Communications and Cultural Perspectives

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Jill L. Merryman
INTRODUCTION
Attention-getter / Capture the audience’s attention
My name is Jill Merryman and I would like to thank you for inviting me
speak to my fellow Averic corporate trainers at the International
Conference on Communications and Cultural Perspectives in Service
Providing Professions: From Competency to Proficiency here in
Tokyo, Japan.
Involve the audience by sharing your expertise/experience
Communication is best when the people communicating are valued for
their knowledge and contributions. In learning more about the Asian
culture, you, hopefully will develop a greater sensitivity to this group
among the other cultures we interact with here at Averic.
Establish speaker credibility, expertise, and right to inform
I have been a corporate trainer with Averic for almost 7 years and I
responsible for making fellow Averic employees aware and
knowledgeable to the beliefs and ideologies of the people you care for
in your profession.

Thesis: From this speech I hope you become more aware of the
differences in knowledge, beliefs, and ideologies you face when providing
services to people from different backgrounds. I hope you will gain greater
sensitivity to their needs and thereby avoid contributing to stereotyping a
culture, and have a better understanding of where the group came from.
My goal is to launch a proactive conterhegemonic stance against
hedemonic codes of behavior to establish good ethical communication.

Transition – First I would like to speak about the Asian culture

epistemology.

I. The epistemology of the Asian/Pacific Islanders is one of multiple

principles and core beliefs and values founded from their roots in
family values and traditions.
A. Spiritual, religious foundations
1. A person learns compassion by practicing generosity and
loving-kindness without expecting a reward. The foundation of
the culture is built on the concept of karma and reincarnation.
2. More Asian families’ feel they need to move to the United
States for more opportunity but find when they get here it can
be just as much hard word.
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Jill L. Merryman
B. Beliefs on health, well-being, alternative health care practices
1. Some Asian cultures are comfortable with Western medicine,
but they are likely to try more traditional methods of healing first. Asian
cultures are usually reluctant to complain or express negative feelings,
so it may be difficult for a physician to identify the problem. Asian
cultures traditionally tend to focus on the symptoms rather than the
cause of an illness or disease, and therefore may stop using medicines
after early symptoms disappear. Because of this focus, Asian cultures
do not normally value adult immunizations, early disease detection, or
health screenings, but they do believe in childhood immunizations.
2. Before going to a doctor, a person feels they should try
alternative medicine like acupuncture and a treatment such as “Coining.”
Coining is a treatment for minor illnesses such as cold, flu, headache,
fever, pain, cough, or low energy. It is believed that too much “wind” in
the blood is the cause of many illnesses. The practice of coining
involves rubbing heated oil on the skin, most commonly the chest, back ,
or shoulders, and then strongly rubbing a coin over the area in a linear
fashion until a red mark is see – a doorway for the wind to get out.

3.The treatment of illnesses often relates to beliefs about their causes. The
use of home remedies also refers to the traditional beliefs, practices, and
materials the Asian population use to maintain health and cope with
diseases. Several factors including economic status, limited access to
health care, and proven efficacy play a direct role in the usage of
alternative and traditional treatment methods.
C. Family structure/family roles, value of extended family
1.I had a chance to interview a co-worker of mine who is Cambodian and
she informed me that they were raised that the elders controlled all
aspects of the family. Children would never interrupt their elders and
they would wait to be asked to talk.
2. In the Asian culture, you would never send elderly family
members to a nursing home. They feel that their grandparents and
parents raised and took care of them and now they must take care of
their elders.
3. Most Asian American parents push their children to complete
high school and college and that they should be the best in school and
get the best grades because they were not able to earn a degree.
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Jill L. Merryman
D. Communicative practices, education, language, high-contact and
low-contact patterns
1. Children to Asian parents who have moved to the United
States feel they need to try to be the best in school because their
parents teach them that an education is the best way to be
successful and the children always want to meet their parent’s
expectations.
2. They are taught to look someone in the eyes when they
are meeting someone for the first time out of a sign of respect and
to greet others with by title. My co-worker informed me that as we
in the United States use “Aunt” and “Uncle”. she has different
names she will use for them depending if they are the son or the
daughter, because the guys are ranked higher than the women.

