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CHAPTER 10
Intercultural Communication in
Contexts: Applications in Business,
Education, and Healthcare
OVERVIEW
Chapter Ten explores the influences that influence communication: The cultural impact on
context in intercultural communication. The authors begin the chpater by explaining the
assumptions of context, how context is assessed, and the role it plays in intercultural
communication. Using the contexts of business, education, and healthcare, cultures are
compared and contrasted in an effort to promote awareness and understanding of cultural
differences.
OUTLINE
I. Culture and context
II. Assumptions grounding communication contexts
A. Communication is rule governed
B. Context dictates communication rules
C. Communication rules vary across cultures
III. International communication in contexts
A. Intercultural communication in globalized business
1. Business protocol
2. Leadership and management
3.Decision making
4.Confict management
5.Negotiations
B. The role of language in globalized organizations
C. Benefits of globalized organizations
IV. Education in globalized society
A. Culture as a teacher
A. Learning from culture
B. Cultural attitudes
C. Language and education
D. The multicultural classroom
1.Cultural considerations in the multicultural classroom
2. Multicultural classroom communication strategies
V. Healthcare in a multicultural context
A. Globalization in healthcare
B. Intercultural communication in healthcare
C. Healthcare belief systems across cultures
1. Supernatural/magical/religious perspective
2. Holistic perspective
3. Scientific/biomedical perspective
D. Illness prevention across cultures
E. Language diversity in healthcare
F. Death and dying across cultures
VI. Developing intercultural communication competence in contexts
VII. Summary
ACTIVITIES
Activity 10-1: Three managers
This activity illustrates how cultural values show themselves in the workplace and the problems
that can arise when values are at conflict in an intercultural working situation. Students will
examine the case study below and isolate those values manifested in the behavior of managers
from South Korea and the U.S. Have students read the case study that follows the explanation of
this activity individually or in small groups. After the students have read the case, ask them to
answer the questions that follow. If they are in small groups, ask them to discuss their answers
with other group members.
Possible discussion questions following the exercise:
• Is it possible to do “value-free” business? Should special rules and values be
allowed to govern business that may contradict the values of a culture?
• Would an American facing the same situation as Manager B be reluctant to take
responsibility over older members that are “subordinate” to him/her? Why or why
not?
• Is it possible for Manager B to work around his situation and make the X branch
successful? Or is he/she bound by the values of the Korean culture regarding
status and respect, particularly toward employees of greater age and/or seniority?
• Can you think of other examples where individuals must choose between the
values they hold in their own culture and the values of the workplace or
company?
The three managers*
“All the branches are doing well, Manager A, except for the X branch. We’re having
some difficulty there. Since Manager B has been the branch coordinator, it has been just
standing still.”
“That really surprises me, Manager C. As you know, I had a rather lengthy interview with
Manager B last year. At that time I was quite impressed with Manager B’s ability and
potential.”
Manager C nodded in agreement. “Your assessment of Manager B was correct. Manager
B is one of the most able people in our entire district. And Manager B has been eager to
fulfill the responsibilities as branch coordinator.”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand, then. Aren’t the branch employees supporting Manager
B?”
“Oh, they are all quite willing to help Manager B to make the branch progress. No, I’m
afraid the problem is one that must be overcome by Manager B. You see, several of the
more capable employees of the X branch are graduates of the local university and are
some years older than Manager B, so he/she is hesitant to ask them to help.”
“I still can’t understand,” said Manager A. “Doesn’t Manager B realize we are all equal
in this organization?”
Possible discussion questions:
1. What culture do you think Manager A is from? How do you know?
2. What culture do you think Managers B and C are from? How do you know?
3. What two sets of values are in conflict here?
4. How do you think Manager A should handle this situation?
5. How do you think Manager B should handle this situation?
* Adapted from Language and Intercultural Research Center. (1977). Communication Learning
Aid. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press.
