Cross-Cultural Analysis Methodology

We can identify a number of speech communities using different communication styles which will be discussed later. In our introductory lecture we have to outline the major dimensions of national cultures associated with different communication styles – direct and indirect, person-oriented and status-oriented, self-enhancement and self-effacement. Among the societies with different cultural dimensions researches indicate:

ü Low-context and High-context societies (Hall, 1976);

ü Individualistic and Collectivistic societies (Hofstede, 1965);

ü Masculine and Feminine societies (Hofstede, 1965);

ü Societies with a Higher/Lower Degree of Power Distance Index (Hofstede, 1965);

ü Societies with a Higher/Lower degree of Uncertainty Avoidance Index (Hofstede, 1965);

ü Attitude to Time: Linear, Flexible, Cyclical. (Trompenaars F., Hampden-Turner C.1997).

Additionally, the scholars of KNEU note that the modern studies on economics should be understood in the context of political, legal, information, cultural and other components. They suggest that the systems of factor analysis mentioned above be expanded through the introduction of «economic culture/awareness/mentality». They consider social economic attitudes to be the basic foundation of the individual’s economic behaviour. As O. Rakhmanov puts it, the indicators of the economic culture may include: the type of consumption; the character of employment in the appropriate sectors of the national economy, and national attitudes to entrepreneurship.

Advances in communication and technology and socio-political changes started transforming the modern workplace. Thus, modern cross-cultural analysis methodology compares the systems of factors to examine the scope of human behaviour in a large number of communities. Business communities are among them.

What is Corporate Culture

Corporate culture refers to the values, beliefs and behaviours that characterize the company and guide its practices. Elements of corporate culture include a company’s physical environment, human resources practices ant the staff itself. Corporate culture is reflected in the degree of the emphasis placed on various defining elements such as hierarchy, collaboration, competition, and social engagement.

A corporate culture that reflects a broader culture is usually more successful than one that is at odds with it. For example, in current global culture, which values transparency, accountability, equality and communication, a secretive company with a strictly hierarchical structure may have a public relations problems. Companies want to be seen as good corporate citizens, with activities that are beneficial for the community and society as a whole. Now they look at the issues of their codes of ethics and codes of behaviour through the prism of the cross-cultural analysis methodology.

 

Conclusion

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has approved a national English for Specific Purposes (ESP) curriculum. It is a flexible document which sets challenging tasks in terms of more effective intercultural communication, better access to information and deeper mutual understanding. The course «Intercultural Communications» is designed to meet students’ diverse requirements for language proficiency levels in professional environments worldwide. Under conditions of growing academic mobility promoted by the Bologna process the course for Master’s students opens up the opportunity for KNEU to join the European Higher Education Area as a strong and equal partner sharing similar cultural values and norms.

References

1. The European Higher Education Area. Joint Declaration of the European Ministers of Education (1999).

2. Програма з англійської мови для професійного спілкування. Колектив авторів: Г.Є Бакаєва, О.А. Борисенко, І.І Зуєнок, В.О. Іваніщева, А.О. Ходцева. – К.: Ленвіт, 2005.

3. Adler N. 1995. Competitive frontiers: Cross-cultural management and the 21^st century.

4. D’Andrade R. 1984. Cultural Meaning Systems. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press

4. Hofstede G., (1980). Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values, Beverly Hills, CA: Sage

5. Hall E.T., (1981). Beyond Culture: Perspective in Practice (2^nd. ed.), Garden City, NY: Anchor/Doubled

Sapir E. 1921. Language: An introduction to the study of speech. New York: Harcourt. Brace&World.

6. Ting-Toomey S., (1994) Communication across Cultures, Guilford Press No.4

7. Trompenaars F., (2009). The Layers of Cultures. Retrieved from http://www.culture/content/;cont04/html

8. Triandis H. 1994. Culture and Social Behavior. New York: McGraw-Hill.