Gannon and Pillai, Understanding Global Cultures, Sixth Edition Instructor Resource
CHAPTER 2: THE DIMENSIONS OF CULTURE, PART 1
Continuing with our applications and exercises on culture, we are now going to get more
familiar with the concept of cultural dimensions. Anthropologists and psychologists have
intensively studied the dimensions along which cultures can vary; today we use these dimensions
regard to each of the six dimensions, although a subordinate orientation could co-exist with it.
For example, an ethnic group could be individualistic overall but a significant number of its
members might be collectivistic. Their list of questions appears in Figure 2.1. They also noted
that writers on culture have emphasized these six dimensions for several centuries.
Another anthropologist who worked in this area was Edward T. Hall. He studied cultural
Comments: Note how answers may vary by circumstances. For example, individuals may tend
to emphasize promptness for a job interview, but feel that arriving two hours after a party has
begun is good form. Then point out that different cultures will tend to respond somewhat
differently. For example, some cultures in Northern Europe such as Swedish culture tend to
emphasize arriving at a dinner party promptly, whereas some Latin American cultures are not
Gannon and Pillai, Understanding Global Cultures, Sixth Edition Instructor Resource
Figure 2.1: Kluckholn and Strodtbeck’s Six Dimensions of Culture
1. What do members of a society assume about the nature of people – that is, are people
good, bad or a combination?
2. What do members of a society assume about the relationship between a person and nature
– that is, should we live in harmony with nature or subjugate it?
3. What do members of a society assume about the relationship between people – that is,
should a person act in an individual manner or consider the group before taking actions?
4. What is the primary mode of activity in a given society? Is it “being,” or accepting the
5. What is the conception of space in a given society – that is, is it considered private in that
6. What is the society’s dominant temporal orientation: past, present or future?
1. SPACE, or the ways of communicating through specific handling of personal space;
2. TIME, which is either monochronic (scheduling and completing one activity at a time) or
polychronic (not distinguishing between activities and completing them simultaneously);
3. CONTEXT, or the amount of information that must be explicitly stated if a message or
communication is to be successful. Low-context cultures are those in which individuals need a
4. INFORMATION FLOW, which is the structure and speed of messages between
individuals or organizations.
1968):
Think of the past, present, and future as being the shape of circles. Please draw three
circles on a sheet of paper representing the past, the present, and the future. Arrange these three
circles in any way that best show how you feel about the relationship of the past, present, and
future. You may use different size circles. When you have finished, label each circle to show
polychronic (see Figure 2.4). A good question to ask is: How would a Buddhist draw the three
circles? The answer is one circle, as Buddhism recognizes only one time in which the past,
present, and future overlay (see below). The instructor may also want to talk about the difficulty
of interaction and/or negotiation when a linear-focused individual and a Buddhist-focused
individual communicate with one another. A similar non-linear view of time is expressed in the
whose members believe that they can influence the future through their achievements. At this
point the instructor might ask: What is the dominant time orientation in the United States?
Typically students or trainees will choose the present and/or the future. The instructor can point
out that different ethnic subgroups may choose differently.
An interesting study highlighting cultural orientations toward time was completed by
emphasized, and the past, present and future exhibited linear perspective; time could not be
reclaimed once an even occurred. This national study on time orientation revealed that countries
such as Germany and the United States were primarily present and future oriented. Conversely,
France was found to be much more focused on the past. The instructor may want to ask: Why do
you think that such results occur? He might also point out that there is a heated controversy in
cultures have the ability to focus on multiple priorities simultaneously. Figure 2.4 treats
additional features of monochronic and polychronic individuals and cultures.
Gannon and Pillai, Understanding Global Cultures, Sixth Edition Instructor Resource
EXERCISE 2.3: TIME AND NATIONAL CULTURES
Ask students to select a country and then to perform an analysis of that country’s time
them to provide one specific example of both individualism and collectivism. Offer the
following examples after input from each student. Briefly define individualism as the degree to
which a individual will make a decision without considering or being unduly influenced by
group norms, e.g., what your family “considers best” for you.
a. There is no word for “privacy” in many cultures. Or it has a negative connotation,
Gannon and Pillai, Understanding Global Cultures, Sixth Edition Instructor Resource
Figure 2.4: Monochronic vs. Polychronic Time
• Concentrate on job • Easily distracted
• Emphasize promptness • Base promptness on relationships
• Accustomed to short-term • Tend to form lifelong
relationships relationships
• Are low context and need • Are high context and
c. Several cultural groups have funeral services for those marrying outside of the
group, thus signifying that they do not want to see or interact with that person.
d. Carroll and Ramamoorthy (in Carroll and Gannon, 1997) demonstrated that the
individualism – collectivism orientation influences ethical behavior. For example, managers in
the United States are more willing to lay off workers than their Japanese counterparts.
happen in the United States?
The instructor can point to the critical importance of this examination for gaining
admission to highly-selective universities. Japanese students joke that the way to pass such tests
is to give up sleep while in high school. The test tends to emphasize memorization to a much
greater extent than the SAT. While in high school many Japanese students attend a special
American counterparts during their first two years of college. One explanation is that these two
years are a vacation between the regimen of secondary education and the working world. During
the last two years of college the students try to get into the classes of a professor-mentor, who
may even help to arrange marriages. Most importantly, this professor must write a strong letter
of support if the student is to obtain a desirable job after graduation.
million dollar deal. You will receive a fee of three million dollars if the contract is signed.
