Bribery & Corruption: how things get done around the world.

Since 1995, Transparency Internationl have produced a comparision of 180 countries by their perceived levels of corruption. Denmark is seen to be the least and Somalia the most corrupt currently. Check out your country’s perceived level of corruption.

Ask yourself these questions about corruption:

• What is it?
• Can you find reasons to justify it?
• Where do you think the money/gifts go?
• Why could people from a ‘corrupt’ society be suspicious of you?

Difficult questions to answer as your answers depend on the culture you are accustomed to. The trouble is, what is considered corruption in one country is perfectly acceptable in another. Also, we tend to ‘judge’ other countries by our own experiences and norms. When working in the Middle East, I was amazed to learn that those who come from a culture where ‘oiling the wheels’ (bribery) is comon place look suspiciously on those that do not adhere to that practice. They find it difficult to understand the motivation behind someone whose purpose is to carry out their job well – because it’s their job.

Read about my experiences below and check out the Corruption Perception Index to see how corrupt your country is perceived to be in relation to the rest of the world.

I got the following story from David Willoughby, a freelance writer now living in Tokyo:

Whilst in Japan, I happened to find myself seated next to another foreigner who recognised me from the gallery event we had both just attended. We chatted amicably for a while … A little while later, he stood up to leave. “If you like art,” he said to me, almost as an afterthought, “you might be interested in this.” And he nonchalantly tossed onto my table his business card on which he had biro’d the details of some upcoming event he was attending.

It wasn’t just the contrived nature of his networking spiel that made the exchange so unforgettable, it was in the small details. It was in the way in which he dealt his card onto the table rather than to me directly, minimising the chance that it might be rejected. It was in the fact that he waited until the final seconds of our encounter to produce it so that neither of us would have to endure the awkwardness of the moment. Before I had a chance to digest what was written on the card he had vanished.

The exchange would have been amusing for any watching Japanese who are, of course, far more comfortable with the use of business cards, or ‘meishi’. In the West, business cards are strictly for networking and careful consideration must be made about if and when to proffer the card – not so in Japan.

www.tokyoartbeat.com

Find more information about cross cultural differences in the exchange of business cards by clicking on the following links:

Top Ten Tips on passing business cards with cultural fluency

Japan: everything you need to know about business card ‘meishi’ etiquette

U.S.,  Britain, Australia: Business Card Etiquette

The art of business card giving: an East West perspective

Watch a Video on Chinese Business Etiquette

In the global commercial world you can’t survive without a business card. A business card is the thing that consolidates ‘who you are’, gives you a ‘proper’ identity and tells the world that you are ‘open for business’. However, people around the world project different meanings on the exchange of cards doing it, therefore, in different ways.

In some cultures, the exchange symbolises the beginning of a relationship. The most ritualistic and sensitive to the practice of business card exchange are the Asian countries (Japan and Korea in particular). Perhaps the least are the British/US/Australians where NO significance whatsoever is attached to the exchange – it’s merely a function of giving someone your details – a reminder.

If you want to ensure that you don’t offend, read the Top Ten Tips below and the special section on Japan and the other on US/Britain. Instructive and comical videos included:

When in Rome, do as the Romans do!  “

That’s the way we say it in English. Originally from Chinese, this Japanese saying means: “In a village do as the village does.”  That’s my best advice for a successful foreign trip. Here are other tips on intercultural communication, cross-cultural differences and how to get the best out of your foreign visit.

1. Remember -there is no right, no wrong – just different. Sometimes different can mean better!
2. Try and learn a few words and phrases of the language, before you go.  Knowing common greetings is always a sign of courtesy.
3. Be observant. Watch how others behave and adapt your style accordingly.
4. Not all countries use ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ the way we do in the English language. Saying thank you to a close friend can be a bit insulting in some cultures – indicating that you are not close at all. Not sure? Then ask.
5. Learn something about the culture of the country you are visiting.  That will help you to ‘acclimatise’ more easily.
6. Research the dress code of the county, especially when visiting the Middle East. Women should be modestly dressed in most cultures other than the ‘West’. Asians are more formal than Americans, but Japan is more formal than other Asian countries. Saudi Arabia is extremely strict on women’s clothing – you must wear a long black robe and have your face and head covered by av eil.
7. Do be sensible if you are travelling between very different climates. The round trip from London to Dubai, via a few days in Helsinki, can play havoc with your health.
8. Learn how you should address people before you go. Africans are very conscious of people’s status. You might want to treat everyone as an equal, but they might expect some respect from you (especially government officials).  Also, others may be humbled in your presence.
9. Gift giving is notoriously difficult to judge; best phone the embassy at home to be sure or consult your own diplomats when abroad.
10. Find out what the local speciality dishes are and decide whether you will try them – go on – have a go! We tried “Ants in the tree” when we were in Malawi: delicious! And, No! It wasn’t ants.
11. An inquiring mind, patience, and the genuine wish to learn from other cultures will provide you with insights about yourself and everyone around.
12. Finally, travel with a sense of wonder, enthusiasm and excitement and this will provide you with the attitude to enjoy your experiences.

