Decisions come from the top, but only after managers can demonstrate consensus has been reached by their teams. Most often, in cultures which are closer to the Direct side of the spectrum, you can expect that what is being said has the most value. You know, various comments of how things are going to be worse off, when will I come back from that little adventure of mine, why don't I visit more often, why can't I be there for that family occasion and clearly those are no longer important since moving abroad. Several types of soups like ros, flaki, and zupa ogrkowa are also part of the Polish cuisine. The notion of masculinity and femininity are often misconstrued to be tied to their biological sex counterparts, female and male. Does your co-culture differ from the dominant culture? What does High and Low Context mean? - Project Abroad In any major area of academic study, there are luminaries that one should understand. Other religions practiced in the country include Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. I know that the British are often characterised as masters of sarcasm and irony. If youre interested I would be happy to continue that topic and describe the possible challenges of moving both of these ways. During this time, large-scale migration of the rural population to Polish cities was observed. A high-context culture is a culture or society that communicates dominantly through the use of contextual elements, such as specific forms of body language, the status of an individual, and. A high-context culture has the opposite communication style to a low-context culture. High-context cultures typically lack explicitly stated or written regulations. Ultimately, research examining these differences have shown that people from indulgent countries are more open to other cultures, more satisfied with their lives, and are more likely to communicate with friends and family members via the Internet while interacting with more people from other cultures via the Internet as well. As a manager, take time to articulate specific tasks and check with employees to demonstrate the importance of the employee and the project. There are still emotional difficulties involved of course, but it is technically easier to focus on facts than to understand the communication based on hundreds years of complicated history and customs. Starting one step at a time to develop these can really transform the way you react and manage challenging intercultural scenarios! We also mentioned that nonverbal communication isnt exactly universal. AgilePMO - The Culture Map - how to deal with diversity Outstanding Polish literature was produced in the 20th century and the Avant-Garde experimentation played an important role during this time. What is Poland culture? there. One of Halls most essential contributions to the field of intercultural communication is the idea of low-context and high-context cultures. What am I going to do without you!'. Poland is in the middle on the scale, closer to low-context which doesn't mean it is easer for us to adjust. Finally, individuals from indulgent cultures tend to be more extraverted and outgoing as a whole, whereas individuals from restrained cultures tend to be more neurotic. More simplistically, face is essentially a persons reputation and feelings of prestige within multiple spheres, including the workplace, the family, personal friends, and society at large.49 For our purposes, we can generally break face down into general categories: face gaining and face losing. Let us help you make your transition easy! Concerts are held and carols are sung throughout the country on New Years Day. Modern Polish art was associated with heavy experimentation and was born with the Moda Polska movement. Meetings generally start on time. Femininity, on the other hand, involves characteristics like having a good working relationship with ones manager and coworkers, cooperating with people at work, and security (both job and familial). Pickles and sauerkraut are popular side dishes and dessert options will often include ice cream, cheesecake, apple pie and "makowiec", a poppy-seed cake. Differentiate between Edward T. Halls low-context and highcontext cultures. 2023 IOR Global Services. Furthermore, individuals from more indulgent cultures tend to be more optimistic, while their restrained counterparts tend to be more cynical. 30.04.2021 - Radio broadcast (no. I hope that at this point you more or less get the idea of what the Communication Scale involves. Speedway is extremely popular in Poland and the Polish Extraleague attracts the greatest number of spectators among all sports played in the country. A mix of 'Oh that's so great for you! Explain the importance of Geert Hofstedes research in cultural studies. The earliest culture of Poland traces its origin to the culture of the Early Slavs who settled in the country. Messages are often implied but not plainly expressed.. Communicating in High Context vs. Low Context Cultures Messages are both spoken and read between the lines. The earliest literature produced in the country was in Latin. Admittedly, in Hofstedes research, there does tend to be a difference between females and males on these characteristics (females tend to be more relationally oriented and males more assertive), which is why Hofstede went with the terms masculinity and femininity in the first place. It is mostly connected with the countrys history, a long period of occupation and fighting for own identity. Naturally, high-context communication can occur in a low-context culture, as the German biergarten illustrates. Polish literature developed and evolved since the arrival of Christianity in Poland. The first of Geert Hofstedes original dimensions of national cultures was power