Cross-cultural Code Switching and Application

Studienarbeit von Juliet Shali Shambi

Introduction:

In the last years, the tide of globalization has reached an unprecedented degree as firms increasingly expand beyond their national borders. The success and failure of these companies is dependent on more than just management of economic and legal barriers but also cultural ones. Firms are increasingly aware of the necessity of intercultural communication. Recognition of the importance of developing intercultural skills is closely tied to the need of the corporations to succeed globally and the demand of managers with the capability of interacting with people from countries other than their own. With a globally interdependent economy, differences in cultural traits and backgrounds often cause misunderstandings and unintentional sights. Clearly, the diversity and dynamism of today’s market place calls for managers with diverse skills to lead teams beyond national boundaries.

According to Jandt, characteristics of an effective communicator are: ‘Self awareness (using knowledge about yourself to deal with difficult situations), self-respect (confidence in what you think, feel and do), interaction (how effectively you communicate with people), empathy (being able to see things from different points of view), adaptability (how fast you can adjust to new situations and norms), certainty (the ability to do things opposite to what you feel), initiative (being open to new situations), and acceptance (being tolerant or accepting unfamiliar things)’. Cross-cultural code switching competency is an indicator of an effective communicator. Specifically, encompasses more or less the above named characteristics and expands on the role of emotions when switching. Molinsky’s model of psychological toll illustrates the determinants of cross-cultural code-switching and the psychological challenges faced by an individual during performance. The model provides an excellent foundation for investigating how international organizations can tailor trainings for global leaders.

In this paper, I refer to global leaders as expatriates in management positions. A case study on the movie outsourced exemplifies how organizations can foster and create leaders who can cope with the complexities of cross-border relations.

Table of Contents:

	TABLE OF CONTENTS
	INTRODUCTION	3
1.	CROSS-CULTURAL CODE-SWITCHING MODEL	5
1.1	Personal Variables	6
1.1.1	Personal Values	6
1.1.2	Cultural Knowledge	7
1.2	Contextual Variables	7
1.2.1	Psychological Safety Norms	7
1.2.3	Norm Complexity	8
1.2.3	Degree of Discrepancy	8
1.3	Mediating Psychological States	8
1.3.1	Experienced Face Threat	8
1.3.1	Experienced Performance Difficulty	9
1.3.2	Experienced Identity Conflict	9
1.4	Critiques of the Model	10
2.	UNDERLYING CULTURAL CONCEPT	11
2.1	Hofstede’s Dimensions	11
2.1.1	Critiques of Hofstede’s model	12
2.2	Edward T Hall	13
2.2.1	Critiques of Hall’s Dimensions	14
2.3	Schwartz‘s Structure of Human Values	14
2.3.1	Critiques of Schwarz	16
3.	APPLICATION OF CROSS-CULTURAL CODE-SWITCHING IN GLOBAL LEADERSHIP	17
3.1	Problem Analysis and Objective	18
3.2.1	Leadership Styles	21
3.4	Psychological Challenges of Expatriates	22
3.5	Managing the Psychological Toll	23
4.	IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL LEADERSHIP	25
5.	CONCLUSION	26
	BIBLIOGRAPHY	28

Text Sample:

Chapter 1.3, Mediating Psychological States:

1.3.1, Experienced Face Threat:

Face is may be defined as the way one is judged according to his failure or success when interacting. Goffman suggests that face ‘is the positive social value a person effectively claims for himself by the line others assume he has taken during a particular contact’.

Molinsky’s proposition 3, assumes that the complexity of the norms of a foreign culture, the degree of discrepancy between the cultures, and the psychological safety norms created by the foreign audience influence the level of face threat or face validation while switching. On the other hand, proposition 4 suggests that the higher the level of threat/ validation, the more embarrassment/ pride an individual will experience while switching.

1.3.1, Experienced Performance Difficulty:

Difficulty in the performance of an assigned task is experienced when norms between the new and native culture are more complex and discrepant (Proposition 1a). Nevertheless, individuals with high levels of cultural knowledge will experience less difficulty in performing a switch, even though the new norms are complex and discrepant from his home country (Proposition 1b). Consequently, performance difficulty (efficacy) induces positive or negative emotions in the sense that, confidence or anxiety is mirrored in one’s behavior when switching (Proposition 2).

1.3.2, Experienced Identity Conflict:

According to Molinsky, switching has an effect on individual’s values and identity and hence influences the psychological toll. In order to comprehend a communicator’s state of mind in international interactions, one has to analyze cultural identity. Jameson refers to cultural identity as ‘ an individual’s sense of self derived from formal or informal membership in groups that transmit and inculcate knowledge, beliefs, values, attitudes and ways of life. Auerbach (2009) adds that, ‘an identity conflict erupts when at least one side feels that the other has negated its identity and denied its right as a legitimate player in the international arena’. The capability of an individual to switch is lower if the degree of discrepancy of norms is higher (Proposition 5a).

Specifically, if native cultural values conflict with the foreign cultural values, the switcher will undergo a higher psychological challenge than if both cultures were relatively similar. An experienced cultural conflict occurs when the norms of the host country make it impossible for one to act appropriately in a manner that honors his cultural values (Proposition 5b).

Various studies have recognized that positive and negative emotions may be towards one own identity or towards another culture’s identity Propositions 6a and 6b in Molinsky’s model assume that, the greater an individual experienced identity unfit, the more distress, guilt and anxiety he undergoes when performing a switch. On the contrary, the more an individual experiences identity fit, the more contentment and excitement he will experience while switching.

Finally, propositions 7a and 7b imply that the more negative emotions one experiences during cross-cultural code-switching, the greater the psychological toll. Whereas, the more positive emotions he experiences the less the psychological toll will be. This assumption makes sense because adapting to differences in language, values, norms, attitudes, rules and systems lead to conflict, frustration and struggle. These conflict-arousing situations are speed with emotions, often negative. Consequently, negative emotions contribute to the depletion of an individual’s psychological resources available in behaving appropriately in a foreign cultural environment.

Molinsky’s model is easy to understand and can be used to develop training programs by the human resources department. By meeting the psychological needs of its employees with the help of the model, organizations are bound to increase job satisfaction, performance and employee motivation.