Instructions for Using Cultural Assessment Methodology

Purpose

Study abroad can be an opportunity to acquire new skills and information that can be a differentiator for you during recruiting and throughout your career. This project will deepen your experience and awareness of your destination and help you articulate your study abroad experience in terms of business-relevant learning and transferrable skills.

Process

  • Each member of your group will investigate one cultural feature in your destination country.
  • One group member will combine your individual observations to create a Group Observations document and post it in Blackboard.
  • Together, you will answer the essay questions in the template to complete your final profile, and one member of your group will submit itin Blackboard.
  • Your staff liaison is available to help you with questions or problems, and you may e-mail Dr. Mendez for additional help.

Instructions

  1. Note the two Due Dates for your class. The first is for your compiled observations and the second is for your final submission.
  2. Complete the self test to determine your own attitudes towards the cultural feature your group has been assigned. Map your Personal Profile (Introduction, p. 6) and those of your other group members to determine your group profile. Discuss with your group which attitudes are most typically “American” (for purposes of this assignment, you will be comparing your destination culture to that of the U.S.).
  3. Your group will meet and assign one cultural dimension to each team member.
  4. Review the cultural feature you have been assigned in the Cultural Behaviors and Attitudes section.
  5. Use the Gathering Data section to decide how you will gather data to assess your destination city.
  6. Based on your research, describe where your destination city falls on the cultural continuum you’ve been assigned.
  7. Refer to the Cultural Behaviors and Attitudes section to predict counterparts’ approach to and expectations of business interaction.
  8. Refer to the Reactions and Interpretations section to predict how Americans would perceive the behavior of people in your destination city and how Americans would be perceived by them.
  9. Complete the Cultural Profile Formposted in Blackboard based on your research. Send your completed profile to the team member responsible for compiling the profiles.
  10. One team member will compile the profiles into a single document and post in Blackboard by Due Date 1 for your class. Format: Your group number.Observations (example: Group3Observations.docx).Refer to the instructions in Blackboard for information about submitting.
  11. Revise your submission based on Dr. Mendez’s feedback.
  12. Together, your group will answer the essay questions in the template to complete your final profile, and one member of your group will submit it in Blackboard by Due Date 2 for your class. Format: Your group number.FinalProfile (example: Group3FinalProfile.docx).

For the Observations:

  1. Use different methods or occasions of data gathering for each observation (one question asked in a company visit plus one observation of a presenter’s style, etc.)
  2. Provide at least one photo of a situation or observation of your feature (different from your two written observations). For each photo, include an explanation of what each one shows so its relationship to the cultural feature is clear These could be anything you see that illustrates the cultural feature, including:
  3. People doing something in a way that reflects the cultural feature
  4. A sign or public messaging
  5. Products arranged on shelves in a store
  6. Artwork or organization of wording on a page

Formatting

The table format in the Cultural Profile Form is designed for ease in aggregating your group submission. Don’t modify the formatting or convert the tables to text.

Tips

  • Identify in advance what occasions you will use for data gathering (company visits, weekend excursion, etc). Don’t miss your window of opportunity!
  • Document any questions you ask and the precise answers you receive so you’ll have them for your report.
  • Take pictures of people, signs, buildings, etc. to support your analysis.
  • It’s tourist season! Be careful to document what the “locals” do – not what tourists do. Ask your staff liaison where locals live, shop and work.
  • When you encounter a contradiction (two very different approaches in two companies you visit, for example), try to analyze the reason for the difference, and ask questions about it if possible.
  • Compare behavior in multiple contexts. Don’t conclude that people in your destination city have a casual attitude towards time just because you see people relaxing in a park – that’s what people do in parks everywhere.
  • People vary, so observe several people in the same situation/ask several people the same question. If that’s impossible, ask your staff liaison to confirm a trend.
  • You may notice differences between various parts of the country you’re visiting. Feel free to comment on these and suggest explanations.
  • If you get stuck or have problems, talk to your staff liaison.

Form and Instructions

Each group member will fill out one copy of this form, referring to the examples below. Paste your photo(s) in the document just above the space provided. Post the file in Blackboard following the instructions there.

Individual Observations

List thetwomethods of data gathering you used. The fields will expand to accommodate as much text as you want to provide. For each method, provide the following:

a) Specific examples of what you observed and

b) What your observationsabout each experience indicate about the culture of your destination city (see example below).

Example:

Method 1. / Observed three presenters at a company visit.
Observations / In general, they were animated speakers who used a lot of gestures and facial expressions. They moved around while speaking. Their tone of voice varied, and conveyed quite a bit of emotion. Two of them watched the audience for signs that we were engaged and one of them asked questions to make the presentation interactive.
Conclusion / This behavior indicates an expressive orientation to communication.
Comments / One of the three was less animated than her colleagues. I asked, and it turned out she was German, so not a native of the country, which could explain this. Based on the general trends we noticed, I think our destination country is pretty clearly expressive rather than neutral.

Visual Information

Pasteat least one visual indication (photos, videos, etc.) as indicated. Provide a descriptionin the space belowshowing how they support your cultural assessment. The fields will expand to accommodate your text.

Example

#1 / This photo shows someone giving directions to a tourist on the street. You can see his active hand gestures and facial expression, which supports our interpretation that this culture is expressive rather than neutral.

Group Observations

Paste all your individual observations into a single document and post it in Blackboard.

Final Profile

Add the following essays to your Group Observations document:

Personal Profiles (at least ½ page, single spaced)

Describe your group members’ individual profiles. How are you the same/different? How typical are you of American business culture? How might your profiles make it easier/more difficult for you to adapt to new environments?

Country Profile(at least ½ page, single spaced)

Comment on the following:

  1. What is your conclusion about the cultural orientation of your destination (list the tendencies you noticed for each feature)?
  2. Did all your data gathering methods point to the same culturalfeatures? If not, how did you resolve the contradictions you observed?
  3. How do the cultural characteristics of your destination differ from those of the U.S.?
  4. What other interesting aspects of culture did you notice related to this assignment?

Conclusions (at least ½ page, single spaced)

Comment on the following:

  1. What challenges might Americans have doing business with people who have the cultural features you identified in your destination?
  2. How could you use the toolkit to analyze and adapt to a new work environment (whether at home or abroad)?
  3. What “transferrable skills” have you gained by doing this project that employers (now or in the future) should know about?

Note: Incomplete or incorrect assignments will result in professionalism grade deductions and/or withheld grades.