distance, or the degree to which those people and organizations with less power within a culture accept and expect that power is unequally distributed within their culture. From an interpersonal perspective, people from high uncertainty avoidant cultures are going to have a lot more anxiety associated with interactions involving people from other cultures. This post is a part of the series where Id like to share some of my cross-cultural experiences and stories. Does it mean that I sometimes go there and back for just the weekend? #expatcoaching #expatlife #livingabroad #expatcoach #workingabroad #lifeabroad #workabroad #careerabroad #internationallife #internationalcareer #globalcareer #globallife #globalleaders #culturalawareness #selfawareness #selfgrowth #personalgrowth #personaldevelopment #culturalcompetence #movingabroad #zyciezagranica #zycienaemigracji #pracazagranica #rozwojosobisty #polacyzagranica. Currently, Polish art is enjoyed and recognized worldwide. For example, the median income for the average U.S. household is $51,100.24 When discussing household incomes, we use the median (middlemost number) because its the most accurate representation of income. Messages are often implied but not plainly expressed." Here is the graph showing UK and Polish cultures compared with my preference on the Communication scale. DM me with the word 'AD HOC' and I'll reply with the details of how you can schedule yourself in for that! When it comes to power distances, these differences often manifest themselves in many ways within a singular culture: class, education, occupations, and health care. The concept of face is especially problematic in emotionally vulnerable situations (such as embarrassment, request, or conflict situations) when the situation identities of the communicators are called into question. In Table 6.3.1, we broke down issues of context into three general categories: communication, cultural orientation, and business. My first thought was not Oh cool, good to have that in writing, but Why did she bother sending that to us? So I was talking about Asia tables (region-Asia), while my teammate was taking about Asia from the Polish team confirming their participants for a Poland table The next category identified by Hofstede involves the concept of uncertainty avoidance.30 Life is full of uncertainty. The United States is number one on individualism, according to Hofstedes data.27 Americans are considered individualistic. As the cities in Poland grew during the Middle Ages, the food markets of the country flourished and culinary exchange of ideas also grew. The concept of face is one that is not the easiest to define nor completely understand. President George H. Bush once held up his hand in a V for Victory salute to an Australian audience only to find out later that this was the equivalent of the middle finger in the United States. Asia, the Polish name, is spelled the same as the continent but pronounced very differently! Link to sign up in bio. President Nixon did the same thing existing an airplane in Brazil flashing his famous OK sign with his thumb and forefinger forming a circle, but this is the middle finger in that culture. His interests ultimately culminated in his 1980 publication Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values where he explained some basic cultural differences.22 Over the years, Geert has fine-tuned his theory of culture, and the most recent update to his theory occurred in 2010.23 In Geerts research examining thousands of workers from around the globe, he has noticed a series of six cultural differences: low vs. high power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, low vs. high uncertainty avoidance, long-term vs. short-term orientation, and indulgence vs. restraint. Ultimately, we can define these types of cultures in the following way: A society is called masculine when emotional gender roles are clearly distinct: men are supposed to be assertive, tough, and focused on material success, whereas women are supposed to be more modest, tender, and concerned with quality of life. According to a 2013 report from the U.S. Census department (using income data from 2012), here is how income inequality in the U.S. looks: Households in the lowest quintile had incomes of $20,599 or less in 2012. The world's cultural diversity naturally leads to many types of communication differences from one region to the next. DRIVE is your motivation and level of curiosity for multicultural interactions. In the past, HR was seen as a channel for instilling the goals of the communist party. Easter is also celebrated with great fun in the country. Is Poland a high or low context culture? The dances evolved from a peasants style of dancing to ballroom style dancing by the addition of ballet flavors following the annexation of Eastern Europe by Napoleon. The top 5 percent had incomes of $191,157 or more.25. During Christmas in Poland, the Poles hold grand Christmas feasts at their homes and share the food with family members. Poland is also one of the largest beer producers in Europe and a beer consumer in Poland drinks 92 liters of beer annually. Poland was under the rule of communism from 1945- 1989 Another form of respectful greeting is a brief, shallow bow. In public, women who need directions or have other questions are expected to ask policemen or other women; approaching men is seen as flirtation. When it comes down to it, despite the issues we have in our country, the power disparity is not nearly as significant as it is in many other parts of our world. The top five most masculine countries are Slovakia, Japan, Hungary, Austria, and Venezuela (the U.S. is number 19 out of 76); whereas, feminine countries are represented by Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Netherlands, and