THE CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS INDICATOR (COI)

THE CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS INDICATOR (COI) The Cultural Orientations Indicator (COI) To realize the full benefit of your COI profile, it is important to indicate that the instrument:. Is an Assessment tool that maps one s personal cultural profile on the basis of the dimensions in the Cultural Orientations Model (COM). Is descriptive rather than prescriptive. Describes general preferences, not skills, abilities or particular behaviors. Is restricted to work-related behaviors and situations. Is subject to self-validation, as is any assessment instrument COI Report Sample COM Terminology. Cultural Dimensions: An overall category that contains five or six related cultural continua. There are three cultural dimensions: Interaction Style, Thinking Style and Sense of Self. Cultural Continua: The spectrum between two opposing orientations within a cultural dimension (e.g., hierarchy-equality continuum in the Sense of Self dimension). There are a total of 17 cultural continua.. Cultural Orientations: A particular culture-based value and/or norm (e.g., equality). There are a total of 34 cultural orientations within the three dimensions. Copyright 2012 TMC A Berlitz Company The Cultural Orientation Indicator 1

Reliability and Self Validation The COI and the model on which it is based, the Cultural Orientations Model (COM), have been proven valid and reliable. The construct validity is predicated upon previous research in cultural classifications conducted by such notable cultural anthropologists, sociologists and social researchers as Clifford Geerts (1973), Edward T. Hall (1990), Charles Hampden-Turner and Alfons Trompenaars (1993), Geert Hofstede (1980), and E. Kluckhohn and F.L. Strodbeck (1961). The reliability of this tool is dependent upon personal, contextual, and motivational factors. It provides both a common and neutral vocabulary to discuss differences without introducing conflict. To be fully functional the COI needs to be self-validated, i.e., linked to specific work-related behaviors that are expected, reinforced and rewarded within a social group. Self-validation of the tool can enhance your experience with the COI. Self-validation is a very important step when interpreting your cultural profile. Your goal in self-validation is to link your indicated cultural preferences with specific work-related behaviors that are expected, reinforced and rewarded within your work environment. It is a practice that you can use to explore both the perception and expectation of values/behaviors that impact effectiveness when working across cultures. During the process of self-validation, you need to review your scores and validate them for yourself, identifying strengths, weaknesses and whether the results represent who you think you are. Your full Cultural Profile Report provides you with a framework to do this. When we consider all of the dimensions, continua and orientations together we arrive at a picture of culture called a Cultural Profile. Exploring this profile can give us an in-depth understanding of the patterns underlying the observable behaviors and customs you exhibit to others. Each individual has his or her own unique cultural profile. Likewise, any given group of people has a cultural profile that reflects the general cultural orientations of the people within that group. We can talk about the dominant cultural norms in Indonesia, for example, and we can talk about an Indonesian's individual profile. We can also discuss cultural differences among the various geographic and socio-economic regions of Indonesia. Thus, an individual's Cultural Profile may differ from their country's profile or the dominant cultural norm. The cultural profile of an individual or a society gives us insight into why the individual/society seems familiar or strange to us when compared to our own cultural perspective. Finally, it is important to note that the cultural profile is not equivalent to a personality assessment. Personality contributes a further level of complexity distinct from cultural differences. One of the main distinctions between personality and culture is that personality is not wholly learned, whereas cultural preferences are wholly learned. What is a cultural gap, and what can I do if I have one? A culture gap is the difference in orientation between two individuals or groups in a given business context. Social distance is created by the dissonance or alienation that occurs when a behavior or event does not correspond with expectations. Culture gaps cause stress, tension, and conflict externally and internally. These dynamics need to be managed properly in order to increase individual and organizational effectiveness in a multicultural context and to close culture gaps. Cross-cultural effectiveness is the ability to recognize potential or actual culture gaps and to adapt by employing strategies that will minimize these gaps. 2 The Cultural Orientation Indicator Copyright 2012 TMC A Berlitz Company

ORIENTATION REFLECTION Your COI-indicated orientation: Strength: (Circle) Mild/Strong/Very Strong Do you agree with this orientation? How has your background and upbringing (including your ethnicity/nationality) contributed to the formation of this orientation/preference? How have your job function, role, responsibilities and professional training contributed to the formation of this orientation? How has your general life experiences contributed to the formation of this orientation/preference? Copyright 2012 TMC A Berlitz Company The Cultural Orientation Indicator 3

COI REFLECTION INVENTORY Your COI-indicated orientation: Strength: (Circle) Mild/Strong/Very Strong Do you agree with this orientation? How has your background and upbringing (including your ethnicity/nationality) contributed to the formation of this orientation/preference? How have your job function, role, responsibilities and professional training contributed to the formation of this orientation? How has your general life experiences contributed to the formation of this orientation/preference? 4 The Cultural Orientation Indicator Copyright 2012 TMC A Berlitz Company

ORIENTATION IMPLICATIONS Identify one strong/very strong orientation Think of an example when this orientation influenced your behavior? How did you behave? What were the positive consequences of your behavior? What are the negative and unintended consequences of your behavior? How do the consequences contribute to your challenges at work? Copyright 2012 TMC A Berlitz Company The Cultural Orientation Indicator 5

IDENTIFYING AND REDUCING CULTURE GAPS Step 1: On the following two pages, place an x next to each orientation as indicated in your COI results. For example fixed or fluid, being or doing, etc. Step 2: Plot the cultural preferences for the country you are moving to. (Information available in the Corporate Culture Section of this manual for most countries.) Step 3: Compare your orientations. Identify any potential cultural gaps that exist between your COI results and that of the general cultural norms in the target countries you have listed. Step 4: Identify specific strategies and tactics you could employ to be more effective. What behavioral changes could you make in order to create stronger work relationships? Step 5: Discuss your strategies and tactics with your cultural consultant. 6 The Cultural Orientation Indicator Copyright 2012 TMC A Berlitz Company

IDENTIFYING AND REDUCING CULTURE GAPS Your Name: Country 1 Country 2 Dimension/ Orientation Interaction Style Fixed Fluid Being Doing Indirect Direct Your COI Result Country COI Country COI Gap Strength Instrumental Expressive Informal Formal Particularistic Universalistic Thinking Style Multi-Focus Single-Focus Past Future Low Context High Context Inductive Deductive Linear Systemic Copyright 2012 TMC A Berlitz Company The Cultural Orientation Indicator 7

Your Name: Dimension/ Continuums Sense of Self Control Constraint Private Public Hierarchy Equality Collectivistic Individualistic Cooperative Competitive Flexibility Order Your COI Result Country 1 Country 2 Country COI Country COI Gap Strength 8 The Cultural Orientation Indicator Copyright 2012 TMC A Berlitz Company

STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE GAPS Explore the gaps you have identified and think about potential strategies to overcome these cultural gaps. DIMENSION/ORIENTATION STRATEGY Copyright 2012 TMC A Berlitz Company The Cultural Orientation Indicator 9