This is a great example of Americans drawing a circle around the “I” in our culture. According to Crouch’s article, Mexicans and Americans: A Different Sense of Space, “when we draw circles around ourselves, we are inside the circle looking out” (Crouch, 2004).

Our sense of space is directly linked to our behavior. As our space is encroached upon, we become increasingly defensive and uncomfortable. We have also associated spatial distances with romance. Crouch mentions that if a Mexican female comes near in conversation to an American male, the male should not take this gesture as a come-on (Crouch, 2004). However, if this was an American female, closing a gap of space could be considered a romantic gesture. This notion of space is embedded into our culture; having an individualistic perspective is rooted in generations of American traditions and family life.

Mexican culture draws its circle very differently. As opposed to thinking of the individual, Mexicans use a collective “we” – drawing a circle around their family. Defining this family space is important; it is the comfort and safety of a home that provides nurturing and support to Mexican children. Crouch writes that “physical closeness goes along with closer families and less sibling rivalry” (Crouch, 2004).

American perception of Mexican culture’s sense of space is usually negative; we “see them piled onto a train” (Crouch, 2004) and make jokes about how many can fit in a car. In reality, Mexican culture encourages this element of together-ness; “Mexicans will always feel more comfortable being part of a group” (Crouch, 2004). Within this sacred space, they are in control of what is going on – not something that can necessarily be promised outside of their homes.

In conjunction with this notion of space, however, comes a ferocity to protect the family circle. Mexicans traditionally have walls between their houses; they are concerned with “sharply demarcating one family’s living space from another family’s” (Crouch, 2004). This is not to say, though, that Mexicans are leery of those around them.

Many families in Mexican culture celebrate unity among their neighbors and host group meals. When a member is accepted into this family circle, he or she is embraced wholeheartedly. When they are in their group space, “they behave according to what that space is dedicated to” (Crouch, 2004).

Understanding the two distinct approaches to space is important to intercultural communication because it explains why a Mexican would approach situations differently than an American. I recall visiting a Mexican restaurant one time and feeling sorry for the Mexican children that had to help out their parents. However, in understanding the cultural perspective of Mexican families, children helping at a restaurant may be considered a family duty. As part of a group dynamic, it only seems natural that the children would also learn the customs and traditions of their family.

American and Mexican concepts of space not only differ in terms of family and personal space, but also in the realm of business communication. In American culture, we encourage employees to work side by side with a team; questions can be asked freely among higher ranking executives and interaction is recommended. This is ironically different from our individualistic concepts of personal space. However, within business, collaboration and creating an equal playing field facilitates a healthy working environment. Employers look specifically at whether or not a prospective employee could work well in a team.

In Mexican culture, the warmth and security of a personal, family space does not translate into the workplace. According to the text, creating a distinct hierarchy between boss and worker is normal for Mexicans. Crouch writes, “the Mexican boss will have an exaggeratedly large office and desk to emphasize the hierarchal distance between himself and his minions. This is his power distance” (Crouch, 2004).

In America, businesses strive to create an environment where lower employees feel just as valued in the company as higher employees. In Mexican culture, businesses rely on the fact that the boss is the “big man” (Crouch, 2004) and deserves a higher level of respect than other employees. In this way, their culture does not facilitate an open door for questions; it would be considered beneath the boss’ skill set.

Understanding the difference between an American’s sense of space in business verses a Mexican’s will surely save business deals. As Mexican’s value their group space immensely, an American must adapt his or her sense of space as not to disrespect their coworker. This would include approaching the Mexican’s space with “a proper greeting, avoiding flamboyant gestures, not shouting, and general circumspection (Crouch, 2004). It is crucial that Americans adjust their individualistic tendencies as not to threaten or “disrupt the harmony of the group” (Crouch, 2004).

This may translate to an American making a conscious effort to preserve the hierarchal status of the Mexican’s business practices by not undercutting his or her authority in front of other employees. It could also mean accepting a personal invitation for dinner, understanding that this welcoming into a Mexican’s personal and protected space is more than just a nicety.

When entering the space of someone from another culture, it is crucial to the relationship that respect is the primary offering. Being sensitive to the perceptions of space held by Mexicans requires Americans to be cooperative in our actions and gracious in communicating within that group. Once we have been welcomed into the circle, cultivating those relationships should be the number one priority.

 Crouch, N. (2004). Mexicans and Americans: A different sense of space. Intercultural Communication: A Reader. (Larry A. Samovar, Richard E. Porter, Edwin R. McDaniel, eds.) 13th edition, USA, 2012, 189-197.

The six notions presented by Bergelson aid in understanding the need for Russian-specific knowledge and understanding before embarking upon a business venture. Generally, Russian culture supports a mistrust of government; this is directly linked to a “deep-rooted practice of deceiving higher authorities, coloring the truth, and using round-about ways” (Bergelson, 2012). An additional cultural pattern is the common skepticism associated with commercial activities, an overarching sense of cultural pessimism, little respect for set regulations or rules, and – as will be expanded upon further – a “lack of critical thinking and negotiation skills” (Bergelson, 2012).

