Welcome ! International Project Week Helsinki Metropolia May 12th, 2014

1. Welcome! International Project WeekHelsinki MetropoliaMay 12th, 2014 Floor de Groot MA

2. Connection First We are all connected

3. This module will make us aware of our basic assumptions, in order to communicate respectfully and effectively with people from other cultures.

4. Program of this week True friends What culture has to do with ethics. Connection, please! And cultural pitfalls When in Rome…. Adaptation strategies Keep the connection- at any cost?? Saying no and saving face Succeed with a Poster

5. True friends What culture has to do with ethics Culturalencounters Dilemma #1 Who is right, who is wrong: ethnorelativism Aboveand below the surface For tomorrow intercultural quiz

6. Culturele verschillen

7. Question: • who has interculturalexperience? • Travelling • Living abroad • International parents

8. Visible and Invisible Culture Culture comes in layers like an onion 1. Visible Culture 2. Norms and Values 3. Basic Assumptions • (Edgar Schein)

9. Basic Assumptions of Culture abstract and invisible. We learn them very young – before the age of 7. We are unaware of their influence. Basic assumptions shape and distort our perception and judgement.

10. What is considered good food? Please, enjoy a taste of Dutch life!

11. What is considered good behaviour? You are the passenger in a cardrivenby a close friend. He hits a pedestrian. Youknowthat his speeds was at least 70 km/hour in an area of the citywhere the maximum speed allowed is 30 km/hour. There are no witnesses. His lawyersaysthatifyou are preparedtotestifyunderoaththat he was onlydriving at 30 km/houritmay save himfromseriousconsequences.

12. What right has your friend to expect you to protect him?? • My friend has a DEFINITE right toexpect me totestifyto the lowerfigure • He has SOME right toexpect me totestifyto the lowerfigure • He has NO right toexpect me totestifyto the lowerfigure.

14. Do you talk one at a time or all together?

15. Assignmentsfortomorrow “Why my grade will be a 5” Personal Programming InterCultural Assessment Profiler (IAP) Quick scan

16. How well do we know other cultures? An interculturalquiz (made byinternationalstudents)

17. When the world is about to collapse, what is the most probable thing that a Greek would do? • Hide in the bunker • Pray to Zeus • Build the space craft • Drink frappe on Mykonos

18. When the world is about to collapse, what is the most probable thing that a Greek would do? • Hide in the bunker • Pray to Zeus • Build the space craft • Drink frappe on Mykonos

19. What will be the most likely answer when you ask someone from Poland ‘How are you? • I am fine, and you? • That is none of your business! • They start complaining about all kinds of things • I have such a bad hangover! Shouldn’t drink this illegally imported pure alcohol from Ukraine anymore

20. What will be the most likely answer when you ask someone from Poland ‘How are you?’ • I am fine, and you? • That is none of your business! • They start complaining about all kinds of things • I have such a bad hangover! Shouldn’t drink this illegally imported pure alcohol from Ukraine anymore

21. What do Finns do while having dinner? • Concentrating on the main point, eating • Having a nice conversation • If they are enjoying the taste of the meal it is not uncommon to smack and burp • Finns do not like to have dinner together, so they prefer to eat in the bathroom

22. What do Finns do while having dinner? • Concentrating on the main point, eating • Having a nice conversation • If they are enjoying the taste of the meal it is not uncommon to smack and burp • Finns do not like to have dinner together, so they prefer to eat in the bathroom

23. When will the police ask you to stop your car on the highway in Germany? • When you are driving over 120 km/h • When you are driving over 140 km/h • When you are driving over 180 km/h • When you look Polish

24. When will the police ask you to stop your car on the highway in Germany? • When you are driving over 120 km/h • When you are driving over 140 km/h • When you are driving over 180 km/h • When you look Polish

25. Some years back, what was the favourite vegetable of Finnish men? • Green beans • Cabbage • Beetroot • Sausage

26. Some years back, what was the favourite vegetable of Finnish men? • Green beans • Cabbage • Beetroot • Sausage

27. What should you avoid when you don’t like the food that you are eating in a Chinese home? • Vomiting on the table • Farting • Choking the cook • Face distractions

28. What should you avoid when you don’t like the food that you are eating in a Chinese home? • Vomiting on the table • Farting • Choking the cook • Face distractions

29. What do German students mean when they knock on the tables when a class is finished? • They protest against the chopping of the rain forests • They show their appreciation to the teacher • They are playing the new song of Rammstein • They wake up the students that were sleeping

30. What do German students mean when they knock on the tables when a class is finished? • They protest against the chopping of the rain forests • They show their appreciation to the teacher • They are playing the new song of Rammstein • They wake up the students that were sleeping

31. Welcome! When in Rome…. Several adaptation strategies. Tuesday May 13th, 2014 Floor de Groot MA

32. Today Introduction Recap + evaluation: comparing + discussing outcomes The impolite business partner Critical incident: internship in Indonesia Some explanation: Hofstede Help, caught by the police in Kuala Lumpur!

