attempting to impress Brazilians by speaking a few words of Spanish. Portuguese is the official language of Brazil.

1.Mo st Lati n

• Wearing elegant and expensive jewelry during a American business meeting. Latin Americans think people countries should appear more conservative during a business meeting.

1.
 
 
 Note: A cultural mistake for Americans to avoid when conducting business in most countries outside the United States and Canada is to insist on getting down to business quickly. North Americans in small towns also like to build a relationship before getting down to business. The preceding suggestions will lead to cross-cultural skill development if practiced in the right setting. During the next 30 days, look for an opportunity to relate to a person from another culture in the way described in these suggestions. Observe the reaction of the other person for feedback on your cross- cultural effectiveness.
 
 Source: Two of the items about China are from Eric Spitsnagel, “Impress Your Chinese Boss,” Bloomberg Businessweek, January 16, 2012, pp. 80–81.
 
 
 yours, solicit feedback in order to minimize cross-cultural barriers to communication. Being aware of these potential barriers will help you develop cultural sensitivity.

3. Show respect for all workers. The same behavior that promotes good cross-cultural relations in general helps overcome communication barriers. A widely used comment that implies disrespect is to say to a person from another culture, “You have a funny accent.” Should you be transposed to that person’s culture, you too might have a “funny accent.”

4. Use straightforward language and speak slowly and clearly. When working with people who do not speak your language fluently, speak in an easy-to-understand manner. Minimize the use of idioms and analogies specific to your language. For example, “tabling an idea” means rejecting an idea in some English-speaking countries, yet means putting the idea on the table for discussion in others.

5. Observe cultural differences in etiquette. Violating rules of etiquette without explanation can erect immediate communication barriers. A major rule of etiquette in many countries is that people address superiors by their last name unless they have worked together for a long time. Or the superior might encourage being on a first-name basis with him or her. Be aware that an increasing number of cultures are moving toward addressing each other and customers by using the first name only. Yet, it is best to err on the side of formality.
 Another key aspect of cross-cultural etiquette is to observe and implement the appropriate greeting. Among these greetings are handshakes, kisses on the cheek, hugs, and bows. Touching is also a touchy subject. Observe carefully whether it seems appropriate to touch the other person in some way, such as a back pat or a fist bump on another person’s elbow or shoulder.[24]

6. Be sensitive to differences in nonverbal communication. Stay alert to the possibility that a person from another culture may misinterpret your nonverbal signal. Hand signals of various types, such as a thumb up or the

okay sign to indicate acceptance, are the most liable to misinterpretation. Another key area of cross-cultural differences in nonverbal communication is the handshake. In some cultures, a woman is expected to extend her hand first to shake with a man. In other cultures, people hug, embrace, or bow instead of shaking hands. (With good cultural sensitivity and cultural intelligence, you can figure out what to do when meeting another person.)
 Behavioral mirroring, as described in Chapter 4, is another example of how the effectiveness of nonverbal behavior might be influenced by the other person’s culture. Three experiments with bank managers required Anglos and Latinos to interact with an interviewer who was trained to mirror the behavior of the interviewee. It was found that Latino interviewees rated interviewers higher who used behavioral mirroring. Also, the Latinos experienced more anxiety when the interviewer did not mirror their behavior.[25] The intercultural explanation for these findings is that Latinos, as a group, value nonverbal behavior more than do Anglos. The implication of the experiment for cross-cultural communication is to attempt to determine if you are making appropriate use of nonverbal communication techniques when interacting with a person from another culture.

7. Do not be diverted by style, accent, grammar, or personal appearance. Although these superficial factors are all related to business success, they are difficult to interpret when judging a person from another culture. It is therefore better to judge the merits of the statement or behavior. A brilliant individual from another culture may still be learning your language and may thus make basic mistakes in speaking your language. Also, he or she might not yet have developed a sensitivity to dress style in your culture.

8. Be attentive to individual differences in appearance. A major intercultural insult is to confuse the identity of

people because they are members of the same race or ethnic group. An older economics professor reared in China and teaching in the United States had difficulty communicating with students because he was unable to learn their names. The professor’s defense was, “So many of these Americans look alike to me.” Research suggests that people have difficulty seeing individual differences among people of another race because they code race first, such as thinking “He has the nose of an African-American.” However, people can learn to search for more distinguishing features, such as a dimple or eye color.[26] In this way, individual differences are recognized.

