Part 5 Cross culture

How does the performance of multicultural teams compare to homogeneous teams?

Broader perspectives and more creative solutions. But they underperform if diversity is not actively managed.

What is a “hybrid team culture” in multicultural teams?

When a successful team develops its own shared norms over time, rather than letting one single culture dominate the group.

What is a major negative downside of a hybrid/virtual team culture?

The lack of face-to-face contact intensifies existing cultural and communication challenges

What are Global Virtual Teams (GVTS)?

Teams that are distributed across different countries working mainly through digital communication.

What non-cultural (structural) layer of difficulty impacts GVT?

Time zones & asynchronous communication.

How are Direct vs Indirect conflict styles culturally categorised?

Direct is confrontational: Linked to individualism and low-context communication
Indirect is avoidance/harmony-preserving: linked to collectivism & high-context communication

What are “face concerns” during a conflict?

This is preserving “face” (both your own & other party’s) and its central.
Open confrontation is avoided b/c it can cause a loss of face both sides.

What are Thomas-Kilmans’s conflicts modes?

Competing
Collaborating
Compromising
Avoiding
Accommodating

They are useful, but their cultural appropriateness varies.

Leadership vs Management?

Leadership is about adaptability & movement. Management is about execution and processes

How does power distance affect the value place on participative leadership?

It is culturally contingent:
Low-power distance: highly valued (employees expect to be consulted, flat hierarchy)
High-power distance: Less valued ( employees expect clear, top-down direction from authority)

Why does de Mooij state that ‘culture’ is at the core of marketing?

Because culture explains the fundamental differences in consumption behaviour and brand perception across different societies.

What is the basic premise of Dülfer’s layers model?

Culture influences marketing through several layers

What are the layers in Dülfer’s model?

Enterprise
“task environment”
legal & political norms
social relations and ties
culturally shaped values
state of knowledge & technology,
natural conditions

Why is colour, symbol, and narrative style important for intercultural marketing?

Because they are implicit cultural codes that change how a brand is perceived.
High-context markets rely on these visual cues and moods to understand the messages
Low-context markets rely on direct, literal facts.

What do UGC trends on Tik Tok/ Instagram show about ICM?

That the same exact product is marketed and received completely across cultural markets.

What is one example of a UGC trend?

Ice bucket challenge (rice bucket challenge in India to address local resource scarcity)

What are the three theoretical positions on globalisation and culture?

Convergence: Cultures become more similar
Divergence: Cultural differences persist or intensify
Hybridisation/glocalisation: Global and local elements blend into new hybrid forms

What does the empirical evidence show about global vs regional value trends?

Globally: values have diverged, especially between high-income western countries and the rest of the world
Regionally: Values have converged (geographic neighbours are becoming more alike)

What are the tech and framework-related future challenges for ICM?

AI & bias: Cultural bias in cross-cultural communication tools “Decolonising” frameworks: Moving away from models that are largely western-built

What macro-environmental and training future challenges face ICM?

Climate change: creates entirely new intercultural and geopolitical dynamics