IM-J2
What is your understanding of acculturation? Next, review the
3.2 Examples of Different Types of Acculturation, in Chapter 4 of your textbook. What is another example of acculturation from your own personal and professional experience?
Your journal entry must be at least 200 words in length. No references or citations are necessary.
MGT 6306, Intercultural Management 1
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
2. Analyze approaches to diversity in workplaces in the United States.
2.1 Describe some of the most common biases.
2.2 Explain the stages of social perception.
2.3 Compare the three views of culture.
2.4 Summarize acculturation strategies for adaptation.
Course/Unit
Learning Outcomes
Learning Activity
2.1, 2.2
Chapter 3
Unit II Assessment
2.3, 2.4
Unit Lesson
Chapter 4
Unit II Assessment
Chapter 3: The Role of Cognitive Processes in Cross-Cultural Management
Chapter 4: Views of Culture and Acculturation
Unit Lesson
Introduction
Culture in many ways defines how we think and guides how we look at life in general. The way we apply our
cultural assumptions, values, and beliefs in our interactions with others is bound to be different from others.
Unfortunately, such assumptions could turn a compliment into a stereotypical comment like in the example
with the opening case in Chapter 3 by Bharat Mohan. The intention is not to undermine the expertise of
Mohan, but the comments from the audience inadvertently did by making such general assumptions. Culture
also guides the way we respond to characteristics such as education, social class, race, physical attributes,
and other factors. This unit will examine the different views of culture, and the social perception process.
Evaluating Job Candidates
According to Hofstede et al. (2010) and Trompenaars et al. (2012), what a manager may focus on when
evaluating job candidates is likely to be influenced by culture. In the United States, individuals are hired based
on their educational qualifications and professional experience that add economic value to the organization.
“In Lebanon and many other parts of the Middle East, the key information is who recommended the candidate
and the community and social networks they belong to, factors that are irrelevant and even inappropriate to
consider in the United States” (Nahavandi, 2022, p. 95).
When hiring in the United States, every candidate seeking a position is accorded equal employment
opportunity. This may not be the same hiring practice in other countries. For example, in the United States, it
is against the law to discriminate based on candidates’ age or disability, while in other countries they may
clearly state both age and ability requirements on the job advertisement.
UNIT II STUDY
GUIDE
Views on Culture
MGT 6306, Intercultural Management 2
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Social Perception Process
As explained by Nahavandi (2022), “Social perception is the process of gathering, selecting, and interpreting
information about others” (p. 91). Perception, simply put, is the way we can all develop different opinions
about the same situation depending on our views. To further illustrate, review the situational example
presented in Chapter 3. A surgeon and his son were involved in a car accident, and the father died. After
arriving at the hospital, the ER surgeon said, “I can’t possibly operate on this boy – he is my son.” Most
people that would read this will be confused how the surgeon that was supposed to be dead was the ER
surgeon. Did you assume the ER surgeon was the son’s father rather than consider it could be his mother?
This is just one of example of an occurrence based on social perception process, where certain professions
are identified with a certain gender. One example of social perception may assume that everyone working at
a car repair shop is male, and there are no female mechanics. Another example is that female nurses are
more appreciated than male nurses.
The social perception process has three stages. These are attention, organization, and interpretation. When
we are in the first stage of attention, we are subconsciously and involuntarily filtering out appearance and
cues. In the second stage we are connecting cues and other information to categories and knowledge that are
already familiar to us. We are grouping based on predictability which creates a mental structure for responses
and reactions. Finally, we interpret a person’s behavior or something about the situation that we just
witnessed. On some occasions, one can also improvise when there is limited information and may opt to
make assumptions instead, which is referred to as closure (Nahavandi, 2022).
Heuristics
We are not always presented with all the information required to make a decision; rather, we intend to use
what is available to us at that particular time. This is referred to as heuristics, defined as “efficient shortcuts,
methods, strategies or rules of thumb that are used to derive a solution” (Nahavandi, 2022, p. 101). We make
mental decisions when assessing events based how much information we have about that situation. If an
event happened in a neighborhood, people would relay different versions as to what they believe led to the
event based on their individual assessments. Tverskty and Kahgneman (1974) and Kahneman (2011)
addressed some of the most common heuristics that link to our culture-as-meta-context (CMC) and cultural
perspectives. These are availability, representativeness, framing, and theory-induced blindness (Nahavandi,
2022). Let’s look at the representatives, which is a tendency to judge an event, or a person, purely based on
how they resemble each other. Think of a situation where a customer believes he or she is buying a silk
material because it looks and feels like silk. In the real sense, the material is actually refined polyester. Even
though the heuristics approach uses efficient shortcuts, it helps to make decisions faster, more frugally, or
more accurately than more complex methods (Gigerenzer & Gaissmaier, 2011).