9. Pronounce correctly the names of people you interact with from other countries. Communication is much smoother when you correctly pronounce the name of another person. For many Americans, this is a challenging task because they are accustomed to names with one or two syllables that are easy to pronounce, such as Bob or Ann. A trouble spot for many people whose only language is English is that “H” and “J” might be silent in another language.[27] Suppose one of your work or personal associates has the first name “Hyuntak.” After listening to his name for the first time, develop a phonetic spelling that will help you pronounce the name in the future. (How about “High-oon-tack”?)

10. Be aware of key words that could be objectionable in another country or culture. A challenge for the cross- cultural worker is that occasionally a key word in one’s culture may be unacceptable in another culture, thereby weakening your central message. An HR (human resources) consultant was launching a program for helping employees —an employee assistance program—in Russia. Using the word “assistance” might hurt the presentation because the notion of seeking help in Russia carries a certain stigma. The HR specialist framed its services to Russian workers as

“support.”[28] (Note that the HR specialist sought assistance in choosing the best word to sell the assistance program.)

Techniques for Improving Cross- Cultural Relations • Learning Objective 4

Many training programs have been developed to improve cross- cultural relations and to help workers value diversity. All of the information presented so far in this chapter is likely to be included in such programs. In this section, we describe programs for improving cross-cultural relations, including cultural training, recognizing your own cultural biases, cultural intelligence training, language training, diversity training, and cross-cultural mentoring. Cultural Training For many years, companies and government agencies have prepared their workers for overseas assignments. The method most frequently chosen is cultural training, a set of learning experiences designed to help employees understand the customs, traditions, and beliefs of another culture. In today’s diverse business environment and international marketplace, learning about individuals raised in different cultural backgrounds has become more important. Many industries therefore train employees in cross-cultural relations. cultural training A set of learning experiences designed to help employees understand the customs, traditions, and beliefs of another culture. Cultural training is also important for helping people of one culture understand their customers from another culture in particular, such as Chinese people learning to deal more effectively with their American customers. For example, in one training program Chinese businesspeople are taught how to

sprinkle their e-mail with English phrases like “How are you?” “It was great to hear from you,” and “Can we work together?”[29] The Job-Oriented Interpersonal Skills in Action box describes how cultural training can improve the effectiveness of establishing call centers overseas. To practice improving your cross-cultural relations, do Skill- Building Exercise 8-3. Recognize Your Own Cultural and Demographic Biases A potential barrier to working smoothly with people from cultures other than our own is an almost unconscious tendency to react positively or negatively toward those people from a particular cultural or demographic group. Let us begin with a seemingly harmless example. Your positive bias toward Chinese people is that they have exceptional quantitative skills. One day at the office, you are trying to divide some fractions by other fractions (such as dividing 4/8 by 2/3) using a calculator. Your first impulse is to ask Li, a Chinese-American coworker, to help you with the calculation. An example of a negative bias is a person rejecting a job offer because his or her supervisor would be a person of about age 70. The bias might be that the applicant perceives an older person as intellectually slow, living in the past, and technology challenged. Research conducted with customer satisfaction evaluations supports the idea that many people have biases related to workplace interactions. One study involved satisfaction Job-Oriented Interpersonal Skills in Action Mexican Call Center Workers Learn to Deal Effectively with Americans In a high-rise office building, one dozen young Mexicans are studying the customs of a country most of them have never visited. One by one, the students present their conclusions about the United States. “Americans think Mexicans eat mostly tacos and drink margaritas everyday. They give big tips if they like you.

Unless they are Latino-Americans, they probably speak only one language,” says Maria. “People are self-centered. The average American uses a credit card even to pay for lunch in a restaurant,” says Hugo. The Mexicans, who range in age from 20 to 29, have been hired to take calls from confused or angry Americans who are having a functional problem with their prepaid cell phone or smartphone. The problem could be technical, or it could relate to a customer service problem such as their prepaid minutes not being accurately recorded or their phone being shut down. The phone company works on a slim profit margin, so it cannot afford to maintain a tech support and customer service center in the United States. The company offers a Web site for providing technical support and customer service, yet many customers feel the need to interact with a live person. To communicate with the Americans, the Mexican workers must communicate in their second language and a culture that is foreign. “We’re not saying that Mexico is better or the United States is better,” says their trainer, Tanya. “We just want our tech support staff to develop cultural awareness so there is better rapport when someone calls in for help.” Call centers for inexpensive cell phone service took root in Mexico when the demand for mobile phones skyrocketed in the mid-2000s, yet many people did not have good enough credit to purchase traditional cell phone service. Large prepaid cell phone and smartphone providers like Tracfone wanted to provide the best tech support they could, yet still remain profitable. At first, training at the tech support centers and customer service centers was simple. The centers gave employees names that were easy for Americans to understand such as Pedro, Suzie, Maria, and Bob in cases where they had names difficult for Americans to pronounce. The new hires were instructed to watch American television shows to get an idea of American pop culture. In this way, if there was a waiting period during the help session, they could make a few minutes of small talk.

