12 Dimensions Critical Reflection

 12 Dimensions Critical Reflection

Part-1 Choose 4-6 Dimensions and describe them in your own words

1-Based on my CMI result I would like to describe four Dimensions about myself. One of the Dimensions that is part of me is Indirect communication I prefer indirect communication because I feel more comfortable. Direct communication means you prefer to deliver your message clear and obvious to make listener understand your point while indirect communication means you put the listener in a situation that he/she has to read between the lines

2-Expression has two polarities Conceal and Reveal.  Concealing expression means to hide emotions and not sharing it with others while revealing means to show and have the ability to express true emotions with others.

3-Decision making is either based on relationship or rules. Relationship decision making means you take action or decide something based on the relationship with the person. Your good relationship with him/her might make you agree or approve on a decision only because of the relationship with the person. Rule decision making means you have no choice to decide or not in fact you are following rules and deciding based on the rules applied in your environment.

4-Accountability polarities are Community and Individual. Community accountability means you would tend to feel accountable first and foremost to your family, tribe, group of clans, or the nation that you come from. Individual accountability you feel first and foremost accountable to yourself for your opinions and life direction where you have more freedom.

Part-2 Describe what you learnt from questionnaire result, saying if you agree with the result or not and why?

1-Comparing to my group the majority of them are unlike me, they seem to be Direct-oriented. It is very important for me to use indirect communication with my group which actually matches the CMI result and I definitely agree because I learnt and believe using indirect communication with my group increase the relationship strength and keep it smooth since we all need each other, especially in college material.

2-My Expression to things always taciturn which means I’m concealing-oriented. I can say from the CMI report that I’m more comfortable with concealing approach to expression which is true as well as the group and I believe that is because our culture. We can’t express things that bring shame and dishonor to us that’s why it is difficult for Emiratis to express emotions. When it comes to my college group I also have to be concealing because showing and expressing my hardships or even my criticism about the courses and teachers may frustrate and make student lose their enthusiasm which in turn affect the group performance and grades.

3-Decision making, For me when I have to make a decision the relationship guide me to my decisions not rules which matches my CMI result and I agree because I’m a sensitive person and  I take my relationship in deep consideration. What I learnt from this dimension that I can know myself and my characters better now than ever. Comparing to my group I see that there are two majorities one is learned to appreciate and in some situations incorporate a more relationship approach while the second seem to be both and decide based on their environment and situation they are in.

4-In Accountability, based on the result I’m more community-oriented I tend to feel accountable first and foremost to my family, which is true and I agree with that because I don’t act based on my desire I see first my family priority if the action accepted.

Part-3 Do you think your result will be different in 5 years’ time? Why/ Why not? would you like some dimension to change? Why?

Yes I believe some of my results will be different in 5 years, because my results was based on my current life situation, I’m still single, jobless and taciturn. I believe when I get married one of my dimension will change which is expression. I believe I will be more revealing in expression especially with my wife whom I actually need and in turn it may sustain my relationship with her. When I get a job I believe my Decision making polarity will switch to be more Rules-Oriented because I will be following who is higher than me in position may be a boss or a manager as well as for my communication way, I’m indirect but I believe in future I’m going have to be more direct especially when I receive order form my boss and ask me to apply the order on the staff then I have to be direct regardless the relationship with staff.

I would like some of dimensions to be changed like Connecting and Relationship because both are somehow close in definition. Being inclusive is more likely to be universal in relationship because being inclusive sometimes means building more relationships which is the same intent when someone is universal in relationship.

Exercise #7

There are multiple dimensions that the article represents; first obvious dimension I can see is Accountability/Individual in the second paragraph where Sultan Al-Kubaisi said “Ministry of Education was not seriously addressing issues” which indicates that he is holding individual accountability to the Ministry of Education.  

The fifth paragraph I can see there is Connecting/inclusive dimension when she said that everyone should be part of patriotism which means including every body in nationalism.

