The Culture Map, According to Erin Meyer
World countries’ cultures sometimes differ considerably, and this is reflected in various aspects of their religious, political, and economic life. There are now many classifications of cultures that allow us to assess the cultural similarity of every country. Another unique classification of cultures is that of Erin Meyer.
Erin Meyer’s “The Culture Map” looks at how people communicate, make decisions, lead, and approach time. But unlike other classification systems of cultures, “The Culture Map” doesn’t look at countries’ religion, political system, or worldview aspects.
In her book “The Culture Map,” Erin Meyer extraordinarily describes how communication in the world differs between different cultures and nationalities. With 8 scales for behavior and communication, she clarifies the differences at a glance with a left-right scale:
- Communicating (direct or indirect)
- Evaluating (direct or indirect feedback)
- Persuading (principle or application-oriented)
- Leading (egalitarian or hierarchical)
- Deciding (consensual or top-down)
- Trusting (task- or relationship-based)
- Confrontation (direct or indirect)
- Scheduling (linear or flexible time)
