This document outlines an assignment to analyze and compare the cultures between the US military and Singapore military. It provides topics to cover such as differences in work culture, meal times, language, food, education, and festivities. Students are asked to discuss the determinants of culture using theories like Hofstede's dimensions. They should apply these cultural theories to the US and Singapore militaries and include examples of cultural differences. The conclusion should analytically synthesize the findings about the cultural environments in a concise 500 word report. References from reputable sources must be included to avoid plagiarism.

1. Assignment Details
1) Introduction
A comprehensive report on the application of the course
concepts within your own workplace or one with which you are
familiar.
2) Key paragraphs
· The culture between US military and Singapore military.
Perhaps information why do the people in US serve and what is
their thoughts.
· Other aspect of culture, such as language, religion, social
structure, political / economic philosophy, education, cultural
norms in the society, or any other cultural dimension you think
is important.
• Discuss and analyse the determinants of culture in the
country chosen: History, Religion, Social Structure, Political
Philosophy, Economy, Language, and Education.
• Apply the cultural theories to the chosen culture.
Look at the Hofstede Dimensions and World Values Survey to
find background info.
There should be a strong level of analysis, demonstrating
focused background reading on the chosen topic.
3) Conclusion. (Not more than 500 words)
Conclusions must be an analytical synthesis of all of the above
about the cultural environment in the given country/region.

2. Examples given to be included in the assignment. Kindly
include more findings on the cultural differences between the
USA and Singapore.
Introduction
Military personnel being deployed to USA during his national
service in Singapore Air Force. This report is to be presented to
the Commanding Officer after returning back to Singapore. An
overall view of the cultural differences experience by him in
USA. Aims to reduce cultural conflict, understands their
behaviour and act as references for future deployment or
training.
Topics which I would like to include but make necessary
changes
1. What is USA culture?
2. What is the culture differences between USA Army and
Singapore Army?
3. What exactly do the USA Army felts about the present of
another Asia military personal in base?
4. Why do people in USA serve the forces?
5. How they look at Singaporean as a whole? Is there any
stereotype view against us and vice versa?
6. What is SAF roles and involvement during peacetime and
why it is important?
e.g Support in disaster in supplying medical and foods.
Handling the differences between Singapore and USA example:
Work Cultures
USA: Start work on time and knock off on time. No obligation
to overtime should their boss requested them. (Due to labour
and human rights policy)
SG: Start work on time and knock off later most of the time.

3. Frequent overtime is expected and engineers are expected to
adopt “Big Boy” concept and do not complain if you are require
to work overtime.
Meal Time
USA: Go for lunch on time and will not entertain or engage into
any request with regards to work that will potentially push back
their lunchtime.
Example: If the engineer approaches an American guy for help
due to work related issue while he is having his meal. He will
be very furious and will not hesitate to tell you off right in your
face.
SG: Usually no fix lunch time as lunch time greatly depends on
the amount of work you have on that day. But should the
engineer encounter some issues that require immediate attention
with regards his work, priority goes to solving the issue and
lunch break will be push back to a later timing.
Recognition:
US: Very generous in showing recognition to their engineers.
Any job that is deemed well done by their supervisor will
usually be awarded with intrinsic or extrinsic rewards.
SG: Typically shy in this area and usually a job well done in a
task is what you ought to do (It could be due to Asian Culture I
suppose). Rewards will only be awarded to those with
significant contribution to their work.
Language:
US: Low context communicator and Americans are usually very
expressive. They tend to be very comfortable with direct
speech.
SG: High context communicator. Shy and does not feel
comfortable with aggressive conversation and also does not like
to be interrupted in a conversation.
Food:

4. USA: Love hamburgers and salads at the same time they seldom
take spicy food.
SG: Whereas Singaporean loves spicy food and they usually
have either rice or noodles to come with main dishes.
Education:
USA: the education style is very open and children are asked to
present in front of the classes, therefore when they are in the
working society, they do not have stage fright as they are
trained at young.
SG: the education style is very classroom style where teacher
will teach on the blackboard, there when they are in the working
society, they tends to have stage fright and require time for
preparation prior to a presentation. Singapore follows
Cambridge education standards, therefore some measuring units
are used different between Singapore and USA (e.g Kilometer
and Miles to measure distance - Metric system and customary
units).
Festivities:
USA: Independence Day, Columbus Day and St Patrick Day.
SG: Chinese New year, Deepavali celebration and Singapore
National Day.
Singaporean being the minority living the USA, in order to
foster a stronger relationship and better understanding between
the two cultures, Singaporean will usually organise a
celebration during the Chinese New Year and Singapore
National Day which is not observed in the American calendar.
During the eve of Chinese New Year, American counter-parts
are invited to join them in the reunion dinner followed by a
Chinese performance. And the Singapore National Day is
celebrated quite similarly and a video on how Singapore became
a multi-racial society and independence will be showed after the
dinner.

5. No Plagiarism Please
Please include a bibligography or reference and literature
sources used is essential. Ensure that you use various written
sources of information and reference accordingly.
You may take references from the following website:
• Hofstede Home Page: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/
• World Values Survey: http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org
• CIA World Fact Book:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-
worldfactbook/index.html
Many other comparable sources of background information:
Country Statistical Organisations, The Wall Street Journal,
BusinessWeek, The Economist, OECD, IMF, World Bank,
United Nations.