CULTURE SHOCK

In today′s business world the importance of international negotiations and cooperation is steadily growing. Every company from middle-sized family operations to large Multi National Companies is somehow involved in international business and therefore has to deal with intercultural issues. 

Due to increasing international competition, worldwide marketing activities, new market access opportunities and a fast growing number of international mergers and acquisitions, managers and employees are necessarily confronted with international projects and assignments, or becoming an expatriate working and living abroad.

Culture shock is the common name of the affliction that results when people become confused and anxious in a strange environment with different customs and beliefs from their own. The term Culture Shock refers to the feelings of distress and unease when being exposed to a foreign culture. Besides this narrow definition of the actual shock the expression is also used in order to describe the whole process a sojourner goes through during an international encounter. They experience homesickness, depression, irritability and frustration for an extended period of adjustment. 

The Four Phases

Outlined below is an example of the stages people go through with culture shock:

Stage 1 – Honeymoon

The individual experiences a holiday or 'honeymoon' period with their new surroundings.

They Feel very positive about the culture, overwhelmed with impressions to find the new culture exotic and are fascinated and they are passive, meaning they have little experience of the culture 

Stage 2 – Culture shock

The individual now has some more face to face experience of the culture and starts to find things different, strange and frustrating.

They find the behavior of the people unusual and unpredictable and Begin to dislike the culture and react negatively to the behavior they Feel anxious, Start to withdraw and Begin to criticize, mock or show animosity to the people

Stage 3 – Recovery

The individual now has a routine, feels more settled and is more confident in dealing with the new culture. They Understand and accept the behavior of the people and Feel less isolated and Regains their sense of humor

Stage 4 - Adjustment

The individual now feels 'at home’, They Enjoy being in the culture and Prefer certain cultural traits of the new culture rather than their own they Adopt certain behaviors from the new culture

A very significant aspect in the field of intercultural management is the issue of Culture Shock, which is discussed in this work. However, before starting to go into detail on Culture Shock, its causes, consequences and possible solutions it makes sense to define the term culture in general.