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Culture Shock: Hiding In Plain Sight—An Experiential Exercise, Mary G. Trefry, Valerie L. Christian

Organization Management Journal

In Culture Shock, participants explore the potential influence of organizational culture and national culture differences on communication, interaction, and reaching agreement. The role play, with observers, involves two employees from different organizations involved in a strategic alliance who come together to plan an upcoming meeting. Their respective role information instructs them to behave and communicate in ways consistent with their own organization’s culture, which also is affected by national culture. During debriefing discussions afterward participants explore the impact of cultural differences—as well as other kinds of differences—and how employees can more effectively work across organizational cultures and national cultures. Facilitators …