The Cultural Imperative: Global Trends in the 21st Century
2
78 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, VOL. 47, NO. 1, MARCH 2004 Richard D. Lewis The Cultural Imperative: Global Trends in the 21st Century Book Review —Reviewed by KIRK ST.AMANT, ASSOCIATE, IEEE Index Terms—Cross-cultural communication, globalization, intercultural communication. The growth of international outsourcing has led to an increase in cross-cultural interactions in the workplace. As a result, professional success is now often linked to effective intercultural communication skills. Cross-cultural discourse, however, can be a complicated process involving “unanticipated” variables and subtle nuances. Today’s employees can, therefore, benefit from resources that provide comprehensive, yet easy-to-understand, information on how cultural expectations affect communication patterns. Of the recent books on this topic, Richard D. Lewis’s The Cultural Imperative: Global Trends in the 21st Century is one of the more effective resources, for it presents an effective balance between quality and readability. One of the most striking aspects of the book is the visual approach that Lewis uses to present information. Many other texts on this subject often confine their presentation to simple charts and tables that authors use to report results. Geert Hofstede, for example, regularly uses graphs with an X- and a Y-axis to show how different cultural groups relate to certain cultural variables; yet the majority of his information on culture and communication is presented textually. Likewise, while Edward T. Hall does use his classic image of a diagonally bisected square to explain the topic of context, the majority of his ideas are presented textually. These text-based presentations are both fascinating and highly informative, but they also force readers to create their own mental models for how ideas and behaviors interrelate. Moreover, this focus on textual presentations could leave more visual thinkers/processors at a disadvantage when reviewing such works. Manuscript received November 16, 2003; revised November 20, 2003. The reviewer is with the Institute of Technical and Scientific Communication, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 USA (email: [email protected]). IEEE DOI 10.1109/TPC.2004.824282 Book Publisher: Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, Inc., 2003, 338 pp. with appendixes, glossary, bibliography, and index. Lewis’s presentation, however, strikes a much better balance between the verbal and the visual representation. While each chapter does use a great deal of text to explain key concepts, most chapters also contain a visual schema that reveals how ideas interrelate. Unlike that in the work of Hofstede, the visual images are not graphs or tables. Rather, they are charts that use geometric shapes to represent concepts and use arrows to illustrate the interrelations of those concepts. This use of visual schemas makes it easy for readers to understand how different cultural aspects come together to affect behavior. Also interesting is that Lewis does not use the same visual schema to represent all of the ideas he covers. Rather, he uses varying representations to illustrate different kinds of concepts. As a result, images tend to be more self-contained—a factor that greatly facilitates reader understanding of particular concepts. Such variation, however, might cause some reader confusion, for there is little reenforcement through repetition of design. This lack of parallelism could also make it more complicated for readers to understand how concepts relate to or affect each other. Interestingly, though, this variation seems to add to Lewis’s credibility, for it reveals that he is not trying to “force fit” different kinds of information into the same visual schema. Thus, the visual information Lewis presents is much more accessible at the individual concept level, and it becomes the task of the reader to determine how concepts become more integrated at the macro level. Another key feature of the book is the author’s highly readable prose. Though the topics covered are multifaceted (e.g., religion and globalization), the reader never becomes bogged down in pedantic sentences or polysyllabic vocabulary. Lewis instead uses a very conversational writing style more akin to story telling than to reporting relatively complex cultural information. Thus, the text is both informative and engaging (no small feat, considering the topics being covered). As a result, the reader 0361-1434/04$20.00 © 2004 IEEE
Transcript of The Cultural Imperative: Global Trends in the 21st Century
78 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, VOL. 47, NO. 1, MARCH 2004
Richard D. Lewis
The Cultural Imperative: Global Trends in the 21st Century
Book Review—Reviewed by
KIRK ST. AMANT, ASSOCIATE, IEEE
Index Terms—Cross-cultural communication, globalization, intercultural communication.
The growth of international outsourcing has ledto an increase in cross-cultural interactions in theworkplace. As a result, professional success is nowoften linked to effective intercultural communicationskills. Cross-cultural discourse, however, can bea complicated process involving “unanticipated”variables and subtle nuances. Today’s employeescan, therefore, benefit from resources that providecomprehensive, yet easy-to-understand, informationon how cultural expectations affect communicationpatterns. Of the recent books on this topic, Richard D.Lewis’s The Cultural Imperative: Global Trends in the21st Century is one of the more effective resources,for it presents an effective balance between qualityand readability.
One of the most striking aspects of the book isthe visual approach that Lewis uses to presentinformation. Many other texts on this subject oftenconfine their presentation to simple charts andtables that authors use to report results. GeertHofstede, for example, regularly uses graphs withan X- and a Y-axis to show how different culturalgroups relate to certain cultural variables; yetthe majority of his information on culture andcommunication is presented textually. Likewise,while Edward T. Hall does use his classic image ofa diagonally bisected square to explain the topicof context, the majority of his ideas are presentedtextually. These text-based presentations are bothfascinating and highly informative, but they alsoforce readers to create their own mental modelsfor how ideas and behaviors interrelate. Moreover,this focus on textual presentations could leave morevisual thinkers/processors at a disadvantage whenreviewing such works.
Manuscript received November 16, 2003; revised November20, 2003. The reviewer is with the Institute of Technicaland Scientific Communication, James Madison University,Harrisonburg, VA 22807 USA (email: [email protected]).
IEEE DOI 10.1109/TPC.2004.824282
Book Publisher:Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, Inc., 2003, 338 pp. withappendixes, glossary, bibliography, and index.
