Learning about other cultures is a cultural thing. We tend to use our own models when we address the issue of cross-cultural competence. How do we know this? Those of us who have run programmes around the world will have seen in action the learning preferences of different nationalities again and again. Are they in fact preferences? Or are they rather routines? This is the way we’ve always learnt things; this is more of  the same in terms of substance and range of issues. Do people shy away from unfamiliar learning processes and search for the comfort zone of habitude?

Westerners hate the prospect of learning stuff by rote, of memorising, of processing large quantities of data. Just give me the three-bulletpoint presentation, they seem to say. Reduce the thing to basics, give it to me in logically-connected arguments and supply evidence that would stand up to the scrutiny of debate. Make it relevant to me as an individual and show me what’s in it for me?

East Asians also clamour for the familiar: what’s the etiquette (shades of Confucian li: proper conduct of rituals)? Which knife and fork must I use? Give me the data and test me on it in multiple choice formats. Don’t single me out or ask me to show my knowledge/skills too openly in front of others. Don’t expect me to answer back or challenge much.

So, where would we be if all the management science models had not come out of the USA (and Northern Europe)? What if they had come from Confucian East Asia or the heart of Islam? Maybe, they did! Management and leadership styles handed down from one generation to the next but not captured in books on sale to the hungry air-traveller on her way to the departure gate, but kept inside the organisation for the betterment of their own group but not for general dissemination.

What interests me is : how many East Asian companies are beginning to think: “Hey! This western style is all very well, but we’ve outgrown most Western companies over the last decade. Why change a winning formula?”

Does anyone know about stuff like this? Any comments?