(adapted from the work of Mary Jane Collier, Ph.D., University of Denver)

WHAT IS CULTURE?

•  IS CULTURE . . . A GROUP OF PEOPLE?
•  IS CULTURE . . . SOMETHING PRODUCED BY A GROUP?
•  CULTURE IS . . . A COMMUNICATIVE SYSTEM OF A GROUP.

• CODES - nonverbal, verbal systems of symbols
• INTERPRETATIONS
• NORMS - patterns of appropriate conduct
• HISTORY
• IDENTITY

• TYPES:  National, Ethnic, Sex/Gender, Political Sex/Gender, Organizational, Professional role, Community, Family...
• INFLUENCES:  Economic, Political, Social, Educational, Historical, Psychological, Spiritual...
• SALIENCE:  Relative importance vis a vis other identities
• INTENSITY: Strength with which communicated

•      Avowal and Ascription
•      Contextually variant
•       Interpreted by individuals
•       Negotiated and co-created

 COMMUNICATIVE DIMENSIONS OF CULTURAL IDENTITIES

•  HIGH -- LOW CONTEXT
•  POWER DISTANCE (Status hierarchies)
•  RELATIONSHIP ORIENTATION (Strong -- weak)
•  ACHIEVEMENT ORIENTATION (Strong -- weak)
•  ACTIVITY ORIENTATION (Being -- doing)
•  TIME ORIENTATION (Past -- Future -- Present)
•  ORIENTATION TO NATURE (Human control -- harmony)

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION CONFLICT COMPETENCE I

COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE consists of . . .

• APPROPRIATE CONDUCT (Rule following conduct according to both/all parties involved)
• EFFECTIVENESS (Positive outcomes experienced by both/all parties involved)

 INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION CONFLICT COMPETENCE II

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE consists of . . .

• APPROPRIATE AND EFFECTIVE CONDUCT FOR CULTURAL IDENTITIES SALIENT IN A PARTICULAR CONTEXT
• MATCH BETWEEN AVOWED AND ASCRIBED IDENTITIES
• ENACTMENT OF SHARED CULTURAL IDENTITY

APPROACHES TO DEVELOPING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE

CULTURE SPECIFIC SKILL DEVELOPMENT consists of . . .

• STUDY AND LEARN "OTHER'S" BACKGROUND (history, values, beliefs, political, educational
•  institutions, etc.)
• DEVELOP ABILITY TO ENACT THEIR CULTURE SPECIFIC NORMS
• IDENTIFY OWN STEREOTYPES, ETHNOCENTRIC BIASES
• IDENTIFY OWN NORMS

• FIND INFORMANTS
• IDENTIFY OPINION LEADERS AND PERSONS WITH POWER
• DEVELOP TOLERANCE FOR AMBIGUITY
• DEVELOP  FLEXIBILITY
• MANAGE CULTURE SHOCK
• BECOME A PROCESS OBSERVER