Literature lecture 1
Communication competencies, culture and SDGs: effective
processes to cross-cultural communication
Purpose of the Article
This article explains how understanding culture helps people from different
countries and backgrounds communicate better. It shows how good
communication can support the United Nations' Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), like peace, education, and economic growth.
Main Ideas
1. Culture is important for development
o The United Nations says culture is key to sustainable development.
o Culture affects how people talk, act, and understand each other.
2. Problems in cross-cultural communication
o People from different cultures may misunderstand each other.
o Miscommunication can happen because of different words, body
language, or beliefs.
o Stereotypes and judging others too quickly are common issues.
3. How to improve communication
The article explains five parts of communication that must be adjusted for
different cultures:
1. Sender: The person who sends the message must use clear
language and symbols that others understand.
2. Message: The content must be respectful and not offensive to other
cultures.
3. Channel: Choose the right way to send the message—face-to-face,
email, radio, etc.
4. Receiver: The person receiving the message understands it based
on their culture and background.
5. Feedback: It is important to check if the message was understood
correctly.
4. Theory
o The article uses a theory called social constructionism, which says
that people create meaning based on their culture and experiences.
o What is normal in one place might be strange in another.
Conclusion
To reach the SDGs, people must understand cultural differences.
Communication becomes easier and more effective when we respect other
cultures. This leads to better teamwork, peace, and development around
the world.
,Title: The Hofstede Model: Applications to Global Branding and
Advertising Strategy and Research
Authors: Marieke de Mooij & Geert Hofstede (2010)
This article talks about how Hofstede’s model of cultural
dimensions can be used to improve international marketing,
branding, and advertising strategies. The authors explain that when
companies want to sell their products in different countries, they must
understand that people from different cultures have different ways of
thinking, feeling, and behaving.
Hofstede’s model includes six cultural dimensions, which help
marketers understand the deep cultural values that influence how people
respond to advertising. These are:
1. Individualism vs. Collectivism – Some cultures focus on the
individual and personal success (like the U.S.), while others value
the group and social harmony (like many Asian cultures).
2. Power Distance – This is about how much inequality people in a
society accept. In high power distance countries, people respect
authority more, while in low power distance countries, people prefer
equality.
3. Uncertainty Avoidance – Some cultures are more comfortable
with rules, structure, and avoiding risks. Others are more flexible
and open to change.
4. Masculinity vs. Femininity – Masculine cultures value
competition, success, and achievement, while feminine cultures care
more about relationships, quality of life, and cooperation.
5. Long-Term vs. Short-Term Orientation – This dimension shows
whether a culture focuses on future goals and perseverance (long-
term) or values tradition and quick results (short-term).
6. Indulgence vs. Restraint – Indulgent cultures allow people to
enjoy life and have fun. Restrained cultures encourage people to
control desires and follow strict rules.
The authors argue that standardized advertising (the same ad in every
country) often doesn’t work well because it ignores cultural differences.
Instead, they suggest using culture-specific advertising that matches
the local values and communication styles of each country.
The article provides examples to show how the same product might be
advertised differently in different places. For example, in individualist
cultures, ads might focus on personal benefits and uniqueness. In
collectivist cultures, ads may highlight family, group belonging, or
harmony.
The article also explains how researchers can use Hofstede’s model to
better study how culture affects advertising, and how businesses can use
it to make smarter marketing decisions.
,Conclusion:
De Mooij and Hofstede believe that understanding cultural differences is
essential for successful global branding. By using Hofstede’s model,
marketers can create advertising that connects with people in different
cultures more effectively, leading to better business results and stronger
brand relationships.
, Title: Insights from Project GLOBE: Extending Global Advertising
Research Through a Contemporary Framework
Authors: House, R. J., Quigley, N. R., & de Luque, M. S. (2010)
This article explains how Project GLOBE, a large international research
project on leadership and culture, can help improve global advertising
research. The authors argue that to advertise effectively across different
countries, marketers must understand how cultural values and
leadership styles vary around the world.
Project GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior
Effectiveness) studied leadership and culture in 62 societies. Instead of
just looking at individuals, it focused on how people in entire societies
think about leadership, power, teamwork, and social rules. It provides
a modern, more detailed framework for comparing cultures than
earlier models like Hofstede’s.
The GLOBE model identifies nine cultural dimensions, including:
1. Performance Orientation – How much a society values
achievement and success.
2. Assertiveness – How direct or aggressive people are in
communication.
3. Future Orientation – How much people plan and invest for the
future.
4. Humane Orientation – How much kindness, fairness, and
generosity are valued.
5. Institutional Collectivism – How much society encourages
collective action and loyalty to organizations.
6. In-Group Collectivism – How close and loyal people are to their
families and close groups.
7. Power Distance – How comfortable people are with unequal power
in society.
8. Uncertainty Avoidance – How strongly people want rules and
avoid uncertainty.
9. Gender Egalitarianism – How much equality there is between men
and women.
The article argues that understanding these dimensions can help
marketers predict how people in different cultures will react to ads
—especially ads that focus on leadership, success, or group values. For
example, in high performance-oriented countries, ads that highlight
achievement and competition might work better. In high humane-oriented
societies, messages about care and social responsibility may be more
effective.