The sixth paragraph represents Outlook/Tradition dimension when Mrs. Al-Hosali said “return to basics and force student to research in libraries and using books and not only computers” which indicates that she wants student get back to tradition (old way) bedside innovation.

Importance of Dimensions that it can show tendencies of countries culture as a whole  and used as a guide in understanding the difference in culture between countries.

Exercise #6 - 15 powerful Quotes From the World's Most Humble president

Quote	Dimension	Polarity	Why you think so?
1-On revolutions and revolts.	Accountability	Community	Because his community is on top of his priority and wants all share in building a better society.
2-On legalizing divorce	Outlook	Traditional	Afraid of change of conservative and traditional opinion
3-On materialism	Destiny	Directive	He believe that Allah (God) who Organizes lives.
4-On global consumption	Accountability	Community	He is directing his people and country to be other self-sufficient countries.
5-On Abortion and same sex-marriage
6-ending conflict	Connecting	Inclusive	Because he tries to include people to peace
7-On staying humble in  office	Status	Ascribed	Because people suddenly become kings without effort
8-On redistribution of wealth	Growth	Personal	Because he emphasized the importance of investing in human resources.
9-On Age	Outlook	Innovation	In some part of life grandpas should be open minded.
10-On Addiction	Context	informal	Because rarely we see presidents talk about love in such official position.
11-On poorest president	Expression	Revealing	Because he did not feel shame to talk about his hard time.
12- On donating	Decision making	relationship	His decision of donating 90% of his salary was based on relationship with his nation.
13- his goals	Outlook	innovation	Leaving behind a political way of thinking
14-On being a president	Context	Very informal	Because of his humbleness he want to live like the vast majority of people not like a president
15-On the secret of happiness	Outlook	Tradition	Because one his secret of happiness is to be yourself

Exercise #5 Outsourced-the movie study guide.

Exercise #5 Outsourced-the movie study guide.

Cultural Dimension	Character Todd, Puro, Aisha or other	Outsourced Scene or Circumstance
Communication- direct/indirect	Todd and the manager manger	The manager used direct communication with Todd offering him to go to India.
Expression – Reveal / conceal	Todd and his manger	Reveal expression. Todd did not obey to the manager’s order at first and started revealing his opinion by saying No.
Context – Informal / formal	Todd and his manger	Informal. Which actually indicate that Todd is  in close relationship with his manager
Connecting—Exclusive / inclusive	Aunti Ji and Todd	Aunti Ji was very inclusive in connection with Todd. Once Todd arrived Aunti Ji included him.

3. When he gets on the train, he cannot find an empty seat. How is this problem solved for him? How might this be a cultural solution?

One of the kids among the travelers offers him his seat and the kid sit on Todd’s thighs which was unexpected to Todd. What I see from the kid’s action is that a part of their culture is that younger people should always respect older people. Just like our Emirati culture

4. As any exchange student, he has a lot of experiences trying new food. His first encounter is with an iced drink. What happens?

Todd bought a cup of Gola (iced drink) to quench his thirst, but later on he gets stomachache because his not used to the drink, just like milk camel when Bedouins in UAE offer camel milk to Urbans,  it cause them diarrhea.  

7. Todd wants to check in to a hotel. But Puro insists he comes to a boarding house. What is the reason he gives Todd?

Because Garabori Palace hotel is lonely and Puro does not want Todd to feel lonely but wants him to be in good hands.

                                                       

8. As soon as they meet, Aunti Ji starts asking very intimate questions that Americans who have just met would never ask. What kind of things does she ask?

Are you married?/  do you have girl friend ? / why they broke up?  These questions are personal.

Exercise #4 Cultural Dimensions/(Amish)

                                                           

                                                       
                                                                       Amish

Amish community is a culture in which there are strict structures and little freedom due to their strong belief in their religion. They live in a middle of a very open community (American), despite that they are closed community and that because of the Exclusive connection way in which they prefer not to share with others of outside of their community and belief. For example Amish people don’t use cars instead they use horses and there are a lot more technologies they refuse to use.

