Discussion Exercises
Discussion Questions
Chapter 6 Culture
- What are the characteristics of culture?
Culture has a number of characteristics. It is:
- prescriptive
- socially shared
- learned
- subjective
- enduring
- cumulative
- dynamic
Furthermore, it facilitates communication.
- Explain the impact of culture on consumption.
Consumption patterns are dictated by culture, and consumption habits vary greatly. Some Chinese do not understand how Americans can eat beef, believing that it is improper to eat cattle that work on farms. Americans, in contrast, do not understand how some Chinese and Koreans can eat dogs, the animal often treated as pets or family members in the United States. Interestingly, the Korean government, during the Olympics, banned such traditional delicacies as dog stew, snake soup, blood worm soup, and deer antlers for fear of offending foreigners who might label Koreans as barbaric. Therefore, not only does culture influence what is to be consumed, but it also affects what should not be purchased.
- What is the SRC (self-reference criterion)?
The SRC explains how the individual tends to be bound by his or her own cultural assumptions. The individual thus observes foreign cultures by making reference back to personal cultural values. As a result, perception of overseas events can be distorted by the effects of the SRC.
- Distinguish between high-context and low-context cultures.
In low-context cultures (e.g., the United States), messages are explicit and clear in the sense that actual words are used to convey the main part of information in communication. The words and their meanings, being independent entities, can be separated from the context in which they occur.
In high-context cultures (e.g., Japan), the context of communication is high because, in addition to the verbal part, it includes a great deal of extra information, such as the message sender's values, position, background, and associations in the society. As such, the message cannot be understood without its context. One's individual environment (i.e., physical setting and social circumstances) determines what one says and how one is interpreted by others.
- Distinguish between monochronic and polychronic cultures.
Monochronic cultures (e.g., the United States) handle information in a direct, linear fashion. Schedules, punctuality, and a sense that time forms a purposeful straight line are indicators of such cultures. In polychronic cultures (e.g., Japan), people work on several fronts simultaneously instead of pursuing a single task.
- Explain how the meanings of time, space, agreement/disagreement, and friendship can vary from one culture to another. Also discuss their business implications.
Perceptions of time are culture bound. In the United States, there is a direct relationship between time and the importance of a matter. In some countries, a reverse relationship exists.
Space has its own meaning and is relative. What is perceived as crowded in the United States may be perceived as spacious somewhere else.
Culture dictates how an agreement or a disagreement is expressed and resolved. North Americans prefer a straightforward and explicit approach. Elsewhere, one must be careful in a disagreement never to make someone lose face.
The development of friendship is also affected by culture. Americans have no difficulty in developing friendship in a very short time. Friendship is not developed as fast in other countries, but, when it is developed, it tends to be deeper and to be longer lasting.