"is characterized by an ever growing number of contacts resulting in communication between people with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds" (1st website). The article, Stereotyping and Intercultural Training, suggests the importance of learning about one another's cultures in a positive way to help communicate.
To begin, the article notes that it is essential for people to make generalizations about other people's cultures to properly communicate with one another. However, the article specifically states that this is very different from stereotyping, which normally constructs generalizations about cultures and groups through a negative window.
Stereotyping and Intercultural Training stresses "Intercultural awareness training does provide conclusions on cultures or nationalities but it does not stereotype," (2nd Website). Therefore, intercultural training provides people with social norms that can set certain standards for cultures. They can prepare people to be ready to shake one's hand or bow, depending on which culture they are in. Moreover, in order to improve intercultural communication, intercultural training observes people, pinpoints commonalities, and draws conclusions base on the commonalities. "For example, an intercultural researcher or trainer working and/or living in Kuwait is able to make a few accurate, but at the same time, general statements about the Kuwaitis. They may therefore be able to make the generalizations that one should be aware of gender roles, that to do business building a personal relationship is crucial, that if you have a good network of contacts this should be used, and that decision making can be a long slow process that ultimately always rest at top of an organization" (2nd Website). Clearly, this example exemplifies the necessity of intercultural training's assistance of intercultural communication which will help people survive visiting or moving into other cultures.
1st website: http://www.immi.se/intercultural/
2nd website:http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/cultural-services/articles/intercultural-training-stereotypes.html
No comments:
Post a Comment