34. High- context explanation

35. Who is the impolite business partner #1 USA Jack’ll blow this up GB Ourchairmenmighttendtodisagree USA This is such Bull Sh... GB I’mnotquitewithyou on that USA Yougottabekidding GB Hm, that’saninterestingidea

36. Who is the impolite business partner #2 A British business man in SaudiArabia is keen to secure an important deal. He has a tightschedule, andcan’taffordto waste any time. His frustrationincreasesbecause he has towaitforagesto get anappointmentwith his Saudi partner. Meetings never start on time, andwhenthey do, there are frequent interruptions, withpeoplecoming in to get papers signed. The Saudi partner even takes phone calls when his visitor is in the room.

37. Monochronic and Polychronic Time • Monochronic: one thing at a time • Polychronic: many things at a time • Both are just as good • Taking our personal or cultural basic assumptions about time for granted is one of the biggest obstacles in intercultural communication

38. Tessa, an IBL student from the Netherlands, has found aninternshipforthreemonths in Indonesia. It is a recentlyfounded company, niceyoungpeople. Shewillwrite a marketing plan for a childrens’ indoor playground. However, after a few weeks, itbecomes harder and harder to finish the company analysis. Sheneedslots of information of her colleaguesandalthoughthey are kind, peopleseemreluctant or forgetfultogive Tessa the information sheneeds. It seemsthat her colleaguesdon’tthinkit is important at all. Andyet, theywanted the plan! Critical incident: Indonesia

39. In the meantimeshepicks up quitesome small tasksfor her colleagues. In meetings, people are quiteinterested in her opinion. Tessa thinks, well I couldgive a lot of advice, if I wouldjust have the proper business information. Towards the end of the internship, she is quitefrustrated. Even her company coach is stillnothelpful: Doesn’tshe want a realistic marketing plan for her company? To her astonishment, by the end of the internshipshegets a goodgrade, although the marketing plan she has written has turned out superficial. Critical incident: Indonesia

40. Together in teams: Findreliable information aboutboth cultures. Questionstobeanswered: Which basic assumptions are possibly the cause of the student’sfrustration? Whatwouldyourownreactionbe in this case? Couldyouwork in these circumstances? Whatadvicewouldyougive at the student, and the company coach? Critical incident: Indonesia

41. A possibleexplanation: Hofstede’sculturaldimensions

42. Assumption: individualism = egoism

43. For tomorrow Reflection Write a short reflection on today’s cases. Reading: the three chapters (pdf) +http://geert-hofstede.com/national-culture.html PresentationIn teams of three, prepare a 10-minute presentation about one of the above topics.

44. About the presentation The aim is to explain and illustrate the chapter/theory Use your own words to explain what the writers mean Find at least 3 pictures to show what you mean Use one of the experiences of to illustrate your story

45. Welcome! International Project WeekHelsinki MetropoliaWednesday 14th, 2014 Floor de Groot MA

46. Today Presentations about cultural dimensions, adaptation strategies, cultural synergy and growth process The staff meeting The lunch break The seaside management day Recap + conclusions

47. Multiculturalteams are never just “ordinary” Theyare the best of teams Theyare the worst of teams Why?

48. Worst Teams When cultural differences are ignored. • “We are all the same” Means: I expect you to behave like me. • “I treat everyone as an equal individual” Means: I treat you like I like to be treated. We are equal. But we are not the same. And how I like to be treated, is not how you like to be treated.

49. Best Teams When cultural differences are recognised and managed. When the advantages of diversity are recognised. And when time is invested in trust building, and coming to an agreement. Multicultural teams have greater difficulty with this.

50. 3-Steps toCulturalSynergy Step 1: What happened? Describe the situation from all points of view.(2 descriptions) Step 2. Recognize and name the underlying basic assumptions of each culture involved. Step 3. Consider several alternative solutions that are not restricted to one culture, but transcend cultures. Look beyond cultural borders. Grow beyond ordinary solutions. Reach the extraordinary.