Deal-Focused Cultures

Richard R. Gesteland‟s
Cultural Patterns
Presented by: Finn Steffens
Partnering and Communicating
Across Cultures
The Two Iron Rules:
• The visitor adapts to the visiting country.
• Before starting cooperation, understand
the culture.
And What is a Culture?
“A set of expectations and
assumptions about how people
should communicate and
cooperate.”
Communicating Across
Cultures - Five Key Variables:
• Deal-Focus vs Relationship-Focus
• Direct vs Indirect Communication
• Informal vs Formal Behavior
• Monochronic vs Polychronic Time
• Reserved vs Expressive
Communication
Comparing Deal-Focused and
Relationship-Focused
Behavior
Deal-Focused Cultures:
• The Anglo Cultures: North America, UK,
Australia and New Zealand.
• The Germanic Cultures: Germany,
Netherlands, Nordic Countries
Moderately Deal-Focused
Cultures:
•
France, Belgium, Southern Europe
• Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Europe
• Hong Kong and Singapore
Relationship-Focused Cultures:
•
Asia except Hong Kong and Singapore
• Middle East, most of Africa
• Latin America
(= most of the world!)
D-F Behavior:
R-F Behavior:
• Direct contact
• Indirect contact is
• Face-to-face
• More frequent.
often works.
meetings less
frequent.
• Usually use direct
language.
expected.
• Often use indirect
language.
Communication and Context:
• Relationship-oriented people often use
High-Context (indirect) language.
• Deal-oriented people mostly use LowContext (direct) language.
Some reasons R-F people avoid
saying „no‟
• To avoid disappointing you.
• To avoid losing face.
• To avoid causing loss of face.
D-F Behavior:
R-F Behavior:
• Maintaining
• Maintaining
• People depend on
• People depend on
harmony is not a
big issue.
the legal system.
• Written
agreements are
considered final.
harmony is VERY
important.
relationships.
• Contracts are
considered to be
renegotiable.
Comparing Egalitarian and
Hierarchical Cultures
Egalitarian:
More Hierarchical:
• Nordic countries
• Britain
• North America
• Most of Continental
• Australia, New
Zealand
Europe
• Asia, Africa, Latin
America, Middle
East
Egalitarian:
Hierarchical:
• Informal behavior.
• Formal behavior.
• Status differences
• Status differences
• Protocol rituals are
• Protocol rituals are
are small.
simpler.
are large.
more elaborate.
Comparing Monochronic and
Polychronic Behavior
Monochronic Cultures:
• Germans and German-Swiss (very
monochronic)
• Northern Europeans, North Americans
• Czech Republic, Hungary, Japan
Polychronic Cultures:
• Southern and Eastern Europe, East Asia
• Latin America
• South and Southeast Asia, Middle East,
most of Africa (very polychronic)
Monochronic:
Polychronic:
• Punctuality is
• People tend to be
• Meetings usually
• Meetings may not
• It is rude to
• Meetings are often
expected.
follow an agenda.
interrupt meetings.
less punctual.
follow an agenda.
interrupted.
Comparing Reserved and
Expressive Behavior
Emotionally Reserved Cultures:
• Northern Europe, Britain
• East and Southeast Asia (very reserved)
Moderately/Variably
Expressive:
• North America, Australia, New Zealand
• Eastern and Central Europe
• South Asia
Very Expressive Cultures:
• Southern Europe
• Middle East, Mediterranean region
• Latin America
Reserved and Expressive
Nonverbal Communication –
Four Key Variables:
• Interpersonal distance
• Eye contact
• Touch behavior
• Gestures
Interpersonal Distance:
• Close: Middle East, Latin America,
Southern Europe.
• Variable: North America, East and Central
Europe, South Asia, Australia/NZ
• Distant: Northern Europe, East Asia
Eye Contact:
• Intense: Middle East, Southern Europe,
Latin America
• Moderate: Northern Europe, North
America, East-Central Europe.
• Indirect: East and Southeast Asia
Touch Behavior:
• High Contact: Middle East, France,
Southern Europe, Latin America.
• Moderate: Eastern and Central Europe,
North America.
• Low Contact: Northern Europe.
• Very Low Contact: East and Southeast
Asia.
Ambiguous Gestures:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use of left hand
Showing sole of shoe
„Thumbs up‟ sign
„Peace‟ sign
„A-OK‟ sign
Pointing/beckoning with index finger.
To Achieve Lasting Friendships
Across Cultures:
• Learn your partner‟s culture.
• Build strong personal relationships.
• Work to develop a shared culture.
Thank you…and best of luck!
Konklusion
Venlighed og åbenhed = god vilje gør det muligt:
• at opnå en bedre gensidig forståelse
• at dele forskellige kulturopfattelser
• at skabe en passende blandet kultur