Lewis’s presentation, however, strikes a muchbetter balance between the verbal and the visualrepresentation. While each chapter does use agreat deal of text to explain key concepts, mostchapters also contain a visual schema that revealshow ideas interrelate. Unlike that in the work ofHofstede, the visual images are not graphs or tables.Rather, they are charts that use geometric shapes torepresent concepts and use arrows to illustrate theinterrelations of those concepts. This use of visualschemas makes it easy for readers to understandhow different cultural aspects come together to affectbehavior.
Also interesting is that Lewis does not use thesame visual schema to represent all of the ideas hecovers. Rather, he uses varying representations toillustrate different kinds of concepts. As a result,images tend to be more self-contained—a factor thatgreatly facilitates reader understanding of particularconcepts. Such variation, however, might cause somereader confusion, for there is little reenforcementthrough repetition of design. This lack of parallelismcould also make it more complicated for readers tounderstand how concepts relate to or affect eachother.
Interestingly, though, this variation seems to add toLewis’s credibility, for it reveals that he is not trying to“force fit” different kinds of information into the samevisual schema. Thus, the visual information Lewispresents is much more accessible at the individualconcept level, and it becomes the task of the readerto determine how concepts become more integratedat the macro level.
Another key feature of the book is the author’shighly readable prose. Though the topics coveredare multifaceted (e.g., religion and globalization),the reader never becomes bogged down in pedanticsentences or polysyllabic vocabulary. Lewis insteaduses a very conversational writing style moreakin to story telling than to reporting relativelycomplex cultural information. Thus, the text is bothinformative and engaging (no small feat, consideringthe topics being covered). As a result, the reader
0361-1434/04$20.00 © 2004 IEEE
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, VOL. 47, NO. 1, MARCH 2004 79
can move quickly from page to page without missingimportant information. In fact, one could easily finishone or even multiple chapters in a single sitting.
This achievement is particularly impressive, forone is essentially dealing with a text that mixesanthropology, sociology, economics, history, andpolitical science, but reads as if it were a novel. Thelight narrative style does not, however, detract fromthe quality or the depth of the information Lewispresents. Rather, the mix of accessible prose andwell-designed visual representations provides anexcellent holistic presentation of information that canhelp readers understand a range of behaviors.
One factor contributing to Lewis’s writing style is alack of in-text citations that might encumber readers.Unfortunately, while such omissions contribute toreadability, they also detract from one’s ability tomove beyond the book when looking for additionalresources that address important issues. Moreover,this lack of citations, in combination with the relaxedprose, can create an initial sense of skepticism on thepart of the reader (e.g., “Where is this informationcoming from? It seems too informal to reflect theresults of research findings”). Additionally, thebook’s bibliography seems sparse in relation to theinformation covered in the text (roughly 50 entries fora 300-page book that covers topics from evolutionto empire building). That is not to say that theinformation presented in The Cultural Imperativeis questionable—on the contrary, it is excellent.Rather, the lack of in-text citations and the limitedbibliography might concern scholars due to thelimited mention of resources—a factor that makes itdifficult to identify and explore related research.
Perhaps the most important features of the bookare the scope of the issues it addresses and thetimeliness of those issues. Culture is a complexconcept involving many different processes. Lewisaddresses this complexity by examining the processesthat have the greatest affect on perceptions. In sodoing, he addresses evolutionary and climatic factorsthat could have affected cultural development overtime and provides readers with an excellent overviewof how certain cultural behaviors and attitudes mighthave arisen. He also explores how religious beliefsand psychological factors affect cultural perceptionsand expectations. A number of examples are usedto illustrate ideas and to make points, and in thebook’s fifth chapter (entitled “Cultural Spectacles”)Lewis does a masterful job of illustrating the way inwhich these factors affect how members of a cultureview both themselves and other cultural groups.
This use of examples results in a series of highlyamusing, yet very informative, presentations thathelp readers understand how certain concepts affectboth perceptions and communication practices.
Lewis also does an effective job of addressing theintricate and divisive topic of globalization, and hemasterfully explains how certain cultural aspectscomplement and conflict with international tradepractices. He also effectively addresses the new focuson Asia and, in particular, on China, that seemsto be resulting from globalization. This discussionincludes an historical overview of the characteristicsthat allowed previous cultures to succeed as empiresduring the globalization-like changes of their time. Italso examines how the events of September 11, 2001,are affecting perceptions of “others” and influencinginteractions among different cultural groups.
The highly readable nature of the text, combinedwith the scope of the topics covered and the relatedvisual displays, make The Cultural Imperative agood resource for individuals new to cross-culturalcommunication. These features also make the book anexcellent teaching resource that instructors can useas a textbook in a variety of undergraduate classes onculture and communication. Additionally, instructorscan replicate the visual presentations used in thebook in order to create educational materials, suchas overheads or PowerPoint slides, that can be usedas a part of classroom lecture. The book’s limitedreferences, however, means that advanced levelresearcher or graduate students might lack the kindof information needed to conduct further research onthe topic. At the same time, the ideas Lewis presentsin the book can provide a different set of perspectivesthat researchers can use when evaluating the ideasof scholars such as Hofstede and Hall. (In suchcases, the idea would be to see how Hall, Hofstede,and Lewis approach and interpret the same culturalcommunication factors.)
Today, employees are part of a globalized workforce.An understanding of cross-cultural communicationis therefore becoming increasingly important toprofessional success. Fortunately, Lewis’s book, TheCultural Imperative: Global Trends in the 21st Century,can provide readers with an excellent introductionto how cultural factors can shape communicationprocesses. By combining highly readable prose withexcellent visual displays, Lewis creates a presentationthat is accessible to a variety of audiences. The resultis an effective and informative presentation thatmakes The Cultural Imperative a key resource for avariety of professional and educational uses.
