"Go Global" with Business Interculture To understand and be understood… …is a basic requirement for international business success. Do you work… …in a responsible position for a world wide corporation or for an international organisation? Or would you like to have such a position? Do you lead… …an international team? A project group with members from different nations? An interdisciplinary task force, which has been given the job to solve a special problem? Have you… …already checked the market potential of your products and services in your target country? Do you now need a competitive edge in the international market that can be achieved through competency in everyday dealings with decision-makers from other cultures? Do you know… …what your future foreign business partner expects from you? What he expects from his own people and in his own country? And why he thinks and acts in exactly the way he does think and act? Do you want… …a short course tailor-made to meet your aims and requirements in which you learn everything about your foreign business partner’s cultural background, communication style, business mentality and how you can expect him to think and act? Business Interculture is the springboard to global success. Interested? Then call us or send us an email 089 570 6200

1. Welcome to our Culture Game
The first workshop in a series of six
Obtain intercultural competency while you work
Johanna Marius

2. What is culture?
The term culture derives from the latin word „colere“ und means to
cultivate, to nourish sth – the way we shape our life
„Culture is an orientation system. “ (Dr. Alexander Thomas)
„Culture is communication.“ (Edward T. Hall)
„Culture is the collective programming of the mind.“ (Geert Hofstede)

3. The Iceberg Concept of Culture –
only a small part of culture is visible!
Behavior
Actions
Primarily in awareness Words
Cooking Dress
Music
Literature Fine Arts
Concept of Beauty Body Language
Primarily out of Concept of Modesty Nature of Friendship
awareness Time Orientation Patterns of Superior/
Subordinate Relations
Attitudes Interpretations
Patterns of Handling Emotions
Values

4. Meeting of two Icebergs
Every person has his or her own inner iceberg.
What happens when 2 people from different cultures meet?
Behavior Behavior
Values Values
Culture 1 Culture 2

5. Meeting of two Icebergs
When 2 people from different cultures meet, they tend to
interpret the behavior of the other according to their own
values and attitudes
Behavior Behavior
Values Values
Culture 1 Culture 2

6. How cultures differ:
Power
Person Orientation Low power distance
Individualistic - Collectivistic Doing - Being High power distance
Structure Understanding of
Order - Flexibility Culture Time
Communication
Space
Direct - Indirect
Closeness - Distance
Public - Private
Context
Dealing with Rules
High/Low - Universal - Particular
Direct/Indirect

7. Culture Spectacles
As we have seen with the Iceberg-Model, our values, attitudes
and world views subconciously influence our behavior
This is why we see
- our environment
- the people around us
- and our own self
through the spectacles of our own cultural imprints

8. What is intercultural competency?
Are you aware that each of your words and each of your
gestures can be interpreted completely differently by
another culture?
The first step to intercultural competency is
-to be aware of our own cultural spectacles
-to be aware that we are also perceived through cultural
spectacles by others

9. Obtain intercultural competency while you work
2nd workshop
Cultural dimensions
Your benefit:
You learn how to recognize and structure intercultural
differences and experiences, in order to be able to deal with
challenging situations that are caused by cultural differences

10. Obtain intercultural competency while you work
3rd workshop
Culture of your choice
Your benefit:
You get to know a particular culture in greater detail and
practice negotiating in an intercultural context. We practice
different communication styles.

11. Obtain intercultural competency while you work
4th workshop
Presentation styles
Your benefit:
You learn to present to a different culture, i.e. a lesson, a
lecture, a sales presentation

12. Obtain intercultural competency while you work
5th workshop
Understanding of time – multicultural teams
Your benefit:
You learn the significance time orientation has in an
intercultural context
We discuss working in international teams and practice
virtual communication

13. Obtain intercultural competency while you work
6th workshop
Develop your own material
Here you can write a guideline for any of your professional
conversations or a training module for the topic of your
choice

14. Obtain intercultural competency while you work
Between the workshops there will be field work, i.e.
observation tasks, presentations on topics discussed,
material research etc.
If you miss a workshop, it can be made up at a later time.
You will receive a certificate when you have participated in
all the workshops.

15. Intercultural Competency
saves time and money!
Thank you for your attention!
Johanna Marius
Languages + Intercultural Training
Stephan-Lochner-Straße 11
80686 München
Tel. 089 570 6200
Email: jm@languages-intercultural.com