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PERSONAL CULTURE REFLECTION

Cultural background and heritage:

On the whole, China was one of the most self-aware countries I've ever been. As a result of

my stay in China, I've gained a better awareness of my Chinese background and the cultural

distinctions between the two countries. While I was born and raised in China, I was never old

enough to completely comprehend the culture and its corresponding standards. When I first

arrived in the United States as a Chinese American child, I observed a lot of parallels and

contrasts between how I was reared here and in mainland China. The most striking trend I've

noticed is China's westernization, which is accelerating as the country becomes more

urbanized. To the Chinese, Western culture is seen as "cool" since it is so distinct from

Chinese culture in many ways (Chao, 1997). Chinese and Western cultural discourse is

extremely one-sided in my perspective. Because of my upbringing in the United States, I've

come to believe that many Americans have a radicalized perspective of Chinese culture and

people. Beijing and Xian residents, for example, do not have the cultural or social context to

appreciate American society's unfavorable perceptions of China and Chinese people.

Exposure:

An individual's way of interpreting other people's actions and statements in light of their own

cultural context. People may fill in the gaps left by what isn't expressed when they have a

same cultural logic, making it easier and faster to communicate. However, there is sometimes

an expectation of shared knowledge that isn't conveyed while travelling between different

cultures. There are several reasons why our understanding of leadership processes in different

countries is limited, and many of them may be linked back to our preconceptions. According

to selective perception research, people are more likely to find what they're looking for. It has

been argued that good management is built on good communication. It is at the very heart of
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every successful business. How hard it is to engage with people, especially across cultural

boundaries, given this fact is astounding (Ferguson, 2011). Sometimes we come across as

impatient, condescending, or downright rude without intending to do so at all. From a

management perspective, such actions just contribute to the creation of obstacles to the

development of the organization.

Reaction:

Our minds are filled with a language, no matter where we originate from. It's used, held, and

even bit by certain people. Using it defensively, the English murmur something hazy and

puzzling in response, while the Italians and Spaniards use it as a tool of eloquence, while the

Finns and East Asians throw you with their creative quiet." In certain cultures, it is quite

acceptable to enquire about someone's family; in fact, failing to do so might be seen as a sign

of contempt. However, in certain cultures, this topic is considered taboo. In certain cultures, it

is taboo to bring up the subject of sickness or tragedy. Other cultures do talk about health

issues, which may involve serious illness or death.

Cultural diversions:

When it comes to how people and communications are seen and processed in the minds of

both senders and receivers, cultural influences play a significant role. Network topologies and

needed behavior patterns are examples of cultural effects on communication protocols, such

as the design or shaping of our messages in ways that are culturally consistent for us but not

problematic for our target audience (Laing, 2014).

Limitations with difference:

There are times when an individual's prior experiences can't help them interpret and respond

to cues in a new environment, which can lead to anxiety and unhappiness. Furthermore, even

seemingly little incidents might cause confusion and a sense of helplessness. New cultural
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norms and old-fashioned expectations might cause people to feel conflicted within. As a

result of the conflict, people tend to reevaluate their habits, which can lead to anxiety, stress,

and uncertainty. A person's actions may not have the expected effect if they are not able to

draw on prior experiences to interpret and react to cues in a new environment. This can lead

to anxiety and unhappiness. Changes in national culture cannot be adequately explained by

either the convergence or divergence hypotheses. Interactions with other cultures produce

new cultural elements that are distinct from those of the civilizations with which they engage,

resulting in cultural shifts. Despite the fact that civilizations may retain some of their core

values and beliefs, economic advancements have allowed them to become more

interconnected, competitive, and tolerant of different cultures. People and places are

becoming more interconnected, which results in a partial convergence of cultures and the

formation of new cultural forms known as cultural hybridization, which involves the

incorporation of cultural elements from a variety of sources into specific cultural behaviors.

