A Critical Examination:Investigating the Relevance of Organizational Culture Theory to the Practice of Intercultural Communication :A Critical Examination:Investigating the Relevance of Organizational Culture Theory to the Practice of Intercultural Communication In partial fulfillment of the requirements for GPRL 6104 Kelly Reynolds (R0534831) This is an Audio Presentation


Slide 2:Culture and Symbols Photo by Kathleen Mazzocco, www.themuslimwoman.org


Theoretical Underpinnings :Theories of interpersonal communication address communication between two people. Theories of organizational communication addresses communication within organizations. Theories of intercultural communication look at communication among people from differing cultures. In recent years several new theories on intercultural communication have emerged. These theories purport three diverse approaches for incorporating culture into communication theory: Theories which integrate culture and the communication process into theories of communication. Theories which describe, or explain, how communication varies across differing cultures. Theories which describe, or explain, communication between people from different cultures. Theoretical Underpinnings


Linking Intercultural Communication and Organizational Theory :Management practitioners and theorists seem to agree that managing and organizing involves the manipulation of symbols which have meaning to an organization's employees. The notion that the meaning we associate with symbols is heavily affected by what we have learned in our family, school, work environment, and society has been largely ignored by theorists from this discipline. Dutch scholar Geert Hofstede discovered that country cultures could be defined through specific dimensions and created a ground-breaking map for culture which is characterized by power distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity and short and long-term orientation. Linking Intercultural Communication and Organizational Theory


Slide 5:Images from guardian.co.uk


` :` Hofstede's Cultural Index Images from geert-hofstede.com Canada World


The Cartoon Controversy :Images from geert-hofstede.com Image from www.theage.com.au Arab World The Cartoon Controversy Denmark


Case Study: Arla Foods :Case Study: Arla Foods Images from arlafoods.co.uk


Power Distance Index : Power Distance Index Copyright: geert-hofstede.com Image from geert-hofstede.com Hofstede's Power Distance Index (PDI)


A Critical Theory For International Public Relations :If Mickey is accurate and public relations is a cultural product with socially constructed symbols, what does this mean for international public relations? How relevant is research examining culture within organizations to the practice of international public relations? A Critical Theory For International Public Relations Image from amazon.com I’m interested in your thoughts. Please feel free to leave a comment below, or email me at kelly.reynolds@msvu.ca