Same-Same, But Not: Comparing Aspects of Cultures in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand

Oftentimes nations, societies, or communities are categorized based on cultural values, such as time orientation and social self-construal. Here, time orientation is represented by the dimensions of monochronism and polychronism; and social self-construal as individualism and collectivism. In some c...

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Main Author: Aïda C. Terblanché-Greeff
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2022-05-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221099529
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author Aïda C. Terblanché-Greeff
author_facet Aïda C. Terblanché-Greeff
author_sort Aïda C. Terblanché-Greeff
collection DOAJ
description Oftentimes nations, societies, or communities are categorized based on cultural values, such as time orientation and social self-construal. Here, time orientation is represented by the dimensions of monochronism and polychronism; and social self-construal as individualism and collectivism. In some cases, it has been argued that individualism is complementary to the traits of monochronism, and collectivism is complementary to that of polychronism. Consequently, cultural communities have often been grouped as monochronic and individualistic (MONO+INDV), or polychronic and collectivistic (POLY+COLL), with little focus being allocated to unique cultural nuances. This paper represents cross-cultural philosophy, where cultural values are compared through the strategies of philosophical conceptual analysis and interpretive philosophical reflection. Specifically, this paper accentuates that focus should be allocated to cultural nuances of POLY+COLL cultures instead of grouping such cultures under one blanket conceptualization. Attention is allocated to three POLY+COLL cultures that are similar in some aspects but different in others. The cultures that receive such attention is to be found in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The purpose is thus threefold. First, it introduces the categories of cultural values; second, it presents three different POLY+COLL cultures; and lastly, the three seemingly similar POLY+COLL cultures are placed in comparison—based on themes identified in the discussion—to facilitate better differentiation. As a result, it is elucidated that attention must be allocated to cultural nuances when conducting cross-cultural studies as this is identified as a gap in the knowledge-base.
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spelling doaj.art-75fedd8d0079438b8556cb956f73c4c52022-12-22T00:29:41ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402022-05-011210.1177/21582440221099529Same-Same, But Not: Comparing Aspects of Cultures in South Africa, Australia, and New ZealandAïda C. Terblanché-Greeff0North-West University, Potchefstroom, South AfricaOftentimes nations, societies, or communities are categorized based on cultural values, such as time orientation and social self-construal. Here, time orientation is represented by the dimensions of monochronism and polychronism; and social self-construal as individualism and collectivism. In some cases, it has been argued that individualism is complementary to the traits of monochronism, and collectivism is complementary to that of polychronism. Consequently, cultural communities have often been grouped as monochronic and individualistic (MONO+INDV), or polychronic and collectivistic (POLY+COLL), with little focus being allocated to unique cultural nuances. This paper represents cross-cultural philosophy, where cultural values are compared through the strategies of philosophical conceptual analysis and interpretive philosophical reflection. Specifically, this paper accentuates that focus should be allocated to cultural nuances of POLY+COLL cultures instead of grouping such cultures under one blanket conceptualization. Attention is allocated to three POLY+COLL cultures that are similar in some aspects but different in others. The cultures that receive such attention is to be found in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The purpose is thus threefold. First, it introduces the categories of cultural values; second, it presents three different POLY+COLL cultures; and lastly, the three seemingly similar POLY+COLL cultures are placed in comparison—based on themes identified in the discussion—to facilitate better differentiation. As a result, it is elucidated that attention must be allocated to cultural nuances when conducting cross-cultural studies as this is identified as a gap in the knowledge-base.https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221099529
spellingShingle Aïda C. Terblanché-Greeff
Same-Same, But Not: Comparing Aspects of Cultures in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand
SAGE Open
title Same-Same, But Not: Comparing Aspects of Cultures in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand
title_full Same-Same, But Not: Comparing Aspects of Cultures in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand
title_fullStr Same-Same, But Not: Comparing Aspects of Cultures in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand
title_full_unstemmed Same-Same, But Not: Comparing Aspects of Cultures in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand
title_short Same-Same, But Not: Comparing Aspects of Cultures in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand
title_sort same same but not comparing aspects of cultures in south africa australia and new zealand
url https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221099529
work_keys_str_mv AT aidacterblanchegreeff samesamebutnotcomparingaspectsofculturesinsouthafricaaustraliaandnewzealand