Communication Among Countries

1ST AXIS describes HIGH CONTEXT (implicit) VERSUS LOW CONTEXT (explicit) cultures, an axis of communication. How do people communicate with each other? Do they say what they mean or is the listener supposed to get the message ‘out of the air’ themselves? This is exactly the difference between high and low context. In a high context culture such as Japan, but also France, communication is often indirect. People have a long history together and therefore it is often not necessary to express an intention in concrete terms. People simply understand each other and can, as it were, ‘listen to the air’. In a low context culture this is exactly the other way around. One of the younger and most diverse countries in the world, the US is the most low-context country in the world. Americans spell out every task in detail to each other, and even if they are joking, they say so, to ensure that the other person does not understand that it was a joke.
MY SCORE- Your score is to the left of the axis, which indicates that you prefer: LOW CONTEXT (explicit) communication. You prefer direct communication with clarity about what you mean. Your communication style matches the style of most Dutch, Germans, Canadians, Australians, and Americans.

2ND AXIS describes DIRECT VERSUS INDIRECT FEEDBACK GIVING and is called the evaluation axis. This scale has a link with the trust scale, number 6.
Countries on the direct feedback side, such as the Netherlands, are happy to provide feedback directly to the person in the group. We believe this is the clearest way to improve work and that task and person are completely separated.
The US is in the middle of the scale. They are known for the 3 positive and then 1 negative points model. The critical point is then weakened, so that the European sometimes does not pick up the critical point at all.
On the indirect feedback side are the Asian countries. Here criticism is given in different phases, preferably indirectly, and never publicly. Loss of face must be always avoided.

MY SCORE-Your score is approximately 1/4 of the axis, which indicates that you prefer:
DIRECT feedback. You prefer to give feedback directly to the person in the group, just like many Dutch people. You believe that this is the clearest way to improve work and that task and person are completely separated.
3RD AXIS describes the belief axis, where three directions can be found:
• PRINCIPLES FIRST
• APPLICATION FIRST
• CONTEXT FIRST.
This axis is more complex because European countries are divided between the first two options. When you want to convince someone of your work in Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, you start with the principles. What are the rules, findings and figures that led to your conclusion?
Western European (NL, UK) and North American countries are more Application First. We would first like to hear the conclusion of the story, and then more explanation about how you came to that conclusion.
Finally, Asian countries are on a completely different scale: the holistic method. Understanding the context is the first thing that is important before we talk about conclusions and the path to the conclusion.
It is also interesting when you ask different people from different cultures to take a photo of a person. Countries in both principles first and application first cultures will most likely take a close-up of a person’s face, while people in a holistic culture will take a photo of the person in his or her environment to reveal context. to make.
MY SCORE-Your score is 1/4 of the axis, which indicates that you prefer: CONCEPT first in conviction. This axis is more complex because European countries are divided between the first two options. When you want to convince someone of your work in Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, you start with the principles. What are the rules, findings and figures that led to your conclusion?

4th AXIS is the leading scale and moves between EGALITARY LEADERSHIP (pursuing equality) AND Hierarchical LEADERSHIP .
European countries have been divided on this axis through the past. Within the Roman Empire, hierarchy was very important, which is why the Southern European countries are on the Hierarchical side. With the Vikings, consensus was much more important and that is why Scandinavian countries, but also the Netherlands, are on the egalitarian side of the axis. The Asian countries have been influenced by Confucius and are also on the hierarchical side.
Within egalitarian cultures, the boss is one of the guys. The boss does not need to know all the answers, can participate in discussions and because discussions are possible, correct decisions are often made, albeit relatively slowly due to all the discussions.
Within hierarchical cultures, the boss is always right. Daddy knows best and it is not right to challenge the boss on his or her decisions. This is the fastest way of decision-making, but of course the margin of error is much higher.

MY SCORE-The fourth axis is the leading scale and moves between EGALITARY LEADERSHIP (pursuing equality) AND Hierarchical LEADERSHIP . You score in the middle of the axis and have no clear preference for egalitarian or hierarchical leadership. On the one hand, you prefer to assume that all people are equal and should be treated equally. On the other hand, you strive for hierarchy and a clear ranking with clear assignments and direction.

