BA (HONS) INTERNATIONAL

BUSINESS WITH FOUNDATION

YEAR

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Sonal Jain
Sjain@ldtraining.ac.uk
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Aim
■ Acquire knowledge of and appreciate different cultures
■ Understand different aspects of business communication in relation to
different cultures.
■ Gain confidence and competence in communicating with different cultures.
■ Become aware of the relevance of the cultural analyses of Hofstede,
Trompenaars and others to the effective conduct of international business.

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Learning Outcomes
■ Understand how cultural differences impact international business.
■ Describe and explain the dimensions of social intelligence and emotional
intelligence and explain the importance of these capabilities.
■ Apply the national cultural dimensions of Hofstede and others to improve
the effective management of international teams and organisations.
■ Demonstrate an understanding of non-verbal communication, high context
cultures and low context cultures.

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Assessment

Component Form of Weighting Late Subn  Submission

Assessment size 
number  assessment  (%)  deadline

Group 12-15 minutes Yes  19/03/2023 

1   30 
Presentation   presentation

2,000 words or Yes  26/03/2023 

2   Report  70 
equivalent 

The assignment briefs are available on Brightspace.

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Resource
Essential Resources 
■ Buchanan, D.A., Huczynski, A.A. (2020) Organizational Behaviour, 10th edn., Harlow: Pearson. 
■ Hill, C.W.L. & Hult, G.  (2019). International Business, 12th edn., New York: Mc-Graw Hill 

Recommended Resources  
■ Hua, Z. (2019) Exploring intercultural communication, 2nd edition. London:. Routledge. 
■ Scollon, R., Scollon,S. and Jones R.H.(2012)Intercultural Communication : A Discourse
Approach. 3rd edn. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell.  

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Module Content
WEEK Content
Week 1 Culture
Week 2 Communication
Week 3 Comparing culture
Week 4 Comparing culture
Reading week Attendance is mandatory during reading week
Week 5 Communication and negotiation across culture
Week 6 Leadership across culture
Week 7 Motivation across culture
Week 8 Reflection and group presentation
Assignment submissions
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Session Content
■ Systematically describing cultural differences
■ Kluchohn and Strodtbeck framework
■ Schwartz value survey

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Value orientation
In his seminal book on values, Milton Rokeach argues that
the value concept, more than any other, should occupy a central position across all
social sciences….It is an intervening variable that shows promise of being able to
unify the apparently diverse interests of all sciences concerned with human
behaviour.
Values affect intercultural communication . When people from different cultures come
together to interact, their messages are guarded by and reflect their fundamental value
orientations.
An understanding of cultural value systems can help to identify similarities and
differences between people from different cultures from which intercultural
communication can proceed. Like culture, values are learned; they are not innate or
universal.
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Value orientation

 Value - "A conception, explicit or implicit, distinctive of an individual or

characteristic of a group, of the desirable which influences the selection from
available modes, means and ends of action."
 Values guide us in the selection and justification of social behaviour.
 Value prescribe what is preferred or prohibited.
 Values are the evaluative component of an individual’s attitudes and belief.
 Values guide how we think about things of what is right/wrong and
correct/incorrect.
 Value trigger positive or negative emotions. Values also guide our actions.

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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Value Orientations
In the early 1960s, Florence Kluckhohn and Fred Strodtbeck developed the concept of
value orientations. These anthropologists travelled throughout the world to determine
the common problems and solutions faced by all societies. Their theory determined
that a) value orientations represent a limited number of common human problems; b)
the need to find solutions to these common human problems are shared by all cultures;
c) cultures are limited in the number and variety of solutions that are possible.

What do you think are the five common human problems

faced by societies throughout the world?

Discuss for 5-10 minutes and present the five common problems.

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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Value Orientations
They argues that all human cultures are confronted with five universally shared
problems as follows:

1. What is human being relation with nature? (human being-nature orientation)

2. What is modality of human activity? (activity orientation)
3. What is the temporal focus of human life? (time orientation)
4. What is the character of innate human nature? (human nature orientation)
5. What is the relationship of the individual to others? (relational orientation)

They argued that in every culture there are universal problems and conditions that
must be addressed. For example, every culture must deal with the natural
environment. All culture must feed themselves.
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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Value Orientations
They suggested five basic types of problem to be solved by every society:
■ On what aspect of time should we primarily focus – past, present or
future?
■ What is the relationship between Humanity and its natural environment –
mastery, submission or harmony?
■ How should individuals relate with others – hierarchically (which they
called "Lineal"), as equals ("Collateral"), or according to their individual
merit?
■ What is the prime motivation for behaviour – to express one's self
("Being"), to grow ("Being-in-becoming"), or to achieve?
■ What is the nature of human nature – good, bad ("Evil") or a mixture?

