跨文化交际课程unit6

Why ?
Individualists think groups can accomplish things a person cannot do alone, so forming a group is a way to achieve personal goals.
What are the Chinese attitudes towards joining groups ?

Cultural Dimensions
Power Distance (small and large)
Individualism Versus Collectivism
Masculinity Versus Feminity Uncertainty Avoidance (low and high)
The Mian Content
Question for discussion;
Why were Mr. Zheng and Mr. Wang unhappy when they opened the envelope and saw the one hundred dollars ?
Chinese are usually ill at ease when talking about pay with friends or relatives.
Intercultural communication
Lecture 6: Cutural Variations in Negotiation Styles
Review

Cultural Values
Comparison Between Chinese Values and Western Values (expressing gratitude, symbolization and attitudes towards women)
where they looked around and enjoyed some drinks. Just as they were to start work on the fence, Dr. Huang asked how much money they wanted for the whole "project". Mr. Zheng smiled and said, "You don't have to pay. We are happy to be able to do something for you." At Dr. Huang's insistence, Mr. Wang shyly asked if one hundred dollars would be all right. Dr. Huang handed them an envelop with one hundred Australian dollars enclosed. Seeing that Mr. Zheng did not open the envelope, Dr. Huang insisted that they confirm there was one hundred dollars enclosed. A bit embarrassed, Mr. Zheng opened it and assured her that there was no mistake. They thanked each other, and Mr. Wang and Mr. Zheng left her place, with Dr. Huang confused about their uneasy feeling. When Mr. Wang and Mr. Zheng returned to their residence, they complained about her being stingy.

The lifecycle of a group
Stage one : Forming
Stage two : Storming Stage three : Norming Stage four : Performing

Cutural Variations in Negotiation Styles Cultural Variations in Conducting Business Cultural Variations in Selecting Negotiators
The lifecycle of a group

Stage one: Forming

When a group is forming, members expect the new group to be like their previous group experiences.
wenku.baidu.com
Example: Solving Problems
A Japanese manager in an American campany was told to give critical feedback to a subordinate during a performance evaluation. Because the Japanese are used to high context language and are uncomfortable with giving direct feedback, it took the manager five tries before he was direct enough for the American subordinate to understand.


To Collectivists

They are likely to see himself as a representative of his important ingroups; Participating is not a personal choice but a response to the wishes of others;
Case 2 Unhappy with the Money Paid
Mr. Wang and Mr. zheng met Dr. Huang, a Chinese Australian, while doing their MA course in TESOL at the former Canberra College of Advanced Education. Every other weekend, Dr. Huang would ask Mr. Wang and Mr. zheng, together with one or two other students, to come to her home for dinner. Everyone seemed at home with each other and got on very nicely. During one conversation, Dr. Huang found out Mr. Wang and Mr. zheng were good carpenters, so she asked if they could help her tear down the old fence and erect a new one around her house. Feeling grateful to her for all the wonderful things she had done for them and all the efforts she had made in helping them adjust to the new culture, the two Chinese students instantly agreed and promised to make her a Chinese-style fence that would add a home feeling to her typical Australian house. During the semester break, the two students arrived in Dr. Huang's place,
To individualists

All groups are temporary;
Groups can accomplish things a person cannot do alone, so forming or joining a group is a way to achieve personal goals; If the boss assigns him to work on a task force, the individualist is likely to see his boss's assignment as a chance to develop his leadership skills; They expect each group to be different.
Cutural Variations in Decision-making
Warm-up cases
When President George Bush went to Japan with leading American businessmen, he made explicit and direct demands on Japanese leaders, which violated Japanese etiquette. To the Japanese, it is rude and a sign of ignorance or desperation to make direct demands. Some analysts believe it severely damaged the negotiations and confirmed to the Japanese that Americans are barbarians.

A Chinese family worries about their child's safety, because the child has to cross a dangerous intersection on the way to school. They solve the problem by having one of the parents or grandparents accompany the child to school. An American family worries about their child's safety, because the child has to cross a dangerous intersection on the way to school. They solve the problem by organizing a group of parents to ask the school administration to provide a crossing guard at the intersection during the hours children are coming and going from school.

Questions for discussion: Why did the Japanese think that Americans are barbarians? Why was it so difficult for the Japanese manager to tell his subordinate about his poor performance?