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Welcome back! In this lesson, we'll focus on the role that culture plays in professional communication settings. Diversity is such an important topic and it's important that we all know how to promote an inclusive and respectful work environment. For example, "companies that practice diversity and inclusion in the workplace outperform other non-diverse companies by 15 percent."

As the authors of Communicating in the Real World at the University of Minnesota note in their chapter, "Culture and Communication":

"Humans have always been diverse in their cultural beliefs and practices. But as new technologies have led to the perception that our world has shrunk, and demographic and political changes have brought attention to cultural differences, people communicate across cultures more now than ever before. The oceans and continents that separate us can now be traversed instantly with an e-mail, phone call, tweet, or status update. Additionally, our workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods have become more integrated in terms of race and gender, increasing our interaction with domestic diversity. The Disability Rights Movement and Gay Rights Movement have increased the visibility of people with disabilities and sexual minorities."

We'll focus, then, our discussion on Chapter 2, "Communication, Culture & Work" and use the attached powerpoint slides as a study guide. As you read this chapter, you'll learn more about

The Nature of Culture,
Communication in a Diverse Society,
Cultural Differences in International Business, and
Diversity and Ethical Issues and Communicating Across Diversity.

After reading this chapter and reviewing the notes, you'll view a popular Ted Talk video on the topic of diversity and having uncomfortable discussions.

________

For this unit, then, we will:

Read/Learn
- Read Chapter 2, "Communication, Culture, and Work" from the textbook. Chapter 2 Textbook.pdf
- Check out: Chapter 2 PowerPoint.pptx
- View: Chapter 2 Notes and Outlines.pdf
- Watch: Color Blind or Color Brave?
Connect/Collaborate
- Complete Week #3: Discussion Board
Experiment/Apply
- Complete Chapter 2: Communication, Culture and Work Quiz.
- Complete Chapter 2: Communication, Culture & Work Exit Survey.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions that you may have about this lesson. Happy learning!