Activity 10-2: Critical incident
This activity illustrates the importance of context within the working and social environments of
the Japanese culture. Students will gain an understanding of both the formal and informal nature
of Japanese life and when certain behaviors are appropriate and inappropriate. Ask students to
read individually the critical incident that follows the explanation of this activity. They should
then choose an answer and form small groups of four to six students to discuss their individual
answers. Each group member should share and justify his or her individual answer, but
ultimately the group should reach a consensus regarding their group answer. In the large class
discussion, ask each group to share and justify their answers. To assist instructors, a short
discussion of the explanations is provided at the end of this activity.
Possible discussion questions following the exercise:
• Do you agree with the explanations given on the handout? Why or why not?
• How do you feel about the way the Japanese employees treated Carl after the
meeting?
• How do individuals in your culture handle situations where someone has violated
the norms of protocol?
• Do the rules for informal gatherings and the rules for more formal workplace
meetings differ in your own culture?
• How do people know the “rules” for acting appropriately in different contexts
within their own cultures?
• How can we learn the contextually-correct behavior or protocol for other
cultures?
Critical incident*
At a meeting shortly after the party, Carl found himself in the same room as several of the
co-workers and senior managers who were at the party and who had contributed to the
merriment of the evening with their songs and stories. One of the senior managers
mentioned to Carl how much he had enjoyed “The Raven.” Noting the manager’s
informality, Carl spontaneously decided to use the meeting as an opportunity to discuss a
proposal that he had been thinking about ever since his arrival in Japan. When Carl
brought up his proposal mid-way through the meeting, however, he was met with a wall
of silence. After the meeting, Carl was noticeably not included in the numerous informal
conversations as people left the meeting.
Discussion of Carl’s actions:
1. The raven is a sacred symbol in Japan, and Carl made a major blunder in reciting
Poe’s poem at the party. The senior manager mentioned the poem only to get Carl
to rethink about the matter.
2. Carl should not have contributed to the entertainment in any way. This is to be
done only by the Japanese guests and hosts.
3. Carl thought that the informality he observed at the party would also be part of the
meeting at work.
4. Suggest your own alternative.
Discussion of Carl’s alternatives:
* Adapted from Brislin, R. W., Cushner, K., Cherrie, C., & Yong, M. (1986). Intercultural
Interactions: A Practical Guide (pp. 171-172, 186-187). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Activity 10-3: Cultural views of job satisfaction
Just as people oftentimes want different things from their intimate relationships with others,
people may want different things from their employment. While some people may be looking for
a stable income, others may be interested in working with and/or for people who are friendly and
supportive. And just as in our romantic relationships, if we assume that the people we work with
seek the same kind of working conditions and environment that we do, our assumptions may
result in crossed signals and miscommunication.
This activity asks students to identify the components of job satisfaction for them and then to ask
someone from a different cultural background to assess his or her needs as an employee. Because
different cultures value and conceive of work differently, students may come up with some
interesting contrasts. Ask students to rank the following items from one to ten according to how
important they feel each is in contributing to their morale as an employee. Then have them ask
an acquaintance or friend from a different country or ethnic group to do the same. If the class is
diverse, students may wish to simply exchange and compare their responses with another
member of the class. The form for this exercise is on a separate page so that instructors can
duplicate the form and give each student a copy.
Possible discussion questions following the exercise:
• What differences do you see between the two sets of rankings? What might
account for these differences?
• How might these differences affect working relationships?
• How might employees from each culture approach their job?
• How can we adapt to the different needs of our co-workers and help them adapt to
ours?
• As supervisors, how can we adapt to different notions of job satisfaction and keep
all employees motivated?