They might be a concealing community when it comes to deal with the other surrounding communities. I believe that what made the Amish community sustained till this day is because of community accountability. They tend to be accountable first and foremost to their tribe or group. Their life choices and decision have to be compatible with their religion structures and decency.

In fact, according to listverse.come, Amish people are very healthy due to their high level of physical activity and diets free of junk food and preservatives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish

http://listverse.com/2014/08/29/10-weird-facts-about-the-amish/

Exercise #3 Adapting to a new culture - Avoiding conflict

1-Mrs. Hard castle: was able to adapt by taking Patel’s (manager) room.

2-Mr. Graham was able to adapt by enjoying his time and playing Cricket with locals.

3-Mrs. Donnelly could not adapt and insisted to go back to England.

4-Mr. Patel the manager adopted the situation by accommodating with the customer.

5-Mr. Ainslie was able to adapt by exploring more about Indian cultures.

Exercise #2 Cultural conflict

1-The conflict is over the way of wearing clothes between Muslims and non-Muslims. Muslims believe that wearing clothes that show women beauties is immodesty while westerns don’t see any immodesty. But, logically its actually immodesty first because its God’s order and God never make wrong decisions and as Muslims we obey him through Islamic rules and don’t need to know why because whatever comes from God its for our own good. Non-Muslims must know that Islam provide protection to society, particularly to women through Islamic guidelines as well as for men in order to be able to control themselves. Once these protection guidelines are missing, it will definitely produce uncontrollable society, especially when comes to the lust and sexual desires of men, here comes women roles to protect themselves of the animalistic men and if we look into the statistics of top 5 countries with highest rape crime United states comes first, south Africa, Sweden, India and the fifth is United kingdom.

2-I believe this situation is honor/shame based because Muslims believe that women should only show there beauties to their husbands otherwise it’s a shame and here the brothers or fathers come to get back the honor of the family.

3- Before I think of the solution I would like to ask those who hate the idea of modesty, what kind of harm it may cause to you if you obey the law or accept modesty?  I don’t believe there is any other solution than respect and obey the law.

4- Well, based on my faith and knowledge I gained from my religion I can say I broadened my worldview. My philosophy for living from my religion is that every human being should think and look for the truth and God because it’s the beginning for having a peace of mind and true happiness. Often people think success and richness are the main source of happiness while my source of happiness is conviction and satisfaction of what I have as long as I’m healthy, have enough food to stay alive and a home with good family.

Exercise #1 Bullfighting

Exercise #1-Bullfighting

I’m really surprised of civilized country such Spain to adopt this kind of festivals (Bullfighting). I’m wondering what role animal rights organizations play in such case. I believe these organizations take good actions against those who abuse animals secretly maybe in the dark at their home and behind the seen; ironically these organizations are not taking any action against a public animal cruelty and abuse in day light. I used to believe that cruelty and animal abuse could be individual cases and restricted  to psychopaths, terrorists and sick people, but I’ve never expected a whole nation can have such an evil heart since the majority of Spanish people participate in their brutal cultural tradition with joy and pleasure, besides that they pay for it.  I still have a hope that one day Bull fighting will no longer be existed just as bear-baiting. I believe if we gather 1 million protesters to express the disapproval of this tradition we can stop it and that can be achieved by taking advantage of social networking sites where the revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests in Egypt and Tunisia started from.

A little about myself

Hi. I'm an A student despite that I'm a taciturn person and unsociable maybe because I have not found the right friends yet. I always look for a person that accepts my weaknesses and try to guide me not criticize me. What makes me unique is one of my negative habits which is laziness and I’m sure I can get Guinness record in that Lol. I don't like to travel although I have traveled to more than one country like China-Taipei, Saudi Arabia and Oman.