German-Chinese Business Partnership and the Prevalence of Ageism
Task Description:
This assessment provides you with an opportunity to report your analysis of and reflection on your own intercultural experience. Start as early in the semester as possible to search for a suitable cultural event for yourself. To accomplish this assessment, you are required to:
Attend and participate in one cultural event this semester; this event should be organised by members of a culture (or subculture) other than your own (i.e. you are an "outsider" of this cultural or subcultural group). Examples of cultural events include, but not limited to, cultural fairs, weddings, church activities, celebration of cultural festivals and so forth. You may search the local newspapers, the internet, and any other sources to locate a suitable cultural event for you.
Search for information (academic and non-academic) to learn about the cuture or subculture you have choosen. Identify some aspects of the chosen culture you want to learn more about (e.g., a cultural practice, a tradition, a value, a traditional dish/food for special occasions, etc.).
Observe and participate in the event. You may pay attention to how culture is reflected in the interactions and behaviours of people from the cultural group at the event.
Formulate around 5 questions you want to ask people from this cultural group about the aspects of their culture you want to learn more about. Locate about three persons from this cultural group at the event to ask them your questions to gather their views on what you want to learn more about. Summarise your main findings.
Identify a problem or a set of related problems that might arise in communication between members of your own cultural group and members of the cultural group under study (e.g., stereotypes, different beliefs and values, communication styles, etc.).
Apply at least one theory to analyse the identified intercultural provlem(s) and provide possible solutions. This requires you to apply your knowledge and skills learned in the course and other relevant literature you have searched. Your possible solutions should be specific, not just general statements.
Reflect on your learning from this intercultural experience.
Include the following sections in your intercultural report:
Title of the report: Provide a specific title for your intercultural report.
Introduction: State the culture or subculture you have chosen and provide a justification for your choice of the cultural group and the event.
The event: Provide a brief description of the event and its significance to the cultural group who prganised it.
Observations and interactions. Explain what you observed at the event that you understood accurately and what was puzzling to you. Describe your questions and the persons you have chosen to ask those questions (no need to include real names of the people you asked the questions). Summarise your main findings.
Problems, solutions and application of theories: Identify and analyse potential problems that might arise in communication between people from your own cultural group and the other cultural group under study. Provide possible, specific solutions to the identified intercultural problems by drawing on theories learned in the course and other relevant literature you have searched.
Reflection: Reflect on your experience of interacting with people from a different culture, and discuss what you have learned from your intercultural communication experience.
References: All sources of references cited within the report must be included in the reference list. APA referencing style is preferred. You may follow another standard referencing style. However, you must be consistent in using one referencing style.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
The word limit (1500 words) is suggestive. No penalties will be applied to your assignment based on the sole reason that it is over or under the suggested word limit.
Reflective Essay
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Reflective Essay
Introduction
Intercultural communication is fundamental in contemporary culturally diversified societies because it influences how different groups interact. In this course, materials highlight the complex aspects arising from diverse cultures. As a result, in this assessment, I have chosen to explore two cases, the German-Chinese business partnership and the prevalence of ageism, because of the unique aspects that they provide that facilitate my ability to introspect and learn more about the subtle elements of intercultural communication within the Chinese context. Case 2 and Case 3 are ideal for improving my understanding of learned concepts as a Beijing-based resident because they represent commonly experienced problems in my society. For instance, the language and cultural diversity due to the city’s cosmopolitan nature illustrates the need for cultural difference sensitivity. Moreover, the presence of an aging population highlights the value of proper interaction between different age groups. Thus, the two case studies are ideal for refining varied intercultural communication concepts and their applications.
Analysis of Problems and Application of Theories
Case 2
The case study about the German and Chinese partnership in the Prospect 88 company highlights diverse causes of intercultural problems. For instance, ethnocentrism emerges as one of the leading issues of concern due to the variation between German and Chinese workers’ cultures. Panicker and Sharma (2021) indicate that ethnocentrism arises due to inadequate or lack of exposure to other cultures, creating an impression of superiority among the interacting groups. Such an aspect makes negative judgments of other individuals based on one’s cultural perspective without consideration of the values of their culture. This issue occurs in Case 2 as demonstrated by the perception of the German workers that the Chinese counterparts have minimal organization skills. They also consider them unpunctual and reluctant to take individual responsibility for their work. The Chinese employees also find German’s approach to work as a depiction of unfriendliness. These challenges arise due to a lack of awareness about the cultural values of each group. Instead, both groups judge the other from their viewpoints.
Cultural misunderstanding also dominates in case 2. Chen (2021) states that cultures with differing approaches complicate interactions between parties in workplaces. For instance, one of the leading causes of communication challenges between the Chinese and Germans is the linguistic phenomena influenced by interculturality. The author reveals that while Germans prioritize direct communication, the Chinese favor indirect contact. The former also emphasizes the separation of private and work life, unlike the latter, which easily mixes the two (Chen, 2021). This aspect emerges as a critical contention between the Chinese and German professionals in the Prospect 8 corporation because the Chinese feel offended by the open and direct correction of workers in the workplace. Conflict also occurs due to unresponsiveness when the Chinese manager, Shan, tries to contact the German colleagues over the weekend for work-related issues. These issues represent the misunderstanding of the cultural aspects between the two parties. None appear conversant with the other’s culture, creating the experienced tension.
Prospect 88 can implement critical solutions to assist the employees in overcoming various intercultural problems. For instance, Panicker and Sharma (2021) identify soft skill education about ethnocentrism as an essential process of creating awareness and promoting tolerance and acceptability of varying practices in workplaces. Such an aspect is consistent with the value orientation theory by Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck, which enables people to acknowledge how others relate to factors such as activity and time (Hills, 2002). As a manager, Shan should also demonstrate multicultural leadership approaches that embrace the values of its partners in China. Kamales and Knorr (2019) reveal that harmonizing cultural perspectives in diversified work settings eliminates associated conflicts through the improved awareness of the differences. This aspect would end disrespectful views when Germans correct Chinese workers and promote punctuality and productivity within working hours. Moreover, Germans would also appreciate continuous contact with their Chinese counterparts beyond their working hours through cultural training. Thus, these solutions would improve understanding of cultural differences and promote seamless collaboration and interactions.
Case 3
An analysis of case 3 reveals that stereotype is the primary cause of intercultural problems experienced between older people and younger populations. Research indicates that the changes in expression and physical capabilities trigger pre-conceived beliefs in populations towards the aging groups. For instance, Donizzetti (2019) confirms that age-based prejudice has become commonplace in many societies. The author indicates that these groups grapple with condescending attitudes from the younger populations as they are perceived as non-productive and incapable of executing certain activities. The system justification theory explains mechanics that lead to the generalized viewpoints about such a disadvantaged group. According to Degner et al. (2021), such groups have specific characteristics, including diminished cognitive power, compromised hearing and vision, and minimal effort that make them dependent on other adults. Such blanket attributions lead to the dominance of offensive practices such as baby talk, which the elderly consider humiliating and disrespectful.
The observed issues in case 3 could also result from communication differences between the older and the younger generations. For instance, the argument that individuals blame older adults an...