Polish American Culture

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Polish-Americans (European Americans) Cultural diversity is something we must all be well aware of to be able to become culturally competent. According to The Office of Minority Health (2005), cultural competence can be defined as “a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals that enables effective work in cross-cultural situations.” Where culture refers to patterns of human behavior (language, communications, customs, beliefs, racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups, etc.); and competence refers to being able to effectively function, as an individual or part of an organization, with other people. The purpose of this paper is to explore a different culture from…show more content…
It says that Polish business people might take a formal approach to business, it may seem like they are very serious however that is just the way they approach business; nothing personal. It is common for Poles to judge others by their personal qualities. Poles value honesty and see that as the most important thing in business relationships. Poles are known for being direct communicators. IN business meetings the most senior Pole generally opens the meeting and sets the groundwork for what is to be discussed. Small talk is the norm at the start of meetings; lunch and dinner meetings are often used to further the personal relationship. Hard facts are important so participants come well-prepared with facts and figures to back up their statements. Foreigners would be expected to do the same. Business decision-making processes tend to have a hierarchical basis. Final decisions are translated into rigorous, comprehensive action steps that you can expect will be carried out to the letter. This is to bring to see what Polish people bring to the table in the work…show more content…
Chapter 7 in the text discusses Whites/European Americans. The Chapter 7 PowerPoint stated: • Whites ➢ Should view diversity as a potential source of competitive advantage to be embraced rather than fearing it as lowering their individual power. • Organizations ➢ Should proactively work toward diversity to increase competitiveness for all, resulting in more rather than in fewer opportunities and advantages for Whites. ➢ Should include Whites as active participants and allies in the diversity process is a key step to reduce resistance. The recommendations even though are short and sweet I believe aren’t enough. White people be they ‘American’ white or European white can all be discriminated against as much as the minorities. Because white people are seen as the top discriminators then there is a bias against them and so then they get discriminated against. In this case Polish people will be discriminated against because of preconceived prejudices: lazy, drunk, uneducated, filthy, etc. I think the BEST recommendation is to always be open and try your hardest to wipe away prejudices. Everyone will have his or her own opinions about everything, and so this one is

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