It is important for travellers and business people to understand the cultures they come in contact with, however briefly. What are the main advantages of doing so? What do you think is the main disadvantage of not doing so?
Business and travel allows many us to come in contact with people from different cultures. I think, it is crucial to treat this as a great opportunity to learn about these cultures. There are several advantages for doing so and conversely there are drawbacks for failing to do so. First we will try to mark out some of the major advantages of appreciating and assimilating with a foreign culture.
It is a well known fact that soft skills play a very important role in business. To gain the trust and goodwill of someone from a different culture, even knowing the basic courtesies can be of immense practical significance. By respecting someone’s culture we respect them which in turn help in building trust and co-operation. However the significance of understanding a foreign culture is much deeper. Knowing a culture is key to understanding the motivation, attitude or the working style of people from that culture, something which is of vital importance in management and business relations. Travelers too need to understand the foreign culture they are coming in contact with. Visiting a country is not just sight-seeing. Only when we have a fair understanding about the various features of a society like, its history, culture, contemporary socio-political scenario, we are able to properly appreciate the place we are visiting and thus get a good value out of our trip.
On the other hand, not taking the care to understand a foreign culture has some glaring drawbacks. Tourists, for instance, are often disliked for the various troubles, knowingly or unknowingly they bring upon the locals. A responsible traveler needs to be aware of the culture to avoid displeasing the local community. Finally and in my opinion the main disadvantage of not understanding a foreign culture is, in doing so, we risk misunderstanding and making rash judgments on other people. Without knowing the cultural background we are likely judge a person or even a society unfairly, by trying to fit them to our own ideals and beliefs.
To conclude, the world is a global village today and we can no more afford to remain isolated and comfortable in our cocoon. We have to understand and appreciate the various cultures and their varied people to benefit both in our personal and professional lives.