LESCANT
Purpose of the LESCANT Project
This cultural reflective activity is designed for students participating in WLC and CSU IP Study Abroad programs. Using Flickr.com, students will gather, edit and submit photos related to study-abroad experiences. This is designed to facilitate an opportunity to reflect on a cultural experience in Japan and provide a structure to document experiences. Students who major in Japanese Language and Culture can use this activity to organize their graduation portfolios and assist them in meeting MLO 5. For those students who are minoring in Japanese, and for students participating from Japan, this activity will be used to record their experiences in a meaningful way.
This cultural reflective activity is designed for students participating in WLC and CSU IP Study Abroad programs. Using Flickr.com, students will gather, edit and submit photos related to study-abroad experiences. This is designed to facilitate an opportunity to reflect on a cultural experience in Japan and provide a structure to document experiences. Students who major in Japanese Language and Culture can use this activity to organize their graduation portfolios and assist them in meeting MLO 5. For those students who are minoring in Japanese, and for students participating from Japan, this activity will be used to record their experiences in a meaningful way.
This project is based on the LESCANT model (below). LESCANT is an acronym that represents seven areas in which cultural issues arise when dealing with international business communication. The acronym stands for Language, Environment, Social Organization, Context, Authority, Non-Verbal, and Time. Dr. David A. Victor, who is a professor of management and the Director of International Business Programs at Eastern Michigan University, created the model. (Victor, David A. 1992. International Business Communication. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers Inc.)
Language – The cultural effects of Language go beyond the simple matter of speaking different languages. This area includes issues such as being identified as an insider or outsider, who decides which language to speak, the position of power based on language use, and linguistic ethnocentrism (we all think our language is somehow the best). Photographs in this section also show the way language is used in different cultures.
sometimes cultures differ because of language differences.
These include attitudes about your own language, insider relationships for those who speak a foreign language, decisions related to which language is used, and how to speak in ways that others will understand you.
sometimes cultures differ because of language differences.
These include attitudes about your own language, insider relationships for those who speak a foreign language, decisions related to which language is used, and how to speak in ways that others will understand you.
Environment – This includes such things as the physical traits of a location (e.g., size of an office), the effects of climate, topography, population, and the use of space. It also includes the perception the use of technology in changing the physical surroundings. Photographs in this section show some of these physical items.
This includes the physical reality such as size, surroundings, population density, climate, food, topography, etc. This includes such things as the physical traits of a location (e.g., size of an office), the effects of climate, topography, population, and the use of space. It also includes the perception the use of technology in changing the physical surroundings. Photographs in this section show some of these physical items.
This includes the physical reality such as size, surroundings, population density, climate, food, topography, etc. This includes such things as the physical traits of a location (e.g., size of an office), the effects of climate, topography, population, and the use of space. It also includes the perception the use of technology in changing the physical surroundings. Photographs in this section show some of these physical items.
Social Organization – There are many ways that society can be subdivided into groups: kinship and family, education, class, religion, occupation, and gender. Tendencies towards individualism versus collectivism also fall under this category, as does how we use our free time.
This refers to how society is put together. This includes family, education, role of women, class systems, individualism, religion, etc.
This refers to how society is put together. This includes family, education, role of women, class systems, individualism, religion, etc.
Context – Context refers to how much people depend on overt communication (e.g., the actual words spoken, the items written, or rules followed) versus a communication that relies on stored information gained from personal relationship and interactions. Thus “low context” cultures depend less on the context while “high context” cultures rely on stored information for their communication. Issues related to face-saving and politeness are often tied to our understanding of Context.
This refers to how directly people communicate ideas and words versus how important it is to build a “context” within that communication. Low context cultures focus on the actual words that are spoken, the rules that are written. Those words and rules determine appropriate behavior. High context cultures focus on the situation and shared knowledge, which is what will determine appropriate behavior.
This refers to how directly people communicate ideas and words versus how important it is to build a “context” within that communication. Low context cultures focus on the actual words that are spoken, the rules that are written. Those words and rules determine appropriate behavior. High context cultures focus on the situation and shared knowledge, which is what will determine appropriate behavior.
Authority – Definitions and expectations of authority and power are based on culture. Issues related to decision making, use of titles, leadership style all fit in the category of Authority. This category also included Power Distance, related to how much subordinates may influence and interact with their superiors.
This category deals with the role of authority figures and how power and decision making is accomplished. Authority also looks at leadership style and the relationship between bosses and their subordinates.
This category deals with the role of authority figures and how power and decision making is accomplished. Authority also looks at leadership style and the relationship between bosses and their subordinates.
Non-Verbal – The category includes a wide range of cultural issues: emblems, gestures, dress, eye contact, touch, proxemics, smell, colors, and numbers. Photographs from this category can include a wide range of sights from all over the world.
Here we are looking at everything from dress and adornment to colors, touch, smell, and the quality of one’s voice.
Here we are looking at everything from dress and adornment to colors, touch, smell, and the quality of one’s voice.
Time – Not only does this focus on how we organize our calendar and schedule, but it focuses on cultures that follow monochronic time (those that handle one task at a time) and those that follow polychronic time (those that engage in many tasks at the same time).
This category refers to how people divide time, how they schedule their activities, and how they organize their day.
This category refers to how people divide time, how they schedule their activities, and how they organize their day.