Appunti Lingua inglese III

CULTURE FURNISHES ATTITUDES

- An attitude is learned

- An attitude is a general evaluation of something

- An attitude is a tendency to respond the same way to the same object,

situation or idea

- An attitude is a feeling about things based on values that range from

very positive to very negative

- Attitudes can change, even if it can be very difficult

- Attitudes are based on beliefs as well as values

Lezione 24/10/2022

BELIEF: convictions or certainties that are based on subjective and offer

personal ideas rather than on proof or facts. Belief system or religious can be

powerful sources of values and attitudes in culture. Cultural groups of people

are made of individuality. Beliefs must be RESPECTED.

‘CULTURE DICTATES BEHAVIOR’ behavior comes directly from attitudes about

how significant or important something is, how it is valued. Values drive actions

and business is a composite of actions. Culture priorities motivate business

behavior.

VALUES drive ACTIONS compose BUSINESS CULTURAL PRIORITIES

[DISPENSA PAG. 21] —Japanese culture

Japanese avoid uncertainty and not taking responsibilities. They also tend to

avoid conflict. For them it is better to say the truth rather than saving face.

American culture thinks it is more important to accomplish your task, no matter

what problems you have. In the Japanese culture will accept your problems and

understand you, people are human and fail.

RESPONSES TO OTHER CULTURES: when members of different cultures find

themselves face to face, a number of responses are possible:

1. To clash and struggle for the dominance of one set of values over

another. This is HOSTILITY: I don’t recognize your features, your attitudes.

2. Another response to the coexistence of two or more cultures is for

adaptations to take place. This is not something that happens in all

domains of life. In case of business, this one looks for something of

adaptations. The first tone is not a good idea. Adapting means getting it,

recognize it and make it yours.

[PAG. 21 BIS DISPENSA] –how business can be affected by cultural differences

The causes of the business loss: the culture of the acquired company was

unknown and the culture of the country of the company was unknown. In

America they have the culture of ‘bonus system’: the more you work, the more

you earn. This system is hostile to European workers because they think it

creates competition with co-workers for their annual pay.

Also they didn’t know that European people are ‘loyal’ to the products

produced in their country, they prefer them to NOT made in a European

country products. Third problem: executives wanted to deal only with Lincoln’s

top executives, not with lower people sent from Ohio. 4 problem: Lincoln

th

wasn’t used to the month of vacation in summer, typical in Germany, France

and other European countries. 5 problem: none of the executive have had

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experiences abroad, the CEO didn’t even have a passport (he had an urgency

and had to go to EU).

DIVERSITY AT HOME, DIVERSITY ABROAD toady being markets, labour and

money global, successful business people who are looking for markets,

suppliers associates, partners, subsidiaries, or joint venture companies in

foreign countries must be able to communicate interculturally, both at home

and abroad.

Intercultural communication handbook lists of dos and taboos are very popular,

but their helpfulness is very limited because they only generally apply on

ONSTAGE BEHAVIOR. That truth is limited because it doesn’t analyze what

stands in the deep.

To be effective in a foreign setting you need to try and know (ask questions to

yourself) at least something about:

- A culture’s priorities

- Its members’ attitudes and reactions

- How they think people should behave

With the right set of questions:

- You can learn what you need to know about how people in another

culture think. Asking question is a way of knowing

- You can draw parallels from how people think to how they probably

expect you to act.

Being culture coherent and made of linked elements, understanding WHY

enables you to understand the specific what of behavior. Once you begin to

build a picture of a culture’s priorities, you can draw fairly accurate deductions

about what kind of behavior will be offensive and what kind will be pleasing. It

takes you in a position of being accepted and at the same time you start

accepting.

[PAG. 24 DISPENSA] thirteen cultural categories: American and host country

vibus

ATTITUDE TOWARD AGE physical beauty and youth

emphasize

older people to hire younger people for less

are

money a worker’s worth based on production,

judge

NOT seniority

The American emphasis on concrete achievements and ‘doing’ means that age

is not highly valued. Age is also suspect because new is usually better and the

older are usually out of touch with who’s new. The older you are, the worst it is.

Lezione 25/10/2022 AMERICAN ATTITUDES

[dispensa pag.26]

- Attitude towards change is better

new

better way can always be found. Things can always be improved upon

a because we’ve always done it that way doesn’t make it right

just

American view: Americans are more open to change. They believe in progress.