(based on Tversky and Kahneman (1974) and Kahneman (2011), as cited in Nahavandi, 2022)
MGT 6306, Intercultural Management 3
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Biases
There are common biases that may occur because of the consistent systematical use of the heuristics
approach. According to Garcia-Marques and Mackie (2001), the cognitive ease with which people connect
premise and conclusion provides an underlying psychological mechanism for the effects of argument
familiarity. We tend to address what we are familiar with, whether it is to do with our cultural values or
preference. We are comfortable to discuss and defend a concept that we are familiar and experienced with
because we have all the facts to address the argument. Such confidence that one is well versed in a topic
could also lead to certain misconceptions or misinterpretation of information or a situation. Extensive
descriptions of these common biases are listed in Table 3.2 in Chapter 3.
In-Groups and Out-Groups
Part of having a cultural identity is the sense that you belong to a specific group. Having a group that is
familiar to you, safe, and predicable, is considered an in-group. The people in your in-group are trustworthy
and are likely your friends. People who do not conform to the characteristics of your in-group are considered
an out-group. Who is considered in or out depends on how different you see someone as when comparing
that person to yourself. Your typical actions and behaviors to situations or those actions and behaviors from
members of the in-group are considered normal to you. Everything experienced outside of those actions and
behaviors is seen as abnormal to you. When there are in-groups and out-groups, it creates an us-versus-
them mentality. This mindset can create a negative work environment, especially if working as a manager for
a multinational or cross-cultural organization.
Three Views of Culture
In Unit I, we began to explore three different views of culture: parochialism, ethnocentrism, and pluralism. In
Chapter 4, these different views are examined in greater detail. These three views show how complex
cultures are and the challenges that they pose.
Parochialism is defined as having a strong attraction to one’s in-group and being centered on one’s own
community, region, religion, or culture (and even organization). They see their world as the only one and there
is a lack of awareness of bias.
Ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s own country, culture, ethnic group, tribe, or way of life (and even
organization) is unique, predominant, and superior to others (Levine & Campbell, 1972). They see other
groups but maintain a sense of superiority to these other groups.
Pluralism is defined as the view that all cultures have equal value and should all be respected and
appropriately represented. They try to counteract biases as they occur and recognize the differences of
groups that are different than their own.
Acculturation
Cultural differences can influence interactions with people of different backgrounds in our workplace,
especially those not in your in-group. Acculturation is a process used to address two cultural groups that have
been in contact for a long period of time, not in short-term contact or a one-time contact situation. The
purpose of acculturation is to facilitate business interactions while sustaining long-term and continuous
relationships with both individuals and business partners.
Acculturation is the dual process of cultural and psychological change that takes place as a result of contact
between two or more cultural groups and their individual members (Berry, 2015). Berry (2015) further explains
that for the acculturation process to be successful, social changes would need to take place at the institutional
level. For the individual members, the goal is to change both behavior and attitude. It is not enough for
someone to change their behavior and tolerate a co-worker, but it is also expected for attitudinal change to
take place. Attitudinal change will result in accepting and appreciating cultural richness of all members.
Research shows that it will take a long time for acculturation to happen, as this requires sustained and
continuous interactions.
MGT 6306, Intercultural Management 4
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Another focus is on how expatriates (expats) should adapt in their new cultures. These are people who have
settled abroad, outside of their native country. Organizations that have global presence may engage in
expatriate initiatives by sending some employees or managers to operational locations in other parts of the
world. These employees may be gone for a short time (6 months) to long time (1–2 years). It is important to
note that one of the eligibilities is that these individuals are considered experts in their field. Apart from this,
they should have other skills such as adaptability, cultural sensitivity, excellent communication, and
interpersonal skills, which are all needed to interact with people in diverse cultures. For these expats,
acculturation would also involve not only when they are in foreign countries but also when they repatriate.
Expats who have been away from their home countries for a long time could experience reverse culture shock
and would need the assistance to ease back into the workforce. The opening case in Chapter 4, “I Became
Just Zeki” is an example of some of the challenges expats may face fitting back into their own culture.
The Acculturation Process
Acculturation plays an important role in the way we interact in the workplace as well as in the business-to-
business interactions in mergers and acquisitions (Nahavandi & Malekzadeh, 1988). An in-depth
understanding and application of the acculturation process will help facilitate work processes in multicultural
organizations. For example, if a United States-based company is involved in business with a company based
in Saudi Arabia, the acculturation process would mean that meetings would not be held on a Sunday (for the
U.S. members) nor on a Friday (for the Saudi Arabian members). Acculturation is not dominance, but rather a
way to remain in business for the long haul. Examples of different types of acculturations are presented in
Chapter 4 of the textbook. These examples show the extent to which companies would go to maintain and
sustain business continuity.
