Cross-cultural Intelligence and the Four Stages
On this page 5 headings
Start here Your company sends you to Los Angeles for five years. Week 1: “Wow, this place is amazing!” Month 3: “I hate it here, I want to go home.” Year 2: “Come, I’ll show you around.” Almost everyone goes through these same stages.
What is cross-cultural intelligence?
Cross-cultural intelligence means you:
- Understand the ways cultures can differ. The focus is on what the differences are, not why they exist.
- Understand yourself. Who am I? What are my customs, beliefs, values and norms? Why do I do things the way I do?
- Understand others.
- Value different points of view.
- Develop shared values, beliefs and norms with people from other cultures.
Cultural self-identity: three notebook questions
| Question | The professor’s answer |
|---|---|
| In what ways are you a product of the culture you grew up in? | At his grandfather’s house, they ate a full lunch at 10 a.m. with no breakfast. Then a light snack around 4 p.m., and dinner at 7 p.m. It was hard at first. Now he is used to it. |
| How does your background make it easier to work anywhere in the world? | His school in Nashik had children from about 10 cultures. He grew up in an HAL township with people from many states, and every festival was celebrated. So he feels he can get along anywhere. |
| How does your background hinder you? | He gets homesick after about 10 days. He misses rice, sambar and idli. He also finds it hard to imagine living at minus 20 degrees. |
Write your own answers. Don’t leave the page blank.
Variables of culture
Many layers shape a culture. They sit inside each other like boxes, with the person at the centre.
| Layer | What it includes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| National variables (outer) | Economic system, legal system, political system, physical situation, technological know-how | Each country runs its economy and laws differently. |
| Sociocultural variables | Religion, education, language | In India we say “plus two”. Another country’s school system may be very different. |
| Cultural variables | Values, norms, beliefs | My values may differ from yours. |
| Attitudes | Work, time, materialism, individualism, change | Do I keep buying cars, or save for someone’s wedding or education? Do I think of only myself, or of a big family? Is time scarce or plentiful? |
| Individual and group job behaviour (centre) | Motivation, commitment, productivity, ethics | How do I behave at work? What drives me? |
Note: The slide comes from Gary Dessler’s book “Human Resource Management”. The slide labels the attitudes box “National variables” a second time. The professor explains this layer as attitudes, so we use that word here.
In one line: National, social and cultural layers shape our attitudes, and our attitudes shape how we behave at work. Exam words: cross-cultural intelligence, cultural self-identity, national variables, sociocultural variables, cultural variables, attitudes, job behaviour.
Four stages of dealing with a new culture
Imagine you move to a new country for work. What goes on in your mind? Excitement? Fear? Most people pass through four stages.
| Stage | How it feels | What you say |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Elation | Everything is new and exciting. | “Wow! Look at that!” “I love this place!” “So many types of chocolate!” “I didn’t know you could drink water straight from the tap.” |
| 2. Transition | Frustration, confusion, dissatisfaction. You may want to go home. This is the “complaining” stage. | “The food is so bland. Haven’t they heard of spices?” “I don’t even know how to flush.” “Why did that person laugh when I asked for a ticket?” “I keep getting embarrassed.” |
| 3. Understanding | Familiarity grows. You start to feel at home. | “I’m starting to understand the traffic rules.” “Baseball is a great game. Let’s go this weekend.” “People here are polite. They don’t mind repeating things if I ask.” |
| 4. Integration | You accept the differences and adapt. Your old culture may even start to feel a little unfamiliar. | “I love sushi.” “I’ll sign up for golf lessons on Friday.” “There must be a reason for their obsession with time.” |
Everyday example You join a hostel in another state. First week: the new food and friends are exciting (elation). Second month: you miss home food and feel lost (transition). Fourth month: you know the best canteen and the shortcuts (understanding). Final year: you go home and miss the hostel food (integration).
Why this matters: When you know these stages, you can tell which stage you are in. The bad feelings of the transition stage are normal, and they pass.
In one line: In a new culture we go from elation, to transition (frustration), to understanding, to integration. Exam words: elation, transition, understanding, integration.