In my opinion switching from high-context culture to a low-context one is much easier, technically, than the other way around. Geography Communication in Polish society is ' low context ', meaning that they usually speak frankly and can be very direct when it comes to saying 'no'. My first thought was not Oh cool, good to have that in writing, but Why did she bother sending that to us? Building relationships is an important and required step to achieving social and business goals. After the country lost its sovereignty in the 19th century, Romantic literature flourished in the country. Pomeranian Voivodeship - a voivodeship located in the northern part of Poland. The danger here is that a person from a direct culture may come across as insensitive and ill-mannered, while the person from the indirect culture may appear scattered and shifty. Interpersonally, long-term oriented countries were more satisfied with their contributions to Being attentive to daily human relations, deepening human bonds in family, neighborhood and friends or acquaintances when compared to their short-term counterparts.32. Use titles and surnames until invited to use first names. A traditional Polish meal starts with soup (zupa), followed by a main course with meat (cutlets) served with cooked (boiled) potatoes or dumplings. What could you do at that point to help rebuild that persons face? In anthropology, high-context culture and low-context culture are ends of a continuum of how explicit the messages exchanged in a culture are and how important the context is in communication.The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language, verbal messages, or non-verbal messages. Polish literature developed and evolved since the arrival of Christianity in Poland. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. Generally Polish employees are motivated by the recognition of good performance, a more visible position with a higher title, the opportunity to work in a company that is contributing to the modernization of Poland, a chance to develop good relationships with colleagues, and by incentives that allow them to spend more leisure time with family and friends. But respect for hierarchy of seniority and position is practiced. Naturally, high-context communication can occur in a low-context culture, as the German biergarten illustrates. In 1924, the novel Chopi won Wadysaw Reymont a Nobel Prize in Literature. Some gestures can mean wildly different things in different parts of the world. A high context culture orientation is one in which information is shared consistently by all members of the same group. Although most people in the country wear modern Western outfits in their daily lives, the traditional attire is worn during cultural festivals, weddings, religious events, harvest celebrations, and other special occasions. The first of Geert Hofstedes original dimensions of national cultures was power distance, or the degree to which those people and organizations with less power within a culture accept and expect that power is unequally distributed within their culture. Outstanding Polish literature was produced in the 20th century and the Avant-Garde experimentation played an important role during this time. People from high-context culture communicate in an allusive way, body language is very important because the interlocutors use non-verbal signals to a large extent. Poland is in the middle on the scale, closer to low-context which doesn't mean it is easer for us to adjust. Children are taught to be polite and the Polish society stresses a lot on polite behavior. Hierarchy Leadership, Culture, and Ethics in The Polish Context - JSTOR Messages are both spoken and read between the lines. Notice that the U.S. does not make it into the top five or the bottom five. A luminary is an expert who sheds light on a subject and inspires and influences others work in that area. Lien is both a social sanction for enforcing moral standards and an internalized sanction.46 On the other hand, mien-tzu stands for the kind of prestige that is emphasized in this country [America]: a reputation achieved through getting on in life, through success and ostentation.47 However, David Yau-fai Ho argues that face is more complicated than just lien and mien-tzu, so he provided the following definition: Face is the respectability and/or deference which a person can claim for himself from others, by virtue of the relative position he occupies in his social network and the degree to which he is judged to have functioned adequately in that position as well as acceptably in his general conduct; the face extended to a person by others is a function of the degree of congruence between judgments of his total condition in life, including his actions as well as those of people closely associated with him, and the social expectations that others have placed upon him. Low-Context Culture Communication & Examples - Study.com Uncertainty avoidance then involves the extent to which cultures as a whole are fearful of ambiguous and unknown situations. We cannot escape it; however, some people are more prone to becoming fearful in situations that are ambiguous or unknown. The Catholic Church is core to everyday life. Several types of soups like ros, flaki, and zupa ogrkowa are also part of the Polish cuisine. People in more indulgent countries are going to be happier than their restrained counterparts, and people within indulgent cultures show lower rates of cardiovascular problems commonly associated with stress. Older, more traditional managers have technical skills but may lack management skills. Other religions practiced in the country include Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Most often, in cultures which are closer to the Direct side of the spectrum, you can expect that what is being said has the most value. Relationship Focused . DM me with 'GLOBAL LEADER' and I'll share with you how I support international leaders