The authors say that GLOBE’s findings are useful not only for
understanding leadership, but also for understanding how messages are
received in various cultural settings. They encourage advertisers to use
Communication competencies, culture and SDGs: effective
processes to cross-cultural communication
Purpose of the Article
This article explains how understanding culture helps people from different
countries and backgrounds communicate better. It shows how good
communication can support the United Nations' Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), like peace, education, and economic growth.
Main Ideas
1. Culture is important for development
o The United Nations says culture is key to sustainable development.
o Culture affects how people talk, act, and understand each other.
2. Problems in cross-cultural communication
o People from different cultures may misunderstand each other.
o Miscommunication can happen because of different words, body
language, or beliefs.
o Stereotypes and judging others too quickly are common issues.
3. How to improve communication
The article explains five parts of communication that must be adjusted for
different cultures:
1. Sender: The person who sends the message must use clear
language and symbols that others understand.
2. Message: The content must be respectful and not offensive to other
cultures.
3. Channel: Choose the right way to send the message—face-to-face,
email, radio, etc.
4. Receiver: The person receiving the message understands it based
on their culture and background.
5. Feedback: It is important to check if the message was understood
correctly.
4. Theory
o The article uses a theory called social constructionism, which says
that people create meaning based on their culture and experiences.
o What is normal in one place might be strange in another.
Conclusion
To reach the SDGs, people must understand cultural differences.
Communication becomes easier and more effective when we respect other
cultures. This leads to better teamwork, peace, and development around
the world.
,Title: The Hofstede Model: Applications to Global Branding and
Advertising Strategy and Research
Authors: Marieke de Mooij & Geert Hofstede (2010)
This article talks about how Hofstede’s model of cultural
dimensions can be used to improve international marketing,
branding, and advertising strategies. The authors explain that when
companies want to sell their products in different countries, they must
understand that people from different cultures have different ways of
thinking, feeling, and behaving.
Hofstede’s model includes six cultural dimensions, which help
marketers understand the deep cultural values that influence how people
respond to advertising. These are:
1. Individualism vs. Collectivism – Some cultures focus on the
individual and personal success (like the U.S.), while others value
the group and social harmony (like many Asian cultures).
2. Power Distance – This is about how much inequality people in a
society accept. In high power distance countries, people respect
authority more, while in low power distance countries, people prefer
equality.
3. Uncertainty Avoidance – Some cultures are more comfortable
with rules, structure, and avoiding risks. Others are more flexible
and open to change.
4. Masculinity vs. Femininity – Masculine cultures value
competition, success, and achievement, while feminine cultures care
more about relationships, quality of life, and cooperation.
5. Long-Term vs. Short-Term Orientation – This dimension shows
whether a culture focuses on future goals and perseverance (long-
term) or values tradition and quick results (short-term).
6. Indulgence vs. Restraint – Indulgent cultures allow people to
enjoy life and have fun. Restrained cultures encourage people to
control desires and follow strict rules.
The authors argue that standardized advertising (the same ad in every
country) often doesn’t work well because it ignores cultural differences.
Instead, they suggest using culture-specific advertising that matches
the local values and communication styles of each country.
The article provides examples to show how the same product might be
advertised differently in different places. For example, in individualist
cultures, ads might focus on personal benefits and uniqueness. In
collectivist cultures, ads may highlight family, group belonging, or
harmony.
The article also explains how researchers can use Hofstede’s model to
better study how culture affects advertising, and how businesses can use
it to make smarter marketing decisions.
,Conclusion:
De Mooij and Hofstede believe that understanding cultural differences is
essential for successful global branding. By using Hofstede’s model,
marketers can create advertising that connects with people in different
cultures more effectively, leading to better business results and stronger
brand relationships.
, Title: Insights from Project GLOBE: Extending Global Advertising
Research Through a Contemporary Framework
Authors: House, R. J., Quigley, N. R., & de Luque, M. S. (2010)
This article explains how Project GLOBE, a large international research
project on leadership and culture, can help improve global advertising
research. The authors argue that to advertise effectively across different
countries, marketers must understand how cultural values and
leadership styles vary around the world.
Project GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior
Effectiveness) studied leadership and culture in 62 societies. Instead of
just looking at individuals, it focused on how people in entire societies
think about leadership, power, teamwork, and social rules. It provides
a modern, more detailed framework for comparing cultures than
earlier models like Hofstede’s.
The GLOBE model identifies nine cultural dimensions, including:
1. Performance Orientation – How much a society values
achievement and success.
2. Assertiveness – How direct or aggressive people are in
communication.
3. Future Orientation – How much people plan and invest for the
future.
4. Humane Orientation – How much kindness, fairness, and
generosity are valued.
5. Institutional Collectivism – How much society encourages
collective action and loyalty to organizations.
6. In-Group Collectivism – How close and loyal people are to their
families and close groups.
7. Power Distance – How comfortable people are with unequal power
in society.
8. Uncertainty Avoidance – How strongly people want rules and
avoid uncertainty.
9. Gender Egalitarianism – How much equality there is between men
and women.
The article argues that understanding these dimensions can help
marketers predict how people in different cultures will react to ads
—especially ads that focus on leadership, success, or group values. For
example, in high performance-oriented countries, ads that highlight
achievement and competition might work better. In high humane-oriented
societies, messages about care and social responsibility may be more
effective.
The authors say that GLOBE’s findings are useful not only for
understanding leadership, but also for understanding how messages are
received in various cultural settings. They encourage advertisers to use
