Is Studying Culture Important

If you see in any given situation only what everybody else can see, you can be said to be so much a representative of your culture than you are a victim of it. (S. I. Hayakawa)

From the highest parts of Canada to the lowest plains in Australia cultures vary from country to country, city to city, and region to region. The world with its advancements in technology has become smaller and smaller. We are more likely to run into people from different cultures than we were ever before. The ability to communicate with people on the other side of the world makes globalization so much easier. In the past we were not able to jump on a plane from Houston and arrive in Johannesburg 15 to 18 hours later. Business is being done all over the world with people all over the world. This alone is a reason why it is important to lean about other people's culture.

In some business situations a man in New York may want to do business with a man in China that involves an investment or company in India. This business meeting involves three different cultures. One the American from New York, Two the Chinese man, and the Individuals they must meet in India. Without the distinct knowledge or understanding one the others culture both the American and Chinese man may have a problem interacting with one another. Many cultures have certain ways they great one another. Misunderstanding a gesture of phrase can put the negotiations or business relationship at risk. For example in the Arab culture showing someone the bottom of your shoe is an insult. Can you imagine an American business man who doesn't know this just casually crosses his legs and show the bottom of his shoe to an Arabian business man? Other problems can come from one the five-value dimensions described by Hofstead, Power-distance. Power-distance is the degree to which a society accepts the fact that an organizations power is unequal. If an organization from a developed country