Orange is considered positive, probably because Americans believe in the

march of progress and the pursuit of perfection. Tradition can be a guide, but

they are not inherently superior.

- Attitude towards taking risks low level of personal savings is typical

a

can always start over

you ventured, nothing gained

nothing

high level of personal bankruptcies is common

a

American view: people prefer taking risks rather than not trying at all. There

will always be enough opportunity to go around, so taking risks involves no real

danger. For the truly ambitious, failure is only temporary. Experimentation, trial

and error are important ways to learn or to improve your product or service.

Sooner or later you will accomplish your task.

- Concept of suffering and misfortune rush to cheer up a friend

people

who is depressed

you are unhappy, take a pill or see a psychiatrist

if happy

be

- Concept of equality try to treat everyone the same

people

jogging, the president stops at mc Donald for a morning coffee

while on air is frowned upon (they criticize people who put on airs -si

putting

danno arie)

American view: in a strong reaction to the repressive class structure in Europe,

Americans created a culture virtually built around egalitarianism= the notion

that no one is superior to anyone else, because of birth, power, fame or wealth.

We are not all the same, but we are all of equal value.

- Attitude towards formalitytelling someone to help themselves to what’s

in the refrigerator is common

first names with people you’ve just met is fine

using titles like ‘dr’ for someone with a P.h.D. is presumptuous

using

American view: because of the strong egalitarian ethos, Americans tend to be

casual and informal in social and professional interactions. Informality is also

more necessary in a mobile society where people are always meeting new

people. They don’t stand on ceremony, nor use titles or rank in addressing

each others.

- Degree of realism will get better

things

things happen for a reason

bad

can’t get any worse

It of fairy tales: ‘they lived happily ever after’

tagline

American view: largely because of the notion that the individual is in control,

Americans are generally optimistic. They don’t see things the way they are, but

as better than they are, particularly if they are not so good. We feel that it’s

important to be positive and that there is no reason not to be.

- Attitude towards doing is preferred over talking, chatting is

doing

important but doing is better

absent-minded professor, the ivory tower reflect anti-

the

intellectualism

PRACTICAL

BE are an adornment of life but not central to it

arts

American view: individuals survive because they get things done, generally on

their own. Words and talks are suspect and cheap, they don’t put food on the

table or a roof over your head. Pursuits not directly related to the creation of

concrete results (academia, the arts) are less highly valued. What is practical

and pragmatic is favored over what is beautiful and inspiring.

- View of the natural world dams to control rivers

building

clouds to produce rain

speeding

earthquake-proof buildings

erecting billions annually on weather predictions

spending

American view: the natural world is kind of mechanism or machine that can be

studied and known and whose workings can be predicted, manipulated and

controlled. It is not to be feared.

[PAG. 31 DISPENSA] ------ 1.4 cultural briefing

Process of finding out about another culture, especially in preparation for a

period of residence, a business trip or holiday. Some types of information can

be learnt about beforehand, such as the organization of the public transport

system and forms of address, but it may be better to discover others through

direct experience.

[PAG. 32 DISPENSA] ------ 2.4 thinking about my job

Attitude towards age the American emphasis on achievements and

 doing means that age is to be feared and NOT respected. The older you

are, the less you can do or contribute to society. Age is also suspect

because new is usually better in American culture, and the elderly are

generally out of touch with what is new.

Attitude towards change change is considered positive, probably

 because Americans believe in the march of progress and the

perfectability of man. Improvements will move us closer and closer to

perfection. Traditions can be a guide but they’re not superior.

Lezione 07/11/2022

[PAG. 35 DISPENSA] ---- now what? Diversity critical incidents

The American Dream is slowly dying. It used to be a country of freedom, now it

isn’t. it existed and people were able to realize it. Faith and destiny don’t exist

for Americans.

WHAT IS THE ‘AMERICAN DREAM’? this term was originally used by James

‘the American Dream is

Adams in ‘The Epic of America’ (1931), what he says is

that dream of land in which life should be better, richer and fuller for everyone,

with opportunity for each, according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult

dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately and too many of

us have grown wary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motorcars and

high wages merely, but a dream of a social order in which each man and

woman shall be able to attain to the fullest statue of which they are innately

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