Cross-Cultural Comparison of the Eastern and Western Cultural Behavior - Essay Example

? Cross cultural comparison inserts his/her s Research by Hofstede (1980, 1991, and 2001) identifies key dimensions including masculinity, power distance beliefs, uncertainty avoidance and long term orientation, that account for variation between the Eastern and Western cultural behavior. On one end of the continuum are the Eastern societies that rank high in terms of high power distance beliefs, collectivism, long term orientation and conformity. On the other end lie the Western societies that are more work-oriented, have low power-distance beliefs and are inherently individualistic in nature. High-context cultures must be separated from low-context cultures. The former refers to cultures such as those of South Korea and Taiwan where verbal communication takes a backseat and non-verbal communication conveys significant meaning (Bovee, Thill, & Chaturvedi, 2008). The latter refers to the opposite and includes cultures such as those of U.S.A and Germany (Bovee, Thill, & Chaturvedi, 2008). In low context cultures it becomes imperative for managers to be result and career-oriented whereas, in high context cultures emphasis is on building and maintaining relationships (Nisbett, 2003). Thus, negotiations and trust-building are important exercises for managers as far as high-context cultures, such as China, are concerned. Sometimes, social differences are also worth noting. For example, when Wal-Mart decided to expand its operations in Germany, the store personnel in Germany protested the company’s requirement of always putting up a smiling face to customers simply because it meant ‘flirting’ in their local context (Bovee, Thill, & Chaturvedi, 2008). Non-verbal cues are also interpreted in surprisingly different ways. For example, managers in the U.S. may shake hands as a welcome gesture, whereas in Japan a slight bowing of the head is the norm (Bovee, Thill, & Chaturvedi, 2008). Similarly, in the U.S, an eye-to-eye contact is considered to be a sign of confidence and respect, whereas, in South Korea it is considered disrespectful and hostile (Bovee, Thill, & Chaturvedi, 2008). The ‘OK’ sign (made with an O with the thumb and index finger) demonstrates consent in the U.S; however, the same is considered as valueless in France and vulgar in Brazil and Germany (Bovee, Thill, & Chaturvedi, 2008). As mentioned earlier, trust is an essential component for the Chinese that governs their personal as well as professional dealings. Therefore, it is not surprising that, for the Chinese, the professional arena is largely overlapped by personal aspects. Trust (known as “Guanxi” in the Chinese context) and strong personal contacts guarantee strong business dealings as well. Direct eye-to-eye contact is not encouraged and shaking of hands may not be taken as favorable (Graham & Lam, 2003). The Chinese are wary of those who fast communicators who make rush decisions. Therefore, at all times during the communication process, patience and perseverance must be demonstrated. Saving face is another aspect of the Chinese culture. Hence, the Chinese avoid the usage of the word “no” (Fang, 2006). Furthermore, the Chinese managers are usually skeptical about the typical Western philosophy of backing every argument by legal evidence. Law is therefore, often looked upon as a coercive, impersonal way of dealing by the Chinese (Fang, 2006). The human behavior of Chinese is reflected in their verbal and non-verbal body language. Their communication style is best understood in the light of their traditional, Confucian culture. Although, the Chinese culture has significantly evolved, it still has its roots in the Confucian philosophy. Thus, by comparing the old and new cultural behaviors it becomes evident that a new, hybrid culture is in the making. Traditionally belonging to a high-context culture, the Chinese are passive and engage in more non-verbal communication than active verbal communication. Implicit messages, therefore, constitute a large part of the Chinese human behavior. The Chinese also tend to focus a lot on their collective gains, as opposed to personal ones, a characteristic unique to collectivistic cultures. Thus, satisfaction in life is derived not from personal achievements but from collective welfare of the society. The Chinese people seek satisfaction through harmony and appreciate interconnectedness. However, the danger of oversimplification exists. Researchers have mostly oversimplified cultural studies by categorizing the Chinese as collectivistic and the Americans, for example, as individualistic without playing heed to the differences that exist within each of these cultures (Fang, Tony, ShumingZhao, & VernerWorm, 2008). Consider another example of the stereotyped American and Chinese culture. The former is highly individualistic, prefers openness of thought, is task-oriented and short-sighted (short-term focus) (Bhattacharyya, 2010). The latter is collectivistic, relies more on non-verbal cues, is relationship-oriented and far sighted (long term focus) (Bhattacharyya, 2010). This classification in an ‘either-or’ perspective is no longer applicable. In the case of China, for instance, the culture that exists now is different from what it existed before. Human behavior has, thus, evolved to adapt to modern circumstances. The simplified statement that Chinese culture is collectivist is shunned by the observation when one stands on the streets and determines how collectivism in not the priority for people walking or commuting. This change has been brought about by changes in the