Cultural views on job satisfaction
My Friend’s
Rankings Rrankings
______ Interesting work ______
______ Personal loyalty of supervisors ______
______ Appreciation and recognition ______
______ Help with personal problems ______
______ High wages ______
______ Job security ______
______ Tactful discipline ______
______ Feeling of being “in” on things ______
______ Good working conditions ______
______ Promotion in the company ______
______ Flexible working hours ______
______ Personal privacy ______
______ Others: _____________________ ______
______ ____________________________ ______
______ ____________________________ ______
Activity 10-4: Translation simulation
This activity treats Japanese and American cultural values as though they were two separate
languages, playing on the notion of translation. In this way, the exercise makes literal the
difficulty of intercultural communication in professional settings, in particular. It suggests that
even when everyone is speaking the same language (English for the purposes of this exercise),
they are not necessarily “speaking the same language.”
Begin the exercise by asking for three volunteers to enact a business meeting between a Japanese
executive, an American manager, and a translator. Both business people will be speaking in
English for the purposes of the class, but each will adopt the verbal and nonverbal
communication styles appropriate to a professional meeting within their respective cultures. The
translator should be familiar with the communication styles of both cultures.
Explain to the three volunteers that this is an initial meeting between the two companies; the
meeting is meant to initiate interaction regarding an upcoming deal. The two individuals might
discuss how long the deal will take to negotiate, what the process will involve for each party,
how much interaction should take place between the employees of the two companies, as well as
the scheduling and content of future meetings between the two business people. Inform students
that there is a status differential between the two: the Japanese company is represented by the
company president and the U.S. company is represented by an upper-level manager.
Be sure to encourage the whole class to participate actively in the skit. If and when the translator
becomes stuck, the members of the class can help out. Also, have students take notes on what
they observe.
Instructors should advise students to base their interactions on the material covered in the chapter
about business practices in the two cultures. Although the purpose of the activity is to address the
cultural differences in a business context, instructors should be prepared to discuss any
stereotyping inserted by the volunteers. If unrealistic stereotyping does manifest itself during the
activity, it is an excellent way to connect and reinforce material from the previous chapters.
Possible discussion questions following the exercise:
• What did people observe about the verbal communication of the two business
people? The nonverbal communication?
• What did it feel like to be in this situation (question for two business people)?
What was challenging about it? What came rather easily?
• What did people observe about the translator and/or the process of translation?
• What did it feel like to be in this situation (question for the translator)? What was
challenging about it? What came rather easily?
• Based on our different perceptions of this situation, do you think this business
deal would have gone successfully? Why or why not?
• How realistic to do you think this situation was?
Activity 10-5: Playing the role of the mediator*
This activity is designed to give students an opportunity to work directly in a communication
situation where conflict has gone unresolved and mediation is needed to achieve some viable
compromise.
A few days before this activity takes place, divide students into groups of three. Have each triad
meet together and decide who will play the roles of disputants and who will be the mediator.
After the decision is made, the mediator should not have any further contact with the disputants
until the day of the activity. The other two students need to decide on the basic nature of their
dispute and the roles they will play. This activity needs to take place outside of class so they
might have an opportunity to work out the details of their controversy. They can choose to play
any roles they desire; that is, they may represent labor and management, two employees who
simply cannot work together, a couple thinking of divorce, two siblings who cannot get along
together, or two students assigned to work on a common project who have incompatible personal
styles. Once the disputants have chosen their roles, they need to meet with the mediator and
describe the basic conflict situation. Then the mediator must be given time alone (preferably out
of class) to choose his or his strategy. When the mediator is ready, have the three meet together
to attempt to resolve the dispute. Leave time at the end for all parties to evaluate the
communication that transpired, the conflict styles used, and to make suggestions for
improvement.
* Adapted from “Playing the Mediator,” prepared by Baster, H., Andrews, P., & Baird,
J. (2000). Communication for Business and the Professions. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher
Education.
Activity 10-6: Classroom visitors
This activity is designed to give students an in-depth understanding of the role that culture plays
in the classroom by allowing students to listen to and ask questions of teachers. Students will
gain insight into how cultural interaction patterns impact U.S. classrooms.
