Abstract
We elicit the views of 37 experts who compare three distinctive approaches to the study of cross-cultural understanding: dimensions, cultural metaphors and paradoxes. Underlying this survey, although not openly stated and hopefully invisible to the expert respondents (and confirmed by informal meetings with some of them after they completed the survey), is the assumption that complexity of understanding increases as one moves from dimensions to cultural metaphors and then to paradoxes, with feedback loops connecting them. Prior research supports this progressive perspective based on feedback loops. Also, these three approaches are among the most popular, if not the most popular, methods for describing and analyzing cross-cultural differences, similarities and areas of ambiguity. Indeed, other approaches to cross-cultural similarities and differences can be subsumed in this progressive perspective. This chapter starts with a background discussion of the rationale for focusing on these three approaches, and the justification for analyzing in a comparative manner the major issues that have surfaced about these three approaches relative to their respective strengths and weaknesses. There is then a discussion of our reasons for selecting the 19 survey items, followed by a description of the methodology used, including sample selection and statistical procedures. Since this is an exploratory study of experts, we report only the major findings. However, in the final part of the review we offer suggestions about the manner in which this progression of cross-cultural understanding (via feedback loops) can be applied in the areas of research, teaching and practice, with particular emphasis on modeling human behaviors.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Adler, N.J., Gundersen, A.: International dimensions of organizational behavior. Cengage Learning (2007)
Altman, Y., Berry, M., Cerotti, P., Davison, C., Gannon, M., Nielsen, C., Pillai, R., Rhyne, L., Köhler, T., Scheraga, C.: Applications of cultural metaphors and cross-cultural paradoxes in training and education. In: Friedlmeier, W. (ed.) On-Line Readings of Psychology and Culture (2012). http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/orpc/
Anacleto, J., Lieberman, H., Tsutsumi, M., Neris, V., Carvalho, A., Espinosa, J., Zem-Mascarenhas, S.: Can common sense uncover cultural differences in computer applications? In: Artificial Intelligence in Theory and Practice pp. 1–10 Springer, US (2006)
Brannen, M.Y., Thomas, D.C.: Bicultural individuals in organizations: implications and opportunity. Int. J.Cross-Cult. Manag. 10(1), 5–16 (2010)
Corbin, A., Punnett, B.J., Onifa, N.: Special issue: using cultural metaphors to understand management in the Caribbean. Int. J. Cross Cultural Manage. 12(3), 269–275 (2012)
De Mooij, M.: Global marketing and advertising (3rd edn). Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA (2010)
Fang, T.: Chinese Business Negotiating Style. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA (1999)
Fang, T.: From “Onion” to “Ocean”: Paradox and change in national cultures. Int. Stud. Manag. Org. 35(4), 71–90 (2005)
Fang, T.: Yin Yang: a new perspective on culture. Manag. Org. Rev. 8(1), 25–50 (2012)
Gannon, M.: Working across cultures: applications and exercises. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA (2001)
Gannon, M.: Paradoxes of culture and globalization. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA (2008)
Gannon, M.: Cultural metaphors: their use in management practice as a method for Understanding Cultures. In Friedlmeier, W. (ed.) On-Line Readings of Psychology and Culture (2011). http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/orpc/. (An earlier version of this paper was published in Walter Lonner (ed.). On-Line Readings in Cross-Cultural Psychology, 2003)
Gannon, M.: Sequential cross-cultural learning: from dimensions to cultural metaphor to paradoxes. Ind. Org. Psychol. Perspect. Sci. Practice 5(2), 239–242
Gannon, M., Gupta, A., Audia, P., Kristof-Brown, A.: Cultural metaphors as frames of reference for nations: a six-nation study. Int. Stud. Manage. Org. 35(4), 4–7 (2005)
Gannon, M. Pillai.: Understanding global cultures: Metaphorical journeys through 31 nations, clusters of nations, continents, and diversity (6th edn). Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA (2015)
Geertz, C.: The interpretation of culture. Basic Books, New York (1973)
Gladwell, M.: Outliers: the story of success. Little, Brown, New York, NY (2008)
Hofstede, G.: Culture’s consequences (2nd edn). Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA (2001)
House, R., Hanges, P., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P., Gupta, V.: Culture, leadership, and organizations: the GLOBE study of 62 societies. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA (2004)
Howell, D.C.: Statistical methods for psychology 7th edition. Wadsworth Publishing, USA (2010)
Ji, L., Nisbett, R., Su, Y.: Culture, change, and prediction. Psychol. Sci. 12(6), 450–456 (2001)
Kahneman, D.: Thinking, fast and slow. Macmillan (2011)
Keirsay, D.: Please understand me II: temperament, character, intelligence. Prometheus Nemesis Book, Del Mar, CA (1998)
Osland, J., Bird, A.: Beyond sophisticated stereotyping: cultural sensemaking in context. Acad. Manag. Exec. 14(1), 65–87 (2000)
Osland, J., Osland, A.: Expatriate Paradoxes and cultural involvement. Int. Stud. Manag. Org. 35(4), 93–116 (2005–2006)
Smith, H.: The world’s religions: our great wisdom traditions. Harper San Francisco, San Francisco (1991)
Smith, K.K., Berg, D.N.: Paradoxes of group life: understanding conflict, paralysis and movement in group dynamics. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco (1987)
Smith, K.K., Berg, D.N.: Cross-cultural groups at work. Eur. J. Manag. 15(1), 8–15 (1997)
Smith, W., Lewis, M.: Toward a theory of paradox: a dynamic equilibrium model of organizing. Acad. Manag. Rev. 36(2), 381–403 (2011)
Taras, V., Rowney, J., Steel, P: Half a century of measuring culture: review of approaches, challenges, and limitations based on the analysis of 121 instruments for quantifying culture. J. Int. Manag. 15(14), 357–373 (2009, December)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gannon, M.J., Deb, P. (2018). Cross-Cultural Dimensions, Metaphors, and Paradoxes: An Exploratory Comparative Analysis. In: Faucher, C. (eds) Advances in Culturally-Aware Intelligent Systems and in Cross-Cultural Psychological Studies. Intelligent Systems Reference Library, vol 134. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67024-9_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67024-9_14
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-67022-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-67024-9
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)