in their ability to work well across cultures. The emphasis on endurance is vital because being persistent today will help you in the future. Poland boasts 17 Nobel prize winners, including four Peace Prizes and five in Literature. Poles consider themselves independent and self-disciplined. Today, many companies have goal-setting, 360 feedback, and training programs. Decisions come from the top, but only after managers can demonstrate consensus has been reached by their teams. Geerts taxonomy was originally based on data collected by IBM, and he found that cultures could be differentiated by power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term vs. short-term orientation, and indulgence vs. restraint. How did your friends react to your decision of moving abroad? A high-context culture relies on implicit communication and nonverbal cues. The beaches and coastal waters of the country offer aquatic sports and beach activities like canoeing, kayaking, sports-fishing, etc. In this section, were going to examine three important luminaries that have helped shape our understanding of culture and intercultural communication: Edward T. Hall, Geert Hofsteded, and Stella Ting-Toomey. The way people act with one another may be based on relationship, hierarchy and other contextual cues. Emotionally Expressive KNOWLEDGE is your understanding how various cultures may be similar or different, on many levels business culture, leadership, laws, linguistics. Recruiting is done through executive search firms and through the internet. In addition to the previous characteristics, Hofstede noticed a fifth characteristic of cultures that he deemed long-term and short-term orientation. The notion of masculinity and femininity are often misconstrued to be tied to their biological sex counterparts, female and male. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Currently, the Polish society has 6 groupings. This post is a part of the series where Id like to share some of my cross-cultural experiences and stories. In essence, in LCC, meaning is expressed through explicit verbal messages, both written and oral. Want to get support in developing these skills and make your intercultural working more of a breeze? When Poles are comfortable with you and you are part of their private circle, communication can be more outspoken, direct and even cynical. These are some important high-context culture characteristics to look out for. When we look at only the two however, it turns out that even though UK and Poland are so close to each other on the scale, you can still feel the difference in the communication style. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Other regions of Poland have their own folk costumes with most involving a display of vibrant colors, embroidery, ornamentation, lace aprons, beaded jewelery, and elaborate headgears. Feedback must be handled carefully, and many Poles may not feel comfortable evaluating those above them. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Poland is bordered by 7 countries and the Baltic Sea. Negotiations with new customers are going to be tougher and longer until a relationship is established. Privacy Policy. His book Beyond Culture is still considered one of the most influential books for the field of intercultural communication.17,18 According to Hall, all cultures incorporate both verbal and nonverbal elements into communication. And yet they hurt. Documents should all be translated into Polish even if negotiations are in English. An overview of high context culture. Messages are both spoken and read between the lines. Individualism-collectivism shapes members preferences for self-oriented facework versus other-oriented facework. Management in high-and low-context cultures - Poland and Korea in the High and Low Context Culture Impacts on International Retailing In the past, HR was seen as a channel for instilling the goals of the communist party. Well, typical. High-context cultures will use communication that focuses on underlying context, meaning, and tone in the message, and not just the words themselves. " Does it mean that I sometimes go there and back for just the weekend? 29. As far as Ting-Toomeys theory goes, she takes this idea one step further to understanding how face and communication ultimately enable successful intercultural conflict management. In high-context communication, a message cannot be understood without a great deal of background information. Marriage plays an important role in the Polish society. With class, many cultures have three clear segments low, middle, and upper. High-Context Cultures. Is Poland a high context culture? - Answers STRATEGY is the awareness of your own cultural preferences and how they impact your interactions with others, as well as the ability to plan for multicultural interactions and check whether your understanding was correct or not. In terms of two interacting parties, face is the reciprocated compliance, respect, and/or deference that each party expects from, and extends to, the other party.48. One of Halls most essential contributions to the field of intercultural communication is the idea of low-context and high-context cultures. 