Заказ 26233 (200 грн.)

Заказ 26233 (200 грн.) 17.07.2017 16:26

4. High-Context and Low-Context Cultures

 

 

Chapter Objectives:

 

1. Identify some cultures that are high context and some that are low context.

2. Compare and contrast high- and low-context cultures.

High-context culture and the contrasting low-context culture relate to a culture's tendency to use high-context messages over low-context messages in routine communication. This choice between speaking styles indicates whether a culture will cater to in-groups, an in-group being a group that has similar experiences and expectations, from which inferences are drawn.

 In a higher-context culture, many things are left unsaid, letting the culture explain. Words and word choice become very important in higher-context communication, since a few words can communicate a complex message very effectively to an in-group (but less effectively outside that group), while in a low-context culture, the communicator needs to be much more explicit and the value of a single word is less important.

High context cultures are strongly inclined to indirect methods of communication. Low context cultures are not known for their ability to tolerate or understand diversity, and tend to be more insular.

Although persons in low-context transactions recognize the nonverbal environment, they tend to focus more on the verbal context. People using low-context communication are expected to communicate in ways that are consistent with their feelings.

A person from a high-context culture generally:         

-         Relies on implicit communication;

-         Emphasizes nonverbal communication;

-         Subordinates tasks to relationships; Emphasizes collective initiative and decision making;

-         Views employer/employee relationship as humanistic;

-         Relies on intuition or trust rather than facts and statistics;

-         Prefers indirect style in writing and speaking;

-         Favors indirect style in writing and speaking;

-         Adheres to the spirit of the law.

 

In contrast, a person from a low-context culture usually:

-         Relies on explicit (literal) communication;

-         Emphasizes verbal communication over nonverbal communication; Separates job tasks from relationships;

-         Emphasizes individual initiative and decision making;

-         Views employer/employee relationship as mechanistic;

-         Relies on facts, statistics, and other details as supporting evidence;

-         Uses direct style in writing and speaking;

-         Prefers linear reasoning;

-         Adheres to the letter of the law.

 

3. Compare value orientations among high- and low-context cultures.

A high-context culture values the collective as the important unit of soci­ety

Those whose cultures are lower on the context continuum tend to value in­dividual initiative, decision making, and achievement.

 

4. Identify own position where you fit on the low and high context continuum.

5. Develop trainees’ skills of effective communication with the representatives of high- and low-context cultures.

For communication with low-context culture:

-                     Use explicit context in communication

-                     Use more verbal options

-                     Be as pithy as possible

-                     Be initiative and decisive

-                     Use facts, statistics, and other details

-                     Use direct style