Cross-cultural communications

1
Cross-cultural communications

• David McArthur
• Assistant Professor of International Business and
  Strategic Management
• Utah Valley State College

2
Experiences with other cultures

• Describe the heart of an experience that struck
  you as strange or difficult in dealing with
  people or systems across cultures.

3
(Sony computer haiku)

• Sony has announced its own computer operating
  system now available on its hot new portable PC
  called the Vaio. Instead of producing the cryptic
  error messages characteristic of Microsofts
  Windows 95, 3.1, and DOS operating systems,
  Sonys chairman Asai Tawara said, "We intend to
  capture the high ground by putting a human,
  Japanese face on what has been until nowan
  operating system that reflects Western cultural
  hegemony. For example, we have replaced the
  impersonal and unhelpful Microsoft error messages
  with our own Japanese haiku poetry." The chairman
  went on to give examples of Sonys new error
  messages

4
Universalism v. Particularism

• Universalism
• Rules, codes, laws, and generalizations that
  define what should happen

• Particularism
• Exceptions, circumstances, relations that modify
  or define what should happen

Both views of governing relationships use the
rules, but they approach the problem of what
governs our decisions in dealing with it.
5
How does these dimensions manifest themselves?

• In business
• In law
• In families
• In school

6
Why is North American culture universalist?

• The earliest settlers of New England were
  Calvinists or were influenced by Calvins
  teachings
• They were dissenters from Englands state church
• The energy and vigor (the success) of the
  American expansion have steamrolled many other
  cultures

7
Advantages to universalism

• Values equality of treatment
• Makes opportunities available on the same basis
  to all
• No one is above the law
• Allows large diversity of means
• Economies of scale
• Celebrates science technology

8
Disadvantages of universalism

• Simplistic application of laws stifles other
  views and ideas
• Objectifies aesthetics such as beauty and
  character
• Assumes linearity as a fundamental characteristic
• Opportunistic application of laws

9
Advantages of particularism

• Higher rates of some types of creativity
• Customization is valued
• Develops supportive markets for higher quality
  goods
• Gives expression to personal zeniths
• Closer to nature
• May be more vital

10
Disadvantages of particularism

• Mystical or obscurantist v. rational or
  scientific
• May justify avariciousness
• Is in-group oriented
• Secret, conspiratorial, racist
• Prone to favoritism, special privileges
• In-group stresses have few outlets (violence)

11
Universalist-Particularist continua

• Scientific management
• Mass production
• Formal authority
• hierarchies
• Building core competencies

• human relations school
• Customization
• informal trust networks
• getting close to the customer