Chapter 2 Notes

The concept of salience explains how sometimes cultural difference seem to matter than other times, such as a couple whose families' religious traditions only come into play on religious holidays or at large family gatherings. (42)

Dimensions for Culture Mapping
 
High versus Low Context (43)
A scale of how much meaning is carried through the direct words and what is held at an implied level based on shared beliefs and customs. What is considered tactful, even hesitant to a member of a low-context culture can still be seen as brash and blunt to a member of a high-context culture.

Individualism versus Collectivism (45)
Who is first? Me and my career, achievements, goals, or those of a family, clan, or other unified group?

Power Distance (46)
Functional, interpersonal equality among all members of the culture at one end of the scale, and a high respect of class and other power institutions on the other end.

Uncertainty Avoidance (47)
How flexible are people when change is imminent? Is there a high level of rules and regulations, and are new ideas seen as a threat to the old ways of doing things?

Achievement versus Nurturing (48)
Is the goal to finish the task at hand or is there an emphasis on nurturing relationships along the way?

One thing that's interesting about these cultural dimensions is there is an assumed behavioral mean, that is to say, there is an average placement for each distinct culture along these spectrums; which is of course to oversimplify the claims. But the text, while using examples from both, rarely entertains the concept of work vs. life cultures. An American workplace is more achievement-driven then some other cultures' work places, but certainly functional homes are towards the nurturing end? If I researched this topic further, would I find research that graphed cultures along home, school, work, and social lines as well as generally as a culture?  Culture is itself such a complex topic that such studies would be difficult, to be sure.