Shortly after the support center was established, problems in dealing with the Americans began to surface. Although the customers were paying the minimum price possible for cell phone or smartphone service, they were often quite demanding and aggressive. One man swore at the customer service rep because he couldn’t figure out how to use his phone to make a call to Ontario, Canada. Roberta, the recipient of the outrage, attempted to explain that instructions on how to telephone Canada from the United States are presented on page 8 of the manual that comes with the phone. A woman kept calling another rep a “stupid fool” because the rep couldn’t understand her problem having to do with not being credited for enough minutes. The Mexican support staff felt uncomfortable in being too firm with belligerent customers. Instead of being assertive about the company’s position on a particular problem, the reps tended to be too conciliatory, often blaming the company for the problem; however, being conciliatory did not result in customers being totally satisfied. Problems were often left unresolved. As a result, the prepaid cell phone service company noticed that renewal rates were slipping. A renewal in this sense is a customer purchasing more minutes at a store or through the company Web site. The cell phone and smartphone company hired a firm that offers cultural training to help the Mexican call center workers deal more effectively with upset American customers. (Tanya was the trainer assigned to the account.) The workers were given careful instructions on how to express sympathy, using phrases such as “I am sorry that you are having this problem. I know that your phone is important to you.” When a customer is explosively angry, the call center workers were coached on how to let the customer finish the outburst, and then say, “I hear that you are upset. But let us see how we can get this problem solved.” New hires as well as experienced employees were also taught to defend the company when the company is right. For example, to

fix a technical problem such as the voicemail feature not working, the caller usually has to key in a long series of numbers. A frustrated customer often has difficulty with such a task. To deal with the frustration, the call center worker is taught to say something like, “Please try entering the numbers again slowly and carefully.” If the customer enters the sequence of numbers incorrectly again, the worker is coached on how to be assertive, such as “This method does work. If you want to fix your phone, you have to do it carefully.” Many customer complaints that get back to the company deal with not being able to understand the English spoken by the call center workers, so the Mexican workers are coached on how to speak key English words with a general American accent. For example, instead of saying “She-ca-go” for “Chicago,” the worker is taught to say “Sha-ca-go.” And the workers are coached to pronounce “nine” as “nyne” instead of “neen.” Questions

1. What do you see as a major cultural difference between Mexicans and Americans that make the call center job so challenging for Mexicans?


2. Some of the call center representatives in Mexico are instructed to identify themselves as students in Kansas City, in addition to giving them American first names. What is your take on the ethics of these disguises?


Source: Case history collected from a human resource specialist at the mobile phone company in question. ratings with physicians, 38 percent of whom were women, and 11.5 percent of whom were ethnic minorities. In the survey of patients, each physician was rated by an average of 107 patients. The medical service organization, an HMO, had objective data available about the performance of physicians. No significant differences were found in performance based on physician race and gender. Another study was conducted at a large country-club organization. A third study was conducted

with college students, using a simulated college bookstore. The overall results of the three studies indicated that customers tended to be less satisfied with the services provided by women and nonwhite employees in contrast to the services provided by men and white employees. The team of Skill-Building Exercise 8-3 •  


Cross-Cultural Relations Role-Play One student plays the role of Ritu, a call center representative in New Delhi, India. Her specialty is helping customers with cell phone and smartphone problems. Another student plays the role of Todd, an irate American. His problem is that he cannot get his camera-equipped phone to transmit his photos over e-mail. He is scheduled to attend a party in two hours and wants to take loads of photos with his smartphone. Todd is impatient and, in the eyes of Ritu, somewhat overbearing. Ritu is good natured and pleasant, but feels she must help Todd solve his problem without being bullied by him. Because Ritu is instructed to spend the minimum time necessary to resolve the problem, she spends about five minutes on this problem. The observers should make note of how well Ritu has made the necessary cross-cultural adaptations. researchers concluded that customer satisfaction evalutations are biased because they are anonymous judgments by untrained raters who may lack an evaluation standard.[30] We may not be able to control all our biases toward cultural and demographic groups, but awareness can lead to a reduction and control of these biases. Suppose you and your spouse or partner decided to place your house on the market for sale. Instead of choosing a real estate agent based on a bias (such as the idea that an attractive woman in her forties makes the best agent), you would choose an agent based on prior sales performance. Self-Assessment Quiz 8-3 offers you an opportunity to think about the cultural biases you might have.

