Constructing Image-Based Culture Definitions Using Metaphors: Impact of a Cross-Cultural Immersive Experience

This study provides an approach to teaching and learning in the international business (IB) classroom about cultural values, beliefs, attitudes, and norms through the study of cultural metaphor. The methodology is based on established qualitative methods by using participants’ visual pictures and written explanations—representative of their initial perspectives of another culture—as units of analysis. Prior to and after a cross-cultural immersion experience in China, students are asked to contribute a tangible visual image of their impression of Chinese culture and briefly write about it. Upon their return, students are once again asked to submit another image of culture along with an additional written explanation in order to explicate their further understanding of culture’s role in cross-border interactions. Findings point to the increased capacity to construct redefinitions of culture based upon their experiences. They also reveal a glimpse into the ideas, imaginings, and attitudes of students as they attempt to make sense of unfamiliar world views, practices, and norms in light of the increasing interconnection in our world.