May « 2010 « Dr Deborah Swallow – Global Cultural Diversity..

Future of Intercultural Training

Deborah Swallow | May 24th, 2010

By Matthew MacLachlan

There has been a fantastic discussion happening at LinkedIn
http://bit.ly/dbfE86 about where the future of intercultural training lies. I would like to briefly summarise here. There is a growing realisation that the models on which trainers have relied for so long (such as Hall, Hofstede, Trompenaars et al) are not sufficient to describe the reality of our own experiences…

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Globish: The Art of Cross-Cultural Communication

Deborah Swallow | May 24th, 2010

English has become the World’s language – the means to communicate
across cultures. But, why and how has English made it’s way around the world? The main reason is that it has developed into “Globish” which is an overwhelmingly economic phenomenon. In a fascinating new book “Globish: How the English Language Became the World’s Language“, Robert McCrum offers a journalistic account which is both provocative and compelling of the rise of English and it’s impact on the world of economics, politics and culture.

Is this revolution a creature of globalization,” Robert McCrum asks, “or does global capitalism owe some of its energy and resilience to global English in all its manifestations, cultural as well as linguistic?

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Russia: Bribery, Corruption & the High Price Of Bad Business

Deborah Swallow | May 24th, 2010

The black market economy in Russia is a huge industry,
estimated to be the equivalent of the GDP of Denmark – some US $300 billion. It is so rampant that many large Western firms are deciding to cut their losses and leave Russia for good, IKEA among them. This is just a tiny tip on an enormous iceberg…

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What’s in a Language….and what is not.

Deborah Swallow | May 22nd, 2010

by Adina Tarry

My brief stories relate to my personal experience in different countries, linked by a common language…or not.

I lived in London for a few years before going to Sydney, another English speaking place. Once there I found work and quickly noticed that my interactions with others were not quite fluid. Eventually an exasperated manager bit the bullet and challenged me one day, as I’ve been talking to him for some minutes. “Adina, what exactly is it that you want? Just tell me…??!!!” he interrupted. Slightly shocked by such abruptness I answered “Well…a meeting next Monday at 10 am if possible”, “No worries…why don’t you say so and waste my time…done…” and then he left…my English graces dismissed in an instant. The full impact of that story happened when experienced in reverse.

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21st May: Chains of Difference

Deborah Swallow | May 22nd, 2010

Dear Deborah,

Thank you for the invitation to your project. My name is Pedro, I’m a Portuguese citizen in his mid-thirties, a clinical psychologist with a PhD in anthropology.

I believe the world we live in is made of observers, rather than participants. We live in a world where belief no longer believes itself, whether that belief is diversity or any other important belief that makes us human. I appreciate all invitations made to become a participant in projects that genuinely promote revisiting our current beliefs on diversity.

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Warm Greetings from the South Pacific! It’s a small world after all!

Deborah Swallow | May 22nd, 2010

Kia ora tatou – nga mihi mahana from Aotearoa New Zealand.
Hello everyone and warm Pacific greetings from New Zealand.

I think we might be your remotest contributors!!

Thank you for your very kind invitation Deborah to contribute to your wonderful initiative. Sorry it is a day late!

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Welcome To The UK

Deborah Swallow | May 21st, 2010

by Matthew Hill

The thought of foreign workers coming amongst us in the UK can be a daunting one. It can bring up emotive issues, practical considerations and a moment of contemplation about who we are and who are they?

Fear is part of the reaction – “Will they take my job?” “Will I be able to manage them?” “Will my life ever be the same again?” One company was experiencing difficulty hiring experts in the UK…

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The Nations of The World

Deborah Swallow | May 21st, 2010

Link sent by Pedro Oliveira of Portugal

Posted via email from The World At Work

Peace and food…

Deborah Swallow | May 21st, 2010

From Anis Bedda…

I will write about an experience I had when I was working in Toronto, Canada. I used to rent the basement of a colleague of mine, John who has Greek origins and we used to carpool with another colleague, Lina who has Palestinian origins. So the story starts like a joke does: A Palestinian, a Greek and a Tunisian in a car going to work….