Intercultural aspects

Cultures of the world are sometimes classified into three groups: task-orientated, highly organized planners (Scandinavians, Swiss, Dutch, Germans, North Americans, British, Canadians, New Zealanders); people orientated, loquacious interrelators (Spanish, Southern Italians, South Americans, Greeks, Cypriots, Arabs, Sub-Saharan Africans, Indians, Russians, French); and introverted, respect-orientated listeners (Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, Vietnamese). Richard Lewis, an expert in cross-cultural and language training, observed some common traits for this three groups that he calls linear-active, multi-active and reactive groups respectively:

Linear-active	Multi-active	Reactive
introvert	extrovert	introvert
patient	impatient	patient
quiet	talktative	silent
minds own business	inquisitive	respectful
likes privacy	gregarious	good listener
plans ahead methodically	plans grand outline only	looks at general principles
does one thing at a time	does several things at once	reacts
works fixed hours	works any hours	flexible hours
punctual	not punctual	punctual
dominated by timetables and schedules	timetable unpredictable	reacts to partner's timetable
compartmentalizes projects	lets one project influence another	sees whole picture
sticks to plans	changes plans	makes slight changes
sticks to facts	juggles facts	statements are promises
gets information from statistics, reference books, database, Internet	gets first-hand (oral) information	uses both first-hand and researched information
job-orientated	people-orientated	people-orientated
unemotional	emotional	quietly caring
works within department	gets around all departments	considers all departments
follows correct procedures	pulls strings	networks
accepts favours reluctantly	seeks favours	protects face of other
delegates to competent colleagues	delegates to relations	delegates to reliable people
completes action chains	completes human transactions	reacts to partner
likes fixed agendas	interrelates everything	thoughtful
brief on telephone	talks for hours	summarizes well
uses memoranda	rarely writes memos	plans slowly
respects officialdom	seeks out (top) key person	ultra-honest
dislikes losing face	has ready excuses	must not lose face
confronts with logic	confronts emotionally	avoids confrontation
limited body language	unrestricted body language	subtle body language
rarely interrupts	interrupts frequently	doesn't interrupt
separates social/professional	interweaves social/professional	connects social and professional

From Richard Lewis, When cultures collide: Leading across cultures, Finland, 2006.