Unit I Title: World Englishes and Global Communication
Lesson 7: Cultural Diversity in the Workplace
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What is culture?
• Culture is an interwoven (mix or blend together) system of customs, morals, traits,
traditions and values shared by a group of people on a society.
• Culture is the system of knowledge, beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and
artifacts acquired, shared, and used by its members in everyday life.
• Culture is a set of learned behaviors shared by a group of people through
interaction.
• Culture encompasses religion, food, language, marriage, music, beliefs, clothes,
and how they are being worn, the way a certain group of people sit, the way
everyone greets and accepts visitors, behavior and a million things.
• Culture is derived from the French term, which in turn derives from the Latin word
“colere”, which means to cultivate, nurture or to tend to the earth and grow.
Co-cultures
Within the culture are co-cultures. These are composed of members of the same general
culture who differ in some ethnic or sociological way from the main culture.
Multicultural Context
Although people live with others, it does not mean that they interact. Their cultural
differences hinder them to engage.
Cross-cultural Contexts
This context deals with the comparison of different cultures. In cross-cultural societies,
one culture is often considered “the norm” and all other cultures are compared or
contrasted to the dominant culture.
Intercultural Context
Intercultural describes communities in which there is a deep understanding and respect
for all cultures. In an intercultural society, no one left unchanged because everyone learns
from one another and grows together.
Barriers in multicultural and intercultural communication
1. Ethnocentrism – this a belief of one’s superiority over other cultural group behaviors,
norms, ways of thinking, and being. It carries devotion to the extreme point where one
cannot believe that another culture’s behaviors, norms, ways of thinking, and ways of
being are as good or as worthy as one’s own.
2. Lack of Knowledge and Understanding of Cultures – tend to define that when cultures
are similar, individuals within should also be the same. Awareness on cultural differences
is significant in understanding diversity in cultures. Individuals within each culture may
have some similarities as well as dissimilarities.
3. Language Differences – When people speaking languages are different and may lead
to misunderstandings.
4. Discrimination – is experienced by showing unfairness and uttering hurtful words that
may hinder someone with different cultural preference from building a relationship. One
take to exclude, avoid, or distance oneself from other groups.
5. Stereotyping – an often unfair and untrue belief and over simplified or distorted views
of another race, another ethnic group or even another culture.
6. Prejudice– is a preconceived judgement or opinion and negative attitude toward a
cultural group base on a little or no experience. An unfair feeling of like and dislike for a
person or group because of race, sex, religion, etc. especially when it is not reasonable
or logical.
Cultural Diversity
The Oxford Dictionary defines cultural diversity as “the existence of a variety of cultural
or ethnic groups within a society.
The importance of cultural diversity can be interpreted on the basis of these related
actions:
1. Recognizing that there is a large number of cultures that exist
2. Respecting each other’s differences
3. Acknowledging that all cultural expressions are valid
4. Valuing what cultures have to bring to the table
5. Empowering diverse groups to contribute
6. Celebrating differences, not just tolerating them
Cultural diversity in the workplace is a result of practices, values, traditions, or beliefs
of employees based on race, age, ethnicity, religion, or gender.
Indigenous languages and ethnicity reach independently their identity and recognition
because of their culture and not of their being a country (Hall, 2018). Muslim immigrants
in France were not able to withstand policies to assimilate. In fact, 30 thousand Navajos
who lived in Los Angeles were in isolation from their native nation and culture. The
nomadic Fulani, searching for good pasture throughout sub-Saharan West Africa were
held together not by clan fidelity, but because of their political future hanged in balance.
As evidence of this cultural diversity, more than 30 percent of the information
technicians working for the Microsoft Corporation in the United States were Indians while
80 percent of immigrants to the United States were Europeans during the early 1900s. In
the 1960s, the majority has been Asians, Latin Americans, and Africans. In the 21st
century, US became the melting pot of diverse cultures but had maintained its own
culture, religion, and language. Self-identity consciousness therefore is vital to strengthen
culture. Because of this change, mass media are called upon to be an instrument for to
unify people across cultures.
To withstand the new demands of cultural diversity into media practices and policies, an
individualistic morality of rights must be modified by a social ethics of the common good.
When the community is understood to be axiologically and ontologically superior to the
individual, a commitment to cultural pluralism makes sense. Human beings in this
communitarian perspective naturally come out in a diverse cultural set up. They are
dependent on the social realm. They are born into a sociocultural universe where values,
moral commitments, and existential meanings are both presumed and negotiated. Hence,
society desires for positive actions and morally upright members of the community.
Unless a person's freedom is used to help others flourish, that individual's well-being is
itself diminished (Edwards, 2014).
High- and Low-Context Cultures
Context is the most important cultural dimension and also difficult to define. The idea of
context in culture was advanced by the anthropologist Edward T Hall. He divides culture
into two main groups: High and Low context cultures. He refers to context as the stimuli,
environment or ambiance surrounding the environment. Depending on how a culture
relies on the three points to communicate their meaning, will place them in either high or
low- context cultures.
High-context Cultures
Cultures considered high-context are regarded for using nonverbal and indirect
forms of communication. People with high-context cultures are the Asians, Africans,
Arabs, Central Europeans, and Latin Americans.
Low-context Cultures
A low-context culture relies on explicit (very clear) and specific communication.
Americans, Australians, Western Europeans and Germans often belong to the Low-
context cultures.
Basic Differences Between High and Low Context Cultures
Criteria HIGH-CONTEXT CULTURE LOW CONTEXT CULTURE
1. Relationships build slowly and Relationships begin and end
Association depend on trust. quickly.
Preference to long term Temporary personal relationships.
relationships.
Values such as honor and respect Personal relationships not
are more important than business; considered that much; ideas and
adjourn power and position. people are assumed as equals.
Values family and group authority. Individualism is valued.
2. Interaction Non-verbal elements such as Non-verbal elements are not
voice, tone, gestures, facial significant.
expression and eye movement are
significant.
Verbal messages as well as
exchange of facts, ideas and
opinions are observable.
Indirect communication. Direct and specific
communication.
Fewer words, more on nonverbal High value on words rather than
cues. nonverbal clues.
Words are simple and ambiguous. Structured messages with
technical details.
3. Space is communal. Space is compartmentalized.
Territoriality Communicators form a closely knit Privacy is important so people
to connect within a territory. stand farther apart.
4. Everything has its own time. Time is a commodity. One’s time is
Temporality Gradual change occurs. one’s own.
Appointments are generally Emphasis on appointments on
considered flexible. time, management of schedules,
and punctuality are given high
preference.
5. Learning Multiple sources of information are One source of information is used.
used.
Thinking proceeds from general to Thinking begins with specific
specific. message to general.
Private networks are used to Information is made accessible
obtain information. readily, shared with others.