Transition – Second, I would like to explain to you a few hegemonic

issues that face this culture and have been held against this group.
II. Overarching hegemonic issue of culturalism
A. Societal culturalism is universal because of its norm,
cultural assumptions, concepts, habits, and expectations favor one
culture over another.
1. According to the article entitled A Cultural Epistemology of
Success” two Cambodian siblings are both college educated and
have white collar jobs. However, the brother owns his own home
and is highly respected in the Cambodian community for his
intelligence, his good deeds and his knowledge of Buddhism. His
sister lives in subsidized housing and has an uneasy relationship in
the Cambodian community, and while she is respected for her
learning she is criticized for her independence.
2. This is an example of culturalism within the Asian
community. One looks down on another because they don’t follow
the set standards of how one family member should act.
3. Here at Averic, all employees are equal. With the same
education and knowledge we do not discriminate against anyone.

B. Discursive culturalism is when words are use to dehumanize the

target on a group level.
1. According to Diane Okihiro in the article “Neither Real
Americans nor Real Asians?” she says “ like my friend, its kinda
funny because she is of Irish decent, but people would never think
that or ask where are you from because they see her as being
Caucasian. And if they look at me they would say, “Oh where are
you from,” because I’m perceived as being Asian first and then
anything that follows after that. For my friend it would be like,
she’s white, she’s of Irish decent but it doesn’t really matter.
2. Diane refers to her racial distinctiveness as featuring
prominently in her interactions with strangers; she believes it is the
first aspect of her identity to register with others. This, in turn
triggers the stereotype that she must be from someplace else
since being Asian is not equated with being from the U.S.
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Jill L. Merryman
C. Personal culturalism is when individuals hold race/cultural
stereotypical beliefs, attitudes or behaviors, either consciously and
intentionally or unconscious and unintentionally and can be both active
and passive.
1. In the article Neither Real Americans nor Real Asians?
Michael Lowe, a manager for a chain electronics store in the Bay
Area, deals with irate customers all of the time. After soothing one
woman who called to complain over purchasing a faulty CD player
she exclaimed, "Thank God you're an American! I'm tired of
dealing with all those ching chong people!"

2. Another respondent, Barry Sato, who spends a large portion of his

day on the phone with clients, struggles with the preconceived notions
of those he does business with and their subsequent reactions when
they meet in person. “I think a couple of times my jaws hit the ground.
Why should my English be any different? Mostly I was shocked.
When I met someone who I've talked on the phone with and when they
saw me they'll go, "I didn't realize you were Asian." That was the first
time. I was shocked. On the other side when I met them what I really
want to say was, "Oh, I couldn't tell you were black over the phone
either." But I held my tongue because now let's not have a fight
(laugh).” Without the benefit of sight or knowledge of his last name,
Barry's client was surprised to learn he had been conducting business
with a Japanese-American. Barry has since gotten used to this kind of
response from his clients. He claims it does not bother him anymore;
he just shakes his head in amazement over the regularity with which
people cannot believe that he doesn't "sound" Japanese over the
phone.

3. For the most part, the stereotyping Asian ethnics experience is not
intended to wound or alienate. Rather, incidents are largely based on
ignorance. Even when no ill will is intended; however, hurt is inflicted
since, once again, they are reminded that they are viewed not as
individuals but as stereotyped members of a group relegated a foreign
status. The frustration comes from trying so hard to be treated as distinct
individuals and then confronting thoughtless stereotypes.

Transition – Next, I would like to touch on prominent culture related

stressors to the Asian culture.

