Understanding global cultures : metaphorical journeys through 31 nations, clusters of nations, continents, and diversity / Martin J Gannon, Rajnandini Pillai.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gannon, Martin J.

Contributor:

Pillai, Rajnandini.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Cross-cultural studies.

Cross-cultural orientation.

National characteristics.

Physical Description:

xx, 657 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm

Edition:

Fifth edition.

Place of Publication:

Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Sage Publications, [2013]

Summary:

In Understanding Global Cultures, Fifth Edition, authors Martin J. Gannon and Rajnandini. Piliai present the cultural metaphor-any activity, phenomenon, or institution with which the members of a given culture identify emotionally and/or cognitively, for example, the Japanese garden-as a method for understanding the cultural mind-sets of individual nations, clusters of nations, two continents, and diversity in each nation. The book demonstrates how metaphors are guidelines to help outsiders quickly understand what members of a culture consider important. The fully updated Fifth Edition includes 31 nation-specific chapters, including a new Part XI on popular, music as cultural metaphors, two completely new chapters on Vietnam and Argentina, revisions to all retained chapters, and a more explicit linkage between each cultural metaphor and current economic and business developments in each nation.

A new Part XI on Popular Music as Cultural Metaphors discusses the Brazilian Samba and the Argentine Tango.

New chapters on Vietnam and Argentina add to coverage of both Asia and Latin America.

Separate parts for India and China recognize the significance of these two nations and provide more chapter coverage.

This edition offers a tighter linkage of each nation's cultural metaphor as it relates to its history, religions, geography, demographics, and current events. Each cultural metaphor uniquely integrates each chapter, which includes prominent frameworks (Hofstede, the GLOBE study, and so on).

Highlighting of religious and ethnic diversity within nations provides the recognition that very few nations are predominantly mono-cultural. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I Introduction 1

