Portfolio Exercise #8

Exercise #8a:

Below is a brief explanation of the cultural dimensions:- 

·         Low-context and high-context culture.

Low-context	High-context
Swiss have a low context culture.	The UAE have a high context Culture

·         Individualism and collectivism.

      

Individualism	Collectivism
Australian people work individually.	I and my friends are collective.

·         Low power distance and high power distance.

Lower power	Higher power
The UAE is a low power distance country.	USA is a high power distance country.

·         Uncertainty tolerance and uncertainty avoidance.

Uncertainty tolerance	Uncertainty avoidance
Singapore and Jamaica are an uncertainty tolerance countries.	Germany is an uncertainty avoidance country.

.          Task orientation and social orientation.

Task orientation	Social orientation
A college friends have an assignment, they work together in one assignment but each one do his work invidiously.	The UAE citizens are a social orientation citizens.

Exercise #8b: 

 In our Emirati culture, our first culture dimension that; I and the other citizens are high context, we communicate with others easily and trust each other because of the old traditionals that we learn from our grandparents. The second cultural dimension that we are collectivism. The third one that we are a low power distance that we can give and get from the leaders and the all Emirati citizens are same employees, bosses and leaders. In the UAE there is a high uncertainty avoidance (65) compared with Jamaica and Singapore the lowest two countries in the uncertainty avoidance. Finally we are in the UAE a social orientation that everything we do it in a group because of the laziness of us that we cannot work alone.

Exercise #8b: part 2

Cultural Dimension	Character Todd, Puro, Aisha or other	Outsourced Scene or Circumstance
Low-context culture	Todd	Class
High-context culture	Aisha	Class
Individualism	Todd	He stay lonely
Collectivism	Aisha	staying at a group (family picture)
Low power distance	Todd	Talking to his boss
High power distance	Puro	Asking every time he wants to talk
Uncertainty tolerance	Todd	Cursing his boss
Uncertainty avoidance	Aisha	every time she want to talk
Task orientation	Puro	Boss
Social orientation	Aisha	communicator and good talker

Exercise #8c:

Reflection - For #8c

Create a reflection about the movie Outsourced using the sheets I give you. Show that you really understand the above cultural concepts by answering the following questions: (short answers OK)

1. As soon as Todd arrives, he experiences the discomfort of being disoriented in a

strange new place. What happens at the airport?

 He struggled trying to walk through the huge crowed at the airport, which was an abnormal scene for him. Then he got annoyed by all the taxi drivers around him, who were fighting over him

2. When a friendly traveler helps him get on the train, what does he tell him to do?

He advised him to jump into the train

3. When he gets on the train, he cannot find an empty seat. How is this problem

solved for him? How might this be a cultural solution?

 The young kid offered him his seat and then sat in his lap, because of the high population in india people are used to such a solution such as sharing seats, standing and squeezing in the train cabins.

4. As any exchange student, he has a lot of experiences trying new food. His first

encounter is with an iced drink. What happens?

He got stomach ache, and got sick because of the polluted water used in the iced drink

5. First encounters with a culture can be shocking – Todd sees crowded streets with

cows, noise, and a man urinating in the street. But how does his host describe the

city?

“Bombay is terrible, but here it’s very clean”

6. Even though the host Puro speaks English, Todd uses American slang a lot

without thinking. So as not to insult Puro, what does he say the meaning of

Schmuck is?

“That means like a nice guy”

7. Todd wants to check in to a hotel. But Puro insists he come to a boarding house.

What is the reason he gives Todd?

That he will feel lonely if he stays by himself in the hotel.

8. As soon as they meet, Aunti Ji starts asking very intimate questions that

Americans who have just met would never ask. What kind of things does she ask?

What does your father do, are you married, what’s your salary, do you have a girlfriend? Why did you break up?

9. During his first conversation with Aunti Ji he makes two big mistakes. What are

they?

He ate with his left hand which considered not clean in india and he placed the same hand he ate with back in the food

10. The Golden Rule says do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That

means his Indian hosts and friends are trying to make him comfortable the way

they would be comfortable. How does this apply when the servant is preparing

tea for Todd?

She poured the tea for him and even put sugar just the way they do.

11. How does Todd figure out why one does not eat food with the left hand?

The owner of the boardinghouse explained to him by sign language why Indians think left hand isn’t clean to eat with

12. What is ethnocentric about his statement "You need to learn about America"?

He thinks that America better than India.

13. Why do they disagree on how a "native" speaks English?

Because of the way Americans pronounce some words with an American accent not proper English, they think it’s a matter of different accents which doesn’t mean their English is wrong in India at the end it is a matter of correct English

He was shocked and didn’t understand why Aysha said that. High-context culture

14. What doesn't Todd understand about the Indians' response to the "cattle brand"?

He was talking about it in an insensitive way without knowing how sensitive and holy cows are in India

15. What is Todd's reaction to "You need to learn about India"? What stage of culture

shock might it represent?

He was shocked and didn’t understand why Aysha said that. High-context culture

16. He calls home several times. Why? What stage of culture shock might provoke

calls home?

Because he is homesick.

17. What mistakes in language usage are represented in the recording of the call about

"a rubber"?

Rubber means eraser in English – British accent, as it doesn’t mean the same in the American English

18. Why is he so eager to go to McDonnells?

Because heve been having troubles with food since he arrived plus he’s homesick and craving for a meal that reminds him of home

19. Todd doesn't understand bargaining. How does the Indian respond to this?

 He thought that Todd is barging and started barging back immediately without even paying attention to whats Todd’s actually saying as it’s a very common habit in india

20. What does I.N.D.I.A. stand for?

 I’ll Never Do It Again,

21. What advice does his fellow American have for him?

That once he gives in and stops resisting he will do much better.

22. When Todd develops the incentive system, he has begun to adapt to India. How

has he adapted?

Once he saw improvement from the team he apologized to them and admit that he should learn more about India. He also asked for suggestions and opinions on how to create a better environment from them to work

23. When he looks at the cow in the office the second time, why is his reaction so

different?

Because he started to adjust and fit in which was shown in his second look, it was friendlier and more receptive that his first look and reaction when he just arrived to india

24. Explain the difference between American and Indian cultures when Todd and

Puro discuss how often he visits his family and why he doesn't live with them.

American family each lives separately from each other and rarely they visit or see each other, while Indians they live with each other visit them everytime.

25. What cultural values are involved in the exchange between Aunti Ji and Todd

about ironing his underwear?

In India they iron everything but in America they don’t iron the underwear.

26. How well does Todd handle himself when he is invited over the wall to an Indian

home for a meal?

Very well, that showed us how open he became to new things from a different culture and class than what he’s used to

27. In what ways does he show he has adapted?

He ate as the same way as them, The old lady was happy from him.

28. When the call center floods and they are shut down, Todd finds an "Indian"

solution. What is it?

He brought the Indian friend to help with the electric connections.

29. When Todd comes home, there are several signs that his Indian experience has

influenced him. Name three ways he has become more "Indian".

He called his family to visit them and he adapted the Indian cultural.

He has the third eye that will look after him.