Exploring Culture: Exercises, Stories, and Synthetic Cultures

Exploring Culture: Exercises, Stories and Synthetic Cultures truly brings Geert Hofstede's five dimensions of national culture to life.This unique training book contains an abundance of exercises, dialogues, stories and simulations that put the five dimensions of culture (power distance, collectivism versus individualism, femininity versus masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and long term versus short term orientation) into action. Derived from these five dimensions are what Hofstede calls synthetic cultures: ten pure cultural types.Exploring Culture is arranged to follow the classic culture learning sequence of gaining awareness, knowledge and skills. Part light, part serious, but always thought-provoking, the book provides more than seventy-five activities, dialogues and stories for readers to explore and discuss. Exploring Culture is an outstanding resource for trainers and educators and the perfect complement to Hofstede's popular Cultures and Organizations.ContentsForewordAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPar I: Stories and Exercises1 Worlds Apart in One Village2 Culture: The Rules of the Social GamePart II: Synthetic Cultures3 The Ten Synthetic Culture Profiles4 Getting to Know the Synthetic Cultures5 Dialogues in Synthetic Culture Role6 Summing UpPart III: Group Work and Similuations7 Group Work for Cross-Cultural Learning8 Using Synthetic Cultures in Simulations9 The Trade Mission10 Follow-the-Sun Global Technology TeamReferencesIndex