12 Dimensions Critical Reflection

Reflection

             According to my CMI results, which shows the dimensions decision making, destiny, communication and status, I've came up with the following conclusion.

Part 1:

1-              Firstly, decision making is how you decide to do something and how decisions are made. This dimension divide people into who decide based on their relationship and who decide based on the rules.

2-              The other dimension is destiny. Destiny means who control your life? Do you have the power to take control of your life or you let people do that and decide for you? It’s easy to know people who are directive, control their life, and people who are directed, people control their life.

3-              Communication is also a dimension a chose, which means do you say what you want openly and you mean it or you feel it’s better to say things indirect. There are people who prefer to be direct and open with people about what they say, and others who prefer and think it’s appropriate to be more indirect.

4-              Status is one dimension I like and chose. It’s about people who have and get what they want without working on it, and people who work hard and try their best to reach their goals. People who tend to be ascribed don’t work for the things they have, it’s either they were born with it or they got it because of their name and relationships. Who work hard by themselves are achieved. They count on their selves to do something.

Part 2:

           Secondly, based on my results, I'm more relationship oriented. My relationships guide me in decision making. I think it’s not true, I of course listen to the rules and then decide, but that doesn't mean that I count on rules or relationships 100%, I think it’s in between. For the destiny, I'm more directive than directed. I decide how I'm going to live my life and what will I do next. I agree with this result. I hate when people tell me or force me to do anything, and if I did I will not try my best. I think everyone should direct their lives because it’s their life and they will live it not others. I also tend to be more direct in communication. I say what’s in my mind and I mean it. The result said that and I agree. I like being direct with people so they could understand me well and not try to explain unnecessary things. I'm an achieved person. The result of status mentioned that I'm more achieve oriented, and I'm with the result I got. I prefer to be known for things I did myself not things I were born with. If I achieved what I want by myself, I will later be proud of what I have done.

Part 3:

           Finally, in 5 years later, I don’t think all the results will change. It will stay the same for destiny and status. I will never let people to control my life and decide for me. In addition to that, I will always try to depend on myself to achieve things. For decision making and communication, it might change. I don’t want to decide based on my relationships, I need to be aware of the rules. Moreover, I don’t want people to not accept me because of the way I talk and deal with them! In the future, I want to be a better person than I am now, so I hope that I develop myself and skills to be more active and useful. 

Extra: Elect FNC members on ‘qualifications'

Elect FNC members on ‘qualifications, not connections’

The article is about elections and how people should vote and choose a candidate. I found some dimensions that were obvious to me. Status-ascribed was the main dimension I found. People vote for a well-known person, not a person with qualifications. The well-known person didn’t work hard to reach and get what he have now, he relied on his name and tribe. Another dimension is outlook-innovation. Tariq Lootah and Ali Al Nuaimi stated that people need to think before they vote, think of who will benefit them with his qualification. Also to choose a person who will influence them in a good way. The easiest dimension was communication-direct. Dhahi Khalfan Tamim talked directly to the people and said that any deviation from the path is unacceptable, he was so clear about what he means and what he’s saying.

Exercise #6

Jose Mujica / President of Uraguay

Quote	Dimension	Polarity	Why?
1- Revolutions and revolts.	Accountability.	Community.	He thinks people need each other for lives to become possible.
2- Legalizing divorce.	Outlook.	Tradition.	People thought that families would dissolve, so they were afraid of changes.
3- Materialism.	Destiny.	Directive.	God who organizes their lives and provides them with happiness.
4- Global Consumption.	Accountability.	Community.	He says that if people prudent they could have everything needed.
5- ?????
6- Ending conflict.	Relationship.	Universal.	He wants to help and do whatever he’s capable of doing to all people.
7- Staying humble in office.	Status.	Ascribed.	Politicians are becoming kings out of nowhere.
8- Redistribution of wealth.	Growth.	Personal.	Mujica said that the most important investment is in human.
9- Age.	Outlook.	Innovation.	Old people now most become open-minded. They’re not old because of ages, but because of minds.
10- Addiction.	Communication.	Direct.	He was direct about what’s good and bad addiction.
11- Being called the world’s poorest president.	Context.	Informal.	He talked about his history.
12- Donating 90% of his salary to charity.	Decision making.	Relationship.	He feels it’s his duty toward his people is to donate.
13- His goals for Urguay.	Outlook.	Innovation.	He thinks about Urguay’s future and if people will continue his work.
14- Being a president.	Expression.	Reveal.	He said that the ideal way of living is like the people we attempt to serve. The vast majority.
15- The secret of happiness.	Decision making.	Relationship.	He wants to respect people’s freedom and it’s one of the secrets of happiness.

