Chapter 2
Universal Systems
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Universal Systems
Economic Systems
Political Systems
Educational Systems
Marriage and Family Systems
Social Hierarchies and Interaction
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Economic ISMs
Socialism - You have two cows. The government
takes one and gives it to your neighbor.
Communism - You have two cows. The government
takes both of them and gives you part of the milk.
Nazism - You have two cows. The government takes
both your cows and then shoots you.
Capitalism - You have two cows. Sell one cow and
buy a bull.
Axtell, 1999
Economic ISMs
(cont.)
Bureaucracy You have two cows. The government
takes both of them, shoots one, milks the other, then
pours the milk down the drain.
Democracy-Everyone has two cows. A vote is taken
and the loser cries discrimination, the lawyers sue (on
a contingency basis), and the government takes at
least 39%.
Axtell, 1999
Economic Systems
U.S. - Capitalistic with socialistic overtones; free
market with government regulations.
England - based on capitalism; since the 1980s some
sectors have been privatized; less regulation of industry
has been encouraged.
Mexico - dependent on others (Maquiladora program).
Japan - capitalistic/free market.
Canada - capitalistic with social controls in health care
and retirement.
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Political Systems
U.S. - president elected by electoral college; states have numerous rights.
Canada - parliamentary system; prime minister and members of
Parliament elected; country divided into provinces; each province controls
its region.
China - Chinas policies are determined by a 20-member Politboro and a
7-member standing committee. The Chinese Communist Party is the only
legal political party.
England - ruled by a constitutional monarchy with a parliament. The
monarch is head of state, but elected officials govern through Parliament.
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
France - The French Republic has 22 regions, divided into
96 departments. President is the head of state and serves a
7-year term. Prime minister is appointed by the President
from the majority party in the National Assembly.
Germany Germanys president is elected by members of
the federal and state legislatures for a maximum of two 5year terms. Chancellor is head of government, elected by
the lower house of Parliament, the Federal Assembly.
Japan - constitutional monarchy but emperor has no
power. Prime minister, lower house, and upper house
elected by the people. Prefectures (states) have governors
elected by people.
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Iran - Six religious leaders and six lay leaders make
up Council of Guardians; council approves presidential candidates.
Mexico - federal government with president elected by those over 18;
voting is obligatory. President may serve only one term, but senators and
deputies may serve more than one term (terms cannot be consecutive).
Federal government controls some industries and education.
Saudi Arabia - series of regions called governorates headed by an emir
who reports to the king. After current crown prince (inherited) serves,
future kings will be elected by princes (500+).
South Korea most members of government are elected. State council
includes the president, prime minister, and
15-30 ministry heads.
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
World Economics
Foreign competition
Increased productivity
World competition for positions
Quality versus price
Supernationalism
Subnationalism
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Formal and
Informal Education
Formal education - a formalized
educational structure; education
acquired in school
Informal education - no formal
educational infrastructure
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Education in the U.S.
Learning concepts are emphasized
Students taught to think for themselves
Reasoning and developing intellectual
abilities emphasized
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Education in the U.S.
Anybody can get into college in the U.S.
Malaysians, remarking on the easy accessibility
of American colleges and universities, compared
U.S. schools unfavorably to that of the British
who once ruled Malaysia and provided the
model for their educational system. However,
the Malaysians observed, You Americans put
men on the moon, so there must be something
right about your system.
Althen, American Ways
U.S. Leads in Percentage
Completing School
Country
Sec. Educ.
Spain
France
Britain
Japan
Canada
Germany
United States
21.8%
50.5%
65.3%
69.7%
75.7%
81.3%
83.3%
Higher Educ.
9.9%
9.7%
9.6%
13.3%
16.7%
11.2%
23.6%
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Education in Japan
A national curriculum set up by the Ministry of Education.
Most lessons are compulsory; core subjects are Japanese,
Math, and English.
Teaching considered a high status profession. Teachers
must continue their professional involvement, be moral
citizens, and role models to students.
High expectations for students. Schools differentiate by
ability.
A great deal of parental involvement.
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Social Stratification
Ranking of people in a society into higher and lower
positions by other members of society, resulting in a
hierarchy of respect and prestige.
On what basis do we rank people?
authority
educational
background
power
property ownership altruistic activity
kinship connections
income
ties with volunteer
lifestyle
associations
occupation
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Occupational Rankings
U.S.
Japan________________
Supreme Court justices Prefectural governors
Physicians
University professors
State governors
Local judges
Presidents Cabinet
Officers in large firms
Diplomats
Government section heads
Mayors of large cities Doctors
University professors Architects
Scientists
Owners of businesses
Congressional leaders Labor union leaders
Bankers
Newspaper reporters
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Family Systems
Nuclear family (father, mother,
children)
Extended family
(grandparents,
uncles,
aunts, cousins)
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Common Family Systems
Polygyny (1 man, many wives) Arab
countries/Islamic believers
Polandry (1 woman, many husbands)
Polynesian nations
Monogamy (1 husband and wife) North
and South America, Europe
Serial Monogamy (people remarry after
divorce or death of spouse)
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Social Hierarchies/Interaction
Social reciprocity - the way formal and
informal communications are handled.
Involves
independent social reciprocity (avoids commitment);
symmetrical-obligatory social reciprocity (people have an
equal obligation);
complementary-obligatory social reciprocity (people are
forever indebted to others)
Group membership has two extremes
people can belong to many groups or very few
groups;
people in the middle try to balance group affiliation
and personal freedom
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Intermediaries - people who act as go-betweens
Formality - the degree of preciseness, regularity,
or conformity expected within the society
Property
private (U.S.)
utilitarian (Mexico)
community (Native American)
Intercultural Business Communication, 4th ed., Chaney & Martin
Human Development Index (HDI)
The HDI attempts to compensate for the
inability of traditional economics indicators
to portray accurately the environment in
which people live. The basis for the index
is related to infant mortality, life
expectancy, literacy, and real GDP.
CultureGrams 2005, 2004, p. A-12
Human Development Index (HDI)
Country
Australia
Canada
Netherlands
U.S.
Japan
England
France
New Zealand
Germany
China
Singapore
South Korea
Mexico
Saudi Arabia
India
Rank
3
4
5
8
9
12
16
18
19
23
25
28
53
77
127
CultureGrams 2005, 2004, p. A-12
Gender-Related Development Index
(GDI)
The GDI measures progress in the same
way as the HDI, but it is adjusted to account
for inequality between men and women.
CultureGrams 2005, 2004, p. A-12
Unequal Treatment of Men and
Women Around the World
Norway, Sweden, and Australia are 1, 2,
and 3 respectively (on overall HDI and
GDI)
U.S. is ranked 8 for overall HDI and 8 for
GDI
Countries with lower GDI than HDI:
United Kingdom, Finland, Denmark;
larger differences in China, India, Kenya.
CultureGrams 2005, 2004, p. A-12