Denmark. In the 1970's, anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined the phrases "high-context culture" and "low- context culture.". While working in multicultural teams therefore important to state the fact that there are currently various cultures involved in the project. Lets laugh together - what are some of your stories of language misunderstandings? It will be based on the book entitled The Culture Map by an INSEAD professor and cross-cultural specialist Erin Meyer. To determine power differences within a culture, Hofstede originally was able to examine cultural value survey data that had been collected by IBM. Theres also a massive difference in the approach to marriage. Vodka became a popular alcoholic drink since then. Another very important researcher in the area of culture is a man by the name of Geert Hofstede. Top 10 Alcohol Consuming Countries In The World, The Biggest Heists and Bank Robberies in American History. In essence, in LCC, meaning is expressed through explicit verbal messages, both written and oral. ACTION is your ability to adapt (and not adapt) when working in multicultural contexts. The father holds absolute authority and must be obeyed by the children. Let's chat! 33 The sixth cultural characteristic is called indulgence vs. restraint, which examines issues of happiness and wellbeing. Thisstatement needs to be followed by creating a set of team rules which lean towards the low-context ways of communication as well as agreed upon by all members. India, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, low-context approach in business might create additional misunderstandings. 6.3: Cultural Characteristics and Communication 2.2: Taxonomies of Cultural Patterns - Social Sci LibreTexts . As such, facework should be viewed as a necessary component for understanding any form of interpersonal interaction but is especially important when examining interpersonal interactions that occur between people from differing cultural backgrounds. According to Hsien Chin Hu, the concept of face stems from two distinct Chinese words, lien and mien-tzu. The first scale is Communication, with a spectrum from low-context to high-context. Poland is bordered by 7 countries and the Baltic Sea. While containing emotion in a business setting is respected, it is not uncommon for people to become very passionate and engaged in a discussion or negotiation. In his 1959 book, The Silent Language, Hall states, culture is communication and communication is culture.19 In the previous chapter, we talked about the importance of nonverbal communication. Negotiations with new customers are going to be tougher and longer until a relationship is established. The order of affection received was (in order of the most trait affection received) United States, Denmark, Poland, and Iceland. The U.S. is towards the indulgence end of the spectrum and ranks at #15 along with Canada and the Netherlands. #expatcoaching #expatlife #livingabroad #expatcoach #workingabroad #lifeabroad #workabroad #careerabroad #internationallife #internationalcareer #globalcareer #globallife #globalleaders #culturalawareness #selfawareness #selfgrowth #personalgrowth #personaldevelopment #culturalcompetence #movingabroad #zyciezagranica #zycienaemigracji #pracazagranica #rozwojosobisty #polacyzagranica, Are you a global leader who has these topics on your mind recently, but not yet sure of the 'how'? ), { "6.01:_What_is_Culture" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "6.02:_The_Function_of_Culture" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "6.03:_Cultural_Characteristics_and_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "6.04:_Improving_Intercultural_Communication_Skills" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "6.05:_Chapter_Wrap-Up" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()" }, { "00:_Front_Matter" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "01:_Introduction_to_Human_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "02:_Overview_of_Interpersonal_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "03:_Intrapersonal_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "04:_Verbal_Elements_of_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "05:_Nonverbal_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "06:_Cultural_and_Environmental_Factors_in_Interpersonal_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "07:_Talking_and_Listening" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "08:_Building_and_Maintaining_Relationships" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "09:_Conflict_in_Relationships" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "10:_Friendship_Relationships" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "11:_Family_and_Marriage_Relationships" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "12:_Interpersonal_Communication_in_Mediated_Contexts" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "13:_Interpersonal_Relationships_at_Work" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "14:_The_Dark_Side_of_Interpersonal_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "zz:_Back_Matter" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()" }, 6.3: Cultural Characteristics and Communication, [ "article:topic", "license:ccbyncsa", "showtoc:no", "authorname:wrenchetal", "program:opsuny", "program:opensuny", "licenseversion:40", "source@https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/interpersonalcommunication" ], https://socialsci.libretexts.org/@app/auth/3/login?returnto=https%3A%2F%2Fsocialsci.libretexts.org%2FBookshelves%2FCommunication%2FInterpersonal_Communication%2FBook%253A_Interpersonal_Communication_-_A_Mindful_Approach_to_Relationships_(Wrench_et_al.