"Culture is the whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material,
intellectual and emotional features that characterizes a society or a group.
It includes creative expressions, community practices and material or built
forms."
– from Our Creative Diversity: The UN World Commission on Culture and
Development Report
Culture is the "lens" through which you view the world. It is central to
what you see, how you make sense of what you see, and how you express
yourself.
Culture
in general is concerned with
beliefs
and values on the basis of which people interpret experiences and
behave, individually and in groups. Broadly and simply put, "culture" refers
to a group or community with which you share common experiences that shape
the way you understand the world.
The same person, thus, can belong to several
different cultures depending on his or her birthplace; nationality;
ethnicity; family status; gender; age; language; education; physical
condition; sexual orientation; religion; profession; place of work and its
corporate culture.
Cultural Intelligence
(CQ)
Cultural intelligence is your capability to grow personally through
continuous learning and good understanding of
diverse cultural heritage,
wisdom
and values, and to deal effectively with people from different cultural
background and understanding...
More
Four Cultural Dimensions
According to Geert Hofstede3, cultures – both national and organizational –
differ along many dimensions. Four of the most important are:
-
Directness
(get to the point versus
imply the messages)
-
Hierarchy (follow orders versus
engage in debate)
-
Consensus (dissent is accepted versus
unanimity is needed)
-
Individualism (individual winners
versus team effectiveness)
Managing Cross-Cultural
Differences
Culture is often at the root of
communication challenges. Exploring historical experiences and the ways in which various
cultural groups have related to each other is key to opening channels for
cross-cultural communication. Becoming more aware of
cultural differences,
as well as exploring cultural similarities, can help you communicate with
others more effectively. Next time you find yourself in a confusing
situation, ask yourself how culture may be shaping your own reactions, and
try to see the world from the other's point of view...
More
"I
believe that strong and vibrant
cultures
themselves nurture tolerance and
justice. All cultures worth the
name protect support and
encourage diversity; and justice
is the practical mechanism which
enables them to do so." ~
Nafis Sadik
"If
we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must
recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less
arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a
fitting place." ~ Margaret Mead...
More
Manager's Worldly Mindset
People tend to think of the world as an
increasingly homogenous place but it is really a collection of worlds within
worlds, with definite boundaries and edges. Just because a company sells
products globally it may not take into account how those products are
perceived and used in different cultures.
Managers with a worldly mindset spend time in places where products are
made, customers served, and environment threatened.1
Case in Point
DuPont
A US-based multicultural team at DuPont gained
around US$45 million in new business by changing the way decorating
materials are developed and marketed. The changes included new colors that
team members new, from their experience within other cultures, would appeal
more to their overseas customers.2
