A Relational View on Cultural Complexity: Implications for Theory and Practice

Preface
Contents
Editors and Contributors
Shifting Towards a Relational View
Delphi Study on Transcultural Competence: Summary and Reflections on a Call for a Relational Approach
1 Why a Relational View on Cultural Complexity?
2 Structure and Composition of the Delphi Study on Transcultural Competence
2.1 Composition of the Group of Experts
2.2 Delphi Study Questions
3 Findings of the Delphi Study on Transcultural Competence
3.1 Question 1: Determinants of the Perception and/or Evaluation of Cultural Diversity
3.2 Question 2: Cultural Commonalities and New Cultural Commonalities
3.3 Question 3: Competences for Identifying and Developing Commonalities
3.4 Question 4: Observations and Reflections on the Term “Transcultural Competence”
4 Overall Findings and a Preliminary Definition of Transcultural Competence
5 Limitations
6 Conclusion and Outlook
References
The Relational Roots of Intercultural Communication
1 The Relational Nature of Communication Theory
2 The Origins of Intercultural Communication as an Academic Specialty
3 The Migration and Commercialization of Intercultural Communication
4 Criticisms of Migrated Intercultural Communication Concepts
5 Directions for Action and Questions for Reflection
References
In Search of Commonalities: Ubuntu and the Transcultural Approach
1 Introduction: A Relational Turn
2 Ubuntu Contested: A Relational Ontology, a Type of Moral Resource, an Ethic in the Making
3 Ubuntu in the Literature: Multicultural and Intercultural Approaches
4 In Search of Commonalities: Ubuntu and the Transcultural Approach
4.1 Finding, Exploring, and Creating Cultural Commonalities
5 Conclusion
References
A Relational View on Culture and Transculturality
1 Introduction
2 A Eusocial Mammal
2.1 Fission–Fusion and Moral Circles
2.2 Culture is Not Group Identity
3 Bottom-up Dynamics
3.1 Status and Power
3.2 Reference Groups
3.3 Relational and Technical Activity
3.4 Elementary Forms of Sociality
4 Cultural Differences
4.1 Culture and Sociality
4.2 Gestalt of a Society
4.3 Evolution of Culture
5 Looking at Real Life
5.1 Modelling
5.2 Case Studies?
5.3 Probability vs Actual Occurrence
6 Transculturality
6.1 What Is It?
6.2 Is “National Culture” Still a Useful Concept?
6.3 Limits to Transculturality
6.4 Transculturality Across Cultures
7 Concluding Remarks
References
Transcultural Competence and Relational Costs
1 Cultural Complexity and Economic Perspective
1.1 Cultural Complexity and Economic Development
1.2 Relational Economics and Transculturality
2 Relational Dimensions of Transcultural Competence
2.1 Territories, Actors and Codes
2.2 Multiple Types of Value
2.3 Functions and Contexts of Values
2.4 Three Dimensions of Transcultural Competence
3 Relational Costs and Cooperation Corridor
3.1 Transcultural Competence and Costs
3.2 Transcultural Costs and Cooperation Corridor
4 Research Prospects for Cultural Complexity
References
Elaborating on Transcultural Competence
A Cultural Reflexive View on Transculturality
1 Introduction
2 Transculturality
3 Cultural Reflexivity
3.1 Quasi-Natural Worldview
3.2 Power Reflexive Practice
3.3 Systemic Constructivist Co-construction
4 Summary
References
Transcultural Competence: Present-at-Hand and Ready-to-Hand? A Communication Theory Approach
1 Introduction: Intercultural vs. Transcultural
2 Communication: Cultural Commonality or Prerequisite for Culture(s)?
2.1 Symbolic and Sub-symbolic Communication
2.2 Reflexive Intentionality, Communicative Intentions, and the Symbolic Background
3 A Concept of Transcultural Competence: Taking It Further
4 Conclusion: Transcultural Competence as a Relational Phenomenon
References
Time Matters. Tempocentrism—Key Impediment for Transcultural Processes
1 Introduction
2 Transculturation—Origins, Practical Interests, and Potential of an “Old” Concept
3 Recognition and Historicization
4 Tempocentrism—The Root of “Short-Termism”
5 “Inclusive Leadership”, or How to Become an Inclusive, Transcultural Organization?
