This Friday, July 31st at 11:30am PDT, Charlene Solomon, EVP of RW3 and co-author of Managing Across Cultures, will be on the blogtalkradio.com show “The Feisty Side of Fifty.”

The show’s host, Mary Eileen Williams, gives us a synopsis of the discussion: “[Charlene] will be discussing the unique challenges faced by women in management, especially in the global marketplace. Women in authority must be culturally competent, so tune in to learn the keys!”

Click here to listen on Friday, or afterward to listen to a recorded version.

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The following will come in handy when you are in Honduras or when you work with Hondurans.

+ Honduras is a small Central American nation that has been agriculturally based for much of its history. Hondurans are sensitive to using the words “America” and “American” in reference to the USA. They define the term “America” as the sum of its parts: North, Central, and South America.

+ The extended family and close friends constitute a very important network for Hondurans to call upon for emotional support and general assistance. Most young people live at home until they marry, while elderly parents live with their married children.

+ Machismo, a core aspect of many Hispanic cultures, literally means masculinity or the projection of strength. Boys are raised to believe that they are superior to women and that they have a superior role within the culture.

+ In business, the ultimate decision maker acts without developing a consensus. Hondurans do not question the decisions made by their superiors because this would be tantamount to challenging the person’s character.

+ Most Hondurans have both maternal and paternal surnames. It is considered polite to address people by the appropriate honorific title (Señor or Señora) and their surname until invited to a first-name basis. However, if someone is older, they may prefer to be called Don or Doña with their first name, as a sign of respect.

+ The most important cultural attributes that you will see operating in business in Honduras are:

- A strong system of hierarchy
- Formal style
- An emphasis on interpersonal relationships
- Indirect communication

+ When managing Hondurans, remember that each employee has a distinct role within the organization, and maintaining that role helps maintain social structure. People believe that their supervisors have been chosen because they have more experience and knowledge than those they manage.

- from RW3′s CultureWizard™ Country Profiles

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The following will come in handy when you are in Israel or when you work with Israelis.

+ Native-born Israelis, versus those who immigrate, call themselves “sabras,” which is the fruit of the cactus (otherwise known as a prickly pear). Like their namesake, Israelis pride themselves on having a tough exterior that covers a warm, hospitable interior.

+ Israeli families are close-knit and form the foundation of the social structure. The unique background of Israelis (Holocaust survivors, their descendants and immigrants) makes them especially aware of the importance of family.

+ In Israel, there are 6 days in the work week, and the universal day of rest is Saturday, or the Sabbath. The Sabbath starts at sundown Friday evening when public transportation shuts down, and shops and businesses are closed. The work week restarts on Sunday.

+ Most of the population is secular, and while there is complete freedom of religion, the Jewish nature of the State is very clear.

+ Unless otherwise specified, most restaurants adhere to Jewish dietary laws, (kashrut or kosher). Meat and dairy are served separately and shellfish and pork are not eaten. It will be important to be aware of your guests’ dietary practices if you entertain at home.

+ Israelis will judge your professional competence by how knowledgeable you are in your field. They are not impressed by titles. This is a culture where actions speak more loudly than words.

+ Israelis are often passionate and expressive communicators. This means that they may raise their voice when speaking. They may yell and scream at someone one minute and, a few minutes later, hug the person. Conversely, if an Israeli speaks in a low tone and smiles for hours, he or she is not relaxed.

+ Israel is a relationship-oriented culture where feelings and emotions can be more important than facts. In many ways, the country is one large extended family, so it is acceptable to dispense with formality and be direct and honest with everyone.

- from RW3′s CultureWizard™ Country Profiles

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The 2009 Cost of Living survey by Mercer has shown that Johannesburg, colloquially also known as “J-Burg,” in South Africa is now the cheapest city in the world for expatriates (in US dollars).

Conversely, Tokyo is now the most expensive city for expatriates, ranking higher than Moscow.

Click here to read the article on AllAfrica.com.

The following is from yesterday’s GLOBILITY, published by Worldwide ERC.

The Khaleej Times reports that the Federal National Council (FNC) of the United Arab Emirates has announced that a cultural test included in residency visa procedures. Expatriates in the UAE reacted strongly, while many residents who wrote into the Khaleej Times commented that expatriates do not fully understand the UAE’s identity.

“That’s good. The people who are living in this country should know the common things about this country,” says Emran Albalushi, an Ajman resident.

However, other residents argued that while knowing about the country is important, requiring a test is not a good way to teach expatriates. One resident suggested that a guidebook could be provided with a visa. Some felt that a cultural test is only needed if expatriates are trying to become citizens in the country, and that it would not ensure that the culture is understood or respected.

“Respect and value for culture cannot be obtained by pressure,” says M Murli of Sharjah. “Such measures are deemed necessary due to non-confidence, fear and inability of the culture to be accepted voluntarily by others. This acceptance and respect can be gained only by its own spiritual, moral and ethical virtues and not by enforcement of any draconian laws.”

Another expatriate said “Cultural knowledge of the country where you reside is very important and it’s definitely a welcome move. However, it should not be a test or compulsory obstacle to clear to get the residency permit, rather a very informative tool/booklet should be given along with visa.”

Click here to read the article on the Khaleej Times website.

