3rd research_Data Collection_French gestures

Raise your shoulders; hold up your hands, palms out; stick out your lower lip; raise your eyebrows







To indicate that you are clever or that you realize the truth faster than anyone else, tap your nose with your index finger







To let people know that they need to be quiet, raise your index finger in the air. The stern facial expression is optional.






To indicate that something is "nothing" or "worthless," make a circle with your index finger and thumb.






In order to express how delicious or wonderful something is, stretch out your fingers and thumb, touch them all together, noisily kiss your fingertips, and immediately extend your fingers, as if tossing something light into the air.







La bise or le bisou means kiss: French friends and acquaintances exchange kisses on alternating cheeks upon meeting and separating. Two people introduced by a mutual friend may also faire la bise, particularly kids and young adults.







This simple gesture is used with any kind of statement related to a phone call:

• I'll call you
• Call me
• Your friend called
• Did he call?
• There's a call for you
• While talking on the phone...

In order to indicate that what you are saying (the time you'll arrive, how long something will take, etc.) is just an estimate, hold out your hand, palm down and fingers spread, and wobble it back and forth.



http://french.about.com/library/weekly/aa020901a.htm

3rd research_Data Collection_Italian gestures

Come?
English translation: What?



Ehi tu, vieni qui! (Ascolta!)
English translation: Hey! Come here, you! (Listen!)



Ho fame.
English translation: I'm hungry.


Mah!
English translation: Perplexed. Gesturer is undecided.



Un momento!
English translation: One moment please! or May I speak?


Scongiuro.
English translation: Gesturer wants to ward off bad luck.



Mi dà un passaggio?
English translation: Can you give me a ride?


C'è da fare o no?...
English translation: Yes or no?


Andiamo a dormire.
English translation: Let's go to sleep.



http://italian.about.com/library/handgestures/blgesturesindex.htm

Greeting Custom Around the World

It is always important to give people a good first impression, it shorten the distance between people, it is especially important for business live meeting.

there are many ways to greet another person, it depends on where you are or how well you know that person, below is part of our third research. it shows you how to greet people in different countries.

BELIZE --- Press fists together and press the counterpart’s fist together.

JAPAN --- Bow from the waist.

RUSSIA --- Kiss three times, on alternate cheeks...left, right, left. This is an old tradition.

EGYPT --- Kiss three times, on alternate cheeks...left, right, left. While men will cheek kiss other men and women will cheek kiss other women, no woman of a good family would cheek kiss a man, even if it is a friend of long standing.

ITALY --- Kiss on cheek 2 or 3 times -- Just kiss in the air.

NEW ZEALAND --- When Maori people greet each other, they press their noses together. This custom is called hongi.

BOLIVIA --- The Aymara women in Bolivia says hello to a friend with a tip of her bowler hat.

ECUADOR --- An Ecuadorian woman greets her friend with medio abrazo ("half embrace") -- like a partial hug.

MEXICO --- One kiss on the cheek. (Kiss in the air to the left or right)

U.S. --- Businessmen (women) usually shake hands when meeting each other.

SOUTH AFRICA --- The Zulu of South Africa say, "Sakubona" when greeting friends.

ITALY --- In Italy, friends greet each other by saying, "Ciao."

FIJI --- Men are expected to say "oooo" when greeting their chief.

AFGHANISTAN --- It is traditional for women to be more reserved in their greetings than men. When meeting a stranger, a man will say "manda na bashi." (May you not be tired.) A Ghilzai woman will raise her hand to cover her mouth.
U.S. and EUROPE --- The High-fives originated among American college basketball players in the early 1980s. It soon spread to other sports and became fashionable among young people.

ZAMBIA --- To find your partner, nod, slightly bend knees, and shake hands, right hand extended, with left hand under right elbow.

PORTUGAL --- Bom dia means "hello" in Portuguese.

GHANA Ming-gah-bou, Ga means "hello" in Ghana.

ISRAEL --- Shalom means hello in Hebrew.

CHINA --- Some people in China just say Ni-hao-ma which means "How are you?"

TURKEY --- Merhaba means "hello."

MADAGASCAR --- People used to greet nobles by saying Tsara Va?, which meant are you well?

FRANCE --- In France, people say Bon jour (Good day) during the day and Bon soir (good evening) in the evening.

SOUTH AFRICA --- The Afikaners of South Africa say "Goeie more" in the morning, "Goeie middag' in the afternoon, and "Goeie naand" in the evening.

CYPRUS Telephone greeting --- In Cyprus, people answer the phone with "Ano" ("Yes").

CZECH REPUBLIC Telephone greeting --- In Czech Republic, people answer the phone with "Prosim:" ("Ready").

GERMANY Telephone greeting --- In Germany, people answer the phone by saying their last name.

GREECE --- In the exotic Greek language, "Kalimera" (Good morning) is said.

VIETNAM --- Hello in Vietnamese is different depending on whom you are addressing. To an older man it is "Chao ong." To an older woman it is "Chao da." To a younger man it is "Chao anh." To a younger woman it is "Chau co." To small children it is "Chao chau."

source: Hawaii Geographic Alliance
Updated: March, 1998

Business in Japan

Japan business Part 1 - Working in Japan (Pre-departure)

• Working practices in Japan
  • Due to the strong contemporary business competition in Asia, the old concept of the 'unhurried' Japanese negotiation process is no longer applicable. Decisions are made swiftly and efficiently.
  • When arranging a business appointment, making a personal call will be more effective than sending a letter and seen as good manners.
  • Punctuality is essential in Japan; lateness is as sign of disrespect. Arriving 5 minutes prior to an appointment is good practice.
• Structure and hierarchy in Japanese companies.
  • The strong hierarchical structure in Japanese business is reflected in the negotiation process. They begin at the executive level and continue at the middle level. However, decisions will often be made within the group.
  • Generally speaking, in business meetings the Japanese will line up in order of seniority, with the most senior person at the front and the least senior person closest to the door. In addition to this rule however, you may find that the most senior person chooses where to sit.
  • It is important to bear in mind that in contemporary Japan, even a low ranking individual can become a manager if his or her performance is good.
• Working relationships in Japan
  • Due to the influence of Confucianism, it is important to show greater respect to the eldest members in Japanese business culture. Age and rank are strongly connected, however a change in today's business climate means that educational background and ability are often considered over age.
  • Personal space is highly valued in Japan due to the densely populated areas in which they live. Physical contact, other than a handshake, is never displayed in public.

