Figure 6.3.2 illustrates some of the patterns of context that exist in todays world.21. Geography Communication in Polish society is ' low context ', meaning that they usually speak frankly and can be very direct when it comes to saying 'no'. Collectivistic cultures tend to think about actions that might affect the entire group rather than specific members of the group. High and Low Context Culture Impacts on International Retailing When we look at only the two however, it turns out that even though UK and Poland are so close to each other on the scale, you can still feel the difference in the communication style. Meyer defines them as follows: Low-context: Good communication is precise, simple and clear. I know these are not malicious comments, we all know that, don't we? This is most common for women, but some men also embrace and kiss. As such, there is a focus on both persistence and thrift. #expatcoaching #expatlife #livingabroad #expatcoach #workingabroad #lifeabroad #workabroad #careerabroad #internationallife #internationalcareer #globalcareer #globallife #globalleaders #culturalawareness #selfawareness #selfgrowth #personalgrowth #personaldevelopment #culturalcompetence #movingabroad #zyciezagranica #zycienaemigracji #pracazagranica #rozwojosobisty #polacyzagranica, There are a few more myths that I see again and again, and I'd like to dispel them once and for all! Summarize the importance of Stella Ting-Toomeys face and facework in interpersonal relationships. Other religions practiced in the country include Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. PDF Cultural Differences in Business Communication What I do remember is that my environment was generally very supportive, I didn't feel like I was leaving with some bad emotions between any of the close family and friends. Lace-up boots and a coral bead necklace complete the look. At the long-term end of the spectrum are countries like China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan; whereas, countries like Pakistan, Czech Republic, Nigeria, Spain, and the Philippines are examples of short-term. Pickles and sauerkraut are popular side dishes and dessert options will often include ice cream, cheesecake, apple pie and "makowiec", a poppy-seed cake. When it comes down to it, despite the issues we have in our country, the power disparity is not nearly as significant as it is in many other parts of our world. Most Asian countries are considered collectivistic cultures because these cultures tend to be group-focused. The same is true of thrift. They may have the respect of their subordinates who complete tasks for them, but younger employees may not trust them to respond to the demands of modern business. Another very important researcher in the area of culture is a man by the name of Geert Hofstede. Additionally, there is a strong emphasis on saving face, which we will discuss more in the next section, fulfilling ones obligations today, and enjoying ones leisure time. The ability to navigate successfully across cultures is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Others are who gets educated and what type of education they receive, who gets health care and what type, and what types of occupations do those with power have versus those who do not have power. Particularism Recruiting is done through executive search firms and through the internet. In Table 6.3.1, we broke down issues of context into three general categories: communication, cultural orientation, and business. In other words, we think about ourselves as individuals rather than the collective group. Heres a 4-minute speech from Erin Meyer on this topic as an extra source: click. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. In the most recent version of her theory, Stella Ting-Toomey outlines seven basic factors of face-negotiation theory: First and foremost, communication and face are highly intertwined concepts, so when coming to an intercultural encounter, it is important to remember the interrelationship between the two. These cookies do not store any personal information. Poles consider themselves independent and self-disciplined. Employees may withhold discussing problems for a long time before finally raising them. The LibreTexts libraries arePowered by NICE CXone Expertand are supported by the Department of Education Open Textbook Pilot Project, the UC Davis Office of the Provost, the UC Davis Library, the California State University Affordable Learning Solutions Program, and Merlot. DM me with 'GLOBAL LEADER' and I'll share with you how I support international leaders in their ability to work well across cultures. Asia, the Polish name, is spelled the same as the continent but pronounced very differently! When realising the way the British work, I managed to easily adjust to their style. High-context cultures, on the other hand, are cultures where understanding a message is dependent on the cultural context and a communicators nonverbal behavior. The first scale is Communication, with a spectrum from low-context to high-context. Expect employees to be willing to share opinions, though it may be in an indirect, but insistent manner. We also acknowledge previous National Science Foundation support under grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and 1413739. There was atime when I attended a meeting where a decision has been made on the task split and further steps of the project. Witold Lutosawski and Henryk Grecki are two of the most famous Polish classical Modern Composers. The peasants and workers constitute the majority of the population. 