Intercultural competence

Each person has his own history , his own life , and also - by and large - his own culture (including its geographical, ethnic, moral, ethical, religious, political, historical aspects) and cultural affiliation. In human relations, this, of course, applies to people from other cultural circles, continents or countries , as well as from other enterprises , a different gender , etc. (the so-called subcultures ); even within the same family , different cultural values can be combined.

The main prerequisites are sensitivity and self-confidence, an understanding of other behavior and mental patterns, and the ability to clearly and accurately convey one’s own point of view ; to be understood and to show flexibility where possible and to be clear where necessary. It is an adapted balance between:

• Knowledge and experience, respectively, of other cultures, personalities, nations , behavior , etc.,
• sensitivity, empathy , the ability to put oneself in the place of others and embrace their feelings and needs ,
• and self-confidence , knowledge of one's own strengths , weaknesses and needs , emotional stability .

In the analysis of cultural characteristics, they distinguish between cultural dimensions and aspects , including:

• individualism (individual incentives ) and collectivism (group incentives)
• femininity (conflict decision by the principle of identity , orientation towards a single team and a better quality of life) and masculinity (conflict decision in an equal fight , focus on a competitor )
• avoidance of uncertainty (according to the need for formalism or resistance against it)
• the distance of power (the actual or felt difference between the hierarchical steps within society, the degree to which members of this society accept hierarchy, i.e., uneven distribution of power)
• monochronous (all actions are performed sequentially) and polychronous (many actions are performed simultaneously)
• structural attributes (e.g., value orientation, a sense of time and space , selective perception , non-verbal communication, and behavior )

According to these and other criteria , countries , regions , enterprises , social groups , as well as individuals are distinguished.

Hopes for success in cooperation , in particular, in negotiations, cooperatives , associations , etc., can be realistically assessed, appropriate persons can be appointed to responsible positions, which can be purposefully trained.

There are 66 known models of intercultural competence of scientists from thirteen countries ^[1] . Classification of N. V. Chernyak according to the nature of the relationship of structural components divides these models into: ^[2]

• nomenclature;
• structural;
• causal;
• co-orientation;
• and dynamic.

Also, models of intercultural competence are universal and culturally specific .

• Grushevitskaya T. G., Popkov V. D., Sadokhin A. P. Fundamentals of intercultural communication: Textbook for universities / Ed. A.P. Sadokhin. - M.: UNITY-DANA, 2002 .-- 352s
• Dietmar Böhm, Regine Böhm, Birgit Deiss-Niethammer: Handbuch Interkulturelles Lernen; Verlag Herder, Freiburg / Basel / Wien; ISBN 3-451-27001-3
• Jürgen Bolten: Interkulturelle Kompetenz. Erfurt 2007 (Landeszentrale für Politische Bildung). ISBN 978-3-937967-07-3
• Csaba Földes / Gerd Antos (Hrsg.): Interkulturalität: Methodenprobleme der Forschung. Beiträge der Internationalen Tagung im Germanistischen Institut der Pannonischen Universität Veszprém, 7.-9. Oktober 2004. München: Iudicium 2007; ISBN 978-3-89129-197-9
• Béatrice Hecht-El Minshawi: Interkulturelle Kompetenz - For a Better Understanding. Schlüsselfaktoren für internationale Zusammenarbeit. Beltz 2003. ISBN 3-407-36114-9
• Frank Herbrand: Interkulturelle Kompetenz. Wettbewerbsvorteil in einer globalisierenden Wirtschaft; Verlag Haupt, Bern / Stuttgart / Wien; ISBN 3-258-06231-5
• Gerd Hofstede: Lokales Denken, globales Handeln; Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag; ISBN 3-423-50807-8
• Walter Kälin: Grundrechte im Kulturkonflikt; Verlag NZZ, Zürich; ISBN 3-85823-816-3
• Richard R. Lewis: Handbuch Internationale Kompetenz; Campus-Verlag, Frankfurt / Main; ISBN 3-593-36393-3
• Gerhard Maletzke: Interkulturelle Kommunikation. Zur Interaktion zwischen Menschen verschiedener Kulturen; Westdeutscher Verlag, Opladen; ISBN 3-531-12817-5
• Alexander Thomas, Eva-Ulrike Kinast, Sylvia Schroll-Machl, Sylvia Schroll-Machl: Handbuch Interkulturelle Kommunikation und Kooperation. Band 1 und 2. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht 2003. ISBN 3-525-46186-0
• Thomas Baumer: Handbuch Interkulturelle Kompetenz (2 Bände); Verlag Orell Füssli, Zürich. ISBN 3-280-02691-1 and ISBN 3-280-05081-2
• Christiane Sautter: Was uns verbindet und was uns unterscheidet - Die Familie im Kontext der großen Religionen, Verlag für Systemische Konzepte 2005, ISBN 3-9809936-2-0
• Stefanie Rathje: Interkulturelle Kompetenz - Zustand und Zukunft eines umstrittenen Konzepts, Zeitschrift für Interkulturellen Fremdsprachenunterricht 2006
• Richard D. Lewis. When Cultures Collide: Managing successfully across cultures. - Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 1996 .-- 332 p. - ISBN 9781904838029 .