SUMMARY

CHAPTER III

Time : Linear, Flexible, or Cyclical

I .Linear Time
People in cultures that have linear concept of time view-time as a precious
commodity to be used, not wasted. They prefer to consentrate on one thing at a time
and work sequentially within a clock-regulated time frame ; this appears to them to be
an efficient., impartial, and precise way of organizing life especially business.
Anglosaxon, Germanic, and Scandinavian people Generally live and work by a liniear
clock; they measure time in smaall units, value schedules, and focus on the future.
 The important of schedules : in a culture of defining time in a straight line of
fashion, schedules, are crieteria because they set time limits and prevent uncertainty.
Because this culture is attached to cause and effect under standing events and reality,
sacred schedules. And also people from linear time cultures make appoitment in small
sefments (15-30 minutes) and dislike lateness becaus this discrupt the schedule and
impacts all subsequent appointments.
 A focus on the future : people in linier cultures so value time that they study
time management to learn to get more done every day, an occupation that’s often
considered absured by flexible.
 Measuring time in small units : linear time cultures (the unit states, switzerland,
Germany, Britain,, The Netherlands, Austria, and teh scandinavian countries )
meisure time in relatively short periods : minutes, hours, and days ; plan for short
term: and report earnings and profits in quarters and years.
 Example Expressions : the languages of linear-time cultures abound in
expressions which capture the idiea of time as precious identity:Time is money . Save
time. Don’t wast time. Use time wisely.

II. Flexsible Time

In contrast to linear cultures, flexible cultures, which are reluctant to strictly
measure or control them. So the culture of Mediterranean, and South and North Korea
is flexible about timing. Interruption is welcome, grouping is the rule, and
relationships take priority even though they adhere to a schedule to respect their peers,
most Italians, Spaniards, Portuguese, Greeks ignore time if it means that human
interaction will be left unfinished.
 Emphasis of Relationship : culture time is less important than human feelings.
where the time can be a modification that can be manipulated or extended, accelerated
or shortened the schedule of arbitrary open resources.
 A focus on the present : people in flexsible-time cultures tend to focus on
present rather than teh future or the past, it,s not that they don’t value the past nor
believe in the future; it’s just that they to live very fully in the present.
 A reluctance to measure : many people in flexible time cultures find the
intricate measurement of time or carnings perpormed by linear time culrures tedious
and unnecessry.
 Example expression : The famous “ manana” attitude of the spanish, the often
repeated” in sha’a Allah” of the Arab, the Filipino” bahala na”, the turkish proverb “
what flares up fast extinguishes soon.” teh Mongolian proverb “profit always comes
with a delay,” and teh Italian proverb “ since the house is on fire, let us warm
ourselves “ are utrances that capture the subordination of the clock to human reality.

III. Cyclical Time

Although in fundamentally different ways both linear and flexible time cultures,
multi-tasking cultures believe that they govern and control time. however, in a culture
of cycle time trying to manage life and humans have to adjust to time. in this culture,
time does not need to be linear or as an event, a cyclic stick, circular and repeated,
humans do not control time; life controls humans and they must live in harmony with
nature and follow the pattern of the life cycle.
 Understanding connections : Cultures that subscribe to cycle times seek to
understand relationships and connections, indicating the wholeness of life and
allowing contrasts or contradictions with the wrist. Silk culture believed that logic
was not linear or people but captured the purity of human experience with all life,
nature, and existence.
 Making decisions : in a culture that embraces a time cycle view, where business
decisions are reached in very different ways. decisions are not made quickly or in
isolation, purely on their present merits with scant reference to the past ; decesions
have a contextual background abd are made long term.
 Forging relationship : a liberal amount of time will be allocated to reconsidering
the details of transactions and to maintaining personal relationships rapidly. and most
importantly, forging a relationship; business facilitation by a level of closeness,
mutual trust, connection and connection that inform current stickers and future
transactions.
 Focusing on the past : people in cyclical cultures world cycle who pay attentaion
to past because they believe they exist and have connetions there. Because their focus
in experience with whole life, initial planning (decades), and earning per share or per
quaner and than the building of equity.
 Example expressions : expressions that the capture thins make of time proliferate
in Sino-Tibetan languanges: harmony,” han xu” (implicit communication) give the
dimensional set of relation emotions. And “ting” ( can be ears, eyes, and heart); the
koreans value “nunchi” ( tha is by which they can detect when others are plesed ). key
dfifrences in the way cultures view time and in the chart on the facing page.

IV. GUIDELINES : ATTITUDES TOWARD TIME

Attitudes towards time regardless of the impact new media technologies have on our
view of time (e-mail, blogs, SMS, twitter. Tweeting, and video streaming). Cultural
differences in time orientation continue to be critical because they can color the way
people see one another. However, your understanding that their basic beliefs about the
"best" use of time is very different. Will allow you to communicate with more
sensitivity. The following instructions should be helpful.
a. When conducting business in linear cultures :
 Respect schedules. Be promt fo business appointments and understand that
you will have a brief period to make your point.
 Focus on the meeting. Don’t answer your cellphone or perform any other
task.
 Target the short term. Linear business people expect data and analysis that
address immediate or near future gains and issues.
b. When conducting business in flexible cultures :
  Depersonalize the issue. Don’t interpret lateness as disrespect to your or lack
of commitment to the business goal.
 Provide a wider window of time for the appointement. Building felxsibility
into your schedule will go a long way to reducing common irritation. “ I’ll wait in
your office from 11:00 to 11:30” or I’ll be in my hotel room from 9:00 to 10:00 and
will wait for your call.”
 Clarify expectations. It’s becoming increasingly acceptable to ask. “ is that
12:00 American time or mexico time?” to determine the actual intended start time of a
meeting or sicial event.
 Avoid strict deadlines whenever possible by adding some wiggle room. State
“ the delvery date is between Wednesday and Friday “ or “ the contact needs to be
finalized by second quarter 0f 2003.”

c. When conducting business in cyclical cultures :

 Be punctual. Be on time your appointment, understanding that latness is a
vilotion of form and will be interpreted as aimpolite and disrespecful.
 Maximize “face” time. Allow time to build a relatioship and remember that
face to face interaction is prefereable to electronic or written cummunication.
 Be patient. Understand that cyclical cultures process imformation selowly
and should not be hurried. Their logic may not be yours; they look for connections
and pay a great deal or attention to atmosphere and intution.
 Check comfort level. Remenmber that because many cyclival cultures
communicate indrectly, nonverbal behavior may provide much-needed information.