H R C O N T R I B U T I O N
T H E C H A L L E N G E O F T R A I N I N G A M U L T I C U L T U R A L W O R K F O R C E
CULTURAL VALUES
We learn our cultural values in a variety of ways . Many things are learned through direct teaching i . e . interaction with others , but we also absorb our culture without even being aware of it . “ From the moment of [ a child ’ s ] birth the customs into which he is born shape his experience and behavior . By the time he can talk , he is the little creature of his culture , and by the time he is grown and able to take part in its activities , its habits are his habits , its beliefs his beliefs , its impossibilities his impossibilities ,”( i ) notes one researcher . Therefore , our cultural values are transmitted across generations by parents , teachers , respected elders or religious leaders .
Usually the people we choose to be our friends are those much like ourselves , people who share our attitudes , values and culture . We trust and understand them ; feel relaxed in their company . If we view the behavior of another person as odd or abnormal , our friends will probably agree with us because our friends share our biases . Why , then , if we ’ re so comfortable with “ our own ” culture , should we broaden out to encompass others that are unfamiliar to us ?
There is great value in broadening our vision to encompass other cultures ; especially for training specialists since they will have a higher degree of contact with multiple cultures than other professions ; and for trainers working in a multinational context , it goes without saying that understanding the cross-cultural factor is imperative to reaching their audience .
Let us look at an example of how a particular cultural value may differ from one culture to another . From my cultural perspective ( American ), if someone told me I was putting on weight , I would be concerned , and maybe a bit offended , depending on the source . However , I vividly remember a conversation with my friend from Uganda telling me she was shortly going to visit her family back home . “ I must put on more weight ,” she moaned . “ Why ?” I queried in astonishment . In her culture a heavy woman was a sure sign that she ( or her husband ) had enough work to feed herself ( her ). A ‘ well-rounded ’ woman is valued . If she returned to Uganda looking like a thin European , they would worry that she was starving , and / or had no job !