HIGH VERSUS LOW

CONTEXT CULTURE
How do relationships differ between high and low context cultures?
How do relationships in each start?
What are the overall differences between high and low context dealing with the
concept of relationships?
FIRST IMPRESSION
High Context culture
When meeting someone for the first
time one asking the other person’s age
and marital status is not impolite.
This information tells you how to
proceed with your interactions.
Asking or telling name is not common
Low context culture
When you first meet someone it is
common to introduce yourself casually.
A simple introduction may only consist
of your name depending on the
situation.
Immediate inquiries about age and
marital status may seem too forward and
perhaps rude.
EXAMPLES OF COUNTRIES
WITH LOW CONTEXT
CULTURE
 Australian
 English Canadian
 English
 Finnish• German
 Irish
 New Zealand
 Scandinavia
 Switzerland
 United States (excluding the Southern United States)
EXAMPLES OF COUNTRIES
WITH HIGH CONTEXT
CULTURES
African French
Arab Greek
Brazilian Hawaiian
Chinese Hungarian
Filipinos Indian
French Indonesian
Canadian Italian
Japanese Latin Americans
Korean Persian
Spanish Portuguese
Vietnam Russian
Thai Turkish
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
High Context
How things get done depends on relationships
with people and attention to group process.
Ones identity is rooted in the groups they are
in i.e. family, work, culture.
Social structure and authority are centralized;
responsibility is at the top. Person at top
works for the good of the group
Space is communal; people stand close to
each other, share the same space.
Low Context
Things get done by following procedures
and paying attention to the goal.
Ones identity is rooted in oneself and ones
accomplishments.
Social structure is decentralized;
responsibility goes further down (is not
concentrated at the top).
Space is compartmentalized and privately
owned; privacy is important, so people are
farther apart.
RELATIONSHIPS
High Context
Relationships depend on trust, build up slowly,
and are stable.
One distinguishes between people inside and
people outside ones circle.
Small, close-knit groups, and reliance on that
group.
Groups are heavily relied on for support, it may
be difficult to get support outside of your group.
Professional and personal live soften intertwine
Low Context
Interpersonal relationships can be intense
but short term.
Relationships begin and end quickly.
Many people can be inside ones circle.
The circles boundary is often not clear.
A lower context culture demands more
independence.
Expects many relationships, but fewer
intimate ones.
RELATIONSHIP
high context culture
the coming together stage takes quite a
long time to happen.
Once a relationship reaches the bonding
stage it will often stay in relational
maintenance for a very long time.
Relationships do not often reach the
coming apart
low context culture
In the coming together stage can happen
very quickly and can reach the bonding
stage shortly after meeting.
A relationship can go through the whole
cycle of coming together, bonding, and
coming apart in a short amount of time.
IN CONCLUSION…..