 Many people ask whether humour travels – sometimes it does, but more often than not it gets seasick on the way. Here are 10 things to consider on the topic of intercultural humour:

1. Humour gets rather seasick when it travels! Don’t be surprised if foreigners don’t laugh at your jokes
2. Each culture has its own sense of humour. Be aware of the types of humour appreciated by various cultures; irony, slapstick, linguistic, etc.
3. Some cultures have humour that seems infantile to others, or even grotesque!
4. Most cultures have a ‘type’ or a nation who are the butt of their jokes. Ask about that when you are on your travels.
5. Humour can be about nuances which are too subtle for other cultures
6. Humour often involves wordplay and colloquialisms
7. Different cultures have preferences for humorous topics; family, mother-in-law, politics, religion, sexist, blondes, etc. Be aware that what is acceptable in one culture is often very offensive in another. Listen and learn!
8. Some cultures use humour to diffuse tense situations
9. The ability to laugh at oneself is appreciated in some people, but astonishes others. How can you belittle yourself?
10. Don’t start your business presentation with a joke unless you are certain this is acceptable.  Many cultures believe it shows disrespect and demeans the event.

The Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce organised a lecture together with the traditional Shrove Tuesday Lunch at Garbo’s Restaurant with over 30 participants.  Dr. Deborah Swallow, a cross culture specialist from 4C International Limited, gave us a presentation on how to present internationally.

According to Deborah Swallow presenting to international audiences has its own tricks. One should always keep in mind the expectations of the audience. Cultural differences in the audience affect greatly how people react to the presentation and whether or not the message of the presentation is received.

According to Dr. Swallow adapting your way of presenting according to the audience is the key in communicating the message properly. Understanding the differences is important because we need to meet the expectations of our listeners. Whether we want to sell a product or a service or introduce a change in working practices, we need to create rapport with our target audience.

The history of every culture shapes the way of communication for example; many of us can for example recognize the basic difference between the Finns and the Brits. Finns as Members of Nordic countries are concentrated on fact-based propositions while a British audience is instead eager to hear the benefits offered to them. In Nordic countries the communication is very informal when in the UK the titles are very important. A Finnish audience is also much quieter compared to a British one.

An audience is rarely an example of the two extremes, but rather somewhere between them. But one should be aware of whether your audience comes from an individualist or collectivist background, whether they think conceptually or associatively, and whether their language is expressed by doing, thinking or being.

According to Dr. Swallow Finnish people are seen to rely rather on logic with their attitudes and thinking than with emotional appeals. One should still keep in mind that emotions are an important part of communication in many cultures. For instance with Latinos you’ll have to win the hearts of the listeners instead appealing to their logic. Americans love giving powerful and emotional presentations. They aim to tell stories that appeal to the listener’s emotions. “Tell a story to your audience because it will last more than facts”- they believe.

Dr. Swallow also gave us few good tips of the usage of humour in international presentations. In the USA it is common to start a business presentation with a joke and it is a good way to break the ice. The French enjoy playing with language and admire those who can make linguistic jokes in French. In Britain humour is often used to connect with the listener and to create a rapport or to soften a conflict or a crisis. In contradiction, Germans dislike humour in serious business contexts and in Japan humour might be seen as a lack of respect for the situation.

However, Dr. Swallow advised us Finns to appeal to the minds and hearts of our international audiences and to keep in mind that being different does not mean being better or worse!

Finn-British Chamber of Commerce (published March 2009)

We all know the Far East is THE place in the world to buy fake Rolex watches, fake designer clothes and FAKE anything – but why is that so? Is it because of their cheaper manufacturing arm or could there be another, deep-seated reason?

Unfortunately, many western companies dealing with the Far East have learned to their cost that the region has a very different take on Intellectual Property  from people in the West. Confucius, the world-renowned great thinker in Chinese intellectual history, passed on a moral and ethical code that has long influenced the ways of that part of the world. He believed that ideas once in the public domain and belonged to everyone – so ideas written down belonged to humanity. So the Chinese have never grown up with the concept of copyright. In reality, IP wars can be argued to be the tussle between the intercultural dimension of Individualism and Communitarianism. Knowledge and ideas are seen as one’s own indivuidual property in the west. Not so in the East. So, cross-cultural differences exist.

 Having studied psychology for a little while, I was always quick at jumping in to argue that the ‘universal theory’ that I was being taught really was not universal  – I knew too much about cross-culture.  My exasperated teacher acknowledged the validity of my claims but explained I had to learn to walk before I could run and that we would (eventually) study the impact of culture.

However, in recent years, culturally oriented psychologists have sought to show that emotions are  “not the direct outcome of physiological or neurological mechanisms…[but] are always situated and embedded in specific cultural contexts. Accordingly, they are fully saturated with cultural meanings.”