29. International. Building relationships is an important and required step to achieving social and business goals. The traditional clothing of the Polish people varies greatly with their location in the country. According to Hsien Chin Hu, the concept of face stems from two distinct Chinese words, lien and mien-tzu. For understanding culture, Hofstede acknowledges that this distinction ultimately has a lot to do with work goals.28 On the masculine end of the spectrum, individuals tend to be focused on items like earnings, recognition, advancement, and challenge. ), { "6.01:_What_is_Culture" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "6.02:_The_Function_of_Culture" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "6.03:_Cultural_Characteristics_and_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "6.04:_Improving_Intercultural_Communication_Skills" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "6.05:_Chapter_Wrap-Up" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()" }, { "00:_Front_Matter" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "01:_Introduction_to_Human_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "02:_Overview_of_Interpersonal_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "03:_Intrapersonal_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "04:_Verbal_Elements_of_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "05:_Nonverbal_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "06:_Cultural_and_Environmental_Factors_in_Interpersonal_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "07:_Talking_and_Listening" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "08:_Building_and_Maintaining_Relationships" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "09:_Conflict_in_Relationships" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "10:_Friendship_Relationships" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "11:_Family_and_Marriage_Relationships" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "12:_Interpersonal_Communication_in_Mediated_Contexts" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "13:_Interpersonal_Relationships_at_Work" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "14:_The_Dark_Side_of_Interpersonal_Communication" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "zz:_Back_Matter" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()" }, 6.3: Cultural Characteristics and Communication, [ "article:topic", "license:ccbyncsa", "showtoc:no", "authorname:wrenchetal", "program:opsuny", "program:opensuny", "licenseversion:40", "source@https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/interpersonalcommunication" ], https://socialsci.libretexts.org/@app/auth/3/login?returnto=https%3A%2F%2Fsocialsci.libretexts.org%2FBookshelves%2FCommunication%2FInterpersonal_Communication%2FBook%253A_Interpersonal_Communication_-_A_Mindful_Approach_to_Relationships_(Wrench_et_al. Management in high-and low-context cultures - Poland and Korea in the light of empirical research. After the country lost its sovereignty in the 19th century, Romantic literature flourished in the country. High-context cultures are more likely to be intuitive, contemplative, and concerned with the collective. Its important to understand that for an American for instance (America is located to the very left of the scale, by the low-context), both British and Polish cultures may seem very high-context and combining that with a tendency to use sarcastic humour cultural shock guaranteed! They required me to work on myself so that this narrative doesn't get stuck in my head, and that I still continue living my own life, while doing my best to care for the relationships that I wanted to keep in my life. Geert Hofstedes research created a taxonomy for understanding and differentiating cultures. In his 1959 book, The Silent Language, Hall states, culture is communication and communication is culture.19 In the previous chapter, we talked about the importance of nonverbal communication. Being on time is important. Repetition is appreciated if it helps clarify the communication, High-context: Good communication is sophisticated, nuanced, and layered. During an interpersonal interaction, individuals strive to create a positive version of their face for the other person. In 2017, Daniel H. Mansson and Alds G. Sigurardttir set out to examine the concept of trait affection in relation to Hofstedes theoretical framework. 10 Traits of High-Context Communicators | Psychology Today Some cultures, notably the French and Italians, tend toward deductive arguments, focusing on theories and complex concepts before presenting a fact, statement, or opinion. (such as the United States, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark the UK, or Poland) and need to communicate with people from a high-context culture (like Japan, Indonesia, Iran, China, Kenya, . Its opposite pole, restraint, reflects a conviction that such gratification needs to be curbed and regulated by strict social norms. 