Transcript Unit 7: Perception of Time Across Cultures

Intercultural Business Communication
Instructor: Hsin-Hsin Cindy Lee, PhD
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Part 1: Country profile
Part 2: Case study
Part 3: Learning points
Part 4: Checkpoint
References
How much do you know about
Italy?
Part (1/4)
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Full name
Population
Capital
Area
Major language
Major religion
Life expectancy
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Monetary unit
Main exports
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GNI per capita:
International dialing code
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Italian Republic
58.9 million (UN, 2007)
Rome
301,338 sq km
Italian
Christianity
78 years (men), 83 years
(women) (UN)
1 euro = 100 cents
Machinery and transport
equipment, chemicals,
clothes, wine
US $30,010 (World Bank,
2006)
+39
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Take the art works of Botticelli, Leonardo da
Vinci, Michelangelo, the operas of Verdi and
Puccini, the cinema of Federico Fellini, add the
architecture of Venice, Florence and Rome and
you have just a fraction of Italy's treasures
from over the centuries.
Italy was one of the six countries which signed
the 1951 Paris Treaty setting Europe off on
the path to integration.
Italy is the fourth largest European economy
and has one of the highest per capita incomes
in Europe.
The country's traditional manufacturing
industries suffered a downturn during the
final years of the twentieth century, but there
have recently been some signs that the
economy is beginning to recover from its
decade-long slump.
There is concern over Italy's birth rate - the
lowest in Europe - and the economic
implications of an ageing population.
With the population forecast to fall by nearly a
third over the next 50 years, the late Pope,
John Paul II, instructed Italians to "rediscover
the culture of life and love and... their mission
as parents".
How much do you know about
her?
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Full name
Population
Capital
Largest city
Area
Major languages
Major religion
Life expectancy
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Monetary unit
Main exports
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GNI per capita
International dialing code
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Swiss Confederation
7.4 million (UN, 2007)
Bern
Zurich
41,284 sq km
German, French, Italian, Romansch
Christianity
79 years (men), 84 years (women)
(UN)
1 Swiss Franc = 100 Rappen
Machinery and electronics,
chemicals, precision instruments,
watches
: US $54,930 (World Bank, 2006)
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A landlocked, majestically-scenic country,
Switzerland's long-standing neutral status
has given it political stability that has
helped it become one of the world's
wealthiest countries where banking is a
key industry.
Formally neutral since just after the
Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century
and informally for about 300 years before
that, Switzerland joined the United Nations
in September 2002
Although it lies close to the geographical
centre of Europe, and most of its trade is
with its European neighbors, it is not an EU
member. A referendum in 2001 went
against opening talks on joining.
Membership of the European Economic
Area was also rejected by referendum in
1992 and Swiss-EU relations are now
based on an extensive range of bilateral
agreements.
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A European cultural and
linguistic crossroads, about twothirds of the population speak
German, around one-fifth French
and about 7% Italian. Rumansch,
the fourth national language, is
spoken by less than 1% of the
population.
The people are given a direct say
in their own affairs under
Switzerland's system of direct
democracy which has no parallel
in any other country.
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They are invited to the polls
several times a year to vote
in national or regional
referendums, and people's
initiatives.
Constitutional proposals
and major international
treaties must be put to the
vote, and parliamentary
decisions can be subjected
to a vote by collecting
50,000 signatures.
Project Management & Deadline
Part (2/4)
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A major Italian manufacturing company needed a
new computerized system for its shipping and
handling department.
The Italian company hired a Swiss software and
engineering company to develop the
computerized equipment. This equipment was
going to be put in the Italian company’s
warehouses.
The two companies greed on a plan with four
phases and also developed a general schedule of
when each phase should be completed.
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In the first phase, the two companies agreed
on the preliminary specifications for the new
software and began to write a more detailed
description of these specifications.
These meetings were friendly and effective.
The two teams used English in the meetings
and had no difficulty speaking to each other.
However, within three months there was a
breakdown in communication and
cooperation between the two companies!
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The Italian team
changed the software
plans too frequently.
The Swiss team also
complained that the
Italians were often late
and therefore the
deadlines were not
being met.
Complaints from the
Swiss team
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The Swiss team often
rejected the new ideas.
The Swiss team
required fixed dates
for everything and only
cared about keeping
the schedule rather
than the good ideas for
developing the
computer software.
Complaints from the
Italian team
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The two teams had very unpleasant
cooperation experience.
The result did not please either team.
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The cross-cultural project could not be carried
out successfully.
Why? What happened?
Can you answer the following questions in terms
of Italian, Swiss and Taiwanese cultures?
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Is it usual to work on several phases of a project
at the same time?
Is it important to measure time carefully? Why or
why not?
Should a schedule be flexible? Why or why not?
Is a broken deadline a problem? Why or why not?
Can you use the model of synthetic cultures to
explain the differences of those national cultures?
Part (3/4)
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Perception of Time in Italy
Perception of Time in Switzerland
Further information and examples on punctuality and
daily business schedule
◦ E.g. Italy, England, Kuwait
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Italian business etiquette
Swiss business etiquette
Intercultural business communication tips for
managing time: making an appointment
◦ Company time VS personal time
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Nation movies:
◦ E.g. Late Bloomers (2008) (內衣小鋪) (Swiss film)
◦ E.g. Casomai (愛情媽媽咪呀) Roman Holiday (羅馬假期/ 1953)
(Italian Films)
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In poly-chronic culture, it is
acceptable to do several things
at the same time.
