Chapter 1: Challenges of living in a global community Flashcards
Global village
A (future) world in which communication technology brings news and information to the most remote parts of the world.
–> increasing mobility and technology make this village more global and diverse, but this does not mean that the physical and psychological borders between countries and people are removed.
Globalization
the process of increasing interconnectedness between societies and and people at the economic, political and cultural levels, so that events in one place of the world have more and deeper effects on people and societies far away.
* this interconnectivity breaks down the boundary between East and West
How to measure globalization
Via the KOF index, which rests on 3 indicators:
1. economic
2. Social (including information flows, and number of MacDonalds/ikea stores)
3. political globalization
Globalization in business
The increase of trade around the world, especially by large companies producing or trading goods in many different countries.
* also the idea that the world is developing a single eocnomy and culture as a result of improved technology and communication, and the influence of very large multinational companies.
There are 3 different views of globalization
- Globalists
- Traditionalists
- Transformationalists
Globalists
Inevitable development, cannot be resisted or sifgnificantly influenced by humans
Traditionalists
Most economic and social activity is regional rather than global.
(Europe is connected with each other for example)
–> because of their belief of a significant role of nation-states they do not want (much) globalization to happen.
Transformationalists
Significant shift (indeed more interconnectedness), but there is still significant scope for national, local and other agencies.
Global cultural diversity
There are about 5000 distinct languages/ cultures, representing at least 300 dinstinct phyla (distinct ethnolinguistic families like Indo-European, Austronesian, etc.)
–> biology and cultural diversity go together.
Global transformation
The worldwide econmic and technological changes that influence how people relate to one another.
–> this is shown by the fact that almost everyone can buy Nike or Ipho
Contributors to cultural diversity/contact
- Advanced technology and transporation, and increased mobility
- Globalized economy and business
- Mass migration and international exchange
Advanced technology and transportation, and increased mobility
It is easier to travel and move for economic or lifestyle opportunities, it is easier to interact online and it is a smaller, but more diverse world (global village view)
Globalized economy and business
There is a global transformation going on (local market becomes as diverse as global market), an international expansion (MNCs operating globally, outsourcing to low-wage countreis), and a more diverse workforce (migrant workers etc.)
Mass migration and international exchange
Circa 5% of global population is mobile: immigration flows, refugees, student exchanges, expats, migrant workers.
The ever-increasing flow of poeple through international migration is the most significant contributorto the culturally diverse society today.
The concept of ‘cultural home’‘
Refers to an individuals sense of belonging to an ethnic, racial or geographic community with shared traditions and practices.
Necessities and benefits of Intercultural Communication
- Multiculturalism at descriptive level
- Multiculturalism as an attitude
- Building intercultural understanding
- Promoting international business exchange
- Facilitating cross-cultural adaption
Multiculturalism at descriptive level
Society is made up of diverse cultures.
Living and working together requires tolerance and mutual understanding: ‘‘melting pot’’ societies flourish when there is acceptance of equal societal participation of diverse groups.
Multiculturalism as an attitude
Refers to a society’s tolerance towards diversity and acceptance of equal societal participation (or not)
–> does the preservation of the ethnic cultures create a threat to the uniqueness and dominance of the mainstream culture?
Building intercultural understanding
Becoming aware of cultural rules by being confronted with cultural rules of others.
Promoting international business exchange
understanding cultural differences is key to succesful business exchange.
for example, for some cultures, business means building relationships (China)
Facilitating cross-cultural adaption
The tension between immigrants and host nationals often centers on the issue of cultural maintenance: melting pot or salad bowl?
Fractionation
is used to describe the divisise separation of people, societies and nations
Recognition of cultural diversity is only a first step…
It has to be translated into practice in everyday lives in order for different cultural groups to reach understanding.
The key to building this understanding between cultural groups is effective intercultural communication.
Small world experiment (1967) conducted by Milgram
- How many steps (via other people) does it take to connect two random people in the world?
- Participants in various cities in the US were asked to send a letter to a person in Boston, only via people that they knew personally.
- Result: on average, it took 5 to 6 steps (people) to get from the starting point to the end.
* Six degrees of separation: network theory
Small world experiment 2.0 in 2012 via Facebook:
- if you pick any 2 Facebook users, its been calculated there is an average of** ‘3.57 ;degrees of separation’‘** between them. (people)
- So, it seems that the world is getting smaller and smaller.