Self-Assessment Quiz 8-3 •  


The Personal Biases and Prejudices Checklist Check whether each of the attitudes, beliefs, and actions in the following list are generally true or generally false for you. Responding to this checklist is difficult, because you are required to be objective and honest about your biases and prejudices.

Gener ally True

Gener ally False

No. Statement about Biases and Prejudices in Relation to People

1. I can imagine a woman being an effective president of the United States.

2. I would feel comfortable if my boss were four feet in height.

3. I would be fearful of any woman wearing a covering over her face in an airport.

4. It makes sense to charge higher interest rates for loans and mortgages to minority group members, even if their credit rating is above average.

5. If I or a loved one needed brain surgery, I would want the surgery performed only by a male, Caucasian brain surgeon.

Scoring and Interpretation: Give yourself one point for the following answers: generally true to questions 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10; generally false to questions 1, 2, and 8. If you scored 5 or more points, you most likely have biases and prejudices that hold you back a little from having strong cross-cultural relations. If you scored between 0 and 4, you are likely to be perceived as an unbiased person, and one whose biases and prejudices create very few problems in interpersonal relationships. Being perceived as unbiased and unprejudiced could facilitate you getting along well with coworkers and being selected for a leadership position. A caution is that it quite difficult to be honest with oneself about one’s level of bias and prejudice, so perhaps take this quiz again in one week. Cultural Intelligence Training

6. During a major athletic contest, such as a basketball or soccer game, I would want a black person to take the game-deciding shot.

7. I would prefer not to be a passenger on an airplane if the pilot were older than age 50.

8. My like or dislike for President Barack Obama had (or has) nothing to do with his being African-American (or mixed race).

9. When I am uncertain about a person’s race or ethnic background, I often ask, “What are you?”

10. If I needed a financial planner, I would never hire one who was under age 35.

An advanced method assisting people to work more effectively with workers in other cultures is cultural intelligence training, a program based on the principles of cultural intelligence described earlier in this chapter. A key part of the training is to learn the three contributors to CQ—head, heart, and body. Instead of learning a few simple guidelines for working effectively with people from another culture, the trainee is taught strategies for sizing up the environment to determine which course of action is best. The culturally intelligent overseas worker would learn how to determine how much humor to interject into meetings, what kind of handshake is most appropriate, and so forth.[31] The following excerpt will give you a feel for what is involved in cultural intelligence training: An American manager, Leah, is visiting a large food company in Tijuana, Mexico. Her goal is to work out some details in a contract for the Mexican company to supply Mexican food to the American food distributor that Leah represents. Her main contact is the marketing director, Carlos. Leah has been taught in cultural intelligence training that she must first gather facts about the Mexican business culture, such as their preference for relationship building before concluding a deal. Leah must also focus on the emotional/motivational aspect of cultural intelligence, such as being confident that she can use her limited knowledge of Spanish to add a warm note to the negotiations. Next, Leah focuses on the body (physical) aspect of conducting business with a Mexican in Mexico. Leah notes that a firm handshake followed by a respectful hug goes a long way in cementing a business relationhsip in Tiujuana. So as negotiations conclude favorably, she shakes hands with Carlos, hugs him, and adds a respectful kiss on the cheek. Olé. As the example illustrates, to be culturally intelligent you need to apply cognitive skills, have the right motivation, and then put your knowledge and confidence into action. Armed with such skills you would know, for example, whether to greet a Mexican worker on a business trip to Texas with a handshake, a hug, or a kiss on both cheeks.

Language Training Learning a foreign language is often part of cultural training, yet it can also be a separate activity. Knowledge of a second language is important because it builds better connections with people from other cultures than does relying on a translator. Building connections with people is still important even if English has become the international language of business. Many workers, aside from international business specialists, also choose to develop skills in a target language. Speaking another language can help build rapport with customers and employees who speak that language. It is easier to sell to customers when using their native language, unless they prefer to conduct business in your language. Almost all language training has elements similar to taking a course in another language or self-study. Companies invest heavily in helping employees learn a target language because it facilitates conducting business in other countries. For this reason, companies that offer language training and translation services are currently experiencing a boom. Medical specialists, police officers, and firefighters also find second language skills to be quite helpful because clients under stress, such as an injured person, are likely to revert to their native tongue. Learning a second language is particularly important when many of your customers and employees do not speak your country’s official language. For example, English-speaking managers in Texas, Arizonia, and California might not be able to communicate with Spanish-speaking employees regarding benefits and other issues. As with any other skill training, investments in language training can pay off only if the trainee is willing to work hard at developing the new skill outside the training sessions. Allowing even 10 days to pass without practicing your target language will result in a sharp decline in your ability to use that language.

