Faculty
Professor Mary M. Munter
Objectives
This course examines cross-cultural and gender-based differences in communication not only in terms of visible behavioral differences (such as rituals and nonverbals), but also in terms of the hidden values that drive these behaviors (including individual motivation, group attitudes, and large-group values).
Course goals: As a result of taking this course, you will enhance your ability to analyze, reflect on, and improve your cross-cultural skills, specifically, to . . .
Increase your awareness of your own culture(s) and of your default behaviors
Understand differences among specific cultures and between the two genders by developing two toolkits:
--What to ask: A set of theoretical frameworks—drawn from a wide variety of fields(including communication, psychology, sociology, anthropology, organizational behavior, and linguistics)—so you will know what questions to ask to get a handle on a new culture
--How to find out: A set of research tools to answer such questions—including gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing information from a huge and uneven body of information
Modify your default behaviors as you deem appropriate in a variety of cultural settings
Increase your tolerance for ambiguity dealing in an ever-changing and unpredictable context in which there are no "correct answers"
Requirements
Teaching methods: The pedagogy for this course will be based on the latest research into psychological and brain science, which can be summarized as follows: "The person who does the talking does the learning." Therefore. . .
My job will be to:
Facilitate and coach your learning, rather than present you with finalized content.
Offer a series of carefully-designed learning opportunities for your participation.
Provide guidance for your research into a variety of cultures and frameworks for understanding them.
Maintain an atmosphere of mutual learning, respect, and enjoyment.
Your job will be to:
Take responsibility for your learning. You will get out of it what you put into it.
Maintain a thought journal in which you will include your homework assignments, research, class notes, self analysis, and after-class assignments for each class session. This journal will comprise the bulk of your preparation time and will be turned in regularly and finalized at the end of the term.
Research a variety of topics for several different cultures.
Expect to speak in class every day rather than being a passive observer—sharing your research findings, participating in role plays, and taking an active part in discussions.
Maintain an atmosphere of mutual learning, respect, and enjoyment.
Materials
Readings
Two required texts: (1) Guide to Cross-Cultural Communication by Reynolds and Valentine and (2) Talking from 9 to 5: Women and Men in the Workplace: Language, Sex and Power by Tannen.
Other readings, to be distributed in class.
Your choices from a wide variety of sources: (1) books on reserve in Feldberg, (2) internet resources, and (3) other resources that you discover, cite, and rank the credibility of, using the system discussed in class.
Honor Code
I trust you to behave honorably. All assignments (unless otherwise noted) are meant to be individual efforts. By individual effort, I mean no one else is to read, listen to, comment on, proofread, or even type your thought journals or PowerPoint slides. Similarly, my hope is that you will trust me to behave honorably and treat anything you write in your journal as totally confidential.
Grading
The following will be graded on the (1) thoroughness of the research and other preparation, (2) thoughtfulness of your analyses, and (3) self awareness of your own default and newly-gained behaviors
• 50%: Daily in-class participation
• 50%: Journals, turned in periodically and finalized at the end of the course
Schedule
Monday, March 26
Defining Culture
Definition of culture
Cultural iceberg
Stereotypes vs. norms
Differences & similarities
Analytical frameworks
Analysis of your own culture(s)
Read: GtoCCC, Part I
Journal: (1) using any sources you wish, define culture, (2) analyze your own cultures in terms of frameworks in GtoCCC
Pres: Prepare a short, informal presentation applying framework(s) to one of your self-identified cultures
After class: Expand journal based on class activities
In-class activities:
Discuss (1) definitions of culture and
(2) student presentations on frameworks
Role-plays (to be distributed in class):
(1) analyze your default nonverbals and how they relate to your culture, and
(2) practice new behaviors
Discuss system for citing and ranking sources
Tuesday, March 27
Analyzing Nonverbal & Linguistic Differences Among Cultures
Nonverbal differences & their underpinnings
Sapir-Whorf theory of linguistic relativity
Journal: Research and analyze a country of your choice from Rohen & Shekar cluster with examples of:
Nonverbal behavior
Linguistic relativity
Case: List and discuss cultural faux pas in "The Case of the Floundering Expatriate"
After class: Expand journal based on class activities
In-class activities:
Small groups: flipchart reports on nonverbal and linguistic examples
Discuss case and other nonverbal and verbal cultural issues
Monday, April 2
Applying Frameworks to Various Cultures
• Hall frameworks:
--High and low context
--Linear/flexible time
• Hofstede framework:
--Individual/collective
--Hierarchical /democratic power distance
--Uncertainty avoidance
--"Masculinity/femininity"
• Other frameworks from GtoCCC, reserve reading, and elsewhere:
Journal: (1) research and analyze a country (from a different cluster) in terms of frameworks from book, reserve reading, or elsewhere, (2) prepare a business scenario
Pres: Apply frameworks to a specific country
After class: Expand journal re. cross-cultural motivation, based on class activities
In-class activities:
Presentations: applying frameworks to specific countries
Small groups: scenarios
Large group: reports and discussion
Tuesday, April 3
Analyzing Belief Systems
• Religion
• Values
• History
. . .and how they affect business
Team pres: a short team presentation on the belief system of a region:
• Religion
• Values
• History
and managerial applications
Journal: Research and analyze the belief systems of a specific country from within your team's region
After class: Expand journal re. belief systems, based on class activities
Team presentations and question-and-answer sessions on a region:
• Buddhist region
• Catholic regions
• Islamic region
• Protestant regions
• Other regions
Discussion: specific countries within each region
Monday, April 9
Analyzing Group Attitudes
• Family roles
• Social classes
• Customs (marriage, divorce, death)
• Genders expectations of specific cultures
Journals: (1) research and analyze a country from a different cluster in terms of: family roles, social classes, customs, and gender expectations; (2) write scenario
After class: Expand journal based on class activities
In-class activities
Large group: discussion of group attitudes
Small groups: scenarios
Tueday, April 10
Genders as Cultures
• Are genders "different cultures"? Are men & women . . .
--from Mars & Venus or
--from North & South Dakota?
• What are the evolutionary roots of gender differences?
--Ardrey vs. De Waal
Journal: (1) research and analyze how genders are/are not different cultures; (2) analyze your own observations re. gender differences
Prepare for debate arguing your assigned position:
• Ardrey re. chimpanzees
• De Waal re. bonobos
After class: Expand journal based on class activities
Discussion of how genders are/are not cultures
Debate: What are the evolutionary roots of gender differences? (Ardrey vs. De Waal)
Discussion of personal anecdotal observations
Monday, April 16
Gender-Based Dfferences
Tannen research
Other researchers
Read: Tannen book
Team preparation:
Short team presentation re. your assigned chapter in Tannen and other researchers
Skit illustrating concepts from your chapter
Individual: Prepare a scenario illustrating a managerial problem
After class: Expand journal based on class activities
Team presentations and question-and-answer sessions on Tannen
Skits illustrating Tannen
General discussion of Tannen and others
Tuesday, April 17
Knowing and Changing Your Own Behaviors
Journal: Work on your final presentation
After class: Expand journal based on class activities
In-class activities
Role plays: Students from other teams participate in role plays
Small groups:
• Discuss default behaviors
• Practice new behaviors
Monday, April 23
Final Presentations
Prepare final presentation
Two days after final class: turn in journals
Deliver and discuss final presentations