One thing I didn’t learn back then and have been delighted to encounter is some research on the cross-cultural differences in the concept of happiness via Mind Hacks. So, are there cross-cultural differences in happiness? Apparently, yes. And the differences are all to do with cultural variations in the perception of the self.

For North Americans and Europeans, happiness tends to be defined in terms of personal achievement and happiness is best predicted by self-esteem. For East Asians, happiness tends to be defined in terms of interpersonal connectedness and happiness is best predicted by how well embedded the self is in a social network.

Again, as interculturalists, we are reminded of the Individualism-Collectivism dimension of culture. However, when talking about Collectivism and social harmony I somehow hadn’t managed to make this deep connection with happiness.

 The West has a strong belief in independence and autonomy of the self (Individualism). The self is believed to be the centre of thought, action and motivation and happiness is to be found in personal striving. “Happiness is likely to be constructed as personal achievement”.

For East Asian cultures, the self-in-relationship-with-others (Collectivism) is believed to be the locus of thought, action, and motivation. Individuals in these societies are highly motivated to adjust themselves to fit into pertinent social relations. Commitments to social roles, social obligations, and readiness to respond to social expectations are all manifestations of this socially oriented motivation for realizing an interdependent self. Happiness is to be found in  positive social realtionships and mutual sympathy. “Happiness is constructed as realisation of social harmony.”

The research concludes that emotions are  “are fully saturated with cultural meanings.”

Footnote: aim of research to re-evaluate the common understanding of emotions as biologically determined and therefore universal, regardless of where or by whom they are experienced. Particpants in the research were East Asians (represented by Filipino and Japanese participants) and European-Americans (represented by people living in the US). For more information on MindHacks the book by Tom Stafford and Matt Webb and blog. 

It’s long been known that previous research on western societies has shown how the body’s shape (the waist-to-hip ratio–WHR) relates to judgments of women’s attractiveness. Compared to “tubular” figures, “hourglass” figures tended to be judged more favourably in western societies. Perceived attractiveness between the sexes has now beeen established as “the result of the compatibility of biological sex and gendered cues”, that’s to say: masculinity and femininity as specified within the society.

According to a study cited in Science Daily, researchers suggest that if their model is applied to cultures with different definitions for the social roles of men and women, results will show cross-cultural differences in the particular combinations of body cues deemed attractive.

My own research undertaken by ‘straw poll’ amongst a few African communities when I  was working in Malawi a couple of years back brought about some amusing and interesting experiences. With much hilarity, the fellas unanimously voted for a “traditional” female body shape as being the most attractive. I soon got to learn that ‘traditional’ for ALL those communities with whom I mixed was their code for a woman with ample proportions and a good-sized backside. 

I think I’d better move continents!

Most Westerners get confused about when a “Yes” means “Yes” when interacting with people from the East. Now, it seems there is more to get confused about, with a study revealing that even facial expressions can be a source of confusion too. This time it is the East Asians who have a tendency to misinterpret more than Westerners.

It would appear that people from different cultural groups observe different parts of the face when trying to interpret expressions and this leads to the misinterpretation. East Asians tend to focus on the eyes of the other person, while Western subjects take in the whole face, including the eyes and the mouth. Westerners tend to correctly identify the emotions in both white and Asian faces. East Asians are more likely than Westerners to read the expression for “fear” as “surprise”, and “disgust” as “anger”.

This is even reflected in the differing “emoticons” – typographical characters used to create rudimentary faces in emails or text messages – used by the two cultures. Eastern versions focus on the eyes, and western ones change the mouth to depict varying emotions.

The findings suggest that the communication of emotions is more complicated than had previously been believed. Rachael Jack, the psychologist who led the study, said: “Understanding facial expressions of emotion is an essential skill for effective human interaction and although many consider facial expressions to be the universal language of emotion, our research questions this and highlights the true complexities of cross-cultural communication.”

However, it is important to highlight here that in eastern cultures it is less socially acceptable to display negative emotions so they are not atuned to interpret negative facial expressions as they are rarely seen. Western societies are very individualistic, allowing us to express personal opinions explicitly – good or bad.  This is not acceptable in the East.

All in all, the study adds weight to what interculturalists have known for years: that what have always been considered to be “universal” expressions (by those in the West) do not take into account cultural differences.

The Study: Researchers at Glasgow University compared the way 13 Western Caucasians and 13 Korean, Japanese and Chinese participants interpreted the same set of facial expressions depicting seven main facial expressions: happy, sad, neutral, angry, disgusted, fearful and surprised. They used eye movement trackers to monitor where the participants were looking when interpreting the expressions. A computer programme given the same information from the eyes as the East Asian observers was similarly unable to distinguish between the emotions of disgust and anger, and fear and surprise.

The paper, entitled “Cultural Confusions Show that Facial Expressions are Not Universal,” is published today in the journal Current Biology. It states that the Eastern participants used a culturally specific decoding strategy that was inadequate to reliably distinguish the universal facial expressions of fear and disgust. It concluded that information from the eyes is often ambiguous and confusing in these expressions, with consequences for cross-cultural communication and globalisation.