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| cultural_peculiarities [2008-04-17 14:25] – created sanjeev | cultural_peculiarities [2008-05-06 11:05] – sanjeev |
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| === Possibilities for urban permaculture kits === | === Cultural peculiarites and perspectives === |
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| These notes form a part of [[sanjeev shankar]]'s research, which is summarised in his [[research_report_sanjeev-shankar|research report]] | These notes form a part of [[sanjeev shankar]]'s research, which is summarised in his [[research_report_sanjeev-shankar|research report]] |
| " Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster."((Prof. Geert Hofstede, Emeritus Professor, Maastricht University)) | " Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster."((Prof. Geert Hofstede, Emeritus Professor, Maastricht University)) |
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| We all tend to have a human instinct that 'deep inside' all people are the same - but they are not. An understanding of cultural peculiarities and metaphors can facilitate a deeper understanding to create localised solutions and create strategies to motivate people. From 1970 onwards, Hofstede’s work has analysed cultural values using extensive survey procedures in more than 70 countries (Hofstede, 2001). The author proposed five value dimensions, which have a significant impact on behaviour in all cultures and ranked the surveyed countries on each of them.((http://www.geert-hofstede.com/index.shtml))Following observations will provide us with a background for such insights. | An understanding of cultural peculiarities and metaphors can facilitate a deeper understanding to create localised solutions and create strategies to motivate people. From 1970 onwards, Hofstede’s work has analysed cultural values using extensive survey procedures in more than 70 countries (Hofstede, 2001). The author proposed five value dimensions, which have a significant impact on behaviour in all cultures and ranked the surveyed countries on each of them.((http://www.geert-hofstede.com/index.shtml)) Even though using numbers as cultural indicators is not the best method, following observations can still provide us with a background for such insights. |
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| {{:perma106.jpg|}} | {{:perma106.jpg|}} |
| Long-term versus short-term orientation** refers to the extent to which members of a culture are willing to accept delayed gratification of material, social and emotional needs. Long-term orientation encourages virtues oriented towards future rewards. Short-term orientation promotes virtues related to rewards at the present time. Thrift, perseverance and patience are major virtues in long term orientation societies. These qualities affect the way people are willing to change well established behavioural patterns and affect people’s perception of time and waiting | Long-term versus short-term orientation** refers to the extent to which members of a culture are willing to accept delayed gratification of material, social and emotional needs. Long-term orientation encourages virtues oriented towards future rewards. Short-term orientation promotes virtues related to rewards at the present time. Thrift, perseverance and patience are major virtues in long term orientation societies. These qualities affect the way people are willing to change well established behavioural patterns and affect people’s perception of time and waiting |
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| Another crucial aspect if of **Communication**. India is hampered by illiteracy and language variety. Some 35% of the population is illiterate and the percentage rises to 46% among the women. Hindi is the principal official language but the Indian Constitution recognises another 17 official languages. This is a crucial statistic since words and their associative meanings play a crucial role in the Indian context. ''Pesticides'' in many parts of India still translates to ''medicine'' in the local language ! ''Permaculture'' on the other hand, has no comparative word in hindi though //grihasthashram// is a close parallel. As such it is suggested by the researcher that in India it is more important to ''go back to the roots'' instead of offering a new system or a new terminology. Ofcourse, the existing traditional system must imbibe aspects of permaculture. | Another crucial aspect is of **Communication**. India is hampered by illiteracy and language variety. Some 35% of the population is illiterate and the percentage rises to 46% among the women. Hindi is the principal official language but the Indian Constitution recognises another 17 official languages. This is a crucial statistic since words and their associative meanings play a crucial role in the Indian context. 'Pesticides' in many parts of India still translates to 'medicine' in the local language ! 'Permaculture' on the other hand, has no comparative word in hindi. As such it is suggested by the researcher that in India it is more important to 'go back to the roots' instead of offering a new system or a new terminology. Ofcourse, the existing traditional system must imbibe the modern aspects of permaculture. |
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sanjeev