5.1 The First Pillar: How Time Matters in Transculturality
5.2 The Second Pillar: How Time Matters in Inclusive, Transcultural Leadership
5.3 The Third Pillar: How Co-creative Procedures for Transcultural Processes May Result in DE&I
6 Conclusion
References
Towards Transcultural Self-Writing: Mapping the Struggles of Minoritised Cultures in Colombia
1 Introduction
2 Tensions and Challenges of Minoritised Cultures in Colombia
3 Cultural Complexity and Transcultural Self-Writing on the Colombian Pacific Coast
4 Axes of Transcultural Self-Writing
4.1 Memory
4.2 Corporality
4.3 Territoriality
5 Conclusion
References
Leveraging Relationality in Contexts of Cultural Complexity
The Essence of Multilogue, Nudges, and Queries: Enabling Un-Alienated Collaboration Spaces
1 This Piece of Earth in the Era of Discontinuity, or Where Are We Now?
2 Are You a “Recovering Interculturalist”, or How Do You Answer, “What Do You Do”?
3 Are We Good at Talking About Cultural Complexity and Diversity, But Stuck in Our Echo Chambers of How We Think About Them?
3.1 A Little History, Interpreted
4 Are We Good at Talking About “Culture”, But Still Stuck in Our Boxes and Categories?
4.1 A Little More History, Interpreted
5 Who Am I? My Identity Will Not Be Stuffed into One Little Box
6 How Can We Decode und Uncover What’s Going on in This Case?
7 How Can We Fertilize the Soil for Our Collaboration Gardens?
8 What Does Your Garden of Collaboration Need to Get Things Done?
9 The Origins of the Multilogue
10 Will We Throw the Old Gardening Tools Away, Redesign How We Use Them, or Make New Tools?
11 What Might You Discover in an Uncomfortable Situation, if You Were Willing to Take a Pause to Find Out?
12 May I Have This Dance? How Can We Find a Rhythm of Communication Which Works for Both of Us?
13 What Could This Mean for You, to Create an “Un-alienated Lifespace or Workplace”?
14 How Do Nudges and Queries Support Co-creating Our Collaboration Spaces?
15 What Are Examples of Nudges and Queries? How Do I Use Them?
16 How Do Queries Shake Up, Wake Up, or Take Up Unspoken or Controversial Thoughts?
17 Are You, in Your Community of Practice, Ready to Grow Your Multilogue?
References
Co-creation of Meaning Through Experiencing: How to Transform an Alienating Situation into a Situation of Belonging?