Japan business Part 2 - Doing business in Japan

• Business practices in Japan
  • Business in Japan cannot begin until the exchange of business cards or 'meishi' has been completed. Use both hands to present your card, which should be printed in both languages. On receiving your counterpart's business card make a show of examining it carefully before placing it on the table. It is important to deal with another's business card with care.
  • A significant part of former Japanese business protocol was gift giving. In contemporary Japanese business culture, although not expected, the gesture is still practiced and will be accepted with gratitude. However, be careful not to take too big a gift as it may be regarded as a bribe.
  • It is good business practice to engage in small talk before negotiations. Expect your Japanese counterpart to ask questions regarding your education, family and social life. More private questions are not acceptable.
  • In Japanese business protocol contracts are not necessarily final agreements or a sign that business in over. In Japan, looking after partners or clients even after business is very important. Aftercare and long-term relationships are positively encouraged.
    
    
• Japanese business etiquette (Do's and Don'ts)
  • DO use apologies where the intention is serious and express gratitude frequently as it is considered polite in Japan.
  • DO avoid confrontation or showing negative emotions during business negations. Express opinions openly but evade direct or aggressive refusals.
  • DO greet your counterparts with the proper respect and politeness. If your counterpart bows make sure you return the gesture, which is usually performed shortly and shallowly. More often than not, a handshake is sufficient.
  • DON'T give excessive praise or encouragement to a single Japanese colleague in front of others. Remember that the group is often more important than the individual.
  • DON'T address your Japanese counterpart by their first name unless invited to do so. Use the titles 'Mr' or 'Mrs' or add 'san' to their family name; for example, Mr Hiroshima will be "Hiroshima san"
  • DON'T use large hand gestures, unusual facial expressions or dramatic movements. The Japanese do not talk with their hands.
• * Source: CIA The World Factbook 2004

returned cultural probe (pic)

We took some pictures for cultural probe after it returned
from participants.

The result is pretty diverse. Most of them have been
to Australia and some parts of Asia, such as Hong
Kong, Japan and Singapore. Although none of them
have been to Middle East of South America, they show
interest in visiting those countries one day. Most of
them chose Europe as their favorite destination.

For the section section, (Schedule),the results indicated
that they all have a pretty routine lifestyle.
Most of them only travel between their work
places and home. Also, users reported that they have
to communicate with different people from other
countries at their workplaces.

Third Section – Movie clips
Interestingly, all of them got over half of the
answers wrong. The result indicates that they have
a fairly low understanding about different cultural
gestures. Also, we realized that they tend to have a
negative interpretation of the gesture when they do not
understand what they are.

Last Section – experiences
it is the most interesting part, cause there are some stories
we just never expect, also we got people's opinions as well.

The Thai participant said that it is awkward for her to
see Australians put their feet on the coffee table at
home, as it is considered to be very rude to one’s feet
in her culture.
Also, she was surprised to know the dining culture in
Japan. She was told that she had to make loud eating
noise in order to show your respect to the chef, and in
fact, the louder the better!

Another participant from US doubts that whether
teenagers know the real meaning of putting two fingers
up on their shoulder, as this gesture means “I want to
buy $20 of Heroin” in the underground drug markets.

Cultural Probe content

Above: instruction of the cultural probe



pic2: Participants are required to select the countries they
have visited as well as the countries they are interested
in visiting in the future.



pic3: continue from the previous section


pic4: continue from the previous section




pic5: Participants are required to write down places they
have visited and people they have interacted with
during any three days of the week.



pic6: A CD contains a movie clip of different gestures are
selected from different countries. Participants are
required to write down the possible meanings of
the nine gestures based on their own knowledge or
instincts.


(you can also browse the clip from youtube!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khAQyc-eyv0



pic7: Stories/ Experiences
Participants are required to write down their experiences
regarding cultural differences.

Cultural Probe (objectives & Rational)

ok...here is our cultural probe objectives & Rational:

Topic: Cross Cultural communication with Gestures

Research method: Cultural Probe

Objectives: To obtain the subjective point of view from users. The end results of cultural probe should be able to tell us what they need most in terms of this topic, by acknowledging the users’ concerns, experiences as well as their knowledge about communication with gestures.

Rational:
Our cultural probe contains 4 major research tools which allow our users to share their stories, show their concerns and knowledge towards the topic of communication with gestures based on their own individual background.

1. A world map – Users are required to select the countries they have visited as well as the countries they are interested in visiting in the future. By acknowledging their preferences in destination, we are able to prioritise our content in the design.

2. A Diary – Users are given the opportunity to share their personal experiences of encountering new gestures in different cultures or situations. This open-ended question allows the users to express how they feel and how would they handle the situation.

3. A schedule – Users are required to write down places they have visited and people they have interacted with during any three days of the week. This helps us to determine which piece of information would be more relevant to them in terms of their daily life basis.

4. A CD – A CD contains a movie clip of different gestures are selected from different countries. Users are required to write down the possible meanings of the nine gestures based on their own knowledge or instincts. By doing this, it wil let us know how different people interpret the meaning of different gestures around the world.