Cultural Intelligence

"An outsider's apparently natural ability to read someone's strange and baffling gestures as

their compatriots would," is one definition of cultural intelligence. Successful cross-cultural

leadership and management is based on emotional intelligence combined with cultural

intelligence .As a result of its broad scope, the term "culture" is used in a variety of contexts.

No textbook, course, or training program can teach you what you need to know about culture

in just one sitting (Maags, 2018). The scope, extent, and significance of culture must be

acknowledged before we can acquire a clearer picture of what culture is and how it affects us

in our daily lives. The influence of culture cannot be understated. These deeply held beliefs

are often upheld without the individual even being aware of it. It's been passed down from

generation to generation. In spite of the fact that cultures are ever-changing and ever-

changing, they never all go the same path. We haven't made any headway in that regard at all.
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It's dynamic, but it retains its uniqueness despite that. Those which divides members of one

human group from those of another is the mind's communal training Individuals who live in a

certain civilization have a distinct set of beliefs, habits, and attitudes. Key events in the lives

of members of a group are passed down from generation to generation as a result of the

shared experiences of those in the group. How a group of people work together to overcome

obstacles and settle conflicts.

Global management:

The first challenge a manager has is adapting to a constantly shifting environment. For the

second part, you need to develop mutually beneficial interpersonal and intercultural

relationships with people from across the world in order to overcome these challenges and

take advantage of the opportunities provided by the dynamic global climate. As a result,

managers' actions are surrounded by ethical and social responsibility issues. Living and

working abroad may be both thrilling and tedious. At the same time, it's both easy and

complex. There are a number of challenges that come with an abroad assignment, including

psychological and societal shifts. It's also necessary to think about personal, family, and

professional concerns. Getting home after the assignment is another issue that has to be

addressed. However, if managers can develop their intercultural competence before they go,

they will find it much easier to deal with the challenges they would face. A more

homogenized world is anticipated to be the outcome of globalization's driving factors such as

technology, worldwide travel, worldwide communication and immigration, increased

immigration, advertising, rising affluence and consumerism, and so on. People's attitudes,

actions, choices, and objectives will become increasingly similar regardless of where they

come from. Alternately, cultures will converge...

Organizational Culture

Unlike national cultures, involvement in an organization is sometimes limited and voluntary,

but national membership is generally a lifelong and binding obligation for all citizens. For

example, Hofstadter’s study found that national cultures differ most at the level of values,

whereas corporate cultures differ most at the more superficial levels of practices: symbols

and heroes. In common management parlance, organizational cultures are generally regarded

as a matter of values. Many management books fail to distinguish between the ideals of

founders and executives and those of common employees. Similarly like fingerprints,

corporate cultures are an organization's identity (Wang, 1996). A collection of rules,

processes, and behavioral standards are provided to managers by companies in the form of

standard operating procedures and organizational norms. Corporate culture reflects the

norms, values, and permitted (and banned) actions of certain companies, divisions, or

departments within enterprises. It illustrates the impact of an organization's perceived reality

on individuals and groups of employees. Term used to characterize the implicit, unwritten

expectations that both workers and employers have about the terms and conditions of

employment. As in any other type of connection, both parties must be aware of the other's

needs and expectations.

References:

Chao, T.H.(1997) ‘Chinese Heritage Community Language Schools in the United States’.

ERIC Digest.

Ferguson, A. (2011) ‘Zen's Chinese heritage: The masters and their teachings.’ Simon and

Schuster.

Laing, J., Wheeler, F., Reeves, K. and Frost, W. (2014) ‘Assessing the experiential value of

heritage assets: A case study of a Chinese heritage precinct’, Bendigo,

Australia. Tourism Management, 40, pp.180-192.

Maags, C. and Svensson, M. (2018). ‘Chinese heritage in the making: Experiences,

negotiations and contestations.’ Amsterdam University Press.

Wang, X. (1996). ‘A View from Within: A Case Study of Chinese Heritage Community’,

Language Schools in the United States.