This assignment will take longer to be completed. Recruit your international interviewee and
perform the interview. Cultural variability is an extremely important topic, and it provides the foundation for everything else that we discuss in this class. For
this assignment, read thoroughly chapters 1, 2, and 3 in your textbook. Once you have a clear understanding of the different value perspectives discussed in
the readings, interview someone who comes from a different national culture than you do and compare and contrast their values with your own. I need to see
your interview questionnaire at the end of your paper/interview report as an Appendix. Also, your questions should be strictly related to concepts from
chapters and from the attached article.
Your interviews will be more meaningful if your interviewee has not been in your culture for more than three years (before acculturation takes place).
For this assignment, we are NOT dealing with US co-cultures, but rather with major national cultures, so be sure that your interviewee is from a “very different”
international culture. This implies that there is a considerable “cultural distance” between your original culture and the culture of your interviewee. For
example, Canadian (Anglo) culture is not enough “culturally distant” from ours. In contrast, the Chinese culture is very “culturally distant” from ours (US).
Individualism/collectivism is the most important value, so pay particular attention to that one. However, you will also need to discuss all the other values or
cultural elements examined in the text and in the article. Be as thorough, detailed, and organized as possible.
In your analysis, also address this question: what impact could these differences have on intercultural communication and understanding? For example, if
you come from a low power distance culture, and you have an employee or student who is from a high power distance culture, will they feel comfortable
coming to you with complaints or disagreements? Avoid email or phone interviews, they don’t generate enough material for the paper. Prefer face-to-face or
Skype interviews. Email and phone interviews lack details and interpretation of nonverbal behavior. Your paper will appear “shallow”. During the interview,
probe, probe, probe!! Avoid the “difficult” interviewee (one that gives only yes-no responses). You want them to talk to give you enough material for the paper.
In addition to your questions, add a demographic section at the beginning of the interview: gender, age, occupation, major, how long in the US, country of
origin.
The minimum length for this assignment is 4 double-spaced pages, font 12. NO BREAKS AMONG PARAGRAPHS ARE ALLOWED.
Note — How to recruit? Here are a few good places to find international interviewees: Office of Multicultural Affairs on campus (ask them if they can put you
in contact with one international student and choose by country),