Choose any three situations from the thirteen presented for further analysis.
Analyze the situation based on the information learned in class and the values of the countries listed below. For each situation you are to:
Write the name of the situation (i.e., Opening a Franchise in Colombia, Where Did We go Wrong? etc.)
On the next line, write the countries involved and the names of the parties involved for each country. For example: USA- Steve Marshall, Israel Israeli Team.
For each country identify the value or values that are being demonstrated in the situation. Following the example above, you have to describe which American value or values Steve Marshall is reflecting about the American culture. Do the same for the Israeli Team. To find the values you have to read the information presented below about the countries involved, in this example you have to read the section about USA and Israel.
Wear the colored glasses of the opposite party and describe how the actions of that party could be perceived negatively from the perspective of the other party. For example, how the actions of Mr. Marshall could be interpreted negatively by the Israeli team and vice versa, based on the values described in the step above.
In an effort to resolve the issue at hand, what could each party do to accommodate the other side? What could be done differently next time? What are some practical tips each party should implement if a situation like this were to happen again? What can each party learn from each other?
INTR0DUCTION: No one can predict what another person will think, do, or say. However, understanding the values that may influence our colleagues and neighbors can offer useful ideas about what to expect and how to work with someone from a culture different than our own. Culture not only affects who and how we are, but culture influences what we see and how we see it. Imagine looking at the world through various colored glasses. The Lens may color or filter what we perceive in a situation, thus impacting how we behave.
What are “values”? Values are standards of what we deem acceptable or unacceptable, right or wrong, important or unimportant, good or bad. They represent the “central tendencies” of what a group of people is taught as being important and virtuous. Cultural values are the principles that guide how we should think and act as honorable and contributing members of our society. Values represent beliefs and attitudes that drive personal behavior, business practices, and political decisions. Our behavior is based on the values we have learned, both explicitly and unconsciously, through our families, communities, places of worship, schools, and the media. Values interact with and influence one another, and many of them overlap.
