Download THE CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS INDICATOR (COI)

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THE CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS INDICATOR (COI)
The Cultural Orientations Indicator® (COI)
To realize the full benefit of your COI profile, it is important to indicate that the instrument:
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Is an Assessment tool that maps one’s personal cultural profile on the basis of the dimensions
in the Cultural Orientations Model (COM)
Is descriptive rather than prescriptive
Describes general preferences, not skills, abilities or particular behaviors
Is restricted to work-related behaviors and situations
Is subject to self-validation, as is any assessment instrument
COI Report Sample
COM Terminology
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Cultural Dimensions: An overall category that contains five or six related cultural continua.
There are three cultural dimensions: Interaction Style, Thinking Style and Sense of Self
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Cultural Continua: The spectrum between two opposing orientations within a cultural dimension
(e.g., hierarchy-equality continuum in the Sense of Self dimension). There are a total of 17 cultural
continua.
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Cultural Orientations: A particular culture-based value and/or norm (e.g., equality). There are a
total of 34 cultural orientations within the three dimensions.
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The Cultural Orientation Indicator
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Reliability and Self Validation
The COI and the model on which it is based, the Cultural Orientations Model (COM), have been proven valid
and reliable. The construct validity is predicated upon previous research in cultural classifications conducted
by such notable cultural anthropologists, sociologists and social researchers as Clifford Geerts (1973), Edward
T. Hall (1990), Charles Hampden-Turner and Alfons Trompenaars (1993), Geert Hofstede (1980), and E.
Kluckhohn and F.L. Strodbeck (1961).
The reliability of this tool is dependent upon personal, contextual, and motivational factors. It provides both a
common and neutral vocabulary to discuss differences without introducing conflict. To be fully functional the
COI needs to be self-validated, i.e., linked to specific work-related behaviors that are expected, reinforced and
rewarded within a social group. Self-validation of the tool can enhance your experience with the COI.
Self-validation is a very important step when interpreting your cultural profile. Your goal in self-validation is to
link your indicated cultural preferences with specific work-related behaviors that are expected, reinforced and
rewarded within your work environment. It is a practice that you can use to explore both the perception and
expectation of values/behaviors that impact effectiveness when working across cultures.
During the process of self-validation, you need to review your scores and validate them for yourself, identifying
strengths, weaknesses and whether the results represent who you think you are. Your full Cultural Profile
Report provides you with a framework to do this.
When we consider all of the dimensions, continua and orientations together we arrive at a picture of culture
called a Cultural Profile. Exploring this profile can give us an in-depth understanding of the patterns underlying
the observable behaviors and customs you exhibit to others.
Each individual has his or her own unique cultural profile. Likewise, any given group of people has a cultural
profile that reflects the general cultural orientations of the people within that group. We can talk about the
dominant cultural norms in Indonesia, for example, and we can talk about an Indonesian's individual profile.
We can also discuss cultural differences among the various geographic and socio-economic regions of
Indonesia. Thus, an individual's Cultural Profile may differ from their country's profile or the dominant cultural
norm.
The cultural profile of an individual or a society gives us insight into why the individual/society seems familiar
or strange to us when compared to our own cultural perspective. Finally, it is important to note that the cultural
profile is not equivalent to a personality assessment. Personality contributes a further level of complexity
distinct from cultural differences. One of the main distinctions between personality and culture is that
personality is not wholly learned, whereas cultural preferences are wholly learned.
What is a cultural gap, and what can I do if I have one?
A culture gap is the difference in orientation between two individuals or groups in a given business context.
Social distance is created by the dissonance or alienation that occurs when a behavior or event does not
correspond with expectations.
Culture gaps cause stress, tension, and conflict externally and internally. These dynamics need to be
managed properly in order to increase individual and organizational effectiveness in a multicultural context
and to close culture gaps. Cross-cultural effectiveness is the ability to recognize potential or actual culture
gaps and to adapt by employing strategies that will minimize these gaps.
2 The Cultural Orientation Indicator
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ORIENTATION REFLECTION
Your COI-indicated orientation:
Strength: (Circle)
Mild/Strong/Very Strong
Do you agree with this orientation?
How has your background and upbringing (including your ethnicity/nationality) contributed to the
formation of this orientation/preference?
How have your job function, role, responsibilities and professional training contributed to the formation
of this orientation?
How has your general life experiences contributed to the formation of this orientation/preference?
Copyright © 2012 TMC – A Berlitz Company
The Cultural Orientation Indicator
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COI REFLECTION INVENTORY
Your COI-indicated orientation:
Strength: (Circle)
Mild/Strong/Very Strong
Do you agree with this orientation?
How has your background and upbringing (including your ethnicity/nationality) contributed to the
formation of this orientation/preference?
How have your job function, role, responsibilities and professional training contributed to the formation
of this orientation?
How has your general life experiences contributed to the formation of this orientation/preference?
4 The Cultural Orientation Indicator
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ORIENTATION IMPLICATIONS
Identify one strong/very strong orientation
Think of an example when this orientation influenced your behavior? How did you behave?
What were the positive consequences of your behavior?
What are the negative and unintended consequences of your behavior?
How do the consequences contribute to your challenges at work?
Copyright © 2012 TMC – A Berlitz Company
The Cultural Orientation Indicator
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IDENTIFYING AND REDUCING CULTURE GAPS
Step 1:
On the following two pages, place an ‘x’ next to each orientation as indicated in your COI results. For
example fixed or fluid, being or doing, etc.
Step 2:
Plot the cultural preferences for the country you are moving to. (Information available in the Corporate
Culture Section of this manual for most countries.)
Step 3:
Compare your orientations. Identify any potential cultural gaps that exist between your COI results
and that of the general cultural norms in the target countries you have listed.
Step 4:
Identify specific strategies and tactics you could employ to be more effective. What behavioral
changes could you make in order to create stronger work relationships?
Step 5:
Discuss your strategies and tactics with your cultural consultant.
6 The Cultural Orientation Indicator
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IDENTIFYING AND REDUCING CULTURE GAPS
Your Name:
Dimension/
Orientation
Your COI
Result
Country 1
Country 2
Country COI
Country COI
Gap
Strength
Interaction Style
Fixed
Fluid
Being
Doing
Indirect
Direct
Instrumental
Expressive
Informal
Formal
Particularistic
Universalistic
Thinking Style
Multi-Focus
Single-Focus
Past
Future
Low Context
High Context
Inductive
Deductive
Linear
Systemic
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The Cultural Orientation Indicator
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Your Name:
Dimension/
Continuums
Your COI
Result
Country 1
Country 2
Country COI
Country COI
Gap
Strength
Sense of Self
Control
Constraint
Private
Public
Hierarchy
Equality
Collectivistic
Individualistic
Cooperative
Competitive
Flexibility
Order
8 The Cultural Orientation Indicator
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STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE GAPS
Explore the gaps you have identified and think about potential strategies to overcome these cultural gaps.
DIMENSION/ORIENTATION
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STRATEGY
The Cultural Orientation Indicator
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