Meaning of Culture
Culture is the entire social heritage of a community, including material expressions, its ideological expressions and its structural or institutional expressions -all of which are socially learned or constructed, and therefore contingent and variable. Michael Karlberg
In this way, we can understand behaviors of diverse communities around the world. Regarding this meaning of culture, we can explain why the current world society works as it works, as well.
We have learned (that is culture) that in order to reach our own welfare and the one for our families is necessary to be in a superior level for having larger advantages and so achieve our well-being. Thereby we had to develop a competitive behavior (win-lose actitude).
So, if we try to comprehend why we live in a world so competitive, we could focus our attention on the capitalism issue. I would say that Capitalism is a way to "survive" by demonstrating who is the strongest. The strongest regarding economy, politics, or who has the greatest influence over peolple. This way to "survive" only represents how people instead of cooperating with each other to live together in peace and welfare, we struggle for being superiors and just see for ourselves. Making the latter, we just harm to our peers and therefore our own community.
In this way, we can understand behaviors of diverse communities around the world. Regarding this meaning of culture, we can explain why the current world society works as it works, as well.
We have learned (that is culture) that in order to reach our own welfare and the one for our families is necessary to be in a superior level for having larger advantages and so achieve our well-being. Thereby we had to develop a competitive behavior (win-lose actitude).
So, if we try to comprehend why we live in a world so competitive, we could focus our attention on the capitalism issue. I would say that Capitalism is a way to "survive" by demonstrating who is the strongest. The strongest regarding economy, politics, or who has the greatest influence over peolple. This way to "survive" only represents how people instead of cooperating with each other to live together in peace and welfare, we struggle for being superiors and just see for ourselves. Making the latter, we just harm to our peers and therefore our own community.
Barriers for Cross Cultural Communication
The FACTORS that make harder to achieve a better Cross Cultural Communication are the following:
Language implies the use of itself in different ways, which make difficult to interact with other cultures. For example, people in some cultures can be very silent, in other people might express in a self-centered way, and in others people could be direct and focused. So, these differences become barriers when we want to communicate with cultures of other countries.
Evaluation gets in the process of Cross Cultural Communication when we meet for the first time someone from a different culture from our nation. We tend to judge and analyze these new people as a result of an internal fear, transforming evaluation in a barrier for communicating. My personal thinking is that we should be more open-minded. Anyway, we all are human beings and from that perspective we share much more than we see.
Non-verbal communication is all types of messages that we transmit through the expression or the movement of our body, but the mouth. In this sense, some signs can be misunderstood in some countries. I.e. in the Anglo-Saxon culture to make a V with the fingers can be offensive, whilst in the western culture it means ‘victory’ or ‘peace’.
Stereotyping can be a strong barrier for cross cultural communication since it doesn´t permit to appreciate different cultures the real way they are, or even you prejudice a person, converting this in an obstacle to reach a plain communication.
Stress is a barrier due to it doesn’t permit you to react or to act in the genuine manner that you would do if you weren’t be under the effects of stress. This factor gets you nervous. We can say that some cultures know better how to handle stress than others.
Language implies the use of itself in different ways, which make difficult to interact with other cultures. For example, people in some cultures can be very silent, in other people might express in a self-centered way, and in others people could be direct and focused. So, these differences become barriers when we want to communicate with cultures of other countries.
Evaluation gets in the process of Cross Cultural Communication when we meet for the first time someone from a different culture from our nation. We tend to judge and analyze these new people as a result of an internal fear, transforming evaluation in a barrier for communicating. My personal thinking is that we should be more open-minded. Anyway, we all are human beings and from that perspective we share much more than we see.
Non-verbal communication is all types of messages that we transmit through the expression or the movement of our body, but the mouth. In this sense, some signs can be misunderstood in some countries. I.e. in the Anglo-Saxon culture to make a V with the fingers can be offensive, whilst in the western culture it means ‘victory’ or ‘peace’.
Stereotyping can be a strong barrier for cross cultural communication since it doesn´t permit to appreciate different cultures the real way they are, or even you prejudice a person, converting this in an obstacle to reach a plain communication.
Stress is a barrier due to it doesn’t permit you to react or to act in the genuine manner that you would do if you weren’t be under the effects of stress. This factor gets you nervous. We can say that some cultures know better how to handle stress than others.
5 Dimensions of National Culture
The Gender dimension has to do with those cultures that are more influenced by a masculinity culture, which search winning at any price; and those that are more influenced by a feminist culture, which means caring for others.
The Hierarchy dimension implies that one culture tend to be directed in a High-power way, in which the responsibility of “bad luck” are the subordinates. It reflects a respect for status. The opposed culture is led in low-power way, it means they tend to promote equality between people.
The Identity dimension is about cultures that are individualist; in which people only want their own benefit. On the other hand, it is the collectivist cultures, in which people make groups and want the welfare of their group but they don’t care for individuals out of their group.
The Truth dimension contains cultures that avoid uncertainty and cultures that tolerate uncertainty. The former think that what is different is dangerous, whilst the latter like exploration, what is different causes curiosity to them.
The Virtue dimension enshrines two types of culture. The one is the long-term culture, which care for future generations or its own future. The other is the short-term culture, which only enjoys the day and doesn’t live worried for its future.
The Hierarchy dimension implies that one culture tend to be directed in a High-power way, in which the responsibility of “bad luck” are the subordinates. It reflects a respect for status. The opposed culture is led in low-power way, it means they tend to promote equality between people.
The Identity dimension is about cultures that are individualist; in which people only want their own benefit. On the other hand, it is the collectivist cultures, in which people make groups and want the welfare of their group but they don’t care for individuals out of their group.
The Truth dimension contains cultures that avoid uncertainty and cultures that tolerate uncertainty. The former think that what is different is dangerous, whilst the latter like exploration, what is different causes curiosity to them.
The Virtue dimension enshrines two types of culture. The one is the long-term culture, which care for future generations or its own future. The other is the short-term culture, which only enjoys the day and doesn’t live worried for its future.