Invite two or three K-12 teachers who teach in a multicultural school and/or who are culturally
diverse among themselves. These visitors can be contacted through local schools and/or the
school district offices in your community. People may also be able to direct you to individuals in
charge of multicultural programs and multicultural specialists at certain schools. Ask your
visitors to address the influence that culture has on the classroom and share some of their
intercultural experiences with students and/or co-workers. Ask them to describe the cultural
backgrounds of their students and the different learning styles to which their students are
accustomed.
In addition to students’ own questions, instructors might ask visitors to address the following:
• What are the specific needs of students who come from other cultures?
• What difficulties arise in a multicultural classroom?
• What aspects do the teachers find particularly enjoyable and rewarding?
• What strategies do they use to teach children from different cultures?
• How are non-English-speaking students assisted in their school and classroom?
A debriefing session during the class session after the visits would be helpful to allow students to
discuss some of their own thoughts about the visitors and the impact of culture on teaching and
learning. Possible discussion questions following the exercise:
• Of the strategies used to teach students from different cultures, which did you find
most impressive and why? Were any strategies less than impressive?
• What are your own cross-cultural experiences in the educational environment?
• Do you think society sufficiently addresses the issue of cultural differences in the
classroom? How has U.S. society conceptualized and administered education
from a mono-cultural perspective?
• What type of training would you suggest for educators in order to make them
more aware of cultural differences and of the need to be sensitive to these
differences?
Activity 10-7: Motivation strategies
This activity illustrates some of the problems teachers face in teaching students from cultures
where formal education may not be a primary value. Students will critically examine the case
study below and generate strategies to help the teacher motivate pupils from another culture
where family matters take precedence over education. Divide the students into groups of four to
six for this activity. A discussion should follow to compare and contrast the students’ strategies.
Mr. Jilka is a sixth-grade teacher with an ethnically diverse classroom. One-fourth of the class is
white, one-fourth is African American, one-fourth is Asian, and one-fourth is Mexican-
American. Recently, two Mexican-American students, Jesus and Juanita, have begun to miss two
or three days a week. In addition to a pattern of absences, Jesus has stopped turning in his
homework. Juanita has begun to do poorly on classroom assignments and often stares out the
window during class. Prior to this, Jesus and Juanita had been enthusiastic students despite the
fact that English is their second language. Mr. Jilka is not sure what action to take. However, he
did overhear Juanita telling another Mexican-American student that her father had lost his job
and has been unable to find a new one close to home.
Possible discussion questions include:
• Should Mr. Jilka respond to this situation?
• How should Mr. Jilka respond to this situation?
• What exactly should Mr. Jilka say to whom?
• Assuming your first strategy does not work what else could Mr. Jilka do and/or
say to whom?
Activity 10-8: Teachers from different cultures
This activity is designed to give students an understanding of cultural diversity in the classroom
from the perspective of an ethnically diverse teacher. Students are to interview a professor or
administrator at their school who is from a culture other than the dominant culture. If it is not
possible to interview a professor or administrator, students can sit in on a class taught by a
professor whose ethnicity is different from that of the dominant culture and respond to the
questions below based on their observations.
Possible interview questions:
• What is the ethnic composition of your classroom?
• What are some of the challenges you face in teaching a culturally diverse class?
• About how much time do you spend lecturing? Facilitating discussion?
• What is expected of students’ participation and how do they actually participate?
• How is classroom time structured?
• How do you motivate students?
• How do you accommodate different learning styles?
• What are some of the primary values of your culture and how are they manifested
in your teaching?
• Are classroom activities group oriented or focused on the individual?
• Is language diversity a problem for your classroom?
• What recommendations do you have for the multicultural teacher? For students in
multicultural classrooms?
Possible discussion questions following the exercise:
• Was multicultural teaching competency important for this teacher? Did this
teacher have an awareness of cultural differences among his or her students?
• How did the teacher’s ethnicity affect the classroom? Are the challenges faced by
ethnically diverse teachers the same as those facing teachers from the dominant
group?
• What multicultural characteristics and/or practices did you find most appealing?
Activity 10-9: Case study at a university in the U.S.