5TH AXIS describes the decision scale from SMALL b TO BIG B. This is, as it were, a second hierarchical axis, but it has to do with who makes the decisions and how firm those decisions are.
This is a separate axis from the fourth axis, because for example the US is egalitarian, but the decisions are made by the boss, while in Japan, for example, the group makes decisions despite the hierarchical culture.
Small b decisions mean that decisions are made but are not fixed forever. Americans find it completely acceptable to decide now based on little information, and to adjust it more easily if it turns out that it was not the smartest course of action.
in Big B decisions, such as in European Countries, decisions are more fixed. It takes longer to decide, but once it’s made, we don’t like to go back on it.
MY SCORE-Your score is based on both small and large B decisions. Small b decisions involve decisions that are not fixed forever. Americans find it completely acceptable to decide now based on little information, and to adjust it more easily if it turns out that it was not the smartest course of action. in Big B decisions, such as in European Countries, decisions are more fixed. It takes longer to decide, but once it’s made, we don’t like to go back on it.
6TH AXIS-Scale number six is the trust axis and describes how we trust people on a COGNITIVE VERSUS AFFECTIVE BASIS.
MY SCORE- is to the left of the axis- cognitive – for you, perceiving results and skills are more important than the personal relationship.
Western European and North American cultures fall on the cognitive (task-based) axis of trust. Based on your results and skills, we do business with each other, and business is business, which means that business and private life are kept strictly separate. What is interesting here is that we can consider a colleague as a friend, but as soon as he leaves the company, the friendship is also over, so to speak.
Within this culture, kindness is not the same as friendship, and even if someone is friendly, that does not mean that you will build a friendship. These are the airplane conversations in which you talk openly and personally with the person next to you, after which you never see him or her again and don’t even exchange phone numbers.
Within Asian countries and Latin Europe, affective trust (relationship-based) is more prevalent. Business is personal and the personal relationship you have with each other influences the work. When a colleague becomes a friend, it will remain that way long after the person leaves the company.

7TH AXIS-The seventh axis goes from DIRECT CONFRONTATION TO AVOIDANCE OF CONFRONTATION. This disagreeing scale is about how a culture deals with disagreeing with a decision. On the confrontation side are Europe and the US. Confrontation is considered good because discussion (in our view) leads to better decision-making. A difference in the way of confrontation takes place based on emotions. In the US and Latin countries, more emotion is shown in confrontation, while in Western European countries such as NL and DE, emotions are preferred not to be used at work. On the side that avoids confrontation are the Asian countries. Once again because of the clear role of everyone within society based on Confucius, confrontation is not done. Confronting someone insinuates that the person is not properly fulfilling his or her role in society, which can cause social unrest. If you want to have honest feedback with people from this culture, announce it in advance so that it can be discussed with each other and, for example, use the workshop method with post-its on the wall to make ideas anonymous.

MY SCORE-The seventh axis goes from DIRECT CONFRONTATION TO AVOIDANCE OF CONFRONTATION. This disagreeing scale is about how a culture deals with disagreeing with a decision.
You score in the middle of the axis.
On the confrontation side are Europe and the US. Confrontation is considered good because discussion (in our view) leads to better decision-making. A difference in the way of confrontation takes place based on emotions. In the US and Latin countries, more emotion is shown in confrontation, while in Western European countries such as NL and DE, emotions are preferred not to be used at work.
On the side that avoids confrontation are the Asian countries. Once again because of the clear role of everyone within society based on Confucius, confrontation is not done. Confronting someone insinuates that the person is not properly fulfilling his or her role in society, which can cause social unrest.

8TH AXIS-Finally, we have the eighth scale, the planning scale, ranging from a LINEAR TIME CULTURE TO THE FLEXIBLE TIME CULTURE.
in Western cultures, time is linear. The time can be planned perfectly because natural factors are predictable, as are things such as public transport. Meetings in these countries prefer to be predictable. The agenda is determined in advance, and the meeting must also follow exactly the order of agenda items and the designated time. Is a point running out? A subsequent meeting will then be scheduled to discuss the point again.
In non-Western countries such as Africa and Asia, time is more polychronic and flexible. Public transport is not reliable, nor is the weather, and therefore people are more flexible in responding to the current situation and their perception of time.
Meyer cites an example in which a religious leader in Nigeria decides when the holidays are, which means that an employee can never plan a meeting 3 weeks in advance: the holidays are never known in advance.
Meetings in this culture are also flexible. Agendas are less important, and the meeting discusses what is most important now. Points are not cut off when the scheduled time is up, but the current problem is discussed until it is resolved, even if it delays the meeting by an hour.
MY SCORE-Eighth scale, the planning scale, ranging from a LINEAR TIME CULTURE TO THE FLEXIBLE TIME CULTURE.
You score to the left of the axis – linear time.
in Western cultures, time is linear. The time can be planned perfectly because natural factors are predictable, as are things such as public transport. Meetings in these countries prefer to be predictable. The agenda is determined in advance, and the meeting must also follow exactly the order of agenda items and the designated time. Is a point running out? A subsequent meeting will then be scheduled to discuss the point again.
In non-Western countries such as Africa and Asia, time is more polychronic and flexible. Public transport is not reliable, nor is the weather, and therefore people are more flexible in responding to the current situation and their perception of time.