What you don’t know…
Richard Baker
Associate Professor
Department of Communications
Kansas State University

Increasing Importance of
Intercultural Communication
• Technological advancements
• General global interconnectivity
• Globalization of markets
• Intercultural workforce

Understanding Culture
Cultural has characteristics!
Culture has dimensions!

Cultural Characteristics
1. Culture is learned.
2. Cultures are inherently logical.
3. Culture forms our self-identity and community.
4. Culture combines the visible and the invisible.
5. Culture is dynamic.

Cultural Dimensions
• High context versus low context
• Monochronic vs Polychronic
• Future vs Present vs Past Orientation
• Power Distance
• Individualism vs. Collectivism
• Gender roles
• Protocol
• Persuasive Argument
• Basis of Trust
• Uncertainty Avoidance/Risk Taking Propensity
• Short-Long Term Orientation

Key North American
Beliefs…Dimensions:
–Individualism
–Informality
–Direct communication style
–Importance of time

Foreigners’ views of us
Informal, friendly • Undisciplined
Egalitarian • Insensitive to status
Direct • Aggressive, rude
Individualistic • Self-Absorbed
Open • Untrustworthy, weak

High versus Low Context
High-context cultures rely on nonverbal cues and the
total picture to communicate. Meanings are embedded
at many social levels.
Low-context cultures emphasize words,
straightforwardness, openness. People tend to be
informal, impatient, literal.

High-Context Cultures
Japanese Relational
Arab Collectivist
Latin American Intuitive
Spanish Contemplative
Italian
French

Low Context Cultures
Anglos Individualistic
Germanics Logical
Scandinavians Action-oriented
North American

Past Orientation
China
Britain
Japan
Most Spanish-speaking Latin
American countries

Future Orientation
United States
Brazil

Quantity of Time
Time is a limited resource and
must not be wasted!
versus
Time is plentiful, if not infinite!

Power Distance
How do people deal with the
inequalities among themselves?
What kind of a distance is there
between superiors and subordinates?

Power Distance
High power distance cultures tend to
Be agrarian.
Low power distance countries include
the United States, northern Europeans,
Israel.

Individualism vs. Collectivism
Collectivist
Asian cultures
Individualist
Anglo cultures

What does all this mean to you?
The 25 percent of the India population
with the highest I-Q totals more than the
entire population of North America.

What does all this mean to you?
It means they have more Honors kids
than we have kids!

What does all this mean to you?
In 2005, minorities accounted for 42
percent of this nation’s elementary,
middle, and high school students.

Diversity Demographics Quiz
From 2006 estimates of population, what is the number
one English-speaking country in the world?
a. India c. China
b. United States d. Russia

India

Diversity Demographics Quiz
What country in the world has the highest percentage
of people who would like to emigrate to the United
States?
a. India c. Mexico
b. France d. Russia

India

Diversity Demographics Quiz
The most dramatic workforce change since the 1960s
is the growing number of_________ in the workforce.
a. Hispanics c. African-Americans
b. seniors (65 or over) d. women

Women

Diversity Demographics Quiz
By 2050, close to _________ of the U.S. population will
be made up of Asians, Hispanics, African-Americans,
and other nonwhite groups.
a. one quarter c. one half
b. one third d. two thirds

One-half

Diversity Demographics Quiz
Among individuals with a work-limiting disability, 44
percent hold college degrees and 75 percent are
computer literate. How many of these disabled
people are NOT part of the workforce?
a. one quarter c. one half
b. one third d. two thirds

Two-thirds

Diversity Demographics Quiz
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that
between 2000 and 2025 the number of over-55
workers will___________.
a. decrease by 13 percent
b. decrease by 23 percent
c. increase by 53 percent
d. increase by 83 percent

Increase 83%

Diversity Demographics Quiz
What percentage of the U.S. population
over 5 years of age speaks a language
other than English at home?
a. 8% c. 18%
b. 28% d. 38%

28%

Diversity Demographics Quiz
Based on the latest census figures, what are the two
MOST racially and ethnically diverse states in the
continental United States?
a. Florida, New York c. California, Texas
b. Florida, California d. New Mexico, California

Florida & California

Diversity Demographics Quiz
Based on the latest census figures, what are the two
LEAST racially and ethnically diverse states in the
continental United States?
a. Rhode Island, Delaware
b. Maine, Vermont
c. North Dakota, South Dakota
d. Maine, New Hampshire

Maine & Vermont

Diversity Demographics Quiz
The most profound challenge for managers,
administrators, and employees of all organizations
striving for diversity will center on _____________?
a. recruiting c. management style
b. promotion d. communication

Communication

Three Basic problems!
1. interpretation
2. prediction
3. conflict

Dealing with Diversity
Create zero tolerance for bias and
stereotypes.
Understand the value of differences.
Learn about your cultural self.
Broaden your view of other cultures.
Make fewer assumptions.

Project Implicit?