III. These are a few prominent culture-related stressors on the Asian

culture’s physiological well-being, physical health, educational
attainment, and personality development.
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Jill L. Merryman
A. Life event culturalism stressors are time limited life experiences
that are grounded in traditional and modern discriminatory practices.
1. It was predicted that elderly Asian immigrants would
encounter life stressors, because they experience a changing
cultural environment along with the aging process. Additional
studies are needed to identify the coping strategies used by elderly
Asian immigrants. These findings have implications for
gerontologists, policy makers, community healthcare providers, and
the Asian immigrant population.
2.Averic must keep in mind how these stressors can affect ones
health. This is a stress that would not happen in the work place but
we can be mindful of the co-workers around us and make sure that
they are making use of our top notch healthcare service.
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Jill L. Merryman
B. Vicarious culturalism stressors for target group members come from
reporting racist/culturalist occurrences or are exposed to stress-provoking
encounters because such encounters compromise their right to life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness.
1. According to the A Cultural Epistemology of Success the
authors first overt experience of vicarious culturalism and recognition that
she was "different" took place in school around the third grade. While
waiting with her classmates in the hallway to go into social studies class.
As she was standing there, several boys started to circle her while
chanting that their fathers, uncles, and other male relatives had bombed
my people. Then, they proceeded to pull up the corners of their eyes with
their fingers, so they appeared slanted, and made funny noises like
"ching," "chang," and so forth. This was extremely confusing to her
because they had all grown up in the same neighborhood; but, as she
cried in the bathroom and looked in the mirror, it was the first time she
cognitively realized that her eyes were different from theirs. Probably the
most embarrassing part of this experience for her was that the teacher
just stood in the doorway and laughed at the boys taunting her; he never
tried to stop them or indicate that they were wrong. From that time on,
through most of grade school, she hated herself and her mother for
looking and being different.
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Jill L. Merryman
2.Averic wants everyone to know about the many ways you can help
report these types of events here at the work place. You may contact
your supervisor, call our tipline, or even email our support services team.
C. Daily racism/culturalism stressors are everyday microstressors such as
slights and actions that are consciously or unconsciously enacted toward
the target group.
1. According to the same author she also spoke of her older
brother wanting to play baseball with his friends during the summer.
To do that, her parents had to join the local Moose Club so that he
could play in their leagues. Because her family would have been
classified as "working class poor," this was a major commitment of
which her parents were very proud. Her father went to the club,
completed the paperwork, and paid the application and membership
fee. Everything seemed fine for about 2 weeks until they received a
call from the membership person at the Moose Club; he explained to
her father that the Moose, and other similar clubs, had a policy that
prohibited interracial members from joining. The only apology he
made was for not catching it sooner!

2. Even though this event had happened a few years ago,

Averic wants us to be mindful of the pain a person can hold on to
many years from now because of an experience from this. Averic is
interested in starting a Culture Day for all of the branches and invite
members of all cultures to speak and also have presentations of food
and music for their native home. We will also invite families and
friends so we are able to spread the word on the many cultures we
have here at Averic.
Transition – Last, I would like to address how better understanding
this culture will aid in better communication and higher productivity
at Averic.
IV. The importance of creating a workplace climate that allows the Asian
employees reach their full potential in pursuit of the organization’s
objectives. Honoring and inculcating cultural epistemological
knowledge is a means to higher productivity at Averic.

A. How might Averic’s workplace and productivity capability be

enhanced by tapping into the potential of the Asian group in an
inclusionary manner?
1. This is a group of hard working and dedicated employees.
By including this group of employees in more supervision positions
they will be able to show more employees what is needed to be a
key Averic employee.
B. How might cultural audits and training interventions at Averic help
to change root causal factors of culturalism by altering basic cultural
assumptions.
1.As I stated before, I feel that holding a Culture Day at all Averic
branches will provide a wealth of knowledge to all employees so they
can have a better understanding of the diversity of the people they
work with.
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Jill L. Merryman
C. How will Averic employees’ cultural knowledge be enhanced by this
group’s cultural epistemological knowledge?
1. By understanding the Asian culture and their beliefs Averic
employees can now understand how this group has come so far. They
came to the United States in hopes of a better life for them and their
family and they are doing all they can to achieve their goal.
D. How will Averic employees’ cultural encounters be enhanced by its
understanding of the groups cultural epistemological knowledge?
1. Averic employees’ cultural encounters will be enhanced by
better understanding the Asian cultures and the dedication this culture
gives to everything they do. They are dependable and loyal and works
hard to achieve a group goal.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I hope you are more aware of the differences in knowledge,
beliefs, and ideologies you face when providing services to people from
backgrounds different from yours. You can gain greater sensitivity to their
needs and thereby avoid contributing to stereotyping a culture and having a
better understanding of where the group came from.