This activity illustrates how cultural values are acted out in the classroom and how problems
may arise when values are conflicting. Divide the classroom into groups of four to six students
and have the groups examine the case study below. Students will decide on a course of action to
resolve the conflict presented. A representative from each group should summarize the group’s
solution for the class in an open discussion.
Amir is from Saudi Arabia. He is attending college in the U.S. to pursue a degree in
Business Administration. Upon completion of his degree, Amir will return to Saudi
Arabia to run the family business with his father and two brothers. Amir is not used to
having females in the same classroom, and the idea of women participating in business is
alien to him. As a result, Amir pays little attention to the contributions made by female
students. He often interrupts them and discounts what they have to say. When forced to
converse with female students in small group exercises, he is often silent and contributes
little to the discussion.
The female students at first ignored Amir’s behavior in hopes that he would quickly
become aware of their competence. After all, the other males in the classroom considered
them equal. But Amir’s behavior continued and several female students began to
challenge him on many issues. Amir, whose culture emphasizes spoken language,
retaliated against the women’s challenges, and the classroom has since turned into a
battleground. The situation has escalated to the point that no student interaction involving
Amir can be facilitated without an argument.
• Should Amir be more accommodating and flexible in his attitude towards having
women in the classroom? Should the women be more understanding? Why does
the cliché “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” not always play out realistically
in communication situations?
• How could this situation be resolved? What could the male students do? What
could the female students do? What could the instructor do?
• As fellow students in this business class, what would you tell Amir and how
would you say it?
Possible discussion questions following the exercise:
• What could the instructor and other students have done long before this situation
arose?
• What could the instructor and other students have done to prevent this situation
from escalating to this point?
• Have you ever been in a similar situation where one student seemed to discount
the contributions of other students? How did you handle the situation? How do
you wish you would have handled the situation?
Activity 10-10: Gendered Education
This activity gives students an opportunity to conduct their own field research with regard to
gender differences in the classroom. Before coming to class the day of the exercise, students
should use the handout that follows the explanation of this activity to make observations in one
or two of their other college classes. The identity of the instructor and title of the course should
be kept anonymous. On the day of the exercise, students should be prepared to share their
findings in small groups or in a large class discussion.
Possible discussion questions following the exercise:
• In addition to the course content, what else is being taught to male and female
students? What are students learning about their gender and the gender of others?
• Should educators and students teach gender roles in this way? Why or why not?
• What can we do as students to make the classroom a positive learning
environment for all students?
• What can or must instructors do to improve their communication with male and
female students?
Guidelines for students:
Identify one or two other courses that you are currently taking and that you would like to observe
for gender differences. Take notes before and during your observation and be prepared to share
your findings with our class.
• Is generic male language (i.e. “he” and “man” to mean either sex and/or all
people) used?
• How many passages feature women? How many feature men?
• How often are females presented as dependent, independent, leaders, and/or
supporting others?
• How often are males presented as dependent, independent, leaders, and/or
supporting others?
• How often do males contribute comments?
• How often do females contribute comments?
• Do people use an equal number of examples featuring each sex? Are the sexes
portrayed in similar or different ways within these examples?
• Does anyone use generic male language?
• Are there any gender patterns with regard to asking questions, interrupting others,
or raising hands to speak?
• Do you notice any differences in the length of comments made by male and
female students?
• Do you notice any differences in how others respond to comments made by male
and female students?
Activity 10-11: Educational awareness essay
This activity is designed to help students find out about educational expectations of other
cultures by interviewing and getting to know someone from another country. Assign students to
interview someone from another country focusing on educational expectations of that culture.
Then write a three-four page typed paper about what they learned. Have them write about what
educational values are different from their culture and what values are the same. Students should
include the following questions in their interview:
• What is the value of education in your culture?
• What courses or subjects were emphasized during your schooling?
• Are women and men entitled to the same educational advantages?
• Did you have homework?
• If so, who in your family made sure your homework was done?
• Was it mandatory that you complete at least 12 years of schooling?
• What’s the educational background of your parents/other siblings?
