Assignment:
INTERCULTURAL NETWORKING
A Guide to Help Figure Out How to Get the Most Out of This Project
Pick 3 People
· What kind of people should I pick? The more different, the better.
oIntercultural people would be good
oIntercultural business is involved some way
oDifferent ages
oDifferent professions or jobs
oDifferent roles
oDifferent positions
oDifferent experiences
oDifferent places
oDifferent "home towns"
oDifferent "home countries"
oDifferent culture customers
oDifferent culture suppliers
oDifferent culture partners
Ask Good Questions
· What kind of questions should I ask? It depends.
oWhat are you trying to find out about them?
oWhat do you hope to compare?
· What culture did you grow up in? Describe.
· Have you experienced any other cultures since you were little? Explain.
· Have you studied different cultures? Describe.
· What about at work?
oDo you work with people from different cultures in your job?
oDid work ever give you training or suggest resources to help you deal with intercultural issues?
oHave you ever studied at school or on your own about different culture or cultures?
· Did you ever study a foreign language? Have you ever had a chance to use it?
· Check the Hofstede Cultural Framework - for topics that you ask about
oPower distance
oIndividual vs. Group
oMasculinity vs. Femininity
oEtc.
Evaluate the Information You Have Collected by Your Questions
· How should I evaluate this information I have collected?
oHofstede Cultural Framework
oKiss, Bow, Shake Hands
oHarvard Business Review
oCIA Worldbook
oDoing Business In ____________
What are the Findings? ("Oh yeah, says who?")
· What kind of things do you observe from your interviews?
· What does this tell you about these people?
· What does it tell you about intercultural issues?
Lessons Learned
How does this relate to your own experiences? Explain how your own personal experience at home, school, and work (where applicable) is similar or different than the people you've just interviewed.
Do your FINDINGS and LESSONS learned confirm the theory and framework you used to evaluate culture? Or do they not? If not, why not? What do you think about that?