Conflict Across Cultures Series: Have you had enough time to think
about the Oranges puzzle from a couple of weeks ago?  Here is the background to remind you…

If one party wants to grow orange trees and the other party has a child to nourish, (and there are 2 oranges), what is the solution?  Take a minute and try to think of a reasonable solution…

Intercultural trainers and academics are nervous of each other.
Academia either produces more and more complicated models or more and more vocal criticisms of the theoretical approaches of the trainers. Trainers, on the other hand, are accused of mis-applying models and theories or ignoring latest developments, and are branded culturist and reductionist. The best trainers, and the most resourceful academics, are more open minded and can take lessons from each other…

Conflict Across Cultures: When you next think you are in conflict
with someone with a different background, how do you feel? Do you feel “first world” guilt? Do you ignore the differences and judge the other party by your own standards and codes?

It is not easy, but applying culture theory can help…

Intellectually, the first world would say, we have a global economy,
shared responsibility for climate change and that every country has a sporting chance to compete in the World Cup.

I want to pose a simple question; can humans think globally? During the World Cup…

We will never fully transcend our cultural influences to have
an objective view. Everybody is trapped by their history, community, education, language, family upbringing and body. Our five (or 8 senses) take in everything around us. If this information were to be made readily available to us, we would be paralysed and blinded; swamped by data overload…

How difficult can it be?

A significant amount of overseas investment is wasted each year because there are invisible core differences between the American and British cultures. These are not always appreciated by corporations and leaders. Consequently the result can be culture clash. The damage to US – UK relationships leads to an absence of trust, the erosion of communication and cooperation and failure to achieve the common goal. When management time is applied to the ensuing crisis often only the symptoms are tackled.

So, what are the differences, how did they occur and what can we do to get over the shock and pain of culture clash?

Imagine a situation. You have just received a memo from your
CEO (you work for a huge global organisation). In the memo, the newly appointed CEO states his vision for the company, and the core values he will be implementing as part of his new strategy. The core values are: Freedom, Respect, Integrity. Very simple values and easily understandable. In fact there is little doubt what he is looking for……or is there?