1 Understanding Cultural Metaphors 2

Constructing Cultural Metaphors 8

Reading and Using this Book 16

When Culture Does, and Does Not, Matter 20

Part II Authority-Ranking Cultures 25

2 The Thai Kingdom 27

Loose Vertical Hierarchy 29

Freedom and Equality 34

The Thai Smile 35

3 The Japanese Garden 39

Corporate Cultures 40

Garden as Metaphor 42

Wa and Shikata 43

Seishin Training 46

Combining Droplets or Energies 48

Aesthetics 59

Similarities and Contrasts 62

4 Bedouin Jewelry and Saudi Arabia 64

The Desert Bedouins 67

Bold Form 71

Handcrafted Appearance 73

Traditional Design 74

Female Ownership 76

5 The Turkish Coffeehouse 78

Islam and Secularity 81

Recreation, Communication, and Community Integration 86

A Male Domain 89

A Modest Environment 91

Life Outside the Coffeehouse 92

Looking Ahead 96

6 Dòn Gánh: The Two Sides of Vietnam 98

History of Occupation 100

The French Defeat and Division Into Two 102

The Metaphor: The Dualities of Dòn Gánh 104

7 The Polish Village Church 112

Historical Background 114

Central Place of the Catholic Church 116

The Partitioning and Polish Identity 118

Survivors 121

8 Kimchi and Korea 125

The 60th Birthday 127

Strangers by Day, Lovers by Night 130

Kimchi's Public Role 132

The Irish of Asia 133

Part III Scandinavian Egalitarian Cultures 139

9 The Swedish Stuga 140

Love of Untrammeled Nature and Tradition 146

Individualism Through Self-Development 148

Equality 151

10 The Finnish Sauna 154

From Survival to Political and Economic Success 156

Sauna: A Secular "Holy" Place of Equality 161

Communication: Comfort With Quietude 165

11 The Danish Christmas Luncheon 170

Interdependent Individualism 172

Geographic Ambivalence 174

Coziness 175

Part IV Other Egalitarian Cultures 177

12 The German Symphony 178

Diversity of Musical Instruments 183

Positional Arrangements of the Musicians 185

Conductors and Leaders 189

Precision and Synchronicity 192

The Unfinished Symphony 198

13 Irish Conversations 201

Intersection of Gaelic and English 206

Prayer as Conversation 210

A Free-Flowing Conversation: Irish Hospitality 211

Places of Conversations: Irish Friends and Families 212

Ending a Conversation 215

14 The Canadian Backpack and Flag 217

Egalitarianism and Outlook 219

The Canadian Mosaic 221

Canadians as Non-U.S. Americans 222

15 French Wine 227

Pureness 228

Classification 232

Composition 236

Suitability 240

The Maturation Process 242

The Changing Portrait 244

Part V Market-Pricing Cultures 247

16 American Football 248

The Tailgate Party 250

Pregame and Halftime Entertainment 251

Strategy and War 252

Selection, the Training Camp, and the Playbook 253

Individual Specialized Achievement Within the Team Structure 254

Aggression, High Risks, and Unpredictable Outcomes 260

Huddling 262

The Church of Football and Celebrating Perfection 267

17 The Traditional British House 273

The Traditional House 274

History, Politics, Economics: Laying the Foundations 275

Growing Up British: Building the House 280

Being British: Living in the House 287

Part VI Cleft National Cultures 297

18 The Malaysian Balik Kampung 298

Returning to Nearby Roots 301

Authority Ranking 303

Reinforcing Common Values 304

19 The Nigerian Marketplace 312

Diversity 315

Social Dynamism 318

Balancing Tradition and Change 323

20 The Israeli Kibbutzim and Moshavim 332

Explicit Values 339

Size and Behavioral Outcomes 344

Traumas, Worldview, and Personality 345

21 The Italian Opera 354

The Overture 357

Pageantry and Spectacle 358

Voice 363

Externalization 365

Chorus and Soloists 372

22 Belgian Lace 377

A Land of Contrasts 380

Control 389

Cooperation and Harmony 394

Part VII Torn National Cultures 399

23 The Mexican Fiesta 400

Primary Focus on People 405

The Emphasis on Religion 409

Experiencing the Present 411

Freedom Within the Social Order 413

24 The Russian Ballet 417

Echelons of the Ballet 422

Drama and Realism 424

The Russian Soul 429

Part VIII The Base Culture and its Diffusion Across Borders (Clusters of Nations): the Example of China 435

25 China's Great Wall and Cross-Cultural Paradox 437

The Great Wall: Long, Tortuous, and Complex History 440

Confucianism and Taoism 441

Sun Tzu, War, and the Marketplace 445

26 The Chinese Family Altar 448

Roundness 452

Harmony 457

Fluidity 458

27 The Singapore Hawker Centers 461

Ethnic Diversity but Unity 465

Efficiency 467

The Power of Women 468

Safety 469

Synthesizing Traditional and New Values 470

Part IX India, Shiva, and Diversity 473

28 India: The Dance of Shiva 474

Cyclical Hindu Philosophy 480

The Cycle of Life 482

The Family Cycle 483

The Cycle of Social Interaction 488

The Work and Recreation (Rejuvenation) Cycle 493

29 India: A Kaleidoscope of Diversity 499

The Kaleidoscope of Religions and Cultural Celebrations 501

Images of Festivals and Feasts 504

Cell Phones, Call Centers, and Curriculum 507

The Changing Image of Cricket 512

Part X Same Metaphor, Different Meanings 515

30 The Spanish Bullfight 516

Cuadrillas 520

Soly Sombra 524

The Pompous Entrance Parade 526

Audience Involvement 529

The Ritual of the Bullfight 531

31 The Portuguese Bullfight 534

Pride in Traditions 535

Stratification Amid Unity 539

Artistry and Human Gore 540

Profitless Bravery 541

Part XI Popular Music as Cultural Metaphors 545

32 The Brazilian Samba 546

Small-Step Circularity 549

Physical Touch 553

Undulation 556

Spontaneous Escape 558

Paradox of Dancers 561

33 The Argentine Tango 565

The Tango's Evolution 567

Tango Music and Composers 569

The Dynamics of the Dance 572

Tango Singers and their Lyrics 574

Gender Relations 578

Applying What We've Learned 579

Summary 582

Part XII Perspectives on Continents 585

34 Australian Outdoor Recreational Activities 586

Capturing the Imagination 587

New Realities: Beyond Stereotypes 590

Barbecue 592

Equality Matching Among the Tall Poppies 592

35 The Sub-Saharan African Bush Taxi 596

A Short History of Africa 599

African Time Orientation and Fatalism 602

Communalism and Community Sharing 605

Hierarchy in African Society: Seating Arrangements in the Bush Taxi 609.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781412995931

1412995930

OCLC:

772123512