Penn State Smeal MBA Program. State of Shock! and Cultural Adaptation

Transcription

1 State of Shock! and Cultural Adaptation

2 Objectives Recognize signs of culture shock Overcome culture shock quickly Establish effective communication techniques Improve team and class performance Grow professional network within and outside the MBA Develop critical effective global business skills 2

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4 US East Coast Civilian Lots of work Work environ PSU Business bkgrd Cultural majority Male Non-US West Coast Military Straight from UG School environ Non-PSU Non-business bkgrd Cultural minority Female 4

5 Reactions to Arrival Wow, what a beautiful campus! I m finally getting my MBA! This building is amazing. I m eager for classes to start. 5

6 More Reactions to Arrival Wow, there s a lot of grass here. Is it always this hot? Where s the mall? The 2 nd years are scaring me. 6

7 Still More Reactions This Mod is killing me. How can I do class, activities, career search, and have any time to eat or sleep? It s really hard living life in a language I didn t grow up with. I miss my old life. What have I gotten myself into? 7

8 Source:

9 Cultural Perspectives

10 Cultural Perspectives Universalist Cooperative Egalitarian Rigid Direct Practical Individual Student Concepts of Right & Fairness Achievement Orientation Concepts of Status Rules Orientation Communication Styles Purpose of Higher Education Educational Sociality Student/Teacher Roles Particularist Competitive Hierarchical Relaxed Indirect Tactical Collective Teacher Source: Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures

11 Instructions 1. Rate your own group s typical preference on the scale. 2. Rate what you think is a typical American preference on the scale

12 Universalist Particularist Cooperative Competitive Egalitarian Hierarchical Rigid Relaxed Direct Indirect Practical Tactical Individual Collective Student Teacher

13 Source:

14 Time to Move! Go to a table with people you haven t met

15 Each table must report out one unique thing learned about another culture. (geographic, ethnic, educational, functional, or other)

16 Getting Through the Trough Identify Make sure you ve dissected your own perspectives, biases, and expectations Am I making an observation or a judgment about this? Ask Inquire about others perspectives and backgrounds. Inquiry > advocacy Appreciate Identify one thing (at least!) of value or interesting about another s perspective Adjust Even if you re not used to it or comfortable, don t shy away. Engage and interact so you become more used to new things and adapt more quickly. 16

17 Observation or Judgment? 1. She doesn t have strong opinions. She never speaks up in team meetings. 2. He is talking very loudly. He is talking louder than I do in this situation. 3. My teammate understands what I m saying. My teammate is smiling and nodding her head as I speak. 4. She wasn t listening to me. She didn t look me in the eye when I was talking to her. 5. He is a passive student. He never challenges the professor in public. 6. My teammate doesn t need my help. My teammate hasn t asked for my help. Source: Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures

18 Getting Through the Trough Identify Make sure you ve dissected your own perspectives, biases, and expectations Am I making an observation or a judgment about this? Ask Inquire about others perspectives and backgrounds. Inquiry > advocacy Appreciate Identify one thing (at least!) of value or interesting about another s perspective Adjust Even if you re not used to it or comfortable, don t shy away. Engage and interact so you become more used to new things and adapt more quickly. 18

19 Inquiry Advocacy Asking a question to receive information Asserting a point of view Goal: Understanding/Learning Goal: Winning 19

20 Why inquiry? Ask questions to seek understanding. Understanding leads to appreciation. Doesn t require agreement nor adoption. 20

21 Getting Through the Trough Identify Make sure you ve dissected your own perspectives, biases, and expectations Am I making an observation or a judgment about this? Ask Inquire about others perspectives and backgrounds. Inquiry > advocacy Appreciate Identify one thing (at least!) of value or interesting about another s perspective Adjust Even if you re not used to it or comfortable, don t shy away. Engage and interact so you become more used to new things and adapt more quickly. 21

22 Parting Ideas Learn how to say Hello in every language represented in the class (both years!). Pick up slang from another culture and use it on someone who doesn t know it. Find the first behavior or custom you don t understand and ask about it. Try a new food and/or custom from every culture. Participate in social and cultural festivals! 22

23 Resources Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures UNC School of Information and Library Science Cultural Adaptation Tutorial, retrieved Leadership Crossroads Culture Quiz, retrieved Higher Education Network: Academic shock: Thoughts on teaching international students, retrieved 5-D Cultural Dimensions Model, Prof. Geert Hofstede. Itim Intl. See: 23

24 Concepts of Right and Fairness Universalist Particularist Source: Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures

25 Achievement Orientation Cooperative Competitive 25

26 Concept of Status Egalitarian Hierarchical Source: Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures

27 Rules Orientation Rigid Relaxed 27

28 Communication Style Direct Indirect Source: Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures

29 Purpose of Higher Education Practical Tactical Source: Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures

30 Educational Sociality Individual Activity Collective Activity 30

31 Student/Teacher Roles Student- Driven Teacher- Driven Source: Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures

32 If a Japanese teammate tells you your suggestion is very interesting, you should probably make another (better) suggestion. True or False Source: Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures

33 How should one point in China? a. With a closed fist b. With an open hand c. With the thumb Source: Kwintessential Cross Cultural Quiz 33

34 If your Indian teammate doesn t like parts of your presentation, s/he will tell you directly. True or False More Asian/Eastern style to be indirect. Tell you what s/he likes and let you read between the lines of what s/he does not like. Source: Crown Relocations Cultural Quiz 34