Understanding the World's Cultures

Anyone who works or interacts regularly with people from other cultures needs to understand the basics of intercultural communication. In this accessible, completely revised edition, readers can teach themselves the intercultural essentials. This is the training anyone who works across cultures needs. An invaluable resource for students and educators alike, this self-study workbook is used as a primary text and basis of intercultural communication curricula. Understanding the World's Cultures is organized to create an "immersion experience" for readers. Culture is directly addressed through 40 activities that can be worked through in a classroom or a coffee shop. In five chapters, Craig Storti: Defines culture and explains how cultural differences threaten successful interaction Identifies four fundamental ways that cultures differ and describes the implications for everyday interactions Describes cultural differences in communication style Identifies key cultural differences in workplace settings Describes the stages in developing cultural awareness and cultural competence and how to move through them Craig Storti has over 30 years of experience as a trainer and consultant working with business people, diplomats, civil servants, and foreign aid workers to help them work and engage effectively with people from different cultures and diverse backgrounds. He leads cross-cultural workshops for international agencies and organizations on four continents and assists corporations and government agencies to better manage global teams and culturally diverse workforces.