The cultural onion



Assumption

about life

Cross cultural vs

Intercultural

research

THE CULTURAL ONION

Eugene Bunkowske, Ph.D., developed the “Cultural Onion Diagram” during his early years as Graduate Professor of Biblical Missiology at Concordia Theological Seminary.



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• • • •

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Artifacts are the physical characteristics of a person, the things or objects that are connected with that person. Artifacts are what people collect.

Behaviors are what a person does.

Feelings are the emotional evaluations and conclusions about the experiences of every

day life on a scale of, for instance calm to angry, happy to sad, and love tohate.

Values are mental evaluations and conclusions about the experiences of every day life on a scale of good to bad.

Beliefs are mental evaluations and conclusions about the experiences of every day life on a scale of true to false.

Worldview is the organized arrangement, the managing perspective, the internal gyro at the center of human and societal reality. Worldview provides a mental map of what is understood to be real.

Ultimate Allegiance is the beating heart, the starting point, the trigger and grounding reality that gives basic direction, cohesion and structure to the underlying stories, mental mappings, meta-narratives and perspectives in a person’s worldview.

Some cultural

examples differences

contrasting behaviors

of



CULTURE IS :

Priorities of cultural values: united

states,

japan

,

arab

countries

Source: adapted from information found in F.Elashmawiand Philippe R.Harris , multicultural management( Houston, gulf publishing,1993)p.63

Fons

Dimensions : a cross

cultural

s comparison

Trompenaar

Adapted from information Fons Trompenaars, Riding the waves of culture (New York, Irwin, 1994)

Adapted from information Fons Trompenaars, Riding the waves of culture (New York, Irwin, 1994)

Latin European cluster

France

Belgium

Spain

Italy

communitarianism Specific relationship Universalism emotional relationship ascription

communitarianism Specific relationship Universalism emotional relationship ascription

Individualism Diffuse relationship Particularism Neutral relationship achievement

Communitari diffuse relatio universalism emotional rel ascription

a a



Time and the pace of

life :

levine’s

study





Communication

• Arab cultural communication patterns – ELLEN FEGHALLI 1997

• A cross-cultural theoretical review of national culture, individual liberties, and

leadership styles -Yvette N. Essounga The University of Texas Pan-American

• Morroco

• Moroccans prefer to do business with those they know and respect

• Who you know is more important than what you know

• moroccan business practices have been greatly influenced by the French and

emphasize courtesy and a degree of formality.

• Moroccans judge people on appearances

• France

• The way a French person communicates is often predicated by their social status, education level, and which part of the country they were raised.

• In business, the French often appear extremely direct because they are not

afraid of asking probing questions.

• Written communication is formal. Secretaries often schedule meetings and may

be used to relay information from your French business colleagues

• UK

• When communicating with people they see as equal to themselves in rank or class, the British are direct, but modest. If communicating with someone they know well, their style may be more informal, although they will still be reserved.

• Written communication follows strict rules of protocol. How a letter is closed varies depending upon how well the writer knows the recipient. Written communication is always addressed using the person's title and their surname. First names are not generally used in written communication, unless you know the person well.



• Egypt

• Egyptians believe direct eye contact is a sign of honesty and sincerity, so be prepared for disconcertingly intense stares.

• Egyptians are emotive and use hand gestures when they

...