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“Cuban Days: The Inscrutable Nation” in the World Affairs Journal is a powerful essay on the reality of life in Cuba. The journalist Tom Gjelten captures the essence of Cuban culture today and how it has evolved in response to Fidel Castro’s revolution, proving how much culture can change over a few generations as a result of governmental change. The analysis of how cultural behaviors have formed over the last half-century has major implications for governance and leadership.

“The combination of fierce repression and a paternalistic state has squelched initiative and fostered a culture of passivity,” says Gjelten. A strong hierarchical force has been in place since the revolution, which makes conformity the easiest and safest mode of living for most in the country.

Gjelten adds that “for average working Cubans, the inclination to conform is even more deeply felt, fostered by a…state that provides for Cubans’ basic needs without nurturing individual responsibility.”

The totalitarian regime imbues Cubans with an extreme aversion to risk, which stifles entrepreneurial activity and makes hope for change to a less severe form of government, one unlike Castro’s, very dismal. In other words, Gjelten concludes that change must be top-down, and that a change in political ideology will be the impetus for cultural change.

Click here to read the essay.

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Findlay Kember, AFP/Getty Images

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton engaged in public diplomacy with a large group of students and academicians at Delhi University yesterday.

A summary of the event on NPR’s website described a part of her interaction with the students: “…the lightest moment came when the secretary was asked about cultural differences between the two big democracies. She said it is time for Indians and Americans to get over the stereotypes promoted by their movies and television.”

Clinton went on to say “If Hollywood and Bollywood were how we all lived our lives, that would surprise me. And yet it’s often the way our cultures are conveyed, isn’t it? People watching a Bollywood movie in some other part of Asia think everybody in India is beautiful, and they have dramatic lives and happy endings. And if you were to watch American TV and our movies, you think we don’t wear clothes and we spend a lot of time fighting each other.”

This tactic of drawing parallels between the US and other countries is a hallmark of Clinton, and the reference to popular culture was appreciated by her audience (the crowd apparently “roared” after the statement). Cultures overlap in many ways, and this commonality can be a powerful demonstration. Clinton drew her comparison to demonstrate how important cultural awareness is.

Click here to read the full article.

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A New York Times article brings our attention to the cultural disparity experienced between doctors and their patients. It is unfortunately still a novel realization, according to the medical writer.

However, medical training has begun to incorporate cultural lessons. “While researchers have begun to understand the profound extent to which a patient’s cultural background can influence health care, more and more medical schools and training programs have integrated what is termed ‘cultural competency’ into their curricula.”

It’s not always instantly recognizable, so what part does culture play in health care?

“[Culture] affects health disparities, communication and interactions in the doctor-patient relationship, the illness experience and health care outcomes,” says one professor of medicine. The way illness and treatment is interpreted varies between cultures, which is why it is so important for health care professionals to be aware of the way patients react. Patients, too, should consider that their doctors come from a distinct culture, which has prepared them to treat illnesses in a specific way.

How can this learning be distilled and disseminated? What else can the health care industry do to increase it’s cultural competence and drive positive results?

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This excellent graphic, on the New York Times website, shows the location of ethnic minorities in China. It’s important to understand the differences between national, regional and personal cultures, which are often tied to ethnicity. Being aware of the fact that culture varies significantly from place to place is important in a globalized world. Click here to see the interactive map on the New York Times website.

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Click here to read an article in this month’s Chief Learning Officer on the importance of “incorporating global diversity into learning.”

“…Business leaders cannot effectively execute a global business strategy without first building cross-cultural competence.” This thinking resonates clearly with the CultureWizard Blog. Managing differences can oftentimes be the most difficult aspect of any job, and cultural differences abound in any global business.

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FORTUNE’s Anne Fisher writes on RW3, Michael Schell and Charlene Solomon in her column “Ask Annie.” She points out that “success in foreign markets demands that you understand differences between cultures.”

Click on the article below to jump to the full version!

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(Image: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)

The World section of the New York Times recently featured a wonderful piece called “Farewell to an India I Hardly Knew,” which is told from the perspective of an American of Indian descent. The article shows how India has greatly changed in the past several years: “farms giving way to factories; ultra-cheap cars being built; companies buying out rivals abroad. But the greatest change I have witnessed is elsewhere. It is in the mind: Indians now know that they don’t have to leave, as my parents left, to have their personal revolutions.”

The writer’s experience points to a vast cultural shift, much of which translates to an increased popularity of individualism, as the rigidities of caste are unraveled and modern technologies foster modern ideas, which lead to non-conventional behaviors. However, these non-conventional behaviors soon became the norm for a large portion of India, which is how the pillars of culture slowly shift from one focus to another.

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Check out MBA in the USA’s post on how the 4th of July is celebrated in the US. It’s great if you’re new to the holiday and you find yourself not knowing why and how it’s celebrated!

Independence day’s abound in countries worldwide. How does your country celebrate this holiday?

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Reuters journalist Scott Malone writes an article today called “Managing cultures in a flat world.” The piece focuses on Schell and Solomon’s new book, Managing Across Cultures, and emphasizes one of its important cultural points: “Executives can more easily accept cultural differences in colleagues and employees if they take the time to assess their own cultural biases.”

Click here to read the article!

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