CROSS CULTURAL

UNDERSTANDING
MEETING 2
What is Cross Cultural Understanding?
What is cross culture?
Terminology within the cross cultural communication field can
sometimes be baffling to those reading the literature,websites or
promotional material.

Many ask what is the difference between ’intercultural’ and ’cross

cultural’? What is ‘cross cultural awarennes’ as opposed to ’cross
cultural knowledge’ or, are ’cultural sensitivity’ and ’cultural
competence’ the same thing?
Cross cultural understanding simply refers to the basic ability of
people within bussines to recognize, interpret and correctly reaction
to people, incidences or situations that are open to
misunderstanding due to cultural differences.
The fundamental intention of cross cultural training is to equip the
learners with the appropriate skills to attain cross cultural
understanding
Once the foundations of cross cultural understanding have been
laid ,the learners, either through continued training or experiences
within the workplace, gradually attains a more acute appreciation
of cultural differences.
The different types of appreciation are cross cultural knowledge,
cross cultural awareness, cross cultural sensitivity and cross cultural
competence.
Although all the terms may appear similar in meaning, suitable
differences exist between them.
Cross Cultural Knowledge

Cross Cultural Knowledge’ is critical to basic cross cultural

understanding Without it, cross cultural understanding. Without it,
cross cultural appreciation cannot take place. It refers to a surface
level familiarization with cultural characteristics, values, beliefs and
behaviors
Cross Cultural Sensitivity

It is a natural by-product of awareness and refers to an ability to read into

situations, context and behaviors that are culturally rooted and be able to
react to them appropriately.
A suitable response necessities that the actor no longer carries his/her
own culturally determined interpretations of the situation or behavior (i.e.
good/bad, right/wrong) which can only be nurtured through both cross
cultural knowledge and awareness.
Cross Cultural Competence

‘Cross Cultural Competence’ is and should be the aim of all those

dealing with multicultural client, costumers or colleagues.
’Competence’ is the final stage of cross cultural understanding and
signifies the actor’s ability to work effectively across cultures.
Cross cultural competency is beyond knowledge, awareness and
sensitivity in that it is the digestion, integration and transformation of
all the skills and information acquired through them, applied to
create cultural synergy within the workplace.