If you answer all of the questions and your answers are complete and are well-developed linking the textbook concepts/theory to the question asked, you will receive a 20 for the assignment. If your answers are not well-developed or if your answers are not related back to the concepts/theory described in the text, you will receive a 10. If you skip any of the questions or your answers are vague and general, you will receive a 0.
1.
Interesting Fact & Idea
In the United States, we make 21 times as many calls to other countries as we did in 1980. But for 15% of the people on the earth, the next phone call they make will be their first.
- How interconnected is the world? Explain. Hint: look at The Imperative for Intercultural Competence.
- Summarize The Imperative for Intercultural Competence.
2)
Thailand
John had recently been assigned to his agency’s Bangkok office. As first he was very impressed with the willingness shown by the people with whom he worked to carry out the program he was trying to implement. Soon, however, he discovered that his deadlines were not being met; people agreed to do something but didn’t always show up, materials would disappear from the workrooms but no one seemed inclined to find out what had happened to them. He was becoming increasingly frustrated and angry and was about ready to issue an ultimatum: “Shape up or ship out!” But his Thai supervisors didn’t seem to be at all upset, and kept saying to him, “Mai pen rai” which means “It doesn’t really matter” . . . “don’t worry about it.”
- How did John perceive the situation described above? What value orientations was he using to form his perceptions?
- What changes (if any) would you suggest to John to deal with the frustration with his Thai employees? What changes (if any) would you suggest for his Thai employees?
- What section of the reading best supports this notion and explain that section of the book.
HINT
In the Thai culture, one of the hardest things to understand and reconcile is the dual attitude of “group harmony,” an emphasis on preserving the good feelings of everyone at all costs (e.g., telling you what they think you want to hear even if it stretches the truth) and a sense of “noninvolvement” which says that a persons actions are no one else’s concern. (The word Thai means “free”; and although it refers to national independence, it is a characteristic of the individual as well.) Thus, Thais are not inclined to accept discipline or regimentation, but at the same time Thais place great value on keeping relationships pleasant with co-workers.
This attitude is reflected in the expression “mai pen rai” which, according to one scholar, signifies “the Thai desire to keep relationships peaceful and on an even keel, to shrug off the little frustrations and disagreements of life & to prevent anger.”
A related value in the Thai way of life is the concept of sanuke, which means, “to enjoy oneself.” Life is meant to be enjoyment. And since Buddhism teaches them to accept their fate, when faced with a problem they tend to laugh it off mai pen rai.
John may want to first acknowledge and try to understand this cultural difference that getting the job done on time, within budget, etc., is not of the same importance to Thais as to Westerners in general, Americans in particular and then try to arrive at a solution which will be acceptable to both of them. His employees may wish to teach John about Thai culture and why they are accustomed to certain work habits.
3)
Samoa Essay
- BASIC (The Behavioral Assessment Sale of Intercultural Competence) consists of eight categories of communication behavior which contributes to intercultural competence. Select ONE of the eight and relate it to the essay. Give an example from the essay that is representative of the category you selected.
4)
Movie Clip
You just viewed a scene from the film “Iron Silk”. This is the story of an American teacher who travels to China to teach English to Chinese Professors.
In this scene, the American teacher is being visited (in his dorm at the university where he teaches) by his Chinese liaison that helps him “fit” into Chinese society.
- Why is the American not competent in this situation?
- Relate what the text says about Competence and Intercultural Communication to this scene.
5)
The Globe
Please check to see if the Image(s) you are being asked to review has a title. If there is a title, then I expect you to click on the title and read the corresponding document about the image and phrase your answer in a way that demonstrates your comprehension of this document as it relates to the theory in the text.
Go to The Globe. Locate the countries of Philippines (in Asia), Nepal (in Asia), Sri Lanka (in Asia), Mozambique (in Africa), Central African Republic (in Africa), Peru (in South America), Malawi (in Africa) and Ethiopia (in Africa). Take a look at the photographs; specifically
- #1 from the Philippines
- #4 from Nepal
- #3 from Sri Lanka
- #2 from Mozambique
- #3 from Central African Republic
- #16 from Peru
- #6 from Malawi,
- #4 and #7 from Ethiopia
Use the interaction tool Description, Interpretation and Evaluation, (a section of the textbook reading this week) to compare and/or contrast the life styles in these pictures to your own.
