1. Understanding Cross-Cultural
Business
Dr.Nigel Paterson
People Management Breakfast
at Dutton Gregory Solicitors, Winchester
15th May 2012

2. Introduction
• Various models of culture exist. This presentation
explores concepts within the Lewis model, which
has the advantage of being highly visual.
• The main concept is that many important cultural
differences can be described within a triangle
bounded by three categories of culture.
• Various other concepts have been developed
within this model, of which this presentation
gives a taster.

3. What is culture?

4. Culture is collective

5. Stereotyping (1)
“The Japanese are ultra-polite.”
assumptions:
1. This is a stereotypical sentence.
2. Therefore it is not true.
3. The truth lies somewhere else.

6. Stereotyping (2)
)
BUT (defence) does not based on
2. A stereotype
2.A Is it true?
3. stereotype does not come from
nowhere.
3.Therefore it comes from somewhere.
4.What is that somewhere based on?
5.Is it true?

7. Stereotyping (3)

9. The Lewis model
Linear- A culture whose people are task-oriented, highly-
active organized planners, preferring to do one thing at a
culture time in the sequence shown in their diary.
Multi-active An extrovert, people-oriented culture whose members
tend to do many things at once, often in an unplanned
culture
order.
An introvert, respect-oriented culture whose people are
Reactive reluctant to initiate firm action or opinionated
discussion, preferring to listen to and establish the
culture other’s position, then react to it and formulate their
own.

11. Cultural categories

12. Concepts of time
Linear-active
Multi-active
&
Reactive

13. Linear-active – Reactive horizons

14. Listening habits
France
© 2001, 2009 Richard D Lewis

15. National communication patterns (1)
Japan
© 2001, 2009 Richard D Lewis

16. National communication patterns (2)
France
© 2001, 2009 Richard D Lewis

17. Golden rules for interacting with
linear-active people (1)
• Talk and listen in equal proportions.
• Do one thing at a time.
• Be polite but direct.
• Partly conceal your feelings.
• Use logic and rationality.
• Interrupt anyone only rarely.
• Stick to the facts.
• Concentrate on the deal.
• Prioritise truth over diplomacy.
• Follow rules, regulations and laws.
• Speech is for information.

18. Golden rules for interacting with
linear-active people (2)
• Maintain close word-deed correlation.
• Stay results-oriented.
• Stick to the agenda.
• Compromise to achieve a deal.
• Respect officialdom.
• Respect contracts and the written word.
• Reply quickly to written communication or
emails.
• Restrain your body language.
• Look for short-term profit.
• Be punctual.

19. Golden rules for interacting with
multi-active people (1)
• Let them talk at length.
• Reply fully.
• Be prepared to do several things at once.
• Be prepared for several people talking at once.
• Display feelings and emotion.
• People and feelings are more important than
facts.
• Interrupt when you like.
• Truth is flexible and situational.
• Be diplomatic rather than direct.
• Speech is for sharing opinions.
• Be gregarious and sociable.

20. Golden rules for interacting with
multi-active people (2)
• Think aloud.
• Digress from the agenda and explore
interesting ideas.
• Seek and give favours with key people.
• Remain relationship-oriented.
• The spoken word is important.
• Contracts may often be renegotiated later.
• Reputation is as important as profit.
• Expect and use overt body language and
tactility.
• Accept their unpunctuality.

21. Golden rules for interacting with
reactive people (1)
• Good listening is important.
• Do not interrupt.
• Do not confront.
• Do not cause anyone to lose face.
• Do not disagree openly.
• Suggestions, especially criticism, must be
indirect.
• Be ambiguous, so as to leave options open.
• Statements are promises.
• Prioritise diplomacy over truth.
• Follow rules but interpret them flexibly.
• Speech is to promote harmony.

22. Golden rules for interacting with
reactive people (2)
• Share as much as you can.
• Utilise networks.
• Talk slowly.
• Do things at appropriate times.
• Do not rush or pressure them.
• Observe fixed power distances and hierarchy.
• Show exaggerated respect for older people.
• Go over things several times.
• Face-to-face contact is important.
• Work hard at building trust.
• Long term profit is preferable.
• Be punctual.

23. Conclusion
• A grasp of cultural differences can make it
possible to alter one’s own behaviour and be
much better prepared for differences of
cultural behaviour shown by others.
• This is not about make judgements but about
understanding and respecting others better.
• This provides a useful model, not a law or a
formula.

24. References
• Lewis, R. (2006). When cultures collide:
Leading across cultures (3rd ed.). London:
Nicholas Brealey.
• Lewis, R. (2008). Cross-cultural
communication: A visual approach (2nd ed.)
Warnford, Hampshire: Transcreen.
• Lewis, R. (2011). Cross-culture: The Lewis
model (2nd ed.). Warnford, Hampshire: Richard
Lewis Communications. (booklet)