absolute cultural relativism not questioning what takes place in another culture

assimilation the process by which people lose their cultural differences and blend into the larger society

bias interpretation and judgment of other people and their way of life in terms particular to our culture

bottom - line issue impacts the overall success and survival of an organization

boundaryless behavior interaction that is free of the walls and layers that people build between themselves and others

buying power the total personal income that is available after taxes for purchases of goods and services

certainty our need for structure and regulations

chronemics cultural use of time

collectivistic cultures a culture in which the person is viewed as an entity that cannot be separated from others or the surrounding culture

colorism unequal treatment based on the lightness, darkness, or other color characteristics of an individual

communication styles differences in how we express ourselves

communication the process by which we exchange ideas, feelings, and symbols of all kinds in a way that can be understood by others

conflict a clash between multiple realities or points of view

conflict management the ability to deal with conflict in an effective and constructive manner

cosmopolitan communicator one who understands and responds to situations as a worldly person

co-victimization experiencing the effects of bias indirectly

critical cultural relativism questions cultural beliefs and practices in an effort to understand better why they exist , who accepts them , and who they benefit or harm

cross-cultural conflict conflict among people from differing cultural backgrounds

cultural baggage those beliefs, values, and practices that we carry around with us

cultural construct gain meaning by what others have taught us

cultural context the ideas, values, beliefs, and other environmental influences that characterize the setting in which interaction takes place

cultural encapsulation a lack of contact with various cultures outside of our own

cultural identity development the process of learning to identify with larger groups and their ways of life

cultural identity the people and ways of life with which we identify

cultural intelligence (CQ) those key competencies that allow us to effectively interact with people from diverse cultural backgrounds in all kinds of settings

cultural lenses social influences that shape our vision and how we evaluate the world around us

cultural relativism any culture's values and beliefs must be understood on the basis of its own standards

cultural silos limited social experiences that restrict our thinking and insulate us from the rest of the world

cultural truths beliefs so embedded in our culture that they are rarely stated or questioned

cultural universals those behaviors, values, and beliefs found in all cultures

culturally marginal existing on the fringes of more than one culture

culturally specific that which can only be understood in the context of a particular culture

culture of power an environment created by those in power that places its members at the cultural center and other groups at the margins

culture shock the disorientation felt when encountering a significantly different way of life

culture a people's way of life that is socially learned, shared, and transmitted from generation to generation

decentering moving away from our own “center” or perspective and adopting the other person's point of view

discrimination the unequal treatment of a group or individual

double consciousness a person's awareness of his or her own perspective and the perspectives of others

earned privileges advantages that reflect effort and achievement

eco-map a drawing that represents relationships connecting you and groups that make up your immediate social environment

electronic communication the interchange of ideas and information through technology

emoticons culturally defined symbols used in electronic communication that refer to emotions and thoughts

emotional intelligence (EQ) the ability to recognize, interpret, and appropriately respond to feelings in others and ourselves

empathy the ability to develop an intimate understanding of another person's feelings, motives, and thoughts

enculturation immersion in a culture to such an extent that our way of life seems only natural

ethics the study of what is considered right and wrong conduct

ethnic identity an awareness of belonging to a social group that shares a common culture

ethnicity one's cultural heritage

ethnocentrism the assumption that our way of doing things is naturally superior

ethnocentrism evaluating other cultures on the basis of our own cultural standards; assuming that our way of doing things is superior to any other

ethnorelative ethics understanding and evaluating behavior in its cultural context

evolving a stage in team development where members look back and look ahead.

family of orientation the family into which we are born

fault lines divisions among team members

forming a stage in team development where members get to know each other and find their place on the team.

gender schemas cultural images of what it means to be male or female

glass ceiling barriers that keep certain people out of the highest positions.