- Explain the theory Description, Interpretation and Evaluation (in detail).
- Describe what you see
- Interpret what you see
- Evaluate what you see
7)
Movie Clip
You just viewed a scene from the film “Bend it Like Beckham”. This film is about a young woman of Indian descent who was born and raised in England. She is an avid soccer player; much to her parents dismay. Her parents wish for her to behave more like a “lady” and less like a man by partaking in sports.
In this particular scene, she is visiting the home of one of the players on her team. This is the first time that she is being introduced to her friend’s mother.
- Relate what the text says about Cultural Biases to this scene.
- Which of the biases are present in this scene?
- Summarize the different types of bias described in the book
7)
Australia
- How do the Aborigines relate to one another in terms of the Social Relations Orientation?
- Give SPECIFIC examples from the essay.
- Explain Social Relations Orientation.
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8)
The Globe
Please check to see if the Image(s) you are being asked to review has a title. If there is a title, then I expect you to click on the title and read the corresponding document about the image and phrase your answer in a way that demonstrates your comprehension of this document as it relates to the theory in the text.
Go to The Globe. Locate Rwanda (in Africa). Take a look at the photographs and read the link. Rwanda experienced genocide in 1994.
- What cultural differences existed between the Hutu and Tutsi Tribessummarize what the link says?
- Is this based upon prejudice, discrimination, or racism? Be specific and explain.
- Define the terms prejudice, discrimination, and racism.
9)
United States
Is Jesse Jackson black? Or is he African American? How about Gloria Estefan” Hispanic or Latina? In the age of the Politically Correct, you don’t want to say the wrong thingand neither does the U.S. government. To that end, the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently asked 60,000 household which racial or ethnic identification they prefer with an eye to possible revising the standard categories the Feds have used since 1977. The results might surprise your daughter at Wellesley.
Of those households the government currently calls “Black” more than 44 percent favored that term. “African-American” was the next most popular option with 28 percent, while about 12 percent went the “Afro-American” and slightly more than 9 percent had no preference. The traditional “Hispanic” designation, chosen by close to 58 percent, won hands down over the currently faddish “Latino,” which came in third behind the somewhat ungainly “Of Spanish origin.” More than 10 percent didn’t care. Slightly fewer than half of the American Indians like their name just fine, but about 37 percent prefer “Native American.” And not surprisingly, most whites want to be plain old “White,” though about 16 percent would prefer “Caucasian.” Those yearning for the moniker “European American” were a very small minority.
- Why is it important to select terms that adequately and sensitively identify members of cultural groups?
- Summarize what the book says about this topic.
10)
United States
For white people, for people of color, and for people of mixed racial heritage, race affects an individual’s daily experiences at work.” We only have to look at a few minutes of the segment of a 20/20 episode titled “True Colors” to recognize the role that race plays in so many of our interactions. In the program two men, one white and the other African-American, are filmed shopping at a department store, a record store, and at an automobile dealership. In the shoe section of the department store, the white man is helped immediately; the African-American, the only costumer in the area waits for eight minutes (the production crew at ABC timed it). The salesperson watches him, but he never offers to help. At the car dealership the white man is quoted a price that is $1500 less than the one five to the black man for the same car. The each applied for the same job and try to rent and apartment. The manager of the apartment complex, an older white man, talks enthusiastically with the white man about his renting the apartment. The manager offers him the keys to look around. When he arrives two minutes after the white man leaves, the African-American is told the apartment is no longer available that it was rented by a woman early that morning. Their experiences are entirely different, and those differences are clearly based on race. Each of us carries such experiences with us into every meeting, every job interview, every interaction.
- Relate this to what the text says about Cultural Biases.
- Summarize what the book says about Cultural Bias.
- Can Cultural Bias ever be a good thingif so when?
