Unit 20: Successful Intercultural Business

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In this unit you will learn about intercultural business and all the factors that contribute to navigating such an environment successfully. The vocabulary selected for this lesson is based on academic research such as Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory, a widely recognized model to understand cultural difference across countries.

Did you know? The following activities can be customized as desired by the teacher or school pedagogue.

Basic activities (computer-graded)

Vocabulary Builder Activity

Students will learn the following key terms and phrases:

Reading Activity: A Company Newsletter Article Promoting Multicultural Offices

Students will be able to correctly answer true/false questions after reading and listening to topical short articles and dialogs featuring topical vocabulary.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of our company newsletter! This week, we are shining the spotlight on the cultural dimensions according to Geert Hofstede, and how they can be used to help us improve our office culture. As human beings, it is our nature to make assumptions about one another based on little information. We tend to form social biases, stereotypes and even prejudices that can have a… Continue

Multiple Choice Activity

Students will be able to select the best match between unit terms and their definitions.

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Listening Comprehension Activity

Students will be able to listen to short audio clips in English and then spell them correctly.

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Spelling and Recognition

Students will be able to identify and spell a vocabulary term correctly given only the definition.

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Advanced activities (optionally teacher-graded)

Speaking Practice Activity

Students will be able to speak and record 5 example sentences from the unit vocabulary and then submit them for grading by the classroom teacher. If no teacher is available or desired, then the students will be shown good examples of other students' work.

In some cultures hugs are a popular informal greeting, whereas in countries like France kissing each other on the cheek is the norm.

Akira is an excellent mediator because he's very empathetic and able to look at issues from different perspectives.

The degree of power distance shows itself as hierarchy in all forms of organizations, be it in a family or a company.

It is generally understood that western countries tend to be more individualistic, a concept exemplified by the American Dream, which is all about succeeding as an individual.

Tabish showed remarkable restraint when his team lost the game, not allowing his emotions to get the best of him.

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Writing Practice Activity

Students will write a short essay to be graded by the teacher. If no teacher is available or desired, then the student is shown previous examples of other writings by students.

How can we as individuals challenge our own biases when interacting with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds?

Discuss the implications of Power Distance on decision-making processes in organizations.

Explain why it is important to take into consideration Uncertainty Avoidance when communicating with colleagues or clients from different backgrounds.

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