Welcome to Week Six
Lesson Six
Assignments and questions related to this week's reading:
This week you are going to read about Intercultural Communication.
Read pages 51 - 56 from the Desk Reference. Answer the following questions and post them on the discussion board:
1. What are your thoughts on two elements of intercultural communication: knowledge of various communication styles and
a willingness to adapt, along with empathy and suspending judgement?
2. What are the ways of adapting to the Canadian communication style?
3. Come up with 5 utterances carrying the same meaning but being delivered via different communication styles - direct and
indirect.
Example:
Direct - You are wrong. I have many years of experience in the field and I know what I am talking about.
Indirect - I am sorry, I am not sure I follow. Perhaps we should consider....From my experience...
4. What does the term "personal disclosure" mean? In some countries, people share a lot of personal information, what about in
Canada? Comment on Paolo's case study (page 55).
5. How does "power distance" between supervisors and subordinates manifest itself in your home country? Are supervisors called
by their titles or last names? Do they dress differently from employees? Do they tell employees what they should do?
6. Look at the Power Distance Index on page 55. Is your country on the list? Do you agree with its rating? If it is not on the list,
where would you position it? Explain.
A Goggle search will give you a more detailed explanation. Feel free to use the following link to conduct your own
research:
http://www.clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimensions/power-distance-index/
Lesson Six
Assignments and questions related to this week's reading:
This week you are going to read about Intercultural Communication.
Read pages 51 - 56 from the Desk Reference. Answer the following questions and post them on the discussion board:
1. What are your thoughts on two elements of intercultural communication: knowledge of various communication styles and
a willingness to adapt, along with empathy and suspending judgement?
2. What are the ways of adapting to the Canadian communication style?
3. Come up with 5 utterances carrying the same meaning but being delivered via different communication styles - direct and
indirect.
Example:
Direct - You are wrong. I have many years of experience in the field and I know what I am talking about.
Indirect - I am sorry, I am not sure I follow. Perhaps we should consider....From my experience...
4. What does the term "personal disclosure" mean? In some countries, people share a lot of personal information, what about in
Canada? Comment on Paolo's case study (page 55).
5. How does "power distance" between supervisors and subordinates manifest itself in your home country? Are supervisors called
by their titles or last names? Do they dress differently from employees? Do they tell employees what they should do?
6. Look at the Power Distance Index on page 55. Is your country on the list? Do you agree with its rating? If it is not on the list,
where would you position it? Explain.
A Goggle search will give you a more detailed explanation. Feel free to use the following link to conduct your own
research:
http://www.clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimensions/power-distance-index/
7. Reflect on Canadian "lower power distance". If you don't have personal experience yet, you might want to ask your friends or
family members who have some Canadian work experience.
8. How did the Table 3.3 on page 56 help you raise your awareness of difference in communication styles?
9. Have you ever encountered the Canadian phenomenon of "reading between the lines"? What does it mean? Why is it so
important?
family members who have some Canadian work experience.
8. How did the Table 3.3 on page 56 help you raise your awareness of difference in communication styles?
9. Have you ever encountered the Canadian phenomenon of "reading between the lines"? What does it mean? Why is it so
important?
Reference
Images of hierarchy.[Online image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from ps://www.google.ca/?gws_rd=ssl#q=images+of+hierarchy
Images of direct and indirect culture. [Online image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.google.ca
/?gws_rd=ssl#q=images+of+direct+vs.+indirect+culture