1 Introduction
2 Alienating Situations—Examples and Learning Approaches
2.1 Explaining and Understanding Cultures
2.2 Deconstructing and Constructing Meaning
3 Eugene Gendlin’s Experiencing Theory and Its Relevance to Situations of Alienation
3.1 What Is Meant by Experiencing?
3.2 What Is the Function of Felt Meaning?
3.3 Can We Learn to Use Felt Meaning Intentionally?
3.4 What Happened in Benin?
3.5 How Can Felt Sensing Become a Resource for Co-creating Meaning?
4 Learning to Communicate Through Experiencing—A Teaching Mode
5 Felt Sensing as a Contribution to the Concept of Transcultural Competence
References
Story Circles as an Intercultural Tool for Fostering Relationships
1 What Is Intercultural Competence?
2 Developing a Practical Intercultural Tool
3 Story Circles and Intercultural Competence Development
4 Contexts of Story Circles
5 The Story Circle Process
6 Guidelines and Goals of Story Circles
7 Using Story Circles
8 Effectiveness of Story Circles
9 The Big Picture: From Relationships to Community
References
Can You Fit a Square into a Circle? Leveraging Experiential Learning to Enhance Relational Capacity Building
1 Introduction
1.1 Brief Note on Terminology
2 Experiential Learning
3 Evidence-Based Design
3.1 Step 1: Target Group
3.2 Step 2: Learning Goals
3.3 Steps 3 and 4: Theories and Processes
3.4 Step 5: Activities
3.5 Step 6: Evaluation
4 Conclusion
References
The Arrival of the Transcultural Caravan in the German Armed Forces: The Bundeswehr
1 Introduction
2 Culture and Cultural Competence in the Bundeswehr
2.1 Culture: Concept and Models
2.2 Cultural Competence—Inter- or Transcultural?
3 Aspects of Cultural Didactics in the Bundeswehr
3.1 Objectives, Contents—Training Levels
4 Concluding and Further Remarks
References
Literacy as an Access Method: How Terminologies as a Mechanism for Gatekeeping Influences Participation
1 Cultural Skills for the Twenty-First Century
2 Digitalization as the Key to Knowledge
3 Key Cultural Competencies
4 Learning to Access Knowledge Through Literacy
5 The Role of Gatekeeping in Accessing Knowledge
6 A Conceptual Understanding of Gatekeeping
7 Applying Gatekeeping to Cultural Practitioners
8 Gatekeeping Analysis Methodology
9 Delphi Analysis Findings
10 Understanding the Use of Jargon
11 What to Do with This Jargon?
References
Leading in Contexts of Cultural Complexity
Culturally Complex Work Settings: Characteristics and Requirements for Leadership from a Relational Perspective 
1 Introduction
2 The Changed Work Context
3 Characteristics of Culturally Complex Work Settings
4 Implications for Conceptualizing Leadership in Culturally Complex Settings
5 Characteristics of Relational Leadership in the Context of Culturally Complex Work Settings
6 Navigating Effectively in Culturally Complex Work Settings
7 Concluding Remarks
References
Seeking Commonality While Preserving Difference: A Dynamic Balancing Approach for Leading Across Cultures
1 Duality in Leading Across Cultures
1.1 From Knowing to Connecting
1.2 The Commonality–Difference Duality
2 Basic Principles of Dynamic Balancing
3 Dynamic Balancing in Leading Across Cultures
3.1 Seeking Commonality for Creating Cross-Cultural Connection
3.2 Preserving Difference for Leveraging Unique Strengths
3.3 Dynamic Balancing Toward the Best of Both Worlds
4 Leading Across Cultures: The Case of Toshihiko Harada
4.1 From Japan to the USA Toward a Leadership Role
4.2 A Japanese in a Production Plant in Missouri
4.3 Building Sustainable Growth in Business and People
4.4 Leadership Lessons for Dynamic Balancing
5 Discussion and Conclusion
References
Two Sides of the Cultural Equation—The Need for Cultural Competence to Deliver Relational Rents from Inter-organization Collaboration
1 The New Business Environment
2 Origins of Relational Views and Increasing Challenges
3 Cultural Miscommunication
4 Culture Defines the Ways Things Are Done Around Organizations
5 The Challenge to Deliver Relational Transactions Between Organizations
6 Employees Need a Spectrum of Cross-Cultural Capabilities to Deliver. So How Do We Get a Reliable Measure of Cross-Cultural Capability?
7 Profiling Inter-culture Competence
8 Assessing the Organization Cultures of Partner Organization
9 Proposed New Relational Framework
Reference
A New Narrative of Leadership in the Context of Global Virtual Teams?
1 Trend Towards Remote Work
2 Global Virtual Team Context
2.1 Employee Experience in GVTs
3 A Shift Towards Relational Leadership?
4 Leadership in Virtual Work Environments
4.1 Shared Leadership
4.2 Self-leadership
5 Practical Implications of a Relational Turn in Leadership
5.1 Creating a Common GVT Culture
6 Conclusion and Outlook
References