The Blog for Culture Vultures

Relocating to a foreign country for work is a big deal. New home, new language and new culture! There is a lot to get your head around. Without doubt Japan is one of those countries that, culturally speaking, causes confusion for the foreigner.

A distinct island culture, formed over thousands of years, with its own nuances and subtleties... it takes time to genuinelly understand the Japanese.

Being the helpful cross-cultural consultancy we are,  we have scoured the internet to find what we consider to be the best 3 videos on Japanese culture!

These videos will help make your relocation to Japan a little smoother, enabling you to learn about Japanese people and culture, so that you have a head start in terms of behaviour and how best to conduct yourself.

For some, globalization is dangerous for cultural diversity. 

The fear of cultural dilution and being imposed upon by a foreign, sometimes corporate, culture drives many people to deduce that the global economy is doing us more harm than good.

If your introduction to the topic of cultural appropriation was due to a celebrity, such as Pharrell Williams, being slammed for wearing Native American headwear,  Zac Effron, being called out for sporting dreadlocks, or Katy Perry, being criticised for performing as a Geisha, then you're not alone. 

Discover some of the more unknown aspects of South Korean culture and society!

Girls dressing as boys is a hidden Afghan cultural tradition; not encouraged, yet, equally not taboo. 

Watching an excellent RT documentary last night, I was introduced to the incredible world of the ‘Bacha Posh’ (Persian: بچه پوش‎‎, literally "dressed up as a boy").

Executing your uncle is not a great move in any culture.  When Kim Jung-Un accused his uncle and former second in command of being ‘anti party’ and ‘political scum’, most of our global family – regardless of culture, would likely have considered sacking his uncle (and perhaps imprisonment) as an appropriate outcome. 

Having him killed by firing squad though, made even the hardiest of us wince.

Training business professionals prior to going to Iran gives us excellent insight into the misconceptions, stereotypes, fears and worries many foreigners hold. Here's the 10 most common. Deadly not because they can cause death; deadly in that they are based on ignorance and falsehood and lead only to misunderstanding.

Iran regularly features in global news; bandied around by governments arguing the potential benefits or drawbacks of doing business with Iran. 

I recently heard someone of North Korean origin say that you cannot refer to someone as simply 'Korean'. 

From a Korean’s perspective, there’s no such thing as ‘Korean,’ as people originating from Korea identify as either South or North Korean.

How would you describe or define culture?

What imagery would you use? How could you help someone understand the basic mechanics of culture and the impact this has on the world?

Not an easy one!

Has globalisation led to a homogenity of culture when it comes to product, marketing, sales and service?

Or have our cultural differences actually become more acute?

Having received great feedback on my blog about the place of "tarof" in Persian culture, a few people have requested a brief guide to doing business in Iran for companies making the journey over.

So here goes....

When Culture Ruins Marketing!

Although a little cruel, cross cultural marketing mistakes are a humorous means of understanding the impact poor cultural awareness can have when selling or working abroad.

Marketing is perhaps one of the trickiest elements to get right when taking your business or product into new and unchartered territories.

Language, culture, local practices and many other factors heavily influence success or failure.

Jainism is an ancient religion, which originates from Eastern India.

Its advent in the 6th century BC was expected as many people were beginning to oppose the hierarchical organisation and formalised rituals of Hinduism, the dominant religion in India.

Culture impacts almost everything we do - including interior design!  As such, regardless of the business we work in, one should always be aware of cultural differences. 

According to new research, the cultural divide between the West and the East can be explained by the type of farming methods used between the regions. As rice requires more human labour, researchers say it’s no wonder that people in the East are more interdependent.

Have you ever wondered how other cultures celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Does everyone give gifts?

Is it always celebrated by couples, or do some cultures celebrate with family?

What about special unique traditions, they must differ from country to country?

Do some countries celebrate Valentine’s at all?

You may have seen this amazing graphic going viral in the past couple of days. How did such a simple and funny representation of stereotype become viral so quickly? To find out more, we interviewed it’s creator – Jerome Vadon.