The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business

Product Information

In The Culture Map, cultural communications expert Erin Meyer presents a framework you can use to analyze how cultures differ from yours as well as practical strategies to mitigate any cultural misunderstandings. She also explains why these cultural differences developed in the first place. The principles-first reasoning uses general principles and deduction to draw conclusions by questioning the ‘why’. They are more inclined to the reasoning behind the request. The French and the Italians fall in the principles-first persuasion scale. Task-based: Trust is built through competence. If someone is capable of doing the job, then I trust him. Work relationships are built and dropped easily (for example Finland). When working with people from higher-context cultures, Meyer suggests to listen actively, listening out for what’s is meant instead of what’s being said. And if you find yourself working with people from lower-context cultures, Meyer recommends being as transparent, clear, and specific as possible.

In contrast, cultures may become polychronic because their countries are unpredictable. When governments are unreliable and natural disasters shut down your business, companies and managers succeed by adapting to unpredictable circumstances and by keeping employees loyal in times of hardship. When relationships and adaptability take priority, schedules become less important and thus more flexible. (Shortform note: In fact, one paper suggests that polychronism may inhibit industrialization by contributing to corruption and inefficiency.) Strategies for Scheduling Across Cultures In countries with stable histories, like Sweden, cutting the line and disobeying the undeclared rules of waiting is considered rudeness and can get us in trouble. Of course, such a strategy only works if you understand your own culture. This is another essential strategy Meyer recommends: Only when we first understand how our culture is unique in some capacity can we appreciate and work with the differences in other cultures. (Shortform note: Meyer focuses exclusively on national cultures. But looking at what other kinds of cultures—our gender and generation, for example—have influenced us is also an essential business skill.)

PDF Summary Chapter 4: Leadership Across Cultures

Relationship-based: Trust is built through getting to know each other, sharing meals, and going out for dinners. I have trust in your abilities because I trust you as a person (for example Saudi Arabia).

Considering the communication and evaluation scale together, we see that cultures can be divided into four categories – In the former cognitive trust is dominating. I trust the other person because based on his past actions I believe he is capable of doing the job. My trust comes from my head. Relationships are built through business interactions. While I can't possibily verify all the claimings for every culture mentioned (since there are no references about all these claiming. No studies mentioned. Nothing. All based on author own experience), I can at least say that everything I've read about Italians is based on bias. To give you an example, I'm Italian and this doesn't mean (like the author says) that if the appointment is at 10:00 I will arrive at 10:15 or 10:20.

PDF Summary Introduction: The Eight Ways to Measure Cultural Differences

It's a huge collection of biases for all the possible countries and cultures. The whole book is structured with examples like: if you are working with Chinese people, you should take this approach, instead if your team is composed by German people you should do this etc.... Cultural differences can have a massive impact on how people communicate with each other and perceive those around them. Even within the same geographical areas, differences can be quite significant. French and Germans are by no means the same … ask them, they will both agree. At intervals I wanted to yell "Look, sod Geoff Tipple. Just sum the point you're making up in two lines". And as with many a business book too, we're never far away from a pitch for consultancy work or conference speech opportunities. Thus: I wouldn't go on and summarise all 8 aspects, of course. I recommend you read the book, but let me mention some things I notices.