Activity 10-12: Health care interviews
This activity gives students an opportunity to find out how doctors, nurses, and other health care
professionals perceive and respond to the influence of culture in their interpersonal relationships
with patients and colleagues who are from a culture different from their own. Before coming to
class the day of the exercise, ask students to contact one to three professionals in the health care
field and talk with them for approximately thirty minutes about their interactions with patients
who are in some way culturally dissimilar to themselves. The health care providers can be
contacted through medical schools as well as through nursing and public health programs on
campus. Planned Parenthood, women's and community clinics, hospices, local hospitals, and the
city health department are also excellent resources.
Encourage students to send a copy of the “Possible interview questions” listed below to the
people they will be interviewing before the day of the actual interview. This will give the health
care providers an opportunity to reflect on their interactions with patients.
After conducting their interviews, students should individually answer the “Post-interview
questions” listed below. On the day of the exercise, have students share their responses to these
questions with a small group of four to six students. Each group should then pool their "data" and
choose a spokesperson to present the group’s findings to the rest of the class.
Possible interview questions:
• Describe some of the patients whom you see in your work.
• Describe the cultural backgrounds of some of your patients.
• How would you describe the relationship between a client and a health care
worker?
• How does communication play a role in a patient’s treatment?
• How is communication more challenging when the patient is from a cultural
background different from your own?
• What do you do to adapt to the patient's way of communicating?
• Describe a situation when you found communication with a culturally different
patient particularly challenging.
• How have a patient's cultural beliefs about doctors and illness affected your
communication with and subsequent treatment of this person?
Post-interview questions:
1. What was the cultural background and gender of the person(s) you interviewed?
2. In what specific ways might their cultural background be influencing their
interactions with clients?
3. How does culture generally affect the relationships between health care
professionals and their clients?
4. Do you believe their gender influenced their responses to a patient's culture? If so,
how?
5. How does culture affect communication between health care professionals and
their clients?
Activity 10-13: Classroom visitors
This activity is designed to give students an in-depth understanding of the role that culture plays
in the health care setting by allowing students to listen to and ask questions of health care
professionals. Students will gain insight into how cultural interaction patterns impact the U.S.
health care system.
Invite two or three health care providers who work with a diverse group of patients and/or who
are culturally diverse among themselves. These visitors can be contacted through medical
schools, as well as through nursing and public health programs on campus. Planned Parenthood,
women's and community clinics, hospices, local hospitals, and the city health department are
also excellent resources. Ask your visitors to address the influence that culture has on health care
and to share some of their intercultural experiences with patients and/or co-workers. Ask them to
describe the cultural backgrounds of their patients and the health care their patients are
accustomed to receiving.
In addition to students’ own questions, instructors might ask visitors to address the following:
• What are the specific needs of patients who come from other cultures?
• What difficulties arise in the intercultural health care setting?
• What aspects do the health professionals find particularly enjoyable and
rewarding?
• What strategies do they use to care for people from different cultures?
• How are non-English-speaking patients assisted?
A debriefing session during the class session after the visits would be helpful to allow students to
discuss some of their own thoughts about the visitors and the impact of culture on the health care
context.
Possible discussion questions following the exercise:
• Of the strategies used to care for people from different cultures, which did you
find most impressive and why? Were any strategies less than impressive?
• Do you think society sufficiently addresses the issue of cultural differences in
health care? How has U.S. society conceptualized and administered health care
from a mono-cultural perspective?
• What additional training would you suggest for health care providers in order to
make them more aware of cultural differences and the need to be sensitive to
these differences?
Activity 10-14: What’s wrong with me?
In this activity, students will use the supernatural/magico/religious, Holistic, and
biomedical/scientific to address various maladies. How would each of the traditions define the
causes, symptoms, and treatments?
sore throat stomach pain headache depression
weight gain hair loss fatigue backache
For example, how would each of the traditions explain the cause of back pain?