30.04.2021 - Radio broadcast (no. However, over the years, the traditional views have changed and marriages are now based more on the consent of couples than the family and divorces have also become more common than before. Moreover, in a collectivistic culture, there is a belief that you should do what benefits the group. Having a Difficult Conversation with Someone from a Different Culture To show one's disagreement and anger in public is tantamount to admitting loss of control and face, because what is being said is taken personally which may have an influence on interpersonal relationships. Starting one step at a time to develop these can really transform the way you react and manage challenging intercultural scenarios! Site Name: UK - London - Brentford, Warsaw Posted Date: Mar 2 2023 HR Business Partner Poland and Austria & HR Country Head Austria Job purpose: HR Business Partner Poland and Austria & HR Country Head Austria will partner with the commercial business to adapt and effectively execute the people plan, leveraging their local context and expertise, to ensure the effective deployment of the GSK HR . )%2F06%253A_Cultural_and_Environmental_Factors_in_Interpersonal_Communication%2F6.03%253A_Cultural_Characteristics_and_Communication, \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}}}\) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\), 6.4: Improving Intercultural Communication Skills, https://doi.org/10.1080/17475759.2017.1292944, Jason S. Wrench, Narissra M. Punyanunt-Carter & Katherine S. Thweatt, source@https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/interpersonalcommunication, status page at https://status.libretexts.org, Strong Distinctions Between In and Out-Groups. 3. Short-term oriented cultures, on the other hand, tend to focus on both the past and the present. According to a 2013 report from the U.S. Census department (using income data from 2012), here is how income inequality in the U.S. looks: Households in the lowest quintile had incomes of $20,599 or less in 2012. Compare and contrast two countries and their levels of context. Femininity, on the other hand, involves characteristics like having a good working relationship with ones manager and coworkers, cooperating with people at work, and security (both job and familial). Go to Offer link in the bio (or simply DM me with the word 'CULTURE') to learn more! Companies who decide to hire locally should be prepared to have translators present during interviews. People say what they mean and mean what they say. Some everyday Polish foods include kiebasa (a type of sausage), pierogi (filled dumplings), pyzy (dough balls filled with meat), kopytka (potato dumpling), gobki (cabbage leaves wrapped around meat and rice), bigos (stewed meat and cabbage), etc. The Polish version of Santa, Mikolaj visits children on Christmas Eve or on December 6th to shower them with gifts. Then, there is a much bigger chance for success. The Polish also love playing volleyball and the country has a history of participation in several international competitions of this game. Catholicism plays a significant role in the lives of people living here and around 65% attend Church services regularly. High-context and low-context cultures - Wikipedia US is the most low-context culture followed by Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, UK. Around 10 to 15% of the Polish population is composed of the nobles or the gentry called the szlachta. Christianity is the dominant religion in Poland with about 92.2% of Poles being Roman Catholics. A high-context culture is a culture in which people rely heavily on nonverbal and implicit communication. If you are from a high context culture and working with someone from a low context culture, focus on the content of the message without looking for hidden meaning. Authors: Przemysaw Hensel No full-text available . There was atime when I attended a meeting where a decision has been made on the task split and further steps of the project. I would now therefore like to share some of my examples and experiences related to this dimension. In relationship-based cultures, eg. High-Context Cultures. However, nuclear families are more common now and so are families with single parents. Therefore the landing page is image-heavy. Employees may withhold discussing problems for a long time before finally raising them. During this time, three poets, entitled the Three Bards (Zygmunt Krasiski, Adam Mickiewicz, and Juliusz Sowacki) acted as the spiritual leaders of the nation. The cultural variability dimensions, in conjunction with individual, relational, and situational factors influence the use of particular facework behaviors in particular cultural scenes. You can read a short introduction to the series here. Are you experiencing identity crisis while living abroad? It was simply a reflection of the need for being 100% clear in the message and avoiding any misunderstandings. Business is business. When it came to trait affection given, the United . When it came to trait affection given, the United States participants reported giving more affection than any of the three other countries. Doesnt she trust us?. It is crucial that we compare the cultures in relation to each other on the graph. . When it comes to British humour however, I totally get it (if I understand the vocabulary of course, cause sometimes sadly I dont )! The Poles have always welcomed artists from abroad and adopted cultural trends of other countries to enrich their own lively cultural scene. As the cities in Poland grew during the Middle Ages, the food markets of the country flourished and culinary exchange of ideas also grew. DRIVE is your motivation and level of curiosity for multicultural interactions. Poland was under the rule of communism from 1945- 1989. Here is the graph showing UK and Polish cultures compared with my preference on the Communication scale. Meetings are formal. In 2017, Daniel H. Mansson and Alds G. Sigurardttir set out to examine the concept of trait affection in relation to Hofstedes theoretical framework. Need for Certainty President Nixon did the same thing existing an airplane in Brazil flashing his famous OK sign with his thumb and forefinger forming a circle, but this is the middle finger in that culture. In the 1970's, anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined the phrases "high-context culture" and "low- context culture.". However, income is just one indicatory of power distance within a culture. The ability to navigate successfully across cultures is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Repetition is appreciated if it helps clarify the communication, High-context: Good communication is sophisticated, nuanced, and