American Factory
Amanuel Dickson
In today’s world, globalization has fostered increased cultural exchange; at the same time, knowing about diverse cultures has become very important. One that has a considerable global impact is Chinese culture. Being one of the oldest civilizations on Earth, China has an enormous impact on the economic, political, and communicative aspects of international relations. The knowledge of the Chinese culture enables people to enhance their cross-cultural communication skills and develop better interpersonal relations in such spheres as business, education, and social interactions.
Culture in China is characterized by influence by history, philosophy, and family tradition. The main cultural value in the society is respect for family ties. It may be said that family relationships are valued higher than the individual. The idea of collectivism that is considered in Samovar et al.'s (2017) Communication Between Cultures may be used to characterize Chinese culture. Collectivism refers to valuing of the interests of the group over those of the individual. An example of the collectivist nature of the society is the decision-making that is performed in such a way as to benefit a person's family or community. This is in contrast with the individualism characteristic of American society.
Confucianism is also a part of Chinese culture. It teaches values like loyalty, social harmony, and respect for elders. It has also been part of Chinese culture for thousands of years and has always been a major influence. Samovar states in “Communication between cultures” that Confucianism shapes how people behave, communicate, and interact with others. This affects the styles in which people communicate in. For example, people may communicate more politely or indirectly, especially if they are talking to someone older or in a position of power.
Media is another way of learning culture since it provides practical scenarios on how people think and behave. A strong example would be the movie ‘The Farewell’, filmed by Lulu Wang. The movie revolves around a Chinese American family who make the hard choice to not teIl their mother about her illness. Instead, the family arranges for an invented wedding ceremony. In this case, we see how culture prioritizes harmony in society over truthfulness in individuals. We also notice how a high-context communication style applies in this situation. This involves the indirect manner through which people communicate with each other (Hall, 1976). So in this situation, the family does not tell the mother about her condition in an effort to save her emotions.
The next media source that can be used to explain culture and its influence is a documentary called "American Factory." It is an example of how a Chinese corporation opens a new factory in America and hires American employees. "American Factory" demonstrates various aspects of Chinese and American corporate cultures, as the latter one puts more importance to individual rights and the balance between life and work than the former one (Hofstede, 2001). It is the difference between collectivism and individualism that can be seen in this documentary.
Another contemporary example includes the documentary Youth (Spring) (Wang, 2023). It depicts how the modern Chinese society is evolving because of economic development and globalization processes. Although China continues to evolve and become more advanced in its cultural, social, and economic spheres, such traditions as strong family support and collective responsibility remain relevant. This evidence corroborates the statement about the dynamic nature of culture, which means the evolution and transformation that keep certain cultural traditions (Samovar et al., 2017).
Another idea used to analyze Chinese culture is that of high-context communication. As noted by Hall (1976), high-context cultures are characterized by the use of indirect communication and body language. It is said that Chinese culture is characterized by high context communication, and therefore, people tend to avoid using direct words to keep harmony and not to create conflict. High context communication can thus be analyzed in relation to The Farewell and American Factory movies.
Knowledge of Chinese culture will also enhance intercultural competence. According to Deardorff, “Intercultural competence is the capability to interact effectively with people of other cultures” (2006). Through knowledge of cultural values such as collectivism, respect, and indirect communication, people can prevent conflicts and develop healthy relationships. In today’s global society, this ability is particularly relevant in the realms of business and international communication.
Thus, the culture of China is multifaceted and historically based. Collectivism, Confucianism, and high-context communication are some terms which can be used to better comprehend how the Chinese communicate. Media including movies and documentaries play a significant role in making these concepts clear and understandable. The use of theoretical background together with media can help people learn how to improve their communication and respect different cultures. These skills are crucial in our highly interdependent world today.
References
American Factory | Netflix Official Site. (2019). Www.netflix.com. https://www.netflix.com/title/81090071
Deardorff, D. K. (2006). Identification and Assessment of Intercultural Competence as a Student Outcome of Internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10(3), 241–266. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315306287002
Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond Culture. https://monoskop.org/images/6/60/Hall_Edward_T_Beyond_Culture.pdf
Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations. DigitalCommons@USU. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/unf_research/53/
Kortext. (2026). Kortext.com. https://read.na1.kortext.com/reader/pdf/28496/103
Wang, B. (Director). (2023). Youth (Spring).
Wang, L. (Director). (2019). The Farewell. A24.