Cultural Comparisons
|
Aspect
|
Mexico
|
Canada/USA
|
Family
| Family is the first priority.
Children are celebrated and sheltered.
Wife fulfills domestic role.
Mobility is limited. | Family is usually second to work.
Children often minimally parented; are independent.
Wife often fulfills dual roles.
Mobility quite common. |
Religion
| Long Roman Catholic tradition.
Fatalistic outlook. "As God wills." | Mixed religions.
"Master of own life" outlook. |
Education
| Memorization.
Emphasis on theoretical.
Rigid, broad curriculum. | Analytical approach.
Emphasis on the practical.
Narrow, in-depth specialization. |
Nationalism
| Very nationalistic.
Proud of long history and traditions.
Reluctant to settle outside Mexico. | (U.S.)Very patriotic.
Proud of "American way of life."
Assumes everyone shares his/her materialistic values.
(Canadian) Less than U.S.. Often has more " World" view. |
Personal Sensitivity
| Difficulty separating work and personal relationships.
Sensitive to differences of opinion.
Fears loss of face, especially publicly.
Shuns confrontation. | Separates work from emotions/personal relationships.
Sensitivity seen as weakness.
Tough business front.
Has difficulty with subtlety. |
Etiquette
| "Old world" formality.
Etiquette and manners seen as measure of breeding. | Formality often
sacrificed for efficiency.
"Let's get to the point" approach. |
Personal Appearance
| Dress and grooming are status symbols. | Appearance
is secondary to performance. |
Status
| Title and position more important than money in eyes
of society. | Money is main status measure and is reward for achievement. |
Aesthetics
| Aesthetic side of life is important even at work. |
No time for "useless frills". |
Ethics
| Truth is tempered by need for diplomacy.
Truth is a relative concept. | Direct Yes/No answers given and expected.
Truth seen as absolute value. |