Cultural sensitivity and cultural knowledge are two separate entities; however, culturally mindful communication involves the integration of the two ideas. Cultural knowledge is the idea of becoming familiar with a culture’s values and belief system, historical context, cultural characteristics, and interaction with members of varying ethnic groups (Adams, 1995).  To take cultural knowledge a step further, cultural sensitivity is an understanding of these unique and varying elements of culture and acknowledging their differences without assuming the values are wrong because they are unlike one’s own interpretations.

An individual obtains first the cultural knowledge – becoming a foundation for their perception of that culture – but learns through a lens of cultural sensitivity. If an interaction was based solely on cultural knowledge, the other member (the Russian) may see these interactions as “rude or imposing, or insecure and indirect, leading to a perception of the person as an unreliable partner or pushy employee” (Thomas, 1984). With the incorporation of cultural sensitivity, the interactions will encourage a mutual respect – both parties understand the relevance of being sensitive to the other’s values.

Cultural-specific knowledge, such as with Russian culture, is crucial to understand before taking an overseas assignment. Interactions with members of another culture, particularly within the workplace, are so firmly based in cultural foundations and traditions that ignorance to the importance of these elements will surely result in negative sentiment and mistrust, if not a loss of business completely. Specifically within Russian and Soviet co-cultures, members value relationships with people and feelings above gain in business. The goal of Russian interactions is always this idea of mutual support and understanding – not only with personal and family relationships, but also in business.

If an American businessman was to approach a Russian with the idea to exclude an employee because the task is better suited elsewhere, the Russian could see this as an attack on the personal relationships that have been built within the company. This could lead to the Russian creating a perception of that American as being untrustworthy or deceptive – in addition to Bergelson’s mention of the Russian’s “mistrust of commercial activities” in general. If these cultural nuances are understood prior to taking an overseas assignment, the Westerner could understand how to approach the situation differently, ensuring a good relationship with his Russian counterpart.

Two very prominent Russian values are emotionality and judgment. According to the text, Russians encourage the expression of emotion and value attention to the feelings of others. Directly linked to the idea of emotionality is the concept that “relationships are more important than contextual reality” (Bergelson, 2012). Because so much weight is given to appreciating the feelings of others, work relationships thrive when employees feel emotionally valued and connected. Russian culture, for this reason, is full of “active emotional verbs”  (Bergelson, 2012) and culturally loaded words. When a Westerner is interacting with a Russian in this capacity, it is important that the person or employee is put before the gain of the task – a concept that is strange to business in America.

The second value, judgment, is one that is seen to Americans as a negative quality – one that American society associates with being close-minded. To Russians, however, judgmental statements are spoken out of a desire to create a closer, more loyal connection in relationships. Members of Russian culture expect these moral evaluations, and consider it “appropriate to treat others in the same way” (Bergelson, 2012). Americans, on the other hand, tend to look at moral judgments as personal attacks, and condition themselves against passing judgments towards others. For this reason, it is crucial for an American interacting with a Russian to not take judgments as offensive; rather, a Russian judgment demonstrates a desire for mutual respect and deeper connection.

Russian and traditional Soviet co-cultures also support the notions of fatalism and irrationality – qualities that can be traced back culturally to authoritarian structures of government and the sentiment that the Russian people lack control. Fatalism is an attitude carried by most Russians, and is the idea that the future is fixed and unchangeable; in this mindset, Russian people lack control over the world and its events. This is starkly different from the classic American dream mindset; Western people tend to believe that the world is full of opportunity and hope. Addressing this point of view, American-Russian interactions should be pursued without overwhelming the Russian counterpart with potentials and undeterminable factors.

The model of irrationality is also engrained in Russian culture, which is a stark contrast to the general American view of positivism. Rather than “[relying] on objective methods of analysis and logic” (Bergelson, 2012), Russians lack critical thinking capacities and tend to believe that “things can go wrong… at any moment” (Bergelson, 2012).  Coming back to the idea of emotionality, Russians approach business rather with emotion, believing that “relationships are more important than results” (Bergelson, 2012). When interacting with Russians, Westerners would need to understand that using an analytical approach might not be relatable or the best option for their foreign coworkers.

According to the text, “spending time and effort to analyze what the behavior may denote and how it relates to other facets of Russian culture, can often provide insight into problems of cross-cultural organizational communication and group dynamics” (Bergelson, 2012). These varying Russian values all affect the perceptions that the people would have towards Westerners, and directly impact how business is done. In understanding how Russian culture views the world around them, Westerners can express cultural sensitivity within workplace interactions.

Adams, D. (Ed.). (1995). Health issues for women of color: A cultural diversity perspective. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. Retrieved 6 Oct. 2014.

Bergelson, M. (2012). Russian cultural values and workplace communication patterns.

Intercultural Communication: A Reader. (Larry A. Samovar, Richard E. Porter, Edwin R. McDaniel, eds.) 13th edition, USA, 2012, 189-197. Retrieved 6 Oct. 2014.

Thomas, J. (1984). Cross-cultural discourse as ‘unequal encounter’: Towards a pragmatic analysis. Applied Linguistics 5(3): 227-235.