Describe
Culture is the specialized and intergenerational collection of one group’s ideas, beliefs, and customs. In our increasingly globalized society, it is important to be conscious of cultural differences in order to negotiate effectively. According to research, there are seven major cultural distinctions that have the biggest impact on communication (DeVito, 2016). Four of them are included in the TV show Outsourced, a sitcom that caricatures the cultural differences between Americans and Indians. Firstly, individualist or collectivist orientation decides whether the individual’s or group’s goals are given greater importance. For example, in Outsourced, a cultural misunderstanding occurs because an American character does not comprehend the Indian tradition of arranged marriage wherein the family’s choice of spouse is more important than the individual’s. Secondly, high-context cultures emphasize personal relationships and oral agreements, while low-context cultures value verbalized, explicit explanations (DeVito, 2016). Indian culture is more high-context than American culture, so the Outsourced employees use indirect communication to preserve face and do not openly criticize the manager. In one of the episodes, the main character hosts a sexual harassment seminar, and an employee expresses her discomfort through the company hot-line instead of confronting him directly.
Thirdly, power in high-power-distance cultures is concentrated in the hands of the few, and it is distributed more evenly in low-power-distance ones. Since India fits into the former category, there is a rigid hierarchal rule in the Outsourced office, and they are surprised by the manager’s active and hands-on approach. Fourthly, long-term orientation prioritizes future rewards, but short-term orientation focuses more on the past and present. It can be inferred that Indian culture is more short-term oriented since one of the employees prefers flirting with the clients rather than increasing revenue. Acknowledging cultural differences is important so the workplace misunderstandings that are spoofed in Outsourced can be avoided.
Relate
I have unknowingly encountered many cultural differences both in the classroom and at work. An argument once occurred between my classmate and me because our respective cultures had different distributions of power. She was from Russia, and she was angry with a professor who had unexpectedly moved her exam date a day forward with less than twelve hours’ warning. Since she had less time to prepare than expected, she was forced to pull an all-nighter and cram for the exam. I advised her to confront the professor about the injustice of not giving her at least a week’s warning and to complain to the administration if he refused to move the exam back to its original date. However, she said complaining would be useless, and it would be easier to acquiesce to the professor’s decision. At the time I believed her hesitation was due to her individual shyness, and I criticized her for it. However, after reading DeVito’s chapter on cultural differences, I understand that she came from a culture with a greater power distance between students and teachers (DeVito, 2016). In Russia, where students are expected to be modest and respectful, it would be unacceptable to challenge a superior such as a professor.
People generally tend to overestimate individual agency and disregard cultural differences. I believe this is because we are generally unaware of the fact that our beliefs are the product of our cultural orientation and are not universally applicable. There have definitely been instances when I was frustrated by my classmates or co-workers and criticized them as individuals, even though now I understand that there was simply a cultural gap between us. These situations highlight the importance of developing intercultural competence in the workplace since misunderstandings can be easily avoided with proper training and education.
Educate
As our economy grows more globalized and American society becomes more diverse, there is an increasing need for intercultural competence in the workplace. Organizations should implement a variety of initiatives, such as trainings and workshops, to create awareness of intercultural competence as an integral soft skill in the modern socio-economic climate. Tailored sessions should be held for teams who have an international clientele (Bodis, 2020). Individual coaching should be offered to employees that exhibit stereotyped and ethnocentric thinking. Additionally, companies can promote cross-cultural dialogue through photo exhibitions, film screenings, and excursions to cultural institutions such as museums. Furthermore, diagnostic assessments of intercultural sensitivity and competence should be undertaken regularly and on an organization-wide scale. A comprehensive approach that includes training, tailored sessions, individual coaching, cultural outings, and regular diagnostic assessments is required to develop intercultural competence.
There are several reasons organizations should prioritize the development of intercultural competence. Firstly, it forces employees to confront ethnic, racial, and national stereotypes to avoid their undue influence on the perception of co-workers or clients. People from different backgrounds should be regarded as unique, multi-faceted individuals rather than members of a specific group. Secondly, intercultural competence reduces ethnocentrism, the tendency to judge the customs of another culture by the standards of your own. Ethnocentrism leads to judgment, condescension, and should be eradicated since it hinders effective communication by assuming a position of superiority. Thirdly, a “system of symbols” encompasses the meaning of words and nonverbal cues that need to be shared by both interlocutors in order to communicate effectively (DeVito, 2016). Since it varies by culture, intercultural competence would enable employees to adapt to different systems. Confronting stereotypes, reducing ethnocentrism, and adjusting to new systems of symbols are a few of the many reasons organizations need to improve intercultural competence.
References
Bodis, A. (2020). Integrating intercultural competence in course curricula in a tailored way. English Australia Journal, 36(1), 26-38.
DeVito, J. A. (2016). The interpersonal communication book (14th ed). Pearson.