International Management and Ethics: Culture Dimensions
INTERCULTURAL MANAGEMENT & ETHICS
ACTIV-1
ACTIVITY 1 – TOPIC 1: CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
DIALOGUE 1
1) Which cultural differences cause the misunderstanding or confusion? Which cultural dimensions can help us understand the situation?
On my understanding of the situation – bearing in mind that when in a multicultural dialogue, many meanings can be found or understood by just context without the use of words – I believe that the confusion has its origin by the cultural difference amongh both characters.
The conversation lied on Mr. Bakr’shoulders although Mr. Amstrong tried to redirect it to the field that was occupying his mind but without success. Mr Bakr has the strongest part of the dialogue: having a flexible concept of time, paying more attention to social talks –business small talks in this specific case - , focusing to address the conversation to become more social and mentioning the religion makes Mr. Amstrong to have a conflict with his cultural dimensions. Mr Bakr coming from an arab culture through this dialogue shows to be polychronic, particularistic, control oriented and collectivist. The reality could be a little bit different from my own words here. We need also to bear in mind the context where this conversation is taking place, the circumstances and sometimes, even the mood of the interlocutors.
Mr Amstrong really wants to skip the social talk to stick into business but should he knew that
Mr Bakr’s culture gives more importance to social talk rambling would have accept it and take some more time on this to try to redirect the conversation to his key point afterwards.
2) How do you think that the people involved feel in regards to his / her partner? How would they interpret the other party’s answers?
I think in this case Mr Amstrong may have felt a feeling of frustration as well as distressed since he can think that Mr Bakr has been rude to him for avoiding the topic he wanted to talk about it. Mr Bakr may have not
ACTIV-1
ACTIVITY 1 – TOPIC 1: CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
DIALOGUE 1
1) Which cultural differences cause the misunderstanding or confusion? Which cultural dimensions can help us understand the situation?
On my understanding of the situation – bearing in mind that when in a multicultural dialogue, many meanings can be found or understood by just context without the use of words – I believe that the confusion has its origin by the cultural difference amongh both characters.
The conversation lied on Mr. Bakr’shoulders although Mr. Amstrong tried to redirect it to the field that was occupying his mind but without success. Mr Bakr has the strongest part of the dialogue: having a flexible concept of time, paying more attention to social talks –business small talks in this specific case - , focusing to address the conversation to become more social and mentioning the religion makes Mr. Amstrong to have a conflict with his cultural dimensions. Mr Bakr coming from an arab culture through this dialogue shows to be polychronic, particularistic, control oriented and collectivist. The reality could be a little bit different from my own words here. We need also to bear in mind the context where this conversation is taking place, the circumstances and sometimes, even the mood of the interlocutors.
Mr Amstrong really wants to skip the social talk to stick into business but should he knew that
Mr Bakr’s culture gives more importance to social talk rambling would have accept it and take some more time on this to try to redirect the conversation to his key point afterwards.
2) How do you think that the people involved feel in regards to his / her partner? How would they interpret the other party’s answers?
I think in this case Mr Amstrong may have felt a feeling of frustration as well as distressed since he can think that Mr Bakr has been rude to him for avoiding the topic he wanted to talk about it. Mr Bakr may have not