INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE

                                             

                                                 VICTOR .M. BARAKA

                                                   BACS/NRB/1565/17

                                                   INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE




Intercultural refers to interaction between people from two different cultural groups. culture can be defined as the sum of a way of life,including the expected behaviours, beliefs, values, language and living practices shared by the society.

Intercultural competence is the ability to develop targeted knowledge,skills and attitudes, that lead to visible behaviour and communication that are both effective and appropriate in intercultural intercultural interactions.

when talk of appropriate it means valued rules, norms and expectations of the relationship are not violated significantly and effective means valued goals or rewards are accomplished.

Intercultural competence can sometimes also be called 'cross cultural competence' (3c). The basic requirements for intercultural competence are empathy, an understanding of other people's behaviour and ways of thinking and the ability to express one's own way of thinking.

It is a balance, situationally adapted, among four parts;

Knowledge which talks about other cultures and other people's behaviours.

Empathy is all about understanding the feelings and needs of other people.

Self-confidence is the knowledge of one's own desires, strengths, weakness and emotional stability.

Cultural identity is the knowledge of one's own culture.




 CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS OF INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE.

Knowledge.

Cultural self-awareness is articulating how one's own culture has shaped one's identity and worldview.

Cultural specific knowledge is analysing and explaining basic information about other cultures.

Social-linguistic awareness is acquiring basic local language skills, articulating differences in verbal or non-verbal communication.

Skills.

This focuses on on practising cultural competence to perfection, communication is the paramount tool to interact in organization. This includes gestures and other non-verbal communication that tend to vary from culture to culture.

Attitudes.

This focuses on respect, openess, curiosity, and discovery that is tolerating  ambiquity and viewing it as a positive experience, willingness to move beyond one's comfort zone.


WHY INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE IMPORTANT.

Emergency of globalization.

This means that issues that arise if people are not interculturally competent e.g medical field.








References;



https;//en.wikipedia.org./wiki/intercultural-competence.


Lustig.W.M.Koester.j.(2010).intercultural competence(6th edition),U.S.A:Pearson publication.