Tools and Techniques

Consistent with the Centre’s model and mandate to provide our stakeholders with the ability to successfully negotiate cross-cultural differences to accomplish practical goals, all tools and techniques encompass the four components of awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills. In addition, each of the following are consequently modified to address the customer’s specific challenges and needs:

Interactive workshop: The client’s particular business challenge is addressed as a case study following which the workshop analyses the problems encountered, the circumstances involved, and a retrospective of what could have been done to alleviate the problem.  Following this port-mortem approach, recommendations and lessons learnt are compiled for future use.

Workshop: Used as a consultative tool, case studies draw similarities to the given problem and serve as resolution scenarios. In this regard, they assist the client to develop a set of best practices that may be deployed in the future. Case studies may also be used to address topics and serve as a central aspect to the other tools.

Group exercises: Role playing includes the active participation of a consultant versed in the culture under discussion. Group exercises comprise situational analysis and involve the participants in an active manner.

Simulations / Group discussions: These two tools are used interchangeably as a method of consultation. Starting with a simulation or case study of a certain event or circumstance is then followed by group discussion. The ultimate goal is to have the participants arrive at their own conclusions and thus, resolution. The simulation does not necessarily have to take the form of a case study or role playing. Videos, television programmes and other media may serve the purpose.

Assimilator Models: Deploy real-life situations and outline how culture X would deal with the circumstances compared with culture Y.  Comparable to action learning, candidates from the home and host countries are positioned to envision how the ‘foreign’ culture reacts given the circumstances of the event. Situational analysis is a major component.