Skill-Building Exercise 8-4 presents a low-cost, pleasant method of enhancing your foreign language and cross-cultural skills. Skill-Building Exercise 8-4 •  


Using the Internet to Help Develop Foreign Language Skills A useful way of developing skills in another language, and learning more about another culture, is to create a computer “bookmark,” “favorite,” or front page written in your target language. In this way, each time you go to the Internet on your own computer, your cover page will contain fresh information in the language you want to develop. Enter a search phrase such as “Italian newspaper” or “Spanish language newspaper” in the search probe. After you find a suitable choice, enter the edit function for “Favorites” or “Bookmarks” and insert that newspaper as your front page. For example, imagine that French is your target language and culture. The search engine might have brought you to the site http:// www.france2.fr. This Web site keeps you abreast of French and international news, sports, and cultural events—written in French, along with videos. Every time you access the Internet, you can spend five minutes on your second language in both writing and speaking, thereby becoming multicultural. You can save a lot of travel costs and time using the Internet to help you become multicultural, including developing proficiency in another language. You might be able to find an app for your smartphone for learning another language by linking to an appropriate Web site. Diversity Training The general purpose of cultural training is to help workers understand people from other cultures. Understanding can lead to dealing more effectively with them as work associates or customers. Diversity training has a slightly different purpose. It

attempts to bring about workplace harmony by teaching people how to get along better with diverse work associates. Quite often the program is aimed at minimizing open expressions of racism and sexism. In recent years, diversity training has acquired the additional goal of accepting all dimensions of diversity based on the belief that enhanced business performance will result. For example, learning how to relate effectively to diverse customers can increase sales.[32] diversity training Training that attempts to bring about workplace harmony by teaching people how to get along better with diverse work associates. Forms of Diversity Training Diversity training takes a number of forms. Nevertheless, all center on increasing awareness of and empathy for people who are different in some noticeable way from oneself. Training sessions in appreciating cultural diversity focus on the ways that men and women or people of different races reflect different values, attitudes, and cultural backgrounds. These sessions can vary from several hours to several days. Training sessions can also be held over a long period of time. Sometimes the program is confrontational, sometimes not. An essential part of relating more effectively to diverse groups is to empathize with their points of view. To help training participants develop empathy, representatives of various groups explain their feelings related to workplace issues, including how they have felt different in a way that made them feel uncomfortable. A representative segment of a training program designed to enhance empathy took the following format. A minority group member was seated at the middle of a circle. First, the coworkers listened to a Vietnamese woman explaining how she felt excluded from the in-group composed of whites and African-Americans in her department. “I feel like you just tolerate me. You do not make me feel that I am somebody important.” The next person to sit in the middle of the circle was a Muslim.

He complained about people treating him with suspicion. “I want people to understand that I am a Muslim-American. Everybody in my family likes our country. We are not associated with a handful of evil people thousands of miles away from here.” Another form of diversity is aimed specifically at able-bodied workers understanding the challenges faced by workers with physical disabilities. At Diversity Learning Labs one such lab simulates working with disabilities. For one hour, participants lived with a disability. One employee wore earplugs blocking out all sound, thereby simulating deafness. Another employee wore a dark blindfold to simulate not having physical vision. Someone else used a wheelchair and was assigned such tasks as navigating into a conference room and using the restroom.[33] A major point of these simulations is that it is easier to understand the challenges faced by a person with a specific disability if you have experienced the same disability, even on a trial basis. Diversity training can also take the form of cross-generational diversity, or relating effectively to workers much older or younger than you. Cross-generational awareness training is one component in the corporate training program. The premise behind the program is that after acquiring cognitive knowledge, engaging in dialogue, and role-playing, employees will learn to accept people’s differences, some of which are age driven. For example, younger employees might feel less guilty than would seniors when calling in sick just to have a day’s vacation. Another part of cross-generational training would be to help older and younger generations appreciate their different preferences in communication. An example is sending e-mails versus text messages for disseminating brief bits of information. Concerns about Diversity Training Diversity training has frequently improved cross-cultural relationships in the workplace. Yet such programs can also create ill will and waste time. One problem is that participants are sometimes encouraged to be too confrontational and express too much hostility. Companies have found that when employees