People are able to attend to
multiple events simultaneously.
The approach to deadlines is
flexible.
People do not have to complete
one task before beginning the
next.
In a poly-chronic culture, the
future tends to be seen as
unpredictable so that tight
schedules are considered
difficult and impractical.
Poly-chronic Culture
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Italian people are said to
belong to a generally polychronic culture (although not
all people are exclusively polychronic).
Italian people understand that
delays are a part of life and are
necessary for developing the
best possible product or
service.
They would rather spend more
time perfecting a product or
service than meeting a
deadline.
Italian Culture
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In mono-chronic cultures, one
thing is done at a time
People tend to handle events
sequentially.
Stress are laid on meeting
deadlines and schedules.
Time is divided into segments
that are measured by the clock.
Tasks are assigned to each of
these segments and so are given
a limited amount of time.
It is not easy for a mono-chronic
person to return to a task once it
has been completed.
Mono-chronic Culture
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Swiss people are said to
belong to a mono-chronic
culture.
In Swiss culture, future time
is predictable and carefully.
If extra time is needed, this
will interfere with plans for
the next time segment.
Breaking schedules and
deadlines affects future
schedules and deadlines.
This can have negative
effects on relations.
Swiss Culture
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Most companies have daily and weekly work schedules that
determine when the company is open and closed, when the
employees have lunch, and when the employees can take
breaks.
These schedules vary within countries, but there are general
work times that may apply to many companies within one
culture.
Look at the following schedules and typical workday
schedules of small businesses in several cities around the
world.
Identify the major differences and answer the question:
◦ If you need to make an appointment with your business partners in that
city, when would you like to meet them? Choose the time segment and try
to explain your reasons.
Verona ,
Italy
Mon-
Fri
9-10
Work
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
Work
2-3
Lunch
3-4
Lunch
4-5
Lunch
5-6
Work
6-7
7-8
Kuwait
Taipei
UK,
London
Mon-
Fri
Mon-
Fri
Mon-
9-10
Work
9-10
Work
9-10
10-11
10-11
10-11
11-12
Work
11-12
11-12
12-1
Lunch
12-1
12-1
1-2
Work
1-2
Lunch
1-2
2-3
2-3
Lunch
2-3
3-4
3-4
Work
3-4
4-5
4-5
4-5
5-6
5-6
6-7
6-7
7-8
Fri
7-8
*Work stops for prayer five
times a day.
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To arrange a meeting write, in
Italian, first. Follow this up with a
phone call, fax or e-mail. The best
time for meetings is between 10 –
11 a.m. and after 3 p.m. Avoid
August as most businesses will run
on skeleton staff due to holidays.
Italians are usually relaxed around
issues relating to time. Being late
with a good reason will not have
any negative consequences.
However, deliberate lateness is
considered sloppy and taking
people’s time for granted is simply
rude.
Making Appointments
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Good manners and courtesy are
prized qualities in Italy. However,
it is important to remember that
Italians rate considerateness above
behavioral formulas.
When meeting and departing
always shake hands. This is valid
for both individuals and groups.
Italians are a tactile people.
Moving away or keeping your
distance may be interpreted as
cold and unfriendly.
When doing business in Italy, dress
to impress. What you wear speaks
volumes about the kind of person
you are.
Manners
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Meetings are always by
appointment.
The Swiss are perhaps the
most punctual people on earth.
You should arrive for any
engagement at precisely the
appointed time, not early-your counterpart may be
unprepared--and certainly not
late. This is especially true in
the German-speaking areas.
Office-hours are generally
7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday
to Friday with a one or two
hour lunch break between
noon and 2:00 p.m.
Making Appointments
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Standard attire for men
includes finely tailored woolen
suits, white cotton shirts and
plain silk ties, with highly
polished black leather shoes.
Standard attire for women
includes suits or skirts of a
conservative length. Trousersuits, in classic styles, are also
acceptable.
You should dress well, but
modestly. The Swiss dislike
ostentatious displays of wealth
and appreciate clothing that is
simply clean, well pressed, and
in perfect condition.
Dress
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One more way to look at time is to divide it
into two categories: Company time and
personal time.
Every culture and individual balances these
two types of time differently. In some
cultures, company time is often more
valued than personal time. This means that
when life gets busy, personal time will be
sacrificed for company needs.
In many other cultures, personal time can
take priority.
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Company time is the time you
spend at work or doing workrelated activities, such as
reviewing a report at home or
going to an office cocktail
party in the evening to
socialize with co-workers.
It is the time given to the good
of the company.
Personal time is the time you
spend with family or friends. It
is the time you have yourself.
Company Time VS
Personal Time
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Are you working now? How many
hours a week do you work?
How many hours a week does a
business person usually work in
Taiwan? Is that just about right?
Why?
How much vacation time does a
business person usually get in
Taiwan? Is it just about right?
Why?
Would you bring work from the
office? What is more important to
you, company time or personal
time? Why?
Your Opinion
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Business Across Cultures. By Laura M. English
and Sarah Lynn.
www.bbc.com.tw (country profile)
Italian Business Culture By Neil Payne
Doing Business in Switzerland By Paul Dray
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See you next time!