The acculturation process is depicted in Figure 4.3 of the textbook. It shows that first step is when people
come together for a purpose (contact). Once the interaction starts, different views and opinions could result in
a lot of disagreements (conflict). The last step is when all groups (or individuals) devise positive ways to work
and respect one another (resolution/adaption). We can liken this process to the states of team formation,
where the team has to go through forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning (Tuckman, 1965).
Acculturation Strategies
We have already learned that when each individual values their culture more than others and believes that
theirs is better than others, it is ethnocentrism. It is understandable, therefore, to appreciate that some
individuals or groups may need more time to fully embrace the need for acculturation. Figure 4.4 in Chapter 4
maps out strategies to adopt in order to facilitate acculturation. They include assimilation or accommodation,
integration or synergy, separation or dominance, and deculturation or marginalization (Nahavandi, 2022).
Conclusion
Imagine being born with green glasses, which means that all you see is green. Another born with red glasses
can only see red. Each of these individuals will be right when they say the world is green or red, respectively,
and each will be correct in their stance. It is only when they decide to swap glasses that they will begin to
understand and appreciate the reason for each other’s line of argument. This is analogous with culture. Every
society has a strong value and belief system that will be very difficult to influence. To succeed in an overseas
business setting, management must understand and adapt to foreign ways of thinking and acting. The figure
below shows how the belief system is at the core of our attitudes, which is the most fundamental component
of our values.
MGT 6306, Intercultural Management 5
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(O’Rourke, 2019)
According to O’Rourke (2019), beliefs are at the core of the system, acquired early in life and are the most
fundamental of our values. Attitudes are outgrowths of our beliefs, are dependent on them and tend to be
consistent with them. Opinions are at the fringes of our belief system and are the least stable. With all these
comes the challenges faced by businesses.
Throughout our lessons in this course, we are presented with the essential cultural self-awareness that
supports the development of a cultural mindset. This includes how we view our culture, whether parochially,
ethnocentrically, or plurally. These views show that there will always be challenges when working alongside
people from different cultures, whether individually or as groups.
References
Berry, J. W. (2015). Acculturation. In J. E. Grusec & P. D. Hastings (Eds.), Handbook of socialization: Theory
and research. The Guilford Press.
Garcia‐Marques, T., & Mackie, D. M. (2001, February 1). The feeling of familiarity as a regulator of persuasive
processing. Social Cognition, 19(1), 9–34.
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkow, M. (2010). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind.
McGraw-Hill.
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Levine, R. A., & Campbell, D. T. (1972). Ethnocentrism. Wiley.
Nahavandi, A. (2022). The cultural mindset: Managing people across cultures. SAGE.
Nahavandi, A., & Malekzadeh, A. R. (1988). Acculturation in mergers and acquisitions. Academy of
Management Review, 13(1), 79–90.
O’Rourke, J. S. (2019). Management communication: A case-analysis approach. Pearson.
Trompenaars, F., & Hampden-Turner, C. (2012). Riding the waves of culture: Understanding diversity in
global business. McGraw-Hill.
MGT 6306, Intercultural Management 6
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Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384–399.
https://doi.org/10.1037/h0022100
Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases. Science, 185, 1124-
1131.
In order to access the following resources, click the links below.
Watch the following video to learn more about ethnocentrism as a view of culture.
Educational Video Group (Producer). (2005). Ethnocentrism (Segment 4 of 13) [Video]. In Overcoming
Barriers to Intercultural Communication: Successful Speaking. Films on Demand.
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPl
aylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=49198&loid=165185
The transcript for this video can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films
on Demand database.
Read the following article to learn more about how diversity plays a role in organizational culture.
Syed, A., Karim, A., Zaki, R., & Mubeen, H. (2019). Managing workforce diversity in multicultural
organizations: Some observations. Pakistan Journal of European Studies, 35(1), 79.
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A589808772/PPDS?u=oran95108&sid=bookmark-
PPDS&xid=59f2d416
Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit
them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information.
Complete the Self-Assessment 3.1: Your Cultural Identity in Chapter 3 of your textbook. Note your responses
for each question in a personal journal.
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=49198&loid=165185
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A589808772/PPDS?u=oran95108&sid=bookmark-PPDS&xid=59f2d416
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A589808772/PPDS?u=oran95108&sid=bookmark-PPDS&xid=59f2d416
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Course Learning Outcomes for Unit II
Required Unit Resources
Unit Lesson
Introduction
Evaluating Job Candidates
Social Perception Process
Heuristics
Biases
In-Groups and Out-Groups
Three Views of Culture
Acculturation
The Acculturation Process
Acculturation Strategies
Conclusion
References
Suggested Unit Resources
Learning Activities (Nongraded)
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Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
