Figuring Foreigners Out describes how cultures are different or similar in many different ways. For example, it talks about how people in different cultures have different notions of personal identity such as having an individualistic vs. collectivist mindset or somewhere between. In addition, the author explains how people in all cultures rely on some kind of non-verbal communication to deliver messages. However, certain behaviors could be interpreted differently based on your culture. Lastly, another way in which cultures differ is how people conceive of and handle time and how their concept of time affects their interactions with each other. In the Hofstede Dimensions of Culture, it analyzed how values in the workforce are affected by culture and concluded that "culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy." This research encourages business people and travelers to be more aware of cultural differences within regions and between countries. I personally agree with these assessments, especially the Individualism one. I believe that North America, especially the United States, holds individualistic characteristics and values compared to different Asian countries like South Korea. I did not necessarily find anything that problematic, but I still wonder whether culture could play a significant role is bringing people together in the workforce. Like mentioned, I think South Korea has more collectivist values due to its history and the people. We emphasize becoming together as one nation whenever we face problems as a country. It is sometimes a bit conflicting on my end because the American individualistic culture is very different from the Korean collectivist personality. I do not know a lot about the Hebrew culture, but I hope to learn more about it. I am going to assume that Hebrew is becoming more individualistic.
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