34 The top five on the Indulgence end are Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, and Nigeria, whereas those on the restraint end are Pakistan, Egypt, Latvia, Ukraine, and Albania. - Our Planet Today on April 20, 2022 Is Poland a high or low context culture? Interpersonally, long-term oriented countries were more satisfied with their contributions to Being attentive to daily human relations, deepening human bonds in family, neighborhood and friends or acquaintances when compared to their short-term counterparts.32. Poles gesticulate a great deal while speaking to make their point. In the past, men and women who crossed their marriageable age (twenty for women and late 20s for men) were subjected to mockery. Communicating in High Context vs. Low Context Cultures The Challenges of Communicating Across Cultures - Crisbie coach wojewdztwo trockie - Tumaczenie na angielski - polskich przykadw If you are from a high context culture and working with someone from a low context culture, focus on the content of the message without looking for hidden meaning. In anthropology, high-context and low-context cultures are the ends of a continuum portraying the level of explicit information and the importance of context in a given culture. DRIVE is your motivation and level of curiosity for multicultural interactions. Generally there is low tolerance for ambiguity and people require detailed explanation and understanding before making decisions. Small enterprises have the flexibility to move more quickly. During communist rule, educational and economic advancement of the Polish worker and peasants were fostered. Try to make initial introductions through a local representative rather than on your own. High-context cultures have a lot of unwritten rules that govern communication and interaction. The notion of masculinity and femininity are often misconstrued to be tied to their biological sex counterparts, female and male. Join me in the webinar on Tuesday, 7 March and let's discuss how you can ensure not to fall into the trap of those myths! I know that the British are often characterised as masters of sarcasm and irony. Imagine youre having an interaction with an individual from India. A high-context culture relies on implicit communication and nonverbal cues. When it came to trait affection received, all four groups differed from one another. Low-context cultures are cultures where the emphasis is placed on the words that come out of an individuals mouth. People in cultures with high uncertainty avoidance can view this ambiguity and lack of knowledge as threatening, which is one reason why people in these cultures tend to have higher levels of anxiety and neuroticism as a whole. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Poland boasts 17 Nobel prize winners, including four Peace Prizes and five in Literature. Feedback must be handled carefully, and many Poles may not feel comfortable evaluating those above them. From years of research examining both extraversion and neuroticism, we know that extraverted individuals have more successful interpersonal relationships than those who are highly neurotic. Is it tiring? The society in Poland exhibited a high degree of stratification before 1939. A person's culture shapes their beliefs, as well as the way they express themselves through communication. Admittedly, in Hofstedes research, there does tend to be a difference between females and males on these characteristics (females tend to be more relationally oriented and males more assertive), which is why Hofstede went with the terms masculinity and femininity in the first place. According to a 2013 report from the U.S. Census department (using income data from 2012), here is how income inequality in the U.S. looks: Households in the lowest quintile had incomes of $20,599 or less in 2012. Expect polite formality at initial meetings; warmer interactions take place after relationships and trust have been established. The Catholic Church is core to everyday life. Hierarchy This is my favourite post on Polonization blog, but I recommend it allto be honest. Poland, and the United States. Today, many companies have goal-setting, 360 feedback, and training programs. Poland - IOR Emotionally Expressive Messages are often implied but not plainly expressed.. Are you experiencing identity crisis while living abroad? People in all cultures try to maintain and negotiate face in all communication situations. Differentiate between Edward T. Halls low-context and highcontext cultures. Dismissal is governed by the laws of the EU. The St. Andrew's Day is a traditional holiday in the country and is celebrated on November 29. I heard opinions that its weird, stupid, not-funny-at-all, thats also a widely heldstereotype about that culture. Pomeranian Voivodeship - a voivodeship located in the northern part of Poland. Learn more about how different cultures rely on high or low levels of context in their communication overall. In anthropology, high-context culture and low-context culture are ends of a continuum of how explicit the messages exchanged in a culture are and how important the context is in communication.The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language, verbal messages, or non-verbal