However, some major details need to be discussed, and you are the only person capable of
discussing them. Suddenly your best friend in the world – you have known him since childhood,
and he was the best man at your wedding – rushes up to you and blurts out: :”Something terrible
has happened, and I need your help immediately. You are the only person who can help me!”
responses are humorous and/or creative, e.g., splitting the fee with the friend. However, this
incident brings into focus the issues of culture and values, particularly individualism-collectivism
and low-context – high-context behavior. The instructor may want to ask the class members
what they would do by a show of hands. Whatever the approach, this critical incident almost
always results in a spirited discussion.
c. in a group in which the desks are arranged so that everyone sees one another
d. in a cubicle that allows some privacy but limited access to the other individuals in
the office
Comments: The instructor can focus the discussion by quickly tabulating the results on the
blackboard or overhead. Then she can point out that Northern Europeans tend to like to work in
b, c, or d. Also the Japanese tend to work in a group in which the desks are arranged so that
everyone sees one another (d) and communication can occur easily across groups, as we might
expect in a collectivistic culture such as Japan. The supervisor or manager sits in the front of the
room and walks around it to answer questions and communicate.
Cultures also differ in terms of the placement of an office. The French manager likes to
extrovertic.
Today some companies are experimenting with the “borderless” offices. Everyone is in a
cubicle in an open area in which they can see another but still have sufficient privacy to hold a
confidential telephone conversation. Michael Dell of Dell Computers, even though he is now
ranked as one of the ten richest Americans, works in this fashion.
half feet to 4 feet. Communications in this zone reflect friendship and closeness. The next zone
Gannon and Pillai, Understanding Global Cultures, Sixth Edition Instructor Resource
is from 4 feet to 12 feet, and is reserved for impersonal communications. Outside of 12 feet is
the public zone, where an individual may greet others but is unlikely to converse with anyone.
However, some cultures prefer much closer contact. For example, in many Arab cultures contact
EXERCISE 2.9: RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE
Different cultures have distinctive views of their respective places in the world in terms
of dominance of or harmony with nature, for example, the conflict between the biblical belief
that animals and nature are at the disposal of man, and the Indian belief that certain animals are
sacred.
• “Just do it.” This phrase expresses the American attitude of dominance over
nature.
Directions: Using the think-pair-share approach, ask the students or trainees to identify other
phrases that give an indication as to the culture‘s attitude about their relationship with nature.
One well-known phrase is the Thai “mai pen rei,” which is difficult to translate but basically
Using think-pair-share, student should describe their “ideal” vacation in terms of:
• Time – a few days long or a month
• Companions – Alone, with a few close friends, family members or with various
others
• Living arrangements – Single rooms, shared room or a group house
unadorned summer home, either alone or with just a few close friends or family members. Some
Americans hearing a Swedish friend describe such an ideal vacation is normally very surprised,
and sometimes they compare such a vacation to going to a prison!
Gannon and Pillai, Understanding Global Cultures, Sixth Edition Instructor Resource
EXERCISE 2.11: BEING AND DOING PHRASES
• Negocio – Spanish phrase for work. It is translated literally in English as absence
of leisure. That is, work has to be done only because it provides leisure time during which time
people truly experience life to its fullest. Work is not a goal, but a means to an end.
• Shinto blessing – Blessing of new equipment in Japanese factories. In an
excellent training video, the Kyocera Experiment (see Chapter 9), an American engineer joins
Directions: Using think-pair-share, the instructor should ask the students to think of any phrases
that may have different meaning across cultures. For example, what does “No Problem” mean in
Mexico and Germany? In Mexico this phrase is used to bolster human relationships, even when
there are problems and deadlines can’t be met. In Germany “No Problem” means “No Problem.”
EXERCISE 2.12: THE NATURE OF PEOPLE
Upoli was a bright and motivated Sri Lankan student who, through working very hard,
was able to achieve phenomenal success in school and eventually obtain a graduate fellowship at
Ohio State. He was very nervous about being a student in America and wanted to repeat his
success in Sri Lanka, not only to make his parents and kinsfolk proud, but also to ensure a good
position in his homeland after graduation.
Upoli continues to study hard, but Jim is much less interested in school. One evening Jim
comes in from a date and is a bit tipsy, and he then begins to berate Upoli for studying so hard.
Jim tries to get Upoli to loosen up by getting Upoli to agree to play billiards next Friday. But
Friday comes and Upoli says that he cannot go because he must study. This scenario occurs
several times over the next few months. Jim finally blurts out in anger: “When you say you are
make elaborate arrangements for Upoli to meet friends and relatives. At the last moment Upoli
refuses because he must study.
To complicate matters, Jim and Upoli have a difficult time communicating with one
another. For instance, Jim is telling a story and Upoli will exclaim: “NO!” Jim says: “What,
don’t you believe me? Stop saying no.” At other times Upoli exlcaims: “I don’t believe you!”
Questions: To what extent does culture explain these patterns of behavior? Do you feel that
personality is as important as culture in explaining them? Why or why not? What advice would
you give to Upoli so that he can avoid such problems in the future? To Jim? How can such
communication problems be resolved?
Comments: The instructor can use Hall’s framework on low-context/high-context cultures (see