Rethinking with AI

Pieter Dijkstra
January 31, 2025
Pieter Dijkstra
January 31, 2025

As AI continues to reshape education, we recently reconsidered the initial Global Minds assignments for our second-year students (‘interns’) at HMSM. Originally, these reflective blogs aimed to help students explore their personal intercultural experiences during their internships. However, with AI’s rapid rise, we noticed many students were outsourcing their reflections—causing the core learning goal of developing a global mindset to get lost in translation.

To tackle this, we flipped the approach. Instead of asking students to write purely from experience, we first had them consult AI on the cultural differences between their home country and their internship destination. Their task? To critically reflect on AI’s output—agreeing, refuting, or expanding based on their real-life experiences abroad.

Here’s an insightful example from one of our students, who compared her internship experiences in Bangkok, Thailand with her home country, the Netherlands.👇

#InterculturalLearning #AIinEducation #GlobalMinds #ReflectiveLearning

 

🌏 Navigating Intercultural Differences in the Workplace 🌍

In my journey across diverse cultures, I’ve had the unique opportunity to observe and adapt to varying workplace norms and communication styles. Here are three significant intercultural differences I’ve encountered, and how they’ve shaped my professional growth:

  1. Communication Styles:
  • Netherlands: Direct, honest, and straightforward.
  • Thailand (Bangkok): Indirect, polite, and conflict-avoidant.

Personal Reflection: When I picked up my work permit in Bangkok, