Woche 9

• Direct communication has low context. It is clearly and unambigously
• Indirect communicaton has high contex

• Listen more to what is meant, not only what its been said
• "Listen" to how the message was given (Body language) - Ask more clarifying questions
• Ask open-ended questions (cant be answered with yes or no)

• Be as clear as possible, represent your opinions transparently
• Clarify your meaning if something could be understood in a number of ways, 
• Repeat what you understand or what has been discussed / Summary of keypoints welcomed
• Dont red "between the lines" - If you are not sure, ask
• Being right > Being polite

High Context: Japan, Korea, Indonesia, China, Saudi Arabia

Low Context: USA, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Germany

Historicaly: High context culture tend to have a long history and usually relationship-oriented societies

On the other side USA wirh only a few hundred years of history, people all with different backround and languages - Explicit communciation neede.

Direct negative feedback: Frankly and honestly. Negative message stands alone. Crticism may be given to an individual in front of a group

Indirect negative feedback: Provided softly and discretly. Positive messages are used to wrap negatives. Criticism is only given in private.

Direct negative feedback: Israel, Russia, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, France

Indirect negative feedback: Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Korea

Principles first (Top-down-Approach): Begins with a fact, statement or opinion and later add concept. Begin message/report with summary or bullet points. Concrete, practical discussions. Philosophical discussions avoided in business environment.

Application first (Bottom-up-Approach): Develop theory/complex concept before presenting a fact or a opnion. Build a theoretical arguement before moving on to a conclusion.

Principles First: France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Germany

Application First: USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Netherlands

1. Raise the team's awareness by explaining the scale. Use case studies and practical examples
2. Bulid “cultural bridges”. Can be very helpful at the team level. 
3. Understand and adapt to one another’s behaviors
4. Patience and flexibility are key. Cross-cultural effectiveness takes time. 
5. When dealing with multicultural teams, cycle between theoretical principles and practical examples.

Egalitarian:

• Low hierarchical distances
• Flat organizations structures
• Open communication/dynamic working environment

Hierarchical:

• High hierarchical distance between boss and subordinate
• Status important
• Fixed structure, communication follow hiereachical lines

Egalitarian: Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, Israel

Hierarchical: Japan, Nigeria, Korea, India, China, Saudi Arabia

Characteristics of Egalitarian Cultures:

• Its ok to disagree with the boss openly
• People are more likely to move to action without getting the ok from boss
• Less focus on matching hierarchical levels in meetings / No specific oreder in seating or speaking.
• Its ok to email/call people several levels above you

Characteristics of Hierarchical Cultures:

• Effort to defer (beugen) to the chefs opinion. especially in public
• People get boss approval before moving to action
• If the send their boss, you (should) send your boss. Seated and spoken in in ordered position
• Communication in hierarchical lines

Egalitarians: 

• Go directly to the source. No need to bother the boss
• Skiping hieracrchical levels probably wont be a problem/think twice if copying the boss

Hierarchicals:

• Communicate with person on your level to get explicit permission to hop to another level
• If you email to someone lower, copy the boss

• Have your subordinates bainstorm (then report ideas back to you)
• Prime meetings with clear instructions in advance (format, structure, agenda)
• invite people to speak up (Moderate the meeting)

• management by objectives
• Clear, specific objective with link to rewards
• 12 months objectives, check progress periodically

Top-down: 

• Decisions are made by individuals (normally boss)
• Top down decision making: Short process of discussion (boss deceides), longer implementation process (possible revision, change of decision)

Consensual:

• Decisions are made in groups through multi-voice agreement
• Consensual decision making: Longer discussion phase/Exchange, short implementation (without discussion)

Top down:

• Nigeria, China, India

Consenal:

• Japan, Sweden, Nedtherlands

1. Explicitly discuss and agree upon a decision-making approach.
2. Define whether the decision will be made by vote or by the boss after a team discussion.
3. Determine whether 100% agreement is needed.
4. Decide whether a deadline (for making the decision) is necessary.
5. Define how much flexibility there will be for changing a decision after the deadline.

Taskt based (Cognitiv Trust):

• Trust trough business-realted activities
• Built and dropped easily, based on the situation
• You do good work consistently, you are reliable, I enjoy workin with you -I  trust you

Relationship-based (Affective Trust):

• Trust trough sharing meals, drinks, and chat ovef coffee (friendship, emotional closeness)
• Work relationships build up slowly over long period
• I've seen you are at a deeper level, i know others who trust you, I trust you

Task based:

• USA
• Denmark
• Netherlands
• Germany
• UK

Relationship based:

• Saudi-Arabia
• Nigeria
• India
• China
• Thailand

Context poor communication: E-Mail (actual information sharin

Context rich communication: Peronal meeting, Videocall (Discussions, debates with sensitives issues)

Confrontation: 

• Disagreement/debates are positive for team organization
• open confrontation has no negative impact on relationships
• Isarael, France, Germany, Russia, Denmark)

Non-Confrontation:

• Disagreement/debate are negativce for team organization
• Open confrontation is inappropriate and will break harmony/negatively impact on relationship
• Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Ghana, China

• If your the boss, consider skipping the meeting (others may not feel comptirable disagreeing with you)
• Avoid giving yout opinion first
• Depersonalize disagreement
• Give subordinates time to prepare their opinions

Linear time: One thing at the time, projetc steps in sequental fashion (Germany, Switzerland, japan)

Flexible time: Many thins at once, project steps in fluid manner (Saudi-Arabia, India, China, Nigeria)

past orientation: Characterized by an awareness of tradition, history, respect for the elders

Present orientation: Focus on action and doing  rather than thinking and being

Future orientation: Effort on what it comes next, planing and organizing is important