3 Cultural norms

Nickerson (2024) explains that norms are ‘unwritten social rules which define what is expected of individuals in certain situations’. They operate at different levels, ranging from etiquette at the dinner table to deeper societal values such as respect for community elders.

Figure 4 Global communication

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A map of the world with high-rise building and silhouettes of people in the foreground. Lines join different parts of the map together.

Figure 4 Global communication

These norms vary from culture to culture and, as globalisation increasingly leads to the creation of cross-cultural teams, this can be another source of conflict in the workplace.