Bridging Cultural Differences

[Excerpt] How you say it can matter as much as what you say

The Cultural Differences and Intercultural Adaptation on Partnership Relation of Core-Plasma Plantation in Tea Estate of Indonesia

This research was a qualitative research aiming at understanding the cultural differences and intercultural adaptation on partnership relation of core-plasma plantation in Tea Estate of Pagilaran Ltd Co, Indonesia. Collecting data were done by depth interviewing the worker's core plantation and the plasma farmer concerning problems faced by both relationship. The results showed that culture of core plantation community tended to orientate to economical aspect with commercial basis, meanwhile culture of the farmers tended to orientate to group's interest and to keep on their relationship among them with traditional habit and ecological sound. In relation to adaptation process, the two communities seemed to develop similar culture with capital interest. In this regards the similar cultures can be seen in two sides: from the side of core plantation, people working in the core plantation are come from similar culture with the indigenous farmers and the factory is also located in the farmer's area. Meanwhile from the point of view of farmers, the similar culture as the result of cultural adaptation. Furthermore, the cultural differences shown by the core plantation and plasma farmer communities were due to the normative rules maintained by the company and also due to the different educational level and knowledge of both. To that respect, in core plantation community, the culture orientated to capital achievement implies the communication attitude on the business interest, where as the communication attitude of farmer community is more orientated to local interest using informal and interpersonal channel. Finally the communication differences in the two communities impede the process of organizational objective. And the communication attitude of the core plantation community is changed and unified with the communication attitude of plasma farmer

Exploring Cultural Differences in HCI Education

The discipline of human-computer interaction has become a subject taught across universities around the world, outside of the cultures where it originated. However, the intercultural implication of its assimilation into the\ud syllabus of courses offered by universities around the world remains underresearched. The purpose of this ongoing research project is to provide insights for these implications in terms of the student and teacher experience of HCI. How this subject is socially represented across the different universities studied is a key question. In order to develop intercultural awareness of these questions\ud universities from UK, Namibia, Mexico and China are collaborating in a multiple case study involving students and lecturers engaged in evaluation and design tasks. Findings will then be used to propose an international HCI curriculum more supportive of local perspectives. This paper describes the initial steps of this study and some preliminary findings from Namibia, India and Mexico about cognitive styles and cultural attitudes

The Cultural Differences Influences on Knowledge Sharing Activities in Construction Project Collaboration

In the last decades construction activity has been heavily criticized for its productivity and performance in relation to cultural differences. There have been several studies indicated that the cultural diversity influence the knowledge of the organization, and that result in barriers in knowledge sharing in the multicultural organization. The knowledge spreading manners affected by the cultural in organization due to ethnic, cities, sexual category, local culture, which that might lower level of the knowledge spreading in organization . Therefore, a research study is developed in order to assess the influences of cultural differences on the activity of knowledge distribution in organization project and to determine of extend of the cultural differences to obstacle the individual to share their knowledge within the organization or with other members of the organization and how is that leads to decrease the project's performance. For seeking to achieve the aims of the study a survey questionnaire was used to gather data. System dynamic simulation is utilized to interpret the collected data in order to achieve meaningful information. The results proven that cultural difference is one of the major problems that impact the project performance negatively in the construction industry since it is verified that the cultural difference impacts the knowledge flow among the employees in the construction project which that strongly affects the outcome of the projects and that also leads to decrease the productivity of the project. In addition, the respondents also agree that cultural differences cause unsuccessful safety system in the construction projects. Therefore, the cultural differences should be given careful attention to ensure better project performance

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

In tough economic times and under global competition, management by projects isnow regarded as a competitive way for managing organizations. This paper wants to outline theimportance of cultural differences aspects in project management. The main objectives followed bythe paper are to see the impact of cultural differences of project management, to find theadvantages of a multicultural team and how can we use them to face the challenges of operating ina dynamic business environment characterized by high levels of uncertainty.cultural, management, project, tool.

Cultural differences in applying Kansei Engineering to services

It is imperative for companies to provide competitive products and services at a competitive price. Products and services need to offer features and properties which can makethem distinguishable and attractive to customers. Emotions and feelings are prominent during product interaction and service encounter. Kansei Engineering (KE) enables interpretation and translation of customer emotions into design parameters. The application of KE covers both products and services design. Besides dealing with attractive exterior appearances, KE has an ability to optimize properties that are not directly detectable or visible, such as the comfort of hospital and concert hall. There are few empirical studies. Kansei management should recognize cultural differences in Kansei. However, for analysis of cultural values we need to understand the different needs of different customers. A study of luxury hotel services for Indonesian, Japanese and Singaporean tourists, was conducted using interviews and a tri-lingual face-to-face questionnaire. 425 responses were collected. Japanese tourists were found to be the most Kansei-oriented. They tended to value luxury hotels as “clean” and “quiet” places to stay. Indonesian and Singaporean tourists shared a common response to the Kansei word “elegant” which correlates with their common cultural dimension of “power distance”. Incorporation of cultural issues into Kansei studies can provide marketing strategies for customers of different cultural backgrounds

Investigating academic cultural differences in an international classroom

Given the large increase in international student numbers (UKCISA, 2012) it will prove beneficial to the international educator to identify any differences in cultural perceptions and expectations of newly registered international students and UK teaching and learning expectations. Knowledge of such differences could be used to inform teaching practice which promotes a smooth cultural transition. This project aimed to measure the ‘typical’ academic culture of a new cohort of international students compared to that of their UK teacher. Several cultural differences were identified according to Hofstede’s cultural typologies (Hofstede, 1986). Students identified themselves as collectivists in a position of low power, whereas their teacher expressed individualist traits and valued a more equal distribution of power in the classroom. These findings can be used to understand how different cultural expectations between students and staff may become apparent in an international classroom

Beyond cultural differences?

From the outset, modern philosophy has taken an interest in cultural diversity. However, at the start it did so paradoxically, by reducing plurality to the lowest common denominator universal to humanity. In view of cultural diversity, this article analyzes the relationships between philosophy and anthropology when it comes to discerning human nature

Embracing Cultural Differences

While still in the midst of their study abroad experiences, students at Linfield University write reflective essays. Their essays address issues of cultural similarity and difference, compare lifestyles, mores, norms, and habits between their host countries and home, and examine changes in perceptions about their host countries and the United States. In this essay, Clara Johansen describes observations during their study abroad program at the University of Nottingham in England