Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

INTERCULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
ICOM | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester
Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

AGENDA

> Present the World Value Survey

> Describe the results of last wave of analysis using the Inglehart–Welzel cultural map of
the world
> Discuss the Lewis Model

ICOM | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester | 2

Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

THE WORLD VALUE SURVEY

> Thw WVS (https://www.worldvaluessurvey.org) is an international research program

devoted to the study of social, political, economic, religious and cultural values of people
in the world
> Started in 1981 by Professor Inglehart from the University of Michigan
> Operates in more than 120 world societies
> The main research instrument of the project is a representative comparative social survey
which is conducted globally every 5 years (7th wave 2017-2021)
> The WVS seeks to help scientists and policy makers understand changes in the
beliefs, values and motivations of people throughout the world

ICOM | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester | 3

Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

INGLEHART–WELZEL CULTURAL MAP

> Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel asserts that there are two major dimensions of
cross cultural variation in the world

1) Traditional values versus Secular-rational values

2) Survival values versus Self-expression values.

ICOM | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester | 4

Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

THE WORLD VALUE SURVEY

The World Cultural Map in 1996

ICOM | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester The Inglehart-Welzel World Cultural Map - World Values Survey 7 (2020) [Provisional version]. | 5
Source: http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/
Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

A QUOTE FROM LEWIS

“The behavior of people of different cultures is not something willy-nilly. There exist clear
trends, sequences and traditions. Reactions of Americans, Europeans, and Asians alike can
be forecasted, usually justified and in the majority of cases managed. Even in countries
where political and economic change is currently rapid or sweeping (Russia, China,
Hungary, Poland, Korea, Malaysia, etc.) deeply rooted attitudes and beliefs will resist a
sudden transformation of values when pressured by reformists, governments or multi
national conglomerates” (2006:xvi)

Lecture 2 | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester | 6

Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

THE LEWIS MODEL

> Lewis approach explained in his book “When cultures collide”*

> Lewis’s model focuses on values and communication and how these affect behavior,
particularly in working life
> Provides a framework for organizations needing to guide their members towards practical
change in the way in which they deal with multicultural situations
> Based on data drawn from 50,000 executives and more than 150,000 online
questionnaires to 68 different nationalities

*Lewis, R.D. (2006) When cultures collide. Leading across cultures (3rd ed.) London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing

Lecture 2 | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester | 7

Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

THE LEWIS MODEL

Lecture 2 | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester | 8

Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

LINEAR ACTIVE

> Talks half of the time

> Does one thing at the time
> Plans ahead step by step
> Polite but direct
> Confronts with logic
> Job oriented
> Sticks to facts, sticks to agenda
> Results-oriented
> Written word important
> Restrained body language
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Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

MULTI-ACTIVE

> Talks most of the time

> Does several things at once
> Plans ground outline only
> Emotional, confronts emotionally
> People oriented
> Feelings before facts
> Relationships oriented
> Roams back and forth
> Spoken word important
> Unstrained body language
Lecture 2 | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester | 10
Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

REACTIVE

> Listens most of the time

> Reacts to partner’s action
> Looks at general principles
> Polite, indirect, never confronts
> Very people oriented
> Statements are promises
> Harmony oriented
> Often asks for “repeats”
> Face-to-face contact important
> Subtle body language
Lecture 2 | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester | 11
Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

INTERCATEGORY COMPARISONS

Interaction difficult
Linear Multi
active active

Interaction
Interaction time-consuming
satisfactory

Reactive

Source: Lewis, R.D. (2006)

Lecture 2 | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester | 12

Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

FINE-TUNING CATEGORIZATION

> None of us is an island unto ourselves

> Some factors are important in fine-tuning categorization
> Context
> Age
> Profession

Lecture 2 | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester | 13

Reinhold-Würth-Hochschule, Campus Künzelsau

SUMMING UP

> Over the past few decades, anthropologists, psychologists, and sociologists have isolated
several dimensions of cultural variability by which cultures can be compared
> The WVS depicts closely linked cultural values that vary between societies in two
predominant dimensions: traditional versus secular-rational values and survival versus
self-expression values
> The Lewis Model foresees that the world can be divided in three cultural orientations:
linear-active, multi-active, reactive

ICOM | Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke | Summer Semester | 14