Archive for the ‘Cross-Cultural’ Category
Sunnis and Shiites – differences within Islam
Any attempt to decipher the labyrinth of interests and alliances in the Middle East can be exhausting. There are interests that revolve around oil, interests that center on relations with the United States or Israel, and interests that are linked to religious differences. One of the most confusing battles might be the one between Sunni and Shiite Islam. Al Qaeda [...]
Irish English and American English
Language is of course one of the most common obstacles to communication across cultures. It often surprises us, though, when these obstacles crop up even among individuals who speak the same language, albeit in different countries. There is a popular quote attributed to George Bernard Shaw about England and America being “two countries separated by the same language.” [...]
Honor and tribalism in the Middle East
Anyone who is interested in knowing how culture influences the conflicts in the Middle East would enjoy an op-ed piece by John Tierney in yesterday’s New York Times . Tierney describes the importance of honor in that region of the world and how it can affect everything from tribal and family loyalties to communication styles. In the [...]
Mysticism and politics in Indonesia
When I was in Bali a few years ago, I had an opportunity to see firsthand the role that spirituality plays in the everyday life of Indonesians. For many people, this spirituality goes beyond mere organized religion and extends to a strong belief in the powers of the non-physical world. Now those beliefs have become a political issue, [...]
Networking across cultures
There was a recent article on MSNBC (via entrepreneur.com) about networking around the world. It offers a few tips on overcoming cultural differences in business. For example, here is an excerpt on how to treat business cards in Asia: The business card means much more in the Asian culture than it does here in America; it’s [...]
Learning directness in India
Some cross-cultural trainers in India are being asked to teach employees to be more direct in their communication style. This goes against the Indians’ traditional approach of being indirect, but it’s an effort to accommodate the Western business style and to continue growing the country’s outsourcing industry. Junk the fake accent, young workers in India’s booming outsourcing industry are being [...]
Mexican candidates have to be truthful
Interesting story out of Mexico, in the run-up to that country’s upcoming presidential election. Mexico’s Federal Election Institute has ruled that some of the candidates’ advertisements ”are too false to be on the air.” The institute twice voted to cancel advertisements calling the leftist candidate – Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the former Mexico City mayor – [...]
Adapting medical care to culture
Medical facilities in the U.S. are becoming more aware of the need to adapt their practices to different cultures, as evidenced by this article about New York area hospitals. (This) reflects a broader national shift in health care as urban hospitals move beyond the translation services that started becoming common in the late 1990′s and [...]
European migration and Irish pubs
Now that the European Union allows workers to move around the continent for jobs, some interesting migration patterns have developed. According to this NY Times article, Germany, Britain and Spain are three of the top landing spots for immigrants from other nations. These are not just laborers in search of a construction contract, but also thousands [...]
Need surgery? Try Thailand
A few years ago, David Elliot Cohen wrote a book (One Year Off) about a round-the-world journey with his wife and three children. While in Thailand, his daughter had a finger injury and needed minor surgery at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok. Apprehensive at first, he was amazed at the quality and efficiency of the care, not [...]
The experiences of Japanese expats
Nice story in the English-language Japan Times about the increasing numbers of Japanese who are choosing to live and work overseas. Almost one million Japanese now live outside of their country, a 40 percent increase in ten years. The newspaper asked several of those expats to share their experiences from Argentina, France, Spain, the United States and other [...]
Doing business in Mexico
U.S. News and World Report this week takes a look at small firms that do business in Mexico. The article provides several ideas for business assistance, as well as these cultural tips: No doubt, face time is a must for potential exporters. “You really need to get a feel for what the environment is like,” Duncan says. [...]
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Bob Riel is a writer and a traveler. Go here to read more about Bob, his work and the Travels in the Riel World blog.
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