Event

International Business Communicators Monthly Meeting: Cross Cultural (A Human) Perspective

Friday, November 5th, 2004, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Speaker: Grant Bosnick

Note that the actual presentation starts at 7:00 p.m.

Entitled Cross Cultural (A Human) Perspective, the idea is that our cultural background is only one part of who we are as a person. Our family, education, past/current employment, past/current relationships, hobbies, etc. are also part of our identity. Bosnick argues that when we meet people from different parts of the world, we should communicate with them as people, not as products of their culture. Yes, I am from Canada. And yes, she is from Japan, and he is from Thailand and she is from Malaysia and they are from Indonesia, etc. But this is not who we are. It is part of it, but we are certainly far more than that; as humans, we are far more than that. Yet, Bosnick has noticed that often when people meet people from different cultures, they see them as "being-from-a-different-culture" and they communicate with them as "being-from-a-different culture," rather than seeing them and communicating with them as "human". This is what Bosnick calls "human communication" or "global communication," as compared to "cross cultural communication" which, by definition, implies a heavy emphasis on culture. Bosnick argues that this so called "human" or "global communication" is far more holistic and far more human, then placing such a heavy emphasis on culture. Having presented his argument, Bosnick then moves into a workshop/discussion about the key concepts covered in the presentation, and participants are invited to share ideas about the differences, overlaps and meanings of these concepts.

Grant Bosnick graduated from Queen's University in Canada in philosophy and literary criticism, where he focused on developing logical and analytical thinking. Moreover, he has been a writer and musician for over 20 years, developing creative lateral thinking. In his courses, he incorporates elements of both types of thinking: logical and creative. At times, teaching these skills directly; at times, incorporating them indirectly into the excersizes and simulations he designs. Over the past several years, he has been designing and facilitating intensive corporate communication training programs for large Japanese multinationals and for foreign multinationals in Japan, including a 12-day intensive for predeparture managers, general managers and directors. Grant Bosnick is alsio curently warking on a book on philosphy about self and aspects of self-thinking, feeling, believing and sensing, as well as continually forming and reforming new ideas about relationships and communication.

International Business Communicators (IBC) established in 1988, is a professional group of language, intercultural communication and business skills trainers and consultants. IBC holds regular meetings and conferences.

Organization: International Business Communicators

Cost: RSVP Deadline Wednesday November 3rd, 6:00 p.m.; 1000 yen for food and drinks

Venue: Oxford University Press Showroom, Edomizaka Mori Bldg. 1F, 4-1-40 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Location: Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan

Contact International Business Communicators

Richard Poriss