Intercultural Communication
3rd Lecture
Prof . Hossein Dadfar
Easily Seen
Seen with Effort
Seen with Deep
Understanding
BEHAVIOR
BELIEFS
VALUES AND
THOUGHT
PATTERNS
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Intercultural communication
How to Analyze Culture
(Single Dimensional Models)
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Today lecture
Basis and models of cultural analysis
●  Single dimension models
Ø Context based: high context vs. low context
Ø Time based: monochoronic vs. polychronic
•  Manifestation of high/low context in behavior
•  Manifestation of monochronic/polichronic in
behavior
● 
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How to Analyze Culture
• 
Single dimension models
•  Multidimensional models
•  Layer model and ABC model
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Single Dimension Models
Single
dimension
models
Context
Time
perception
•  High context Culture
•  Low context culture
•  Monochronic
•  Polychronic
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3
Single Dimension Model (cont...)
Context: Affects the meaning and interpretation of
the interaction.
High Context Culture: Feelings and thoughts are not
explicitly expressed. One has to read between the l lines and
interpret meaning from one’s general understanding.
High-Context cultures - What Is Said and How or Where It is Said Are
Significant
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High context, low context (U.S.)
Edward T. Hall
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Low context culture
Low Context Culture: Feelings and thoughts are expressed in words and
information is more readily available.
Low-Context Cultures - What Is Said Is More Important Than How or Where
It Is Said
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HC vs. LC
HC
LC
LC
Context
Information
HC
M
E
A
N
I
N
G
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Opinion
LC
HC
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Handling of Problems
LC (North Europe- North America)
HC (Asian)
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High Context Culture Information Searching
Sport/religious
team
Colleagues
Parents,family
Class mates
Friends
Social group
Relatives
Personal Friends
Family friends
University peers
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Low context culture information searching
Mass
media
Professional
colleague
Internal reports
Survey
External,
consultancy
reports
Business network
Data bases
Information
system
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Example of High and Low context culture by country
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Contextual Background of Various Countries
Japanese
High context
IMPLICIT
Arabian
Latin American
Spanish
Italian
English (UK)
French
English (US)
Scandinavian
German
Low context
Swiss
EXPLICIT
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Contract: High context low content
● 
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Contracts are “vague,” brief
documents that do not spell out the
details.
In a high context, relation-orient
culture such as Japan, trust is more
important than a piece of paper.
Harmony requires strong relationship,
taking a partner to the court would
signal the end of relationship!
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Guanxi - Strength of Relationship
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Guanxi - Strength of Relationship
China
U.S.A.
●  Personal power and
●  Transactions are conducted
relationships -- or
within the framework of
connections -- rather than
rule of law are important
contract law and mechanisms
for dispute resolution are in
place
●  Reciprocal relationship
●  Reciprocal networks are
networks can often mean
becoming more important,
doing favors or offering
but have to operate within the
bribes
confines of the law
●  Establish relationships with
●  Gifts may be viewed as
gifts as a normal aspect of
bribery (Foreign Corrupt
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doing business
Practices Act)
High and Low Context Cultures
High
Context
Low
Context
Lawyers
Less important
Very important
A person’s word
Is his or her bond
Get it in writing
Responsibility for
organizational error
Taken by
top level
Pushed to
lowest level
Negotiations
Lengthy
Proceed quickly
Examples:
Japan
Middle East
U.S.A.
Northern Europe
Factors /
Dimensions
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Numbers of Engineers Vs. Lawyers
Japan
U.S.
400
70
Accountants
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40
Lawyers
(Of Every 10,000 Citizens)
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20
Engineers and
Scientists
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ric
a
N.
Am
e
sh
Eng
li
Italian
n
Spanish
Greek
an
rm
Ge
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High-Context
Establish Social Trust First
Value Personal Relations & Goodwill
Agreement by General Trust
Negotiations Are Slow & Ritualistic
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Low-Context
Get Down to Business First
Value Expertise & Performance
Agreement by Specific, Legal Contract
Negotiations Are as Efficient as Possible
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High Context Communication
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More common among those
with (rather) shared
background, shorthand
approach
Japanese saying “ Hear one
understand ten”
“When Germans want to say
100 things, they will verbalise
150 things. When Japanese say
70 things, they try to get the
other person to understand
100.”
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The Japanese “Yes..”
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“Yes” in Japan can mean:
Ø  “I’m listening to you”
Ø  “I understand what you’re
saying, but I don’t agree with
you”
Ø  “We will consider it”
Ø  May be I think so”
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Percentage of Managers Who Would Lie For
Friend
South Korea
Indonesia
China
Germany
Australia
United States
Canada
74%
53%
52%
9%
7%
5%
4%
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Single Dimension Model: Time perception
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Single Dimension Model (cont...)
Monochromic vs. Polychronic Culture
Monochromic
• 
Monochromic cultures act in a focused manner, concentrating on one thing at
a time within a set time scale.
• 
such people time is a scarce re source which has its opportunity cost There
may be a perception that “time is money ”
Polychronic
• 
Polychronic cultures are flexible and unconstrained by concerns with time
• 
Polychronic people do many things at once, often in an unplanned or
opportunistic sequence.
• 
They may not be interested in time schedules or concepts of “punctuality ”
They consider that the “reality” of events and opportunities is more important
than adherence to what they perceive to be.
• 
Matters can always be settled tomorrow
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RELATIONAL TIME
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DIFFERENT CONCEPT OF
TIME
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Monochronic
* Germans, Swiss, Austrian
* Scandinavians, Finns
* Americans
* British, Canadians, New Zealanders
* Austrians
* Japanese
* Dutch, Flemish Belgian
* Other American cultures
* French, Walloon Belgian
* Koreans, Taiwanese, Singaporeans
* Czechs, Slovakians, Slovenians, Croats, Hungarians
* Chinese
* Northern Italians
* Chile
* Other Slavs
* Portuguese
* Spanish, Southern Italians, Mediterranean peoples
* Indians, and other Indian sub- continent
* Polynesians
* Latin Americans, Arabs, Africans
Polychronic
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Monochronic and Polychronic compared
Monochronic
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Patient, quiet
minds own business
likes privacy
plans ahead methodically
does one thing at a time
follows systems
works fixed hours
punctual, dominated by
timetables and schedules
Polychronic
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Impatient, talkative
inquisitive/interfering
gregarious
plans grand outline/"vision"
does several things at once,
mixes systems
works any hours
unpunctual, time table
unpredictable
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Monochronic and Polychronic compared
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sticks to plans, sticks to facts
gets in formation from
statistics, reference books,
database
job orientated, works within
department
follows correct procedures
plays role within team
uses fixed agendas
focused communication, too
the point
uses written record
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changes plans
juggles facts
people orientated
goes round all departments
seeks favours, delegates to
relations
plays as many roles as possible
talks for hours
dislikes writing too much,
prefers flexibility to
commitment, seeks out ( top)
key per son
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Example of assignments
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Interpersonal communication in academic life
Business networking in Far East
Business culture in Saudi Arabia
Culture and Quality
Culture and innocation
Doing business in the Middle Kingdom: a socio-cultural study
Noise in communication between Swedish and Japanese People
Non-verbal communication in Japan and Sweden
A comparison of German and Swedish Companies’ business culture.
A woman’s way to career: A cross-cultural study between Sweden
and France
the working values in Japan and Germany
Comparative business culture, Sweden, German, Italy and Austria
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