Lesson 4 Summary

This lesson provided an overview of how globalization affects communication, including barriers and best practices related to intercultural communication and effective virtual teaming, and knowledge management and sharing on virtual teams.

You were also introduced to group processes such as the collective mind and groupthink and how they can have both positive and negative influences on group performance.

Information networks were then discussed as these have played a critical role in globalization and will continue to be drivers of a global connected world and “global mind.” In the communication activity in this lesson, you will explore the concepts discussed in the lesson regarding cultural differences in communication. As you continue the assigned readings from Hofstede’s book, you will learn more about each of the six cultural dimensions and how each of these affects how we interact and communicate with others.

During Lesson 7, you will revisit the concepts discussed in this lesson as you develop your group project plan and team contract, incorporating best practices for effective virtual teams when appropriate. In the next lesson, you will develop a better understand of yourself as well as your interactions with others. You will build upon the basics of psychometrics that you may have encountered in earlier courses, and delve into how these personality preferences and types vary between cultures and affect virtual and cross-cultural team performance.

Before you move on to the next lesson, please make sure you have completed all of the readings and activities listed for this lesson within the Course Schedule of the Full Syllabus.

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References

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