Exercise #5

 “Outsourced” - the movie study guide

Cultural Dimension.	Character Todd, Puro, Aisha or other.	Outsourced Scene or Circumstance.
Communication-direct/indirect	Todd and Dave	When Dave called Todd to the office.
Accountability – Individual / group	Todd and the Indian employees.	In a meeting, Todd listened to them and knew what they want, they start working together in a better way after getting what they want.
Expression – Reveal / conceal	Asha.	Asha said that she’s not happy with the way Todd trains them and told him to learn about India.
Connecting – Inclusive / exclusive	People of India.	In Holi festival, they celebrate it with everyone not only Indians
Context – Informal / formal	Auntie Ji and Todd.	When Auntie Ji met Todd she was asking and Todd answered in a formal way.

Create reflections:

3. When he gets on the train, he cannot find an empty seat. How is this problem
solved for him? How might this be a cultural solution?
The moment Todd steps in the train, a kid saw him standing, so he let him sets in his place and in return for that Todd must let him set on his lap. I think this solution is cultural because Indians are used to these kind of problems so they know how to solve them.

4. As any exchange student, he has a lot of experiences trying new food. His first
encounter is with an iced drink. What happens?
When Todd arrived to India, he was thirsty so he tried the first drink on his way, the iced drink, without knowing what it was exactly. After meeting Puro, Todd knew that not so many tourists accepts the iced drink and they become ill after drinking it. Todd became sick the day after drinking the iced drink.

7. Todd wants to check in to a hotel. But Puro insists he comes to a boarding house.
What is the reason he gives Todd?
Puro insists that Todd comes to a boarding house and live with Auntie Ji, so Todd doesn’t stay alone and have someone taking care of him.

8. As soon as they meet, Auntie Ji starts asking very intimate questions that
Americans who have just met would never ask. What kind of things does she ask?

Auntie Ji asked personal questions to Todd and he answered wondering. She asked about his personal life like is he married or not, when will he get marry, about his salary and what does his parents do for a living. 

Exercise #4

CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD MAKE DECISIONS

How does culture and the 12 dimensions influences:

1 – Life choices.

2 – Thinking.

3 – Sense of group \ accountability.

One Asian Model

 The 3 dimensions that I chose and were so clear in the Asian model are communication, expression and connecting. Each of the dimensions influence people’s life choices, thinking and sense of group in many ways.  Firstly, communication in Asia is indirect. You can’t communicate with your leader directly, you need to talk to the responsible of your group then he will talk to the leader. If a person talks directly to the leader he won’t listen to him, the leader will often tell the person to talk to the person who’s in charge of what he need or want.  Secondly, Asia known that it’s not based on self-expression. If a person express what he want, they will consider him odd and irregular. Asians are more likely to conceal their expressions, so they don’t demonstrating that they are less than a full person. Asian values is a term that was used to justify what power in Asia are doing to the people of Asia, they don’t accept reveal expressions.  Thirdly, there are exclusive connections in Asia. They make it difficult for strangers to cope with them. In America, there is a neighbourhood called Chinatown. That neighbourhood was established by the old Asians that moved to America in a long time ago. Chinatown is exclusive for Asians even though it’s in America. These dimensions affected people’s life choices, it make decisions slight and shallow. The government put the choices and limited their options in life, so a person cannot choose a thing that the government did not list. The thinking of Asians might become simple. People will not be able to think more than what is allowed to them. A person is nothing if he is not a part of something or group, the group he’s in is his first priority. Asian must think about what’s good for the whole group not himself only.  Finally, Here in the UAE, our culture limited women’s choices in many things. It limited her choices of what she can study and what she can’t, where to study\work, and limited their abilities. Women conceal their expressions most of the time, they can only reveal it in certain situations like occasions. 

Extra: Brides

 Brides should have option to go to court.

The conflict:

Emirati families don’t allow their daughters to choose who they want to marry, so women go to the court to help them marrying in the right ways.  

World-views:

The conflict represents two world-views, honor-shame and power-fear. I think it’s fair enough to let women choose their husbands just like men, they have the right to choose and so do women. Some families and tribes think that they can control their daughters’ life and choices, but in fact they can’t. If a girl point out that she wants a specific guy, people will say that she doesn't have manners. Families and parents should understand that it’s not a shame to let their daughter to choose, at least she will do it with their knowing. It takes a big courage for a woman to disobey her family, and go to court to say what and who she wants. I support those brave girls. 

Exercise #3

Avoiding conflict

Able:

1-      Evelyn: she found a way to adapt by finding a job.

2-      Mr. Graham: He played cricket with Indian kids and enjoyed it.

3-      Ms. Hardcastle: She had a room without doors first, but then she took the manager’s room.

Unable:

1-      Mrs. Ainslie: She disliked the lifestyle there, and didn’t even try to go out and discover. Mrs. Ainslie hated the atmosphere.

2-      Mrs. Donally: She went to India for treatment, but she didn’t like how things works and wanted to go back to England.