are too blunt during these sessions, it may be difficult to patch up interpersonal relations in the work group later on. Another potential negative consequence of diversity training is that it sometimes results in perpetuating stereotypes about groups, such as people from Latin America not placing much value on promptness for meetings. A related problem is that diversity training might focus too much on differences instead of similarities.[34] For example, even if people are raised with different cultural values, they must all work harmoniously together to accomplish work. Although a worker believes that relationships are more important than profits, he or she must still produce enough to be a good investment for the company. A consistent conclusion reached by diversity training program researchers is that such training is the most effective if the organization really cares about being diverse. Without such commitment, the training is likely to be quickly forgotten.[35] Also, the diversity trainee should have an attitude something to the effect, “Now that my awareness of appreciating diversity has increased, what can I do differently to bring about genuine inclusion at my place of work?” Skill-Building Exercise 8-5 provides you with an opportunity to simulate an empathy-building experience in a diversity-training program. Cross-Cultural and Cross-Gender Mentoring Programs An advanced method of improving cross-cultural relations is mentoring members of targeted minority groups. The mentoring demonstrates the company’s interest in enhancing cross-cultural relations and simultaneously enhances the minority group member’s opportunities for advancement. To achieve cross- culture and cross-gender mentoring, companies often assign the member of the minority group a mentor who is typically an experienced manager. For example, a 24-year-old African- American woman might be mentored by a 45-year-old Caucasian

middle manager. Or, a minority group member could be the mentor, such as a 45-year-old African-American woman mentoring a 24-year-old Japanese man. Skill-Building Exercise 8-5 •  


Developing Empathy for Differences Class members come up to the front of the room one by one and give a brief presentation (perhaps even three minutes) of any way in which they have been perceived as different and how they felt about this perception. Sometimes this exercise is referred to as “When I Felt Different.” The difference refers to feeling different from the majority. The difference can be of any kind, relating to characteristics such as ethnicity, race, choice of major, physical appearance, height, weight, hair color, or body piercing. After each member of the class (perhaps even the instructor) has presented, class members discuss what they learned from the exercise. It is also important to discuss how this exercise can improve relationships on the job. As described in Chapter 12, m entors might help the person being mentored in such ways as making the right contacts and learning useful professional skills. A challenge noted with cross- cultural and cross-gender mentoring is a shortage of mentors with the right knowledge and interpersonal skills. Sprint started a trial mentoring program with 50 employees at company headquarters. Although open to all employees, the program targeted minority groups. Soon the program had 500 participants. “The demand was overwhelming,” says Tammy Edwards, director of inclusion and diversity, who became a mentor to several employees. She adds that the mentee (person who is mentored) pool became so large that each mentor is paired with up to five mentees.[36]

Concept Review and Reinforcement Key Terms • cultural sensitivity 176 • cultural intelligence (CQ) 177 • cultural fluency 179 • cultural training 185 • diversity training 189

Summary Today’s workplace has become more culturally diverse, and business has become increasingly international. As a result, to succeed one must be able to relate effectively to people from different cultural groups from within and outside one’s country. The true meaning of valuing diversity is to respect and enjoy a wide range of cultural and individual differences. The diversity umbrella continues to include more people as the workforce encompasses a greater variety of people. A diverse workforce brings potential advantages to the organization, including higher creativity, more profits because of a demographic match with customers, overall business prosperity, and commitment to the organization. Cultural diversity within groups can lead to conflict. Results suggest that relations- oriented diversity leads to high performance in service-industry settings. The groundwork for developing effective cross-cultural relations is to understand cultural differences. Six key aspects of understanding cultural differences are (1) cultural sensitivity including political correctness, (2) cultural intelligence, (3) respect for all workers and all cultures, (4) cultural fluency—the ability to conduct business in a diverse and international environment, (5) differences in cultural dimensions, and (6) avoidance of cultural

bloopers. Cultural intelligence is based on cognitive, emotional/ motivational, and physical (taking action) factors. Countries differ in their national values or cultural dimensions, leading to differences in how most people from a given country will react to situations. The dimensions studied here are (1) performance orientation, (2) assertiveness, (3) time orientation, (4) human orientation, (5) in-group collectivism, (6) gender egalitarianism, (7) acceptance of power and authority, (8) work orientation, and (9) social support seeking. An effective way of being culturally sensitive is to minimize actions that are likely to offend people from another culture based on their values. These cultural bloopers can take place when working in another country or when dealing with foreigners in one’s own country. Studying potential cultural bloopers is helpful, but recognize also that individual differences may be of significance. Communication barriers created by cultural differences can often be overcome by the following: (1) Be sensitive to the fact that these barriers exist; (2) show respect for all workers; (3) use straightforward language and speak slowly and clearly; (4) observe cultural differences in etiquette; (5) be sensitive to differences in nonverbal communication; (6) do not be diverted by style, accent, grammar, or personal appearance; (7) be attentive to individual differences in appearance; and (8) pronounce correctly the names of people you interact with from other countries. Cultural training is a set of learning experiences designed to help employees understand the customs, traditions, and beliefs of another culture. In today’s diverse business environment and international marketplace, learning about individuals raised in different cultural backgrounds has become more important. Recognizing your own cultural and demographic biases can help smooth cross-cultural relations. Cultural intelligence training includes developing strategies for sizing up the environment to determine which course of action is best. Learning a foreign

