Indian Cultural Values &

Communication
Office of International Services
September 2010
Agenda
Quick facts
Overview of US and Indian Cultural
Values
Student panel Q & A

Quick facts:
NC State Indian students: ~700 (30% of international
student population)
Population of India: 1,173,108,018 (July 2010)
Religions: 80% Hindu, 13.5% Muslim, 2% Christian, 2%
Sikh
Worlds largest democracy
Languages: Hindi (national language 41%); 14
official languages; over 100 languages spoken
28 states and 7 territories
Henderson, C.E. (2002) Culture and Customs of India. Westport: Greenwood Press
Cultural Values
Collectivist
Identifies self within a
more important
group(s)
Group decision
making
Individual praise is
uncomfortable even
shameful
Group welfare is goal


Individualistic
Privacy valued
Competition valued
Individuals praised
Loyalty to self
vs
Application: How team work is approached, how
life decisions are made (whom to marry, which school to
attend, where to live?), how view of self is influenced, when/how individuals
lose face/are shamed

Particularism
Favoritism based on in-
group
Goal is group harmony
Exceptions are the norm
Its who you know
Hierarchical society
v
s
Universalism
Egalitarian
Fairness above all
Comfortable working in
absolutes
Seen as legalistic

Application: How one gets a job/promotion, how deals are
made and with whom, consequences when rules are broken,
which relationships are valued over others, the value of the
team
Polychronic
Relationships and
spontaneity are
drivers of ones time
Monochronic
Time is money
Punctual
Values time,
appointments, or
productivity over
people


Application: When a guest arrives at a hosts house for
dinner/party, when to arrive at a meeting, how
emergencies are handled and what constitutes
an emergency; how much small talk takes place at the beginning
of a conversation
vs
Direct
Communication
One means what one
says
Do not keep ones
feelings to oneself
(positive or negative)
Little guessing of
anothers meaning

Indirect Communication
What is said is not
necessarily what one
means
One must infer
meaning
Saving face is valued
Third party/liaison
used to communicate
information
vs
Application: How a manager motivates or enables change within the work
place; how to correct someone; how to say no; how to communicate bad
news
Low Power Distance
People are more or
less equal or
deserve to be
treated equally


High Power Distance
Rigid hierarchies
Status matters

Application: Degree of formality or informality that is easily
established within the workplace, classroom, etc.; when to
address someone by first name; how to greet another person
vs
Low Uncertainty
Avoidance
Comfortable with risk
Differences among
individuals and
groups more easily
tolerated
Less
regulation/control
over lifes situations

High Uncertainty Avoidance
Risk averse
Differences within or
outside groups not easily
tolerated
Conformity is comfortable
vs
Application: How one views people/positions of authority; how many
times one asks/rephrases a question; how readily someone accepts
something as fact; how quickly one tolerates outsiders or situations
that challenge the status quo; loyalty to tradition vs desire for innovation
Indian time vs American time
Many are native English speakers
(British)
Defined gender roles
Highly bureaucratic system of
government
Hierarchical; Status matters
Body language
May not say no directly; need to infer
Titles are important
Less touching among people, especially
between genders

Indian Value and Communication
Styles
Sources:
Storti, Craig. Figuring Foreigners Out, 1999
Bennett, Milton. Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication, 1998.
Henderson, C.E. Culture and Customs of India, 2002.
OIS Programs
http://www.ncsu.edu/ois/program
s/
International Friendship Program: Year-
long match
Breaking Bread: One-time dinner
hosting
English Conversation Club: Be a weekly
conversation partner
-Tuesdays, & Thursdays, 3:30pm,
College of Textiles, Port City Java
-Fridays, 3:30pm, Daniels Hall
Culture Corps: Request a culture-
specific presentation
Student Panel