Chapter 2 Understanding Cultures and Their ValuesⅠ. The Nature of Culture Definitions of Cultures P43Dictionary: "the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively". Ⅱ.The basics of cultural valuesDefinition of Value "Values are matters of preference".Three types of values P48 Universal valuesCultural-specific valuesPeculiar expression or deviations of individuals within culturesIII. Understanding Cultural Patterns1. Five basic values that appear on Kluckholn and Strodtbeck's chart for each orientation: P52-551）Human nature ：good, evil, a mixture of good and evil 2）Relationship to nature ：subjugation to nature, harmony with nature, mastery over nature 3）Sense of time：past, present, future 4）Activity ：being-oriented, being-and-becoming, doing-oriented 5）Social relationship ：hierarchy, group, individual 2. The GLOBE Study: P60-61 9 dimensions of cultural variation：1）Institutional collectivism2）In-group collectivism3）Power distance4）Uncertainty avoidance5）Gender egalitarianism6）Assertiveness7）Humane orientation8）Future orientation9）Performance orientationPower distance: Refers to attitudes toward differences in authority.High power distance cultures: power is distributed unequally; some members have greater resources and influence; status and rank are clear-cut; employees have a great deal of respect for those in high positions. Decisions and activities focus around personal face-to-face relationships, often around a central person who has authority.Low power distance cultures: Power is not emphasized; employees are more comfortable approaching and even challenging their superiors. Task-centered. Decisions and activities focus around what needs to be done. Division of responsibilities.3. Hall's High-and Low-context Orientation p61-63Hall distinguishes among cultures on the basis of the role of context in communication.Definition:P61(1) High-context culture: most of the information is in the physical context or is internalized in the people who are a part of the interaction.(2) Low-context: most of the information is contained in the verbal message, and very little is embedded in the context or within the participants.Contrasing High-context and Low-context cultures:P62From high-context to low-context:Chinese,Korean,Japanese,Arab,Greek,Spanish,Italian,English,North American, Swiss, German Establish social trust firstHigh-context Value personal relations and goodwill Agreement by relations and goodwill Negotiation slow Get down to business first Low-context Value experience and performance Agreement by specific, legalistic contrast Negotiation as efficient as possibleFour major differences in how high-context and low-context cultures affect the settings:P63(1) Verbal messages are extremely important in low-context cultures.(2) Low-context people who rely primarily on verbal messages for information are perceived as less attarctive and less credible by people in high-context cultures.(3) People in high-context cultures are more adapt at reading nonverbal behavior and the environment.(4) People in high-context cultures have an expectation that others are also able to understand the unarticulated communication; hence, they do not speak as much.Comparison between Low Context and High Context P63 Low Context High ContextPrefer direct verbal interactionPrefer indirect verbal interactionUnderstand meaning at one level onlyUnderstand meanings embedded at many social-culture levelsLess proficient in reading nonverbal cuesmore proficient in reading nonverbal cuesValues individualismValues group membershipRelies more on logicRelies more on context and feelingEmploys linear logicEmploys spiral logicSays "no" directlyTalks around point, avoids saying "no"Communication in highly structured messages, provides details, stressed literal meaning, gives authority to written informationCommunicates in simple, ambiguous, non-contexted messages; understand visual messages readilyQuestions:Compare high-power distance with low-power distance cultures and give a list of some major differences between Chinese and Western cultures.。