language is often part of cultural training, yet it can also be a separate activity. Diversity training attempts to bring about workplace harmony by teaching people how to get along better with diverse work associates. Another goal of diversity training is to improve business performance. Most forms of diversity training center on increasing awareness of and empathy for people who are different in some noticeable way from you. Diversity training can also take the form of simulating having a physical disability. Cross-cultural and cross-gender mentoring are advanced methods of improving cross-cultural relations. The minority group member or woman is assigned a mentor who helps the person advance in his or her career. Questions for Discussion and Review

1. What One Thing could you do this month to make your school or workplace more inclusive?


2. What can you do this week to sharpen your cross-cultural skills?


3. Some companies, such as Singapore Airlines, make a deliberate effort for all customer-contact personnel to be of the same ethnic group (Singapore natives). How is this practice justified in an era of cultural diversity and valuing differences?


4. A working couple visited a childcare center seeking childcare services five days a week for their three-year-old daughter. When the couple observed that one of the childcare workers was a man in his fifties, the couple decided against the center. What is your evaluation of the couple’s decision in terms of inclusion, cultural sensitivity, and discrimination?


5. What have you personally observed about Asians and Asian-Americans being less likely to ask for social support when they are facing a difficult problem?


6. The majority of people under age 45 in the United States grew up being educated with, participating in sports with, and working with people from other cultures and demographic groups. To what extent do people under age 45 therefore need cultural diversity training?


7. How useful is the adage “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” for someone who wants to work in another country for a while?


8. If you were a supervisor, how would you deal with a group member who had a very low acceptance of power and authority?


9. The cultural bloopers presented in Skill-Building Exercise 8-2 all dealt with errors people make in regard to people who are not American. Give an example of a cultural blooper a person from another country might make in the United States.


10. Many people speak loudly to other people who are deaf, blind, and those who speak a different language. Based on the information presented in this chapter, what mistakes are these people making?


The Web Corner • http://www.DiversityInc.com • (Extensive information including videos about cultural

diversity in organizations) • http://www.berlitz.com

• (Information about language training and cultural training in countries throughout the world—investigate in your second language to enhance the cross-cultural experience)

Internet Skill Builder: Avoiding Cultural Insensitivity • One of the most effective ways of hampering relationships

with people of another culture is to be grossly insensitive. If you can avoid these gross errors, you will be on your way toward at least acceptable relationships with people from another domestic or foreign culture. Two examples of cultural insensitivity uncovered on the Internet are: In Alberta, Canada, a sign in the window of a large chain restaurant read, “No drunken Indians allowed.” Walmart performed poorly in Germany because it did not recognize the cultural fact that Germans do not like to spend a lot of time shopping by walking through a giant store and waiting in line. Search the Internet for examples of cultural insensitivity. You may have to dig hard to find these nuggets of insensitivity, but the activity will help you become more culturally sensitive and aware.Developing Your Human Relations Skills

Interpersonal Relations Case 8.1 What to Do with Shabana? Shabana was raised in Pakistan and graduated from the University of Punjab with a major in commerce. She then moved to Chicago, Illinois, to live with her married aunt, as well as to begin a career in business in the United States. Shabana is fluent in her native Punjabi, but also has spoken and written English since the beginning of her primary education. Having a sponsor in the United States made it possible for Shabana to enter the job market in Chicago. In addition to having a good formal education, Shabana makes a positive physical appearance that includes a warm smile and a comfortable, relaxed manner. After a two-month-long job search, Shabana found employment as a store associate in a smartphone store of

