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Social Customs

1.How do people react to strangers? Friendly? Hostile? Reserved?
2.How do people greet each other?
3.What are the appropriate manners when you enter a room? Bow? Nod? Shake hands with everyone?
4.How are names used for introductions? Is it appropriate to inquire about one’s occupation or family?
5.What are the attitudes toward touching?
6.How does one express appreciation for an invitation to another’s home? Bring a gift? Send flowers? Write a thank-you note? Are any gifts taboo?
7.Are there any customs related to how or where one sits?
8.Are any facial expressions or gestures considered taboo?
9.How close do people stand when talking?
10.What is the attitude toward punctuality in social situations? In business situations?
11.What are acceptable eye contact patterns?
12.What gestures indicate agreement? Disagreement?
13. Are formal, ritualized interactions expected?
14.What motivates people to behave as they do?

Family Life

1.What is the basic unit of social organization? Basic family? Extended family?
2.Do women work outside of the home? In what occupations?
3. What responsibilities and obligations do people have to their extended families, their neighbors, their employers or employees, and others?

Housing, Clothing and Food

1.Are there differences in the kind of housing used by different social groups? Differences in location? Differences in furnishings?
2.What occasions require special clothing?
3.Are some types of clothing considered taboo?
4.What is appropriate business attire for men? For women?
5.How many times a day do people eat?
6.What types of places, food and drink are appropriate for business entertainment? Where is the seat of honor at a table?

Class and Social Structure

1.Into what classes is society organized?
2.Do racial, religious or economic factors determine social status?
3.Are there any minority groups? What is their social standing?
4.Can and should people try to change the circumstances of their lives?
5.To what extent are some people in the culture considered better or superior to others?
6 Can social superiority be obtained through birth, age, good deeds, or material achievement and success?
7. In what ways does the cultures language require one to make social distinctions?
8.Do people believe they have their own unique identities that separate them from others?
9.Does the self reside in the individual or in the groups to which the individual belongs?
10. What responsibilities does the individual have to others?

Political Patterns

1.Are there any immediate threats to the political survival of the country?
2.How is political power manifested?
3.What channels are used for expression of popular opinion?
4.What information media are important?
5.Is it appropriate to talk politics in social situations?
6.

Activity

1.Is it important to be engaged in activities in order to be a “good member” of your culture?
2.Is the desirable pace of life fast or slow?
3.Is work very different from play?
4.Which is more important, work or play?

Religion and Folk Beliefs

1.To which religious groups do people belong?
2.Do religious beliefs influence daily activities?
3.Which places have sacred value? Which objects? Which events?
4.How do religious holidays affect business activities?

Economic Institutions

1.What are the country’s principal products?
2.Are workers organized in unions?
3.How are businesses owned? By family units? By large public corporations? By the government?
4.What is the standard work schedule?
5.Is it appropriate to do business by telephone?
6.Is participatory management used?
7.Are there any customs related to exchanging business cards?
8.How is status shown in an organization? Private office? Secretary? Furniture?
9.Are business persons expected to socialize before conducting business?

Value Systems

1.Is competitiveness or cooperation more prized?
2.Is thrift or enjoyment of the moment more valued?
3.Is politeness more important than factual honesty?
4.What are the attitudes toward education?
5.Do women own or manage businesses? If so, how are they treated?
6.Is life a series of problems to be solved or simply a collection of events to be experienced?
7.Is it possible to respect a person who is judged “bad” in one part of life but is successful in another part of life?
8. Are humans different from other animals and plants?
9.Are people in control of, subjugated by, or living in harmony with the forces of nature?
10.Do spirits of the dead inhabit and affect the human world?
11.How should time be valued and understood?

Social Customs

1.How do people react to strangers? Friendly? Hostile? Reserved?
2.How do people greet each other?
3.What are the appropriate manners when you enter a room? Bow? Nod? Shake hands with everyone?
4.How are names used for introductions? Is it appropriate to inquire about one’s occupation or family?
5.What are the attitudes toward touching?
6.How does one express appreciation for an invitation to another’s home? Bring a gift? Send flowers? Write a thank-you note? Are any gifts taboo?
7.Are there any customs related to how or where one sits?
8.Are any facial expressions or gestures considered taboo?
9.How close do people stand when talking?
10.What is the attitude toward punctuality in social situations? In business situations?
11.What are acceptable eye contact patterns?
12.What gestures indicate agreement? Disagreement?
13. Are formal, ritualized interactions expected?
14.What motivates people to behave as they do?

Family Life

1.What is the basic unit of social organization? Basic family? Extended family?
2.Do women work outside of the home? In what occupations?
3. What responsibilities and obligations do people have to their extended families, their neighbors, their employers or employees, and others?

Housing, Clothing and Food

1.Are there differences in the kind of housing used by different social groups? Differences in location? Differences in furnishings?
2.What occasions require special clothing?
3.Are some types of clothing considered taboo?
4.What is appropriate business attire for men? For women?
5.How many times a day do people eat?
6.What types of places, food and drink are appropriate for business entertainment? Where is the seat of honor at a table?

Class and Social Structure

1.Into what classes is society organized?
2.Do racial, religious or economic factors determine social status?
3.Are there any minority groups? What is their social standing?
4.Can and should people try to change the circumstances of their lives?
5.To what extent are some people in the culture considered better or superior to others?
6 Can social superiority be obtained through birth, age, good deeds, or material achievement and success?
7. In what ways does the cultures language require one to make social distinctions?
8.Do people believe they have their own unique identities that separate them from others?
9.Does the self reside in the individual or in the groups to which the individual belongs?
10. What responsibilities does the individual have to others?

Political Patterns

1.Are there any immediate threats to the political survival of the country?
2.How is political power manifested?
3.What channels are used for expression of popular opinion?
4.What information media are important?
5.Is it appropriate to talk politics in social situations?
6.

Activity

1.Is it important to be engaged in activities in order to be a “good member” of your culture?
2.Is the desirable pace of life fast or slow?
3.Is work very different from play?
4.Which is more important, work or play?

Religion and Folk Beliefs

1.To which religious groups do people belong?
2.Do religious beliefs influence daily activities?
3.Which places have sacred value? Which objects? Which events?
4.How do religious holidays affect business activities?

Economic Institutions

1.What are the country’s principal products?
2.Are workers organized in unions?
3.How are businesses owned? By family units? By large public corporations? By the government?
4.What is the standard work schedule?
5.Is it appropriate to do business by telephone?
6.Is participatory management used?
7.Are there any customs related to exchanging business cards?
8.How is status shown in an organization? Private office? Secretary? Furniture?
9.Are business persons expected to socialize before conducting business?

Value Systems

1.Is competitiveness or cooperation more prized?
2.Is thrift or enjoyment of the moment more valued?
3.Is politeness more important than factual honesty?
4.What are the attitudes toward education?
5.Do women own or manage businesses? If so, how are they treated?
6.Is life a series of problems to be solved or simply a collection of events to be experienced?
7.Is it possible to respect a person who is judged “bad” in one part of life but is successful in another part of life?
8. Are humans different from other animals and plants?
9.Are people in control of, subjugated by, or living in harmony with the forces of nature?
10.Do spirits of the dead inhabit and affect the human world?
11.How should time be valued and understood?