12 Dimensions Critical Reflection

Part 1

Is destiny achievable or is it inevitable?  I think that this dimension dependent on willpower, low willpower will lead to a person accepting his position (directed) while high willpower empowers a person to strive to achieve their desired position (directive), taking the bull by the horns so to speak.

Relationships, is your work life separate from your personal life? Or is it just your life? People with situational relationships usually have a clear distinction between work colleagues and friends, while people with universal relationships tend to mix business and pleasure.

 If a police man sees his brother breaking the law, should he abide by the rules or make an exception? Choosing the former choice would indicate that decision making is based on rules while the latter would be based on relationships.

The accountability dimension can be simplified by using football as an example. If a fan attributes the winning of matches to the players who scored, that means that his polarity is towards individual accountability, but if he attributes it to the whole team that means that his polarity is towards community accountability.

Part 2

My CMI results say that I display a tendency to be directive when it comes to my destiny. From these results I learn that my stubbornness can be productive if used as persistence to achieve my goals. I agree with the results because I believe that destiny awaits us to achieve it and it our fate is not to be accepted but changed according to our wishes and desires.

My results also indicate that in the relationship dimension I have a situational polarity. I believe the results to be accurate as I view my classmates to be different from my friends; however classmates can become friends after some time. From this I have learned that when I join the workforce I will be more comfortable having my work life separate from my personal life.

My results for the decision-making dimension show a relationship tendency. While it is true that my decisions are greatly affected by relationships that does not mean I disregard the rules. I mostly agree to this result, but I will be paying more consideration to how I follow the rules from now on.

My result in the accountability dimension is in the middle. A balance between individual and community accountability can be advantageous for morale and improvements in skills. I agree with the result and think that this is strength and can be used to improve efficiency.

Part 3

I hope to improve on my results by becoming more efficient, but the change needed is not immense. I think that for most people the results will be more or less identical because these dimensions indicate their personality and viewpoints, however a significant change in lifestyle like a student joining the work force might cause a shift in the polarities  because an event like that can have a significant impact on a person’s personality and characteristics. In the end, we are who we are and changing who are is unlikely and 5 years is not enough to change that. 

Cultural Dimension	Character Todd, Puro, Aisha or other	Outsourced Scene or Circumstance
Communication- direct/indirect	Todd and his boss	He clearly states that he doesn't want to go to India, while his boss is direct about how this was his only choice
Accountability – Individual / group	Todd and his new team	At first he blames them for not knowing the american culture which he thinks causes the bad time, then he confesses that he is at fault as well as he should know more about India to be effective with them.
Expression – Reveal / conceal	Todd and his boss	Todd reveals his displeasure with the decisions of the company.
Context – Informal / formal	Todd and his boss	Todd talks informally with his boss often referring to him by name.
Connecting – Inclusive / exclusive	Todd and Puro and his family	Puro brings Todd into their home and his aunt starts asking about why he isn't married or if he wanted to marry an Indian girl.

3. When he gets on the train, he cannot find an empty seat. How is this problem
solved for him? How might this be a cultural solution?

A young kid offers him his seat which shows respect in their culture. Then the child sits on his lap which comes across as culture shock to Todd as this wouldn't happen in America.

4. As any exchange student, he has a lot of experiences trying new food. His first
encounter is with an iced drink. What happens?
Todd was thirsty and bought an iced drink called Gola, which Puro then states that foreigners usually cannot drink without getting a stomachache, and sure enough Todd gets a stomachache not long after that.

7. Todd wants to check in to a hotel. But Puro insists he comes to a boarding house.
What is the reason he gives Todd?
Puro states that Todd would be lonely in a hotel and says that he would be in good hands with his Aunti Ji.
8. As soon as they meet, Aunti Ji starts asking very intimate questions that
Americans who have just met would never ask. What kind of things does she ask?
Aunti Ji asks him personal questions about his job, salary, his fathers occupation, his marital status and his previous relationship.

Exercise #4

The Amish live in the countryside where they depend on simple methods of living, like traveling by horses, not using digital technology and such. Their way of living is due to their beliefs, trying not cause harm, or conflict. They are living in a strict community where people who break their rules are banished, or shunned as outcasts. Their way of living is the simple life in the countryside away from the headaches of the city.

Exercise #3

• Mrs. Hard Castle had no door on what was supposed to be her room so she adapted by claiming the manager's room as hers.
• Sonny Kapoor, the manager, was very accommodating and tried to avoid conflict by saying everything will be fine even if it clearly wasn't.
• Mrs. Donnelly did not like India, she didn't feel relaxed or happy there, and she had trust issues.
• Mr. Graham was a social and open person, which was helping him adapt there and his comfort showed when he played cricket with the kids.
• Mrs. Ainslie tried to get a refund or change hotels as she was unhappy and didn't try to accept the place, while her husband on the other hand went to the temple and gave the place a chance.

World Views Exercise #2

Week#4 – World Views Exercise #2 – Cultural Reading + WViews quiz 

    

1.    What is the conflict?  What is the basis/ the cause of the problem?

 Expats often wear clothes deemed as offensive by Emiratis. When this issue is brought up to the expats they usually apologize noting that they did not know it was bad here, therefore the core of the issue lies in awareness. 

2.    What is/ are the cultural View(s) (I/G; H/S; P/F) behind the conflict? 

Innocence/Guilt because the expats are saying that they weren't aware of this issue, and they weren't informed about the rules or culture of our country.

Honor/Shame because in the eyes of the locals this is unacceptable and brings shame.

3.    What is the best solution to the problem?

      Raising awareness within the existing population of expatriates, and informing the newly arrived of the rules and expectations in this country.

Cultural Conflict presentation

1.    Background facts:  Historic  &  Present.   Hamad 

2.    Describe the conflict and participants – what are the two sides?  Hamad

 

3.  Root causes (possible minor symptoms of these) Abdulrahman

4.    Apply the WorldViews for All participants: HS / GI / PF   (others?) Abdulrahman

 

5.    What is a suitable Re-solution to this conflict?

How can this situation be avoided in the future in other cases? Mohamed

Exercise #1 - Bullfighting video response

I do not think that bullfighting is acceptable because it is a vicious sport that endangers human life and kills the bulls very slowly and painfully. In our culture when killing animals for food, it should be done quickly to reduce the time that the animal suffers for. However changing cultures is difficult especially when something has been part of the culture for a long time. Any change to be attempted must be handled well and the people must be given advice and time to change.