[SOUND] Now we will go on to talk about how these cultural values affect the way we communicate. Lets start then by looking at how communication should take place depending on how a culture or community values power distance. So say in a small power distance culture or workplace, people are more equal so there is less emphasis on the ranking. When that happens there is less distance between those at the top and those down the bottom, so people are able to be more direct. People are therefore in the communication more able to express their emotions and their opinions. In contrast, in the last power distance culture or work place, or community, people are more concerned about the hierarchy. So those up the top and those at the bottom are more highly emphasized. So people will be more distanced and are more indirect. So in terms of communication then, people will be less able to express their emotions openly and they are less able to express their opinions openly. Communication also differs very much on depending on whether the culture values individualism or collectivism. In the individualized culture of workplace, people tend to focus more on self, and so therefore they are less concerned about others. Maintaining more distance between each other is the norm in such a society. And so therefore, when people come to communicate, they could be more direct as they only have to be concerned about expressing their own opinion, instead of giving face to others. In contrast, in a collectivist culture or workplace, people tend to focus more on group. So maintaining group harmony is very important. And so therefore, giving face to others that means being concerned about how other people feel would be more crucial and so because there is less so because there was less distance between people within the group. People have to be more indirectly and be more cautious about expressing their own opinions because they have to be concerned about other people's feelings as well. To show you another example of how cultural values are fit communication. We will now look at masculine and feminine oriented cultures. Take feminine oriented cultures as an example first. Both men and women have equal opportunity in taking up the top roles. So both men and women, depending on the qualifications, are able to take on the top positions such as managerial positions. Both men and women are also able to respond to emotions. This means that in terms of communication, both men and women are able to use language to express assertive ideas, give instructions, challenge others, demonstrate that they're knowledgeable, and present factual information. Both men and women are able to establish and maintain relationships with people in the community and show sympathy. On the other hand, a masculine oriented culture or community or workplace is very different. Men and women behave very differently. And like a feminine based culture, men are more likely to take on the top roles whereas women, as I mentioned previously are more likely to take on the supporting roles in even a workplace. Men are less likely to respond to immersions than women. Men's language are more likely to be assertive. So in other words, it would be more acceptable within the culture or community or workplace for men in a masculine oriented culture to express assertive ideas, give instructions, challenge ideas, demonstrate that they are knowledgeable, and present factual information. In contrast, women's language is very different, because women take on a more subordinate role. Women are able to establish and maintain relationships with people in the community, and show sympathy. Where as, as I mentioned before men are more powerful in a sense that they can express the more knowledgeable information, express assertive ideas and challenge others and what they say are generally found to be more factual. This brings us to the end of the first lesson. In this lesson, we have talked about in particular four cultural dimensions and how this cultural dimensions affect the way we communicate within a culture, within a community within a culture and very importantly within a workplace. They are Power Distance, Individualist & Collectivist, Masculinity & Femininity, and Long Term and Short Term Orientation. These are very important aspects that you must understand when we talk about intercultural communication and this will be discussed throughout the presentations in the other courses, as well. And if you continue to join us, you must remember and understand these very important features of communication for your capstone project. In the next lesson, we are going to talk about Intrapersonal communication and Interpersonal communication. I look forward to having you join me in the next lesson.
