Awareness of Culture Difference Exercises

Subgroup Size

Pairs

Duration

20 minutes

External Cost

No

Source

Hofstede, G. J., Pedersen, P.B., & Hofstede, G. (2002). Awareness of culture differences. In Exploring culture: Exercises, stories and synthetic cultures (pp. 46-72). Boston, MA: Intercultural Press.  

 

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  1. User girin's profile picture girin 8:46 pm 23 November 2022

    I was looking for an exercise that introduces students to cultural differences in workplaces and organizations that are spread across different countries. The source material suggested in this tool provided insights on five dimensions of culture and the concept of synthetic cultural profiles. I picked one of the exercises in the book - 'A Tale of Two Stairways' and had students in my graduate course participate in the activity. The objective of the exercise was to bring more awareness about identity and hierarchy in different cultures. The real-world example was relatable and led to student discussions in the classroom. Suggestions were made by students to play videos of these scenarios as a pedagogical tool and also develop exercises that are customized to the country & culture in which the study abroad program is intended for. Overall, I recommend this activity during the debriefing session to develop awareness about cultural significance in the everyday activities of the intended location of study, acceptance, appreciation of values and broadening worldviews.