Intercultural Communication

 

Understanding and practicing positive intercultural communication is a vital skill for today's workforce.

Cultures exist because every country or region within a country has a unique common heritage.  Culture is learned from our parents, neighbors, teachers, and general society.  As young children, cultural rules of behavior are established by parents and society.  Culture is often sacred and personal.  It is how individuals identify themselves in society.  Culture is both how we act and how we feel.  

The most widely accepted model for understanding culture is by Geert Hoefstede -- He wrote Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model Links to an external site.

There are five main dimensions of culture:

1. Power Distance

2. Collectivism vs. Individualism

3. Masculinity vs. Femininity

4. Uncertainty Avoidance

5. Long-term vs. Short-term Orientation

 

Please watch this video for an explanation of the five dimensions of culture.watch this video Links to an external site.

Please read through these pages Links to an external site. scanned from Business Communications:  Process & Product by Guffey and Loewy.  Pay close attention to Page 99 - the Checklist for Achieving Intercultural Proficiency.