LED520 Cross-Cultural Communication and Leadership - Assignment Example

Cultural Dimensions Cultural dimensions have a direct impact on cross-cultural communication because they define how the culture ofa society affects the value of the members. It also examines how the values connect to behavior in a given society. Two significant thinking have been advanced to explain dimensions of culture. They are Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture and the dichotomy of individualism and collectivism. The paper outlines a cultural activity that is aimed at understanding the cultural values and behavior exhibited by the people of Afghanistan.

The study will borrow knowledge from the dichotomy of individualism and collectivism and Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture. The dichotomy of individualism/collectivism individuals from different cultures related with one another on an individual level and within a group. The degree of individualism or collectivism is determined, by the way, an individual responds to groups (Earley & Gibson, 1998). Some cultures encourage members to prioritize the needs of the group while in some personal needs come first.

Power Distance, Individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity/feminism are the four dimensions of culture advanced by Geert Hofstede (Hofstedes Intercultural Dimensions, n.d.). The Power Distance dimension refers to the level of equality/inequality in a particular society. A society with high power distances are very unequal, and it is difficult to climb the ladder. Individualism dimension refers to the level of importance attached to individual achievements. Cultural metaphors help in understanding the difference in culture.

It facilitates efficient cross-cultural communication (Vernon-Wortzel & Shrivastava, 1996). The idea is to select something that the members of a given society consider important. That thing can be used to comprehend the basic features of that given society (Vernon-Wortzel & Shrivastava, 1996). The use of cultural metaphors makes it easy to understand the most important features of a society. The cultural group selected for the project is Afghanistan. During the project, I had a chance to interact with Afghanistan Army soldier who also act as interpreters.

It will be my first time to be in contact with people from Afghanistan. The Afghanistan people have a very distinct culture that is very different from the Western culture. The cultural activity entails working with the group of Afghanistan arm soldiers starting from April. We spent most of the time with soldiers because we work, eat, fellowship, and sleep beside each other. The people of Afghanistan is well known cultural group with a unique identity. The group has been chosen because it is likely to yield interesting given that I have no previous contact with the group.

Working together with a group of Afghanistan soldiers means there is no rank or positions of power involved. The team will be spending time together discussing issues pertaining to national security. The high level of interaction will provide a chance for one to gain an insight of the most important cultural values held by the Afghanistan people. The key to the success of any cultural activity is to fit in the cultural group. The group will spend time together eating, working, fellowshipping and sleeping.

Consequently, it would be an opportunity to assess cultural values of food, respect, friendship, and common cultural metaphors. The high level of interaction with the group will facilitate the adoption of efficient cross-cultural communication techniques, which depends on the ability of the participants to adjust cultural behavior. I believe an intercultural experience with this level of interaction provides a perfect opportunity to understand the cultural values of the Afghanistan people.

It will be easy to analyze the values based on the dichotomy of individualism and collectivism and Hofstedes’ dimensions.ReferencesEarley, P. C., & Gibson, C. B. (1998). Taking Stock in Our Progress on Individualism-Collectivism: 100 Years of Solidarity and Community. Journal of Management, 24(3), 265-304.Hofstedes Intercultural Dimensions. (n.d.). Retrieved from Kwintessential: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/intercultural/dimensions.htmlVernon-Wortzel, H., & Shrivastava, P. (1996). Understanding Global Cultures: Metaphorical Journeys Through 17 Countries.

Academy of Management Review, 21(1), 288-291.