• Supernatural/magico/religious – insulted or harmed a spirit, God’s will, a spell
was cast on the victim
• Holistic – imbalance in spirit, mind, and body
• Biomedical/scientific – strain or other physical damage to the spine
What questions would each tradition ask?
• Supernatural/magico/religious – What have you done recently that might have
offended the spirits?
• Holistic – Have you been doing, thinking, eating, and/or feeling differently than
usual?
• Biomedical/scientific – What physical activities have you been engaging in that
might have caused the injury?
What solutions would each tradition offer?
• Supernatural/magico/religious – appease the angry spirit, God, or witch through
ceremonies, offerings, or other activities
• Holistic – correct imbalances in life
• Biomedical/scientific – hot or cold pack, let the injury heal, or surgery
Although it isn’t necessary to discuss each ailment in detail, the idea is to get students thinking
about how different health crises can be perceived.
SUPPLEMENTAL FILMS AND VIDEOS
The Breeding of Impotence (1993, 55 minutes)
This instructional video features prominent speakers addressing how the tendency to have lower
expectations for minority students fosters a culture of failure among children. The video also
considers the increase in school violence as it relates to community factors.
Cancer in Two Voices (1994, 43 minutes)
This film documents the last three years of a woman with advanced breast cancer. Along the
way, the film explores her identity as a Jewish lesbian and how she learns to deal with dying
with sensitivity and a deep commitment to living.
Cultural Diversity: At the Heart of Bull (1992, 28 minutes)
This instructional video explores cultural differences within an information systems corporation.
Featuring employees from France and the U.S., the participants candidly discuss how they
perceive themselves, one another, and the world around them.
The Desired Number (1995, 28 minutes)
This film uses a ceremony in Nigeria to highlight how family planning issues conflict with
traditional family values, most notably how bearing large numbers of children can be a mixed
blessing for Nigerian women.
A Different Place and Creating Community: The Intercultural Classroom (1993,
37 minutes)
This two-part instructional video addresses the complex issues facing intercultural classrooms in
the U.S. Part I depicts a college classroom of international and American students interacting
with one another and their professor in cultural-specific ways that lead to conflict. Part II
provides an analysis of the drama in Part I by people from the fields of sociology, anthropology,
education, and communication.
Doing Business in Latin America: A Video Series on Argentina, Brazil, Chile,
and Mexico Volumes 1-4 (1994-1996, 160 minutes total, 35-45 minutes each
volume)
This series of instructional videos provides tips from high-ranking business executives on
making the right contacts, building long-term business relationships, making sure the work is
done right and on time, using proper etiquette, and celebrating cultural differences.
Doing Business in Southeast Asia: A Video Series on Indonesia, Malaysia and
Singapore Volumes 1-3 (1997, 135 minutes total, 45 minutes each volume)
This series of instructional videos offers advice from Asian and American executives, as well as
cross-cultural experts, on such topics as history, etiquette, business relationships, and
communication strategies.
Her Giveaway: A Spiritual Journey with AIDS (1988, 21 minutes)
This film portrays Carole Lafavor, an activist, mother, registered nurse, and person with AIDS.
Her “giveaway” involves information about the Native American philosophy of illness. The film
also confronts the invisibility of women, Native Americans, and lesbians with AIDS.
The Hidden Dimension in International Business Interaction (1996, 62 minutes)
This instructional video examines cross-cultural assumptions about time, space, and information.
In the video, Edward Hall looks at American and Japanese offices and explains how culture
influences international business transactions.
High School of American Dreams (1995, 30 minutes)
This instructional video features a public high school in New York where immigrants from 43
countries learn English and American culture. Presenting innovative teaching strategies, the
video shows how cultural and racial differences can be reconciled in the classroom.
Hispanic-American Cultures (1992, 60 minutes)
This instructional video examines the issues facing diverse Hispanic communities with regard to
education and income. The video argues for bilingual education and suggests ways for
universities to better meet the needs of diverse groups of students.
I Need Your Full Cooperation (1989, 28 minutes)