global consciousness the awareness, understanding, and skills necessary to adjust to different cultures

globalization the growing interdependence among people and cultures throughout the world

groupthink the tendency to think like everyone else

hidden ethnicity a lack of awareness of ethnic identity

identity how we define ourselves

incidental learning unintentional learning that results from everyday activities

inclusion the feeling of belonging and acceptance; moving beyond tolerance

individualist cultures cultures that emphasize the achievements and goals of individuals

in-groups those people with whom we identify

institutionalized unequal treatment built into the policies, procedures, and practices of an organization

intercultural communication the process by which people from different cultures relate or “connect” with each other by exchanging ideas and feelings and creating meanings

kaizen the relentless quest to improve a little each and every day

large power distance cultures cultures in which people accept and do not question the fact that power is distributed unequally

linguistic style an individual's characteristic speaking pattern

listening an interactive process that involves receiving and organizing information as well as interpreting responding and remembering

majority group a category of people who are generally more accepted and included, afforded more opportunities, and have greater access to social, economic, and political power

master statuses those positions that “stand out” in the eyes of society tend to become less important

material culture tangible things that you can see, touch, or feel such as jewelry, clothes, books, and art

megaskill a powerful, fundamental skill that is absolutely necessary for excelling on the job and in other areas of life

meritocracy the idea that people deserve what they get

mestiza consciousness the ability to reconcile conflicting and meshing identities

minority group a category of people who are singled out, marginalized, and denied equal opportunity and equal access to power

minority status a position that lacks power and privilege in society

modeling taking responsibility for finding one's own mentors and developing a relationship with each of them

multilingual skills ability to think and speak in a number of languages

multiple consciousness ability to adopt multiple cultural perspectives or lenses regardless of the situation

non-material culture abstract ideas including language beliefs and values

nonverbal communication all of the ways in which we communicate other than words themselves

norming a stage in team development where members establish rules and responsibilities

organizational culture the structures, values, processes, rules, behaviors, and underlying assumptions that characterize an organization

other someone who is seen as different because of his or her appearance, culture, or some other trait

out - groups groups of people with whom we do not identify

performing a stage in team development where members work together toward a common goal

personal space the area surrounding a person over which he or she makes some claim to privacy

power ability to bring about change

power distance how much equality or inequality people within a particular society accept or expect

prejudice an irrational inflexible prejudgment

primary groups groups that are relatively small and involve more intimate and informal relationships

privileges rights or benefits enjoyed by a particular person or a select group

proxemics the cultural use of space

racism the belief that some racial groups are naturally superior or inferior to others

recentering building a bridge between your perspective and that of another person to form a new, more effective way of interacting

relational created out of relationships between and among individuals, groups, and societies.

relationship-building behaviors behaviors aimed at understanding, motivating, and communicating with others

ritual conversations traditional dialogues that occur over and over again and inhibit meaningful and productive communication

role-conflict expectations associated with our multiple roles pull us in different directions

self-fulfilling prophecy expectations cause people to act in ways consistent with how they are expected to act

sexual harassment unwelcome sexual attention that creates a hostile work environment or affects people's work performance

shifting perspectives examining the world from different vantage points

small power distance cultures cultures in which people seek to minimize differences in power as much as possible

social distance a person's willingness to accept people of various racial and ethnic categories in various situations

socially constructed based on how we view and define what reality is to us

stereotype vulnerability not performing up to one's potential for fear of perpetuating a stereotype

stereotypes unreliable overgeneralizations about a group of people that do not take individual differences into account

storming a stage in team development in which members wrestle with addressing the issues

subcultures distinctive ways of life within the larger, mainstream culture

superordinate goals shared goals that require all members of a group to unite and work together

synergy the output of the team as a whole is greater than the individual members are capable of acting alone

systemic involves a number of interrelated parts

taking the role of the other trying to put oneself in somebody else's place

task behaviors behaviors oriented toward accomplishing certain objectives

team a relatively small number of people who are committed to achieving certain results for which they hold themselves and each other accountable

team building the process of enabling a group of people to achieve their goal

trust the feeling within a group that team members can depend on one another and assume their intentions are good

unearned privileges those advantages that we have due to who we are or circumstances beyond our control

virtual teams teams whose members use communication technologies to interact across distance, time, and organizational boundaries in pursuit of a common goal

wait time time given to wait for a response

world views frameworks for making sense of the world