Cultural orientation
From working on the culture bumps, we see that you are likely to find differences in behavior across cultures in several areas. But rather than thinking of cultures as being different from your own, think in terms of where a culture falls on a continuum.
For example, it is simplistic to describe a culture as being individualistic. It is more accurate to say a culture has an individualistic orientation—meaning it is more individualistic than collective. Using the image of a continuum, it is easier to see the possibility of moving closer together or reaching a shared understanding.
According to experts, the areas where it is most likely to see cultural values dictating behavior are:
- Time / Event-orientation
- Individualism / Collectivism
- High-context / Low-context
- Large / Small Power Distance
- Crisis / Non-crisis Orientation
Learn more about cultural differences »