social, technological, political and economic environment of China (Fang, Tony, ShumingZhao, & VernerWorm, 2008). From being a backward society, China has now evolved to one where professionalism, personal ambitions and results matter (Fang, Tony, ShumingZhao, & VernerWorm, 2008). Thus, the influx of foreign technology, capital and investments has altered human behavior due to increased interaction with the outside world. Human values cannot be isolated from time. These values tend to change as the economy develops. At the same time, however, these changes do not apply a complete absence of the traditional Chinese values. Thus, the traditional values co-exist with the modern values, demonstrating a “both-and” phenomenon. The values, principles and beliefs that are adopted ultimately depend on the situation in question. The same people may demonstrate individualistic behavior in one situation and collectivistic in another. Chinese individuals can be classified as reserved and contained in formal situations (for instance, a formal business meeting), whereas the same may be expressive in social business events. The overpowering Chinese philosophy of ‘guanxi’ or building trust is nothing specific to the Chinese since trust-building is quintessential to successful business in today’s world. Thus, deals are not signed in a formal business meeting; they are made in informal settings such as dinners. The Chinese principle of ‘Yin Yang’ further states that human behavior must not be viewed in an either-or perspective (Bond, 1991). After having visited an art gallery, I was able to relate to the Chinese principle of indirect communication style and tacit knowledge. On closer observation to one of the paintings, I observed that the painting had more to it than just powerful aesthetics. Symbolic representation was apparent in that the clouds and flowers in the painting depicted women whereas, the trees depicted men. Thus, there was more than what met the eye. The inherent meaning of objects was instrumental in understanding the painting than the visual images. I also came across a Chinese professor once whose behavior depicted the signature indirect Chinese communication style. Once when I asked him to tell his counseling hours, he replied back saying that ‘perhaps’ he would be free by afternoon. Also, once during summers when it was very hot and I was getting academic guidance from him and drinking water in between, he asked me if it was too hot which actually meant that he was asking me to get him some water. Thus, saving face is a commonplace in Chinese culture (Fang, 2006). However, contrary to the Chinese behavior of tacit communication, I observed that informal settings such as dining halls were quite noisy. The atmosphere in those dining halls is one of cheerfulness, happiness, exuberance and energy. Therefore, from what I inferred I can state that the Chinese behavior is heavily dependent on the context (including the people and the situation); if the Chinese are interacting with someone whom they trust a lot, they open up and become expressive as opposed to dealing with people whom they do not know much. Also, the notion of feedback was not recognized in the traditional Chinese society since it was feared that doing so would break the harmony in the society and disturb the natural balance. However, my recent visit to China made be rethink this aspect. In front of the desk of a security officer was a device for voting which allowed individuals to vote that individual’s service as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. I also observed that Chinese children are usually taught to be good listeners than good speakers. In Chinese culture, good listening translates to obedience and respect (Fang, Tony, ShumingZhao, & VernerWorm, 2008). However, things in the business world are changing as China is thriving to become a major superpower. Most Chinese leadership conferences and books are now centered on the Western philosophy whereby interpersonal communication is quintessential to business success. Therefore, although significant differences exist between the Western and Chinese philosophy, these differences are not shrinking. Owing to globalization, human behavior in all parts of the world is absorbing different values, beliefs and norms which is resulting in a new hybrid behavior that includes some foreign elements. So is the case with China. A new style of communication has, therefore, emerged in China owing to increased cross-cultural interaction and influence from the West. Although the Chinese culture is still enrooted in the Confucian philosophy, it is evolving and being transformed into a more westernized society. References Bhattacharyya. (2010). Cross-Cultural Management: Text And Cases. New Delhi: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. Bond, M. H. (1991). Beyond the Chinese face: Insights from psychology. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press. Bovee, C. L., Thill, J. V., & Chaturvedi, M. (2008). Business Communication Today. New Delhi: Dorley Kindersley Pvt. Limited. Fang, T. (2006). Negotiation: the Chinese style. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 21(1), 50-60. Fang, Tony, ShumingZhao, & VernerWorm. (2008). The changing Chinese culture and business behaviour. nternational Business Review, 141-145. Graham, J., & Lam, N. (2003). The Chinese negotiation. Harvard Business Review, 81(10), 82-91. Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. California: Sage. Nisbett, R. (2003). The geography of thought: How Asians and Westerners think differently—and why. London: Nicholas Brealey. Read More