Intercultural Cooperation And Its Importance For Survival
Software Of The Mind
People of other countries, of another generation, social class, job or organisation, often think and act in ways that puzzle us. What separates them from us is the culture in which either of us grew up. Culture in this sense is not the same as civilisation; it encompasses much more. Deeply-rooted and, therefore, often unconscious values lead us to consider as normal what others think abnormal, as polite what to others is rude, and as rational what others find irrational.
This book shows that national cultures differ along five dimensions:
- The degree of integration of individuals within groups
- Differences in the social roles of women versus men
- Ways of dealing with inequality
- The degree of tolerance for the unknown
- The trade-off between long-term and short-term gratification of needs.
Organisational cultures are a different phenomenon; they do not follow the same dimensions, are more manageable, and in fact offer an opportunity to bridge national cultures. This book reveals the circumstances in which organisational cultures can be managed effectively, and outlines ways of learning intercultural communication which are essential to success.