one of the major mobile phone providers. She was content with this position because she thought it would be a stepping stone to store management in the field of consumer electronics. Shabana enjoyed interacting with the other store associates as well as the customers. An important part of her role was explaining some of the intricacies of smartphones and cell phones, as well as the contracts, to customers. She willingly worked Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons, store hours unpopular with other associates. From time to time, Shabana was perplexed as to why some customers did not understand her. With a few of the older customers, Shabana attributed their lack of understanding to limited knowledge of technology or hearing impairments. One customer looked straight at Shabana and said, “I do not understand a word you are saying.” One day Trevor, the store manager, took Shabana aside and told her, “You are a wonderful sales associate in many ways. The other associates enjoy working with you, and you get along well with many of our customers. Yet we are getting too many complaints by e-mail and phone that many of our customers cannot understand you. It seems like some of these Chicago people just can’t understand English with a Pakistani accent.” “Maybe some of our customers aren’t the most sophisticated, but they are still customers. And we need every dollar we can take in to meet our sales goals. You need to become better understood by all our customers, or we can’t keep you as a sales associate.” A little perplexed, Shabana replied, “I am so sorry to know that I have disappointed you and some of our valued customers. Please give me several weeks to correct this situation of my not being so well understood by all our customers.” Trevor replied, “Okay, but I am going to keep close watch on your progress.” Case Questions

1. What should Shabana do to improve her ability to be understood by more customers?


2. Is the problem of language comprehension in this case really a problem of customers not being too sharp mentally?


3. What actions do you recommend that Trevor take to help Shabana improve her ability to be understood by her customers? Or should he just fire her?


4. To what extent do you think Trevor is practicing job discrimination by even hinting that he might fire Shabana if she is not better understood by a wider variety of customers?


Interpersonal Skills Role-Play 8.1 Helping Shabana Develop Better Customer Service This role-play is basically a re-enactment of the case just presented. One student plays the role of Trevor, who wants Shabana to succeed but is skeptical that she can improve her spoken English enough to satisfy all of the customers. Another student plays the role of Shabana, who is confident she can make enough slight adjustments in her word pronunciation to satisfy almost all her customers. Also, Shabana wants to keep her job. Run the role-play for about seven minutes, followed by some observer feedback. Interpersonal Relations Case 8.2 Pierre Keeps One Foot in Haiti Pierre, a native of Haiti with a degree in electronic technology, was hired by a branch of a major heating, ventilation, and air- conditioning company in Florida, HVAC Service. The company specializes in the installation of heating and air-conditioning systems in new buildings, as well as replacing older equipment in existing buildings. Providing maintenance service is another

important component of HVAC Service’s business. Pierre was assigned to a team that maintains systems installed by HVAC. During Pierre’s first two weeks on the job, Pierre’s teammates generally enjoyed his frequent references to Haiti, including its climate, food, friendly people, and national pride. But after that orientation period, a few of his teammates as well as the team leader, Suzanne, began to tire of his frequent references to Haiti. One member of the team asked Pierre one day, “If Haiti is so great, why does the economy struggle so much?” and “Why can Haiti not overcome the devastation from its last major earthquake?” One day during a break on a client site, Suzanne pointed out to Pierre that he was well liked as a team member and that his technical contribution to team was quite good. She also reported to Pierre that he seemed to be having difficulty adjusting to the American culture. Pierre asked, “In what way, Suzanne?” Suzanne then gave him four examples of why he gave the impression of having problems adjusting to his new culture. “A few days ago, Ted said it was a hot day in Florida. You told us that it is much hotter in Port au Prince (a major city in Haiti) than here. “You must have told us five times that instead of eating canned food we should all eat the type of natural fruits and vegetables that are harvested in Haiti. “You told us that people in Florida are too sensitive to the heat, but that in the tropical climate of Haiti most people use fans instead of air conditioning. “We were kind of taken aback when you said that too many people in America are poorly educated because so many of them speak only one language. In contrast, the educated Haitians speak a minimum of two languages, French and English.” With a quizzical expression, Pierre responded, “I thought that HVAC welcomed cultural diversity.” Case Questions

1. To what extent is Pierre is having a problem adjusting to his new culture?


2. To what extent are Suzanne and the team not showing good cultural sensitivity?


3. How justified is Pierre’s insinuation that HVAC does not welcome cultural diversity?


Interpersonal Skills Role-Play 8.2 Suzanne Attempts to Help Pierre Adjust to his New Culture This role-play is a reenactment and continuation of the scenario presented in the previous case. Suzanne wants to facilitate Pierre’s better adjustment to American culture, but she does not want to appear negative toward a worker from another culture. She meets alone with Pierre, who is still puzzled by the reaction to his remarks. He believes that frequent references to his native culture should be expected by others. Run the role-play for about seven minutes. Observers should look to see if Suzanne can maintain cultural sensitivity and not appear to be discriminating against Pierre. References • Original story created from facts and observations

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