User:Hunterd522/sandbox

Cultures and communication in which the context of the message is of great importance to structuring actions are referred to as high context. High context defines cultures that are usually relational and collectivist, and which most highlight interpersonal relationships. Hall identifies high-context cultures as those in which harmony and the well-being of the group is preferred over individual achievement.

In low context, communication members’ communication must be more explicit, direct, and elaborate because individuals are not expected to have knowledge of each other's histories or background, and communication is not necessarily shaped by long-standing relationships between speakers. Because low-context communication concerns more direct messages, the meaning of these messages is more dependent on the words being spoken rather than on the interpretation of more subtle or unspoken cues.

Sheposh & Shaista.

Some recognized exammpes include: Higher-context culture: China, Korea, Japan, other Asian countries, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Oman, and Yemen, Africa, India, Latin America, the Pacific islands, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, and Russia. In the United States, Native Americans and Hawaiian islanders are also considered high-context

Lower-context culture: United States, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Canada and other European nations.

Case studies: U.S, China, and Korea:

This study, done by Kim Dunghoon, was to test the major aspects the high versus low context culture concepts. Three samples were gathered from the U.S, China, and Korea, three different cultures. From each culture, Ninety-six business managers were surveyed for the American and Chinese sample and 50 managers were surveyed from Korea. According to halls theory, Chinese and Korean samples represented higher context cultures while the American sample represents lower context. 16 items were tested in this study. Each of them covers different aspects of the high-versus low-context concept including: “¬¬¬social orientation, responsibility, confrontation, communication, commitment, and dealing with new situations". "The results show that American, Chinese, and Korean samples were significantly different on 15 of the sixteen items. Out of the 15 items, 11 are significant at the .01 level, 1 at the .05 level, and 3 at the .10 level. The composite score also shows a significant difference among the three samples at the .01 level". The American sample scored the lowest compared to the two “Oriental samples” which is consistent with Hall's concept. Overall, this study offers more evidence supporting the high versus low context culture concepts with Chinese, Korean, and American test participants. The results show that in high context cultures, such as China and Korea, people appear to be “more socially oriented, less confrontational, and more complacent with existing ways of living” compared to people from low context cultures, like America.

Romania and Russia:

This case study was done on 30 Romanian and 30 Russian employees, to show a comparison of western cultural patterns based on high and low context cultures. Russia is a country that is a high context culture, while the people in Romania like to believe they are of western culture, which is a low context culture. Research done proves that Romanian culture is one of high context, even though its employees do not think so. "The total points from the table below show without any reason of a doubt the match between Romanian and Russian culture as patterns of long run, therefore of high context culture". This table shows the major differences and similarities on individual queries. The total numbers found at the end of the table prove how similar Romanian and Russians are, showing very few differences between the people in each culture. .