Using a Cultural Scoresheet

When conducting business with different cultures, it is important to acknowledge that people think and act differently depending on their background, and business may be conducted with different attitudes and expectations. A cultural scoresheet is a tool that uses contrasts, or polarities, to evaluate cultural attitudes in three main areas: perception and cognition, self and society, decisions and communication. These attitudes fall along a spectrum and you can start by thinking about your own culture. After you determine the general tendency of your culture, you can then compare to those with which you do business and determine areas of harmony or potential friction. This course, part of the Cross-Cultural Business series, includes an example of a company using a cultural scoresheet to address cultural differences during a merger.