Cross Culture Studies

The Meaning of Cultural

The following text will give you some definitions of culture according to the experts.

1.) ‘Culture ... is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.’

(Tyler (British anthropologist) 1870: 1; cited by Avruch 1998: 6)

2.) ‘Culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behaviour acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiment in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i.e. historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attached values; culture systems may, on the one hand, be considered as products of action, on the other, as conditional elements of future action.’

 (Kroeber & Kluckhohn 1952: 181; cited by Adler 1997: 14)

3.) ‘Culture consists of the derivatives of experience, more or less organized, learned or created by the individuals of a population, including those images or encodements and their interpretations (meanings) transmitted from past generations, from contemporaries, or formed by individuals themselves.’

(T.Schwartz 1992; cited by Avruch 1998: 17)

Conclution : Culture is a way of life that is growing, and shared by a group of people, and passed down from generation to generation. [1] Culture is made up of many complex elements, including religious and political system, customs, languages, tools, clothing, building , and artwork. [1], as well as culture, an integral part of human beings so many people tend to think of genetically inherited. When someone is trying to communicate with people of different cultures, and adjust differences, proving that culture was studied.

Example of Cultural

Understanding Cultural Difference  Indonesia and America

1.      Time

The American people greatly appreciate the time, they never ignore the time and they say time is money. Time is very important to them and they are very timely. While Indonesia was a very not appreciate the time. Indonesian often do something that is not important so it is a waste of time, they are rarely on time and

Always gain time, that’s the culture of Indonesia.

2.      Education

Americans strongly support the educational knowledge. They do not care if they get value of a low value that is not a problem for them, and they are more concerned with knowledge of the value of a good or bad. Of research they made contact with their teachers, lecturers or professors lecture. Teachers can build relationships with student outside the classroom, but in their class to hold opinions.

While education in Indonesia is very different from education in America. If they get good value from the knowledge of students. In Indonesia one is cheating on test, Indonesia just plagiarizing written work.

3.      Invitation

Invitation difference Americans and people of Indonesia are very different. In America the first invitation produces no appointment and no more than a “polite” people of the united expression. And invite someone they have to defermine , when, where, what time, etc. Mean while the Indonesian people are very different if an invite to arrived at his house even though only an expression but an appointment for them. So, they did not say when, where, what, they will soon come. They do not care about questions like that.

4.      Politeness

Indonesia mostly taken from Islamic religious modesty eat with your right hand, it includes politeness, because most Moslem Indonesia. So they are sensible according to his religion.

If the other country (United States) was free, even Caucasian people when there is a nude beach does not mean he wanted to change clothes or shower but naked (without clotheinvitations). Religion of Islam teaches politeness one should not arbitrarily change clothes in place. Even in the religion of Islam teaches close the genitals.

5.      Cleanliness

In America they are maintaining the cleanliness, especially in their kitchen because when you come in their house, they will invite you in and show all her household.

While in Indonesia is very concerned about cleanliness, sometimes when we invite someone to show the content of the house, they do not respond because does not allow.

        Understanding Cultural Difference  Indonesia and Japanese

6.      Culture Eating

Things may be different from our culture is a sound when eating soup is a form of pleasure and enjoy the food, if in Indonesia perhaps it is irreverent.

7.      Meet

It should be noted when he met with the Japanese is not a handshake but bowed in advance (ojigi). Ojigi also commonly used in a variety of things such as martial arts, greeting members, members respectfully, apologized, thanked, and other. Where as in Indonesia over the handshake.