messages. To give you an example, in comparison to Asian countries such as Japan, China or Indonesia both UK and Poland could be described as rather a low-context culture. In terms of two interacting parties, face is the reciprocated compliance, respect, and/or deference that each party expects from, and extends to, the other party.48. Customers with long standing are given priority over new customers. Generally Polish employees are motivated by the recognition of good performance, a more visible position with a higher title, the opportunity to work in a company that is contributing to the modernization of Poland, a chance to develop good relationships with colleagues, and by incentives that allow them to spend more leisure time with family and friends. In HCC, on the other hand, intention or meaning can best be conveyed through implicit contexts, including gestures, social customs, silence, nuance, or tone of voice.20 Table 6.3.1 further explores the differences between low-context and high-context cultures. People from high-context culture communicate in an allusive way, body language is very important because the interlocutors use non-verbal signals to a large extent. A variety of other sports like basketball, hockey, swimming, weightlifting, boxing, etc., are played in the country. These include particular types of body language, a person's social or familial standing, and the tone of voice used when speaking. But respect for hierarchy of seniority and position is practiced. High-context cultures will use communication that focuses on underlying context, meaning, and tone in the message, and not just the words themselves. In the 1970's, anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined the phrases "high-context culture" and "low- context culture.". A high-context culture has the opposite communication style to a low-context culture. They come from people caring for us and the relationships we have together. #expatcoaching #expatlife #livingabroad #expatcoach #workingabroad #lifeabroad #workabroad #careerabroad #internationallife #internationalcareer #globalcareer #globallife #globalleaders #culturalawareness #selfawareness #selfgrowth #personalgrowth #personaldevelopment #culturalcompetence #movingabroad #zyciezagranica #zycienaemigracji #pracazagranica #rozwojosobisty #polacyzagranica, Lets laugh at language misunderstandings together! High Context High-context and low-context cultures - Wikipedia Polish folk dance has a long and rich tradition and is associated with several historical or religious events of the country. Intercultural facework competence refers to the optimal integration of knowledge, mindfulness, and communication skills in managing vulnerable identity-based conflict situations appropriately, effectively, and adaptively. However, the concepts of what is low, middle, and upper can have very large differences. The other countries did not differ from each other with regard to trait affection given. Modern Polish art was associated with heavy experimentation and was born with the Moda Polska movement. singapore is high context society Is Arab. When it came to trait affection given, the United . in with awareness or stay confused. The concept of face is especially problematic in emotionally vulnerable situations (such as embarrassment, request, or conflict situations) when the situation identities of the communicators are called into question. Such a good opportunity!' All Rights Reserved. "In high-context culture, people tend to personalize their disagreement with others. Compare and contrast two countries and their levels of context. Companies who decide to hire locally should be prepared to have translators present during interviews. 3. Poland is bordered by 7 countries and the Baltic Sea. 08.09.2020 - Cultural differences: low or high cultural context Having local representation can contribute to trust and sometimes lead to less strenuous negotiations. STRATEGY is the awareness of your own cultural preferences and how they impact your interactions with others, as well as the ability to plan for multicultural interactions and check whether your understanding was correct or not. High-context communicators tend to expect to be noticed for their hard work, sacrifice, and achievement, without ever having to verbalize themselves. Approaches to problem-solving can be indirect, and often one-on-one meetings are more productive than large group discussions. The first of Geert Hofstedes original dimensions of national cultures was power distance, or the degree to which those people and organizations with less power within a culture accept and expect that power is unequally distributed within their culture. As you can imagine, depending on the type of culture you live in, you will have wildly different social interactions with other people. Yes. Decisions come from the top, but only after managers can demonstrate consensus has been reached by their teams. High-context cultures: Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, . Notice that the U.S. does not make it into the top five or the bottom five. While working in multicultural teams therefore important to state the fact that there are currently various cultures involved in the project. Furthermore, individuals from more indulgent