layered. In the Krakw region of Lesser Poland, women wear elaborate traditional dresses that comprise of a white blouse, an embroidered vest, an apron, and a full floral skirt. They come from people caring for us and the relationships we have together. Most Asian countries are considered collectivistic cultures because these cultures tend to be group-focused. In emailing, running workshops, structuring the work and presentations its important that all the ideas are stated clearly, asking clarifying questions is encouraged. During Christmas in Poland, the Poles hold grand Christmas feasts at their homes and share the food with family members. During an interpersonal interaction, individuals strive to create a positive version of their face for the other person. Messages are often implied but not plainly expressed.. In 1988, intercultural communication research Stella Ting-Toomey developed face-negotiation theory to help explain the importance of face within interpersonal interactions.37 The basic idea behind face-negotiation theory is that face-saving, conflict, and culture are all intertwined. #expatcoaching #expatlife #livingabroad #expatcoach #workingabroad #lifeabroad #workabroad #careerabroad #internationallife #internationalcareer #globalcareer #globallife #globalleaders #culturalawareness #selfawareness #selfgrowth #personalgrowth #personaldevelopment #culturalcompetence #movingabroad #zyciezagranica #zycienaemigracji #pracazagranica #rozwojosobisty #polacyzagranica. The St. Andrew's Day is a traditional holiday in the country and is celebrated on November 29. Poles are also used to less personal space in public, and they offer help to one another on trams, busses and in other public locations. Anxiety about the future based on: a history of beingtaken over by neighboring countries; and the legacy ofbeing under communist rule from 1945-1989. Trait affection given and received: A test of Hofstedes theoretical framework. The final characteristic of cultures is a new one first reported on in the 2010 edition of Cultures and Organizations. Ultimately, we can define these types of cultures in the following way: A society is called masculine when emotional gender roles are clearly distinct: men are supposed to be assertive, tough, and focused on material success, whereas women are supposed to be more modest, tender, and concerned with quality of life. DM me the word 'CULTURE' and I'll come back with the details of how to get started. Others are who gets educated and what type of education they receive, who gets health care and what type, and what types of occupations do those with power have versus those who do not have power. The same is true of thrift. Men usually wait for women to offer their hand first. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. 2023 IOR Global Services. If you're curious about coaching, but perhaps not ready (or not needing) a longer-term commitment at this time, the ad-hoc session set up with me may be just the thing you are looking for. Flicking one finger against your neck is an invitation to join someone for a drink. yes it is a high context culture! A variety of other sports like basketball, hockey, swimming, weightlifting, boxing, etc., are played in the country. Historically pregnant women are expected to observe a number of taboos like not looking at fire, mice and the disabled to avoid harm to the baby. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 46(2), 161-172. https://doi.org/10.1080/17475759.2017.1292944. It will be based on the book entitled The Culture Map by an INSEAD professor and cross-cultural specialist Erin Meyer. It triggered a lot of thoughts and memories when I was reading it. Creating a Culturally Inclusive Online Classroom However, because there is still a great deal of bureaucracy, deadlines are often delayed. Other national heroes include: John Paul II, Lech Walesa, Nicolaus Copernicus and Frederic Chopin Poland is bordered by 7 countries and the Baltic Sea. However, in collectivistic cultures, a person would answer in terms of the group, organization, and/or corporation that they serve. Can be very slow. Poland has a lively music scene with the roots of the countrys music being traced as far back as the 13th century. 4335 Chapter 2 Flashcards | Quizlet Working with people from low context culture . The province also promotes the offer of "healthy" tourism. Poland is also one of the largest beer producers in Europe and a beer consumer in Poland drinks 92 liters of beer annually. Homes are generally very small, so there is not a great deal of personal space in the home. Expect employees to be willing to share opinions, though it may be in an indirect, but insistent manner. This may take several group and one-on-one meetings. Attendees should wait to be told where to sit. Always, and I hate travelling that often and being tired Is it worth it for these relationships? in with awareness or stay confused. Hofstede also refers to these tendencies as being more assertive. Is it tiring? Asian, African, Arab, central European and Latin American cultures are generally considered to be high-context cultures. The Challenges of Communicating Across Cultures - Crisbie coach and Mrs. John Smith. In feminine cultures, men and women are upheld to the same standards, and their relationships should be based on mutual friendship. A number of poets and authors produced works that focussed on patriotism and the revival of the country. High-context cultures have a lot of unwritten rules that govern communication and interaction. Although Poland and England are not so far away from each other on the communication scale, I had moments when low-context behaviours were annoying for me. If youre interested I would be happy to continue that topic and describe the possible challenges of moving both of these ways. High Context Culture Definition & Examples - Study.com There is a certain pride in being tough and difficult to negotiate with.