International culture can also be termed as universal culture, which is a culture or trait that is common to all groups and societies. It represents the beliefs and practices shared by people across oceans and continents. Culture greatly influences the way we lead our lives and how we deal with people in this world. There are several factors that show these cultural differences of thinking, behaving, communicating, decision making and time managing.
International Culture affects thinking:
Cultures all around the world place different affects on people’s thinking processes mentality, and after which they are more likely to lead their lives according to it. Your thinking tells about the way you speak, dress and interact with other people. How you behave whether formal or informal is decided by your culture. It has been observed that German’s are more formal than Americans in way they interact with people. For an American, calling people by their first name is an act of friendship and considered a good sign while for Japanese, it is an act of disrespect.
International Culture affects way of communication:
Some cultures prefer direct while others prefer indirect communication methods. Different cultures have different communication styles. Some believe direct and simple methods while others rely on more complex and indirect methods. For example, Americans and Israelis give more accurate and specific answers to your questions because they believe in direct communication. However Japanese are more indirect and give vague answers with complex signs and gestures.
International Culture’s affects on time management:
Some cultures value time more than others in world. Few are more sensitive towards time while others are not. They manage time in a way that it is very precious for them and don’t waste it at all. For example in case of Americans, time is money and they want to take quick decisions in business and other matters. Their main objective is their tasks about which they only think and not about building relationships such as Japanese and other Asian people do. Their goal is to create relations rather than simply signing a contract. So they invest more time in the negotiation process, so that the concerned parties get to know each other better.
International Culture affects decision making process:
Various cultures prefer one leader, commanding them what to do, while others prefer group discussions before coming to an agreement. Culture is an important factor in determining whether only one leader takes all decisions or, a discussion with whole team is necessary. The Japanese and Chinese emphasize over group consensus and negotiation before reaching their final decision. The advantages of one leader taking a decision is quick and less time consuming. However, discussion might take a longer time to finalize a deal.