cultures tend to be more optimistic, while their restrained counterparts tend to be more cynical. In essence, in LCC, meaning is expressed through explicit verbal messages, both written and oral. Countries, where strong preference for low context communication is on average very high in the society, include for example: Israel, Netherlands, US, Germany. If yes - start developing your cultural intelligence! From an interpersonal perspective, people from high uncertainty avoidant cultures are going to have a lot more anxiety associated with interactions involving people from other cultures. Although most people in the country wear modern Western outfits in their daily lives, the traditional attire is worn during cultural festivals, weddings, religious events, harvest celebrations, and other special occasions. President George H. Bush once held up his hand in a V for Victory salute to an Australian audience only to find out later that this was the equivalent of the middle finger in the United States. Low-Context Culture Communication & Examples - Study.com To do that, I needed to put the relationship-approach aside and realise that whether the person was sending minutes after the meeting or not had nothing to do with trust. Face is the standing or position a person has in the eyes of others. High-Context Cultures. In my eyes however thats nothing in comparison to what the Polish are capable of. Business Meeting etiquette in Poland - Business Culture Messages are both spoken and read between the lines. When it comes to external business communication however, my experience is that the British are closer to the low-context end of the scale. The results also indicated that trait affection given was significantly associated with the individualism-collectivism, masculinity-femininity, and uncertainty avoidance dimensions of cultures. A traditional Polish meal starts with soup (zupa), followed by a main course with meat (cutlets) served with cooked (boiled) potatoes or dumplings. And yet they hurt. The Poles place great importance on gentle manners and graceful behavior. Affectionate communication is conceptualized as a persons use of intentional and overt communicative behaviors to convey feelings of closeness, care, and fondness in the form of verbal statements, nonverbal behaviors, and social support.35. In fact, within the latest edition of the book examining these characteristics, Hofstede and his colleagues title the chapter on uncertainty avoidance as What is Different is Dangerous, calling out the threat factor people in high uncertainty avoidance cultures feel.31 Cultures at the high end of uncertainty avoidance include Greece, Portugal, Guatemala, Uruguay, and Belgium Flemish; whereas, cultures at the low end of uncertainty avoidance include Singapore, Jamaica, Denmark, Sweden, and Hong Kong. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. Currently, Polish art is enjoyed and recognized worldwide. I hope that at this point you more or less get the idea of what the Communication Scale involves. Being an American and moving from a lower context culture to a higher context culture, you will experience different emotions and challenges than moving from higher context culture to the lower one. Fluid Time Some everyday Polish foods include kiebasa (a type of sausage), pierogi (filled dumplings), pyzy (dough balls filled with meat), kopytka (potato dumpling), gobki (cabbage leaves wrapped around meat and rice), bigos (stewed meat and cabbage), etc. High-Context Culture: Examples, Definition & Countries Finally, individuals from indulgent cultures tend to be more extraverted and outgoing as a whole, whereas individuals from restrained cultures tend to be more neurotic. Finally, the researchers examined affection given and received with regards to Hofstedes work. For example, the median income for the average U.S. household is $51,100.24 When discussing household incomes, we use the median (middlemost number) because its the most accurate representation of income. The father holds absolute authority and must be obeyed by the children. Theres also a massive difference in the approach to marriage. In masculine cultures, women are the caretakers of the home, while men are to be healthy and wealthy. Use titles and surnames until invited to use first names. Currently, the Polish society has 6 groupings. To determine power differences within a culture, Hofstede originally was able to examine cultural value survey data that had been collected by IBM. Employees may be suspicious of training because of the communist legacy and may not recognize it as a perk for advancement. What could you do at that point to help rebuild that persons face? However, because there is still a great deal of bureaucracy, deadlines are often delayed. Individualism-collectivism shapes members preferences for self-oriented facework versus other-oriented facework. You may be wondering, by this point, how low-context and high-context cultures differ across different countries. Negotiations with new customers are going to be tougher and longer until a relationship is established. Furthermore, there tend to be higher levels of prejudice and higher levels of ideological, political, and religious fundamentalism, which does not allow for any kind of debate.