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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Value Orientations

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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Value Orientations
Human Nature

The common aspect of life refers to how societies view the innate nature of
individuals.
■ The three solution to the problem of human nature are evil, mixed, and good.
■ If the societal view is that human nature is evil, the thought is that people are
basically born with a sense of evil and will treat others badly.
■ A mixed view of human nature means that people are both good and evil.
■ A good view of human nature reflects the belief that people and societies are
basically good and well-intentioned.
■ Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s believed that societal view of human nature shape
how a culture deals with its people. For instance, a society that believes people are
basically evil will develop laws to protect citizens from the evil part of one another.
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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Value Orientations
Humanity and Natural Environment

This common human problem refers to how societies position themselves in terms of
their relationship to their natural surroundings.
■ The three resolution to person nature are subjunction to nature, harmony with
nature, and mastery of nature.
■ Subjunction to nature is the belief that nature surrounding are in control, not human
beings. Societies who believe in subjunction to nature, for instance, view
destruction by a hurricane as nature’s will.
■ Harmony with nature refers to those societies that value living alongside natural
surroundings rather than controlling or being controlled by them.
■ Mastery with nature refers to those societies that believe that nature can and should
be controlled
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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Value Orientations
Time

The common human problem reflects the societies temporal focuses. That three
possible resolution to time are past, present, and future.
Past : Cultures with a past temporal focus consider history of experience, past
customs, and the value of ancestors. Focus on the past (the time before now), and on
preserving and maintaining traditional teachings and beliefs.
Present : Societies that value the present are focused on the here-and-now rather than
the past or the future. Focus on the present (what is now), and on accommodating
changes in beliefs and traditions.
Future focused societies plan for upcoming events and prepare for what they believe
the future holds.

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 Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Value Orientations
Activity (Motive for behaving)
Activity refers to how human being and their respective societies conduct day-to-day
actions and behaviours. The three resolutions to activity are being, being in becoming, and
doing.
■ Being refers to activity that is guided by spontaneity. The ability to express the desire
and emotions of the moment are valued. The motivation is internal, emphasising
activity valued by our self but not necessarily by others in the group
■ Being-in-becoming concerns activities that are reflective and thoughtful. Motivation is
to develop and grow in abilities which are valued by us, although not necessarily by
others
■ The doing resolution value actions that demonstrate accomplishment/achievement.
Societies that prescribes to the doing resolution value the end results and ability to
produce. Motivation is external to us, emphasising activity that is both valued by
ourselves and is approved by others in our group.
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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Value Orientations
Social Relations/Relating to other people
This common human problem refers to how societies conduct their interpersonal
relationships . The three resolutions for social relations are collateral, individual, and
lineal.
Collateral (As equals) relationships refers to those societies that value the group more
than the individual. The individual need come second to those of the group or family.
Emphasis on consensus within the extended group of equals
Individualistic: In contrast, societies that value individual relationships prioritize the
individual’s unique needs and desires. Emphasis on the individual or individual
families within the group who make decisions independently from others
Lineal/Hierarchical: Societies characterised by lineal relationship are those with clear,
established hierarchy that structure and organize social relationships. Emphasis on
hierarchical principles and deferring to higher authority or authorities within the group
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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Value Orientations

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Activity
■ Identify the resolutions that reflect how you respond to the five
common human problems.

■ What influenced your organizational cultural value?

■ Now circle the resolutions that characterize mainstream societal

values.

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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Extension

Initially, Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck created five sets of value orientations. Several
years later, communication researcher John Condon and Fathi Yousef extended the set
to a total of 25 value orientations. Condon and Yousef organized the value orientations
around six dominant themes: self, family, society, human nature, nature, and the
supernatural.

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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Extension

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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Extension

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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Extension

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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Extension

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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Extension

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Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Extension

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Schwartz’s Universal Values

Shalom Schwartz and his colleagues have studied values across cultures. Schwartz’s
goal is to create a comprehensive classification scheme of the substantive content of
human values that are shared across cultures. Although some disagree with his
position. Schwartz argues that there is a universal structure to values recognised by all
cultures. Schwartz work focuses on the structure of values, not on the universality of
their relative importance.
Schwartz argues that values represent goals or motivations. He contends that values
represent, in the form of goals, three universal requirements for human existence to
which all cultures must be responsive: a) the biological needs of individuals, b) the
need for social coordination, c) the survival and welfare needs of groups.
Based on these three universal human requirements, Schwartz derived 11 distinct
motivational types of values.

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Schwartz’s Motivational Type of Values
Self-Direction The defining goal of this value type is independent thought and
action. (Freedom, creativity, independent, choosing own goals,
curious, self respect)

Stimulation The goal is derived from the need for variety and stimulation in
order to maintain an optimal level of activation. Some of these
needs are biological while others are learned/cultural.

Hedonism The need and motivation for pleasure.

Achievement The need and value of personal success and prestige. (Ambitious,
influential, capable, successful, intelligent, self respect)

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Schwartz’s Motivational Type of Values

Power Attainment of social status. (Social power, wealth, authority,

preserving my public image, social recognition)
Security Need for safety, harmony, and the stability of society and
relationship. (National security, recipe location of favours, family
security, sense of belonging, social order, healthy, clean)
Conformity dress train affections, inclinations, and impulses. (Obedient, self-
discipline, politeness, honouring of parents and elders)
Tradition The value of religious rites, beliefs, and norms of behaviour that,
over time, are valued and passed on by a collective. (Respect for
children, devout, accepting of my portion in life, humble,
moderate).

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Schwartz’s Motivational Type of Values

Spirituality The Goal of inner harmony true though transcendence of

everyday life. (A spiritual life, meaning of life, in our harmony,
detachment)

Benevolence The need and motivation for positive interaction and affiliation.
(Helpful, responsible, forgiving, honest, loyal, mature love, true
friendship)

Universalism the value of understanding, appreciation, tolerance, and protection

for the welfare of all people and for nature. (Equality, unity with
nature, wisdom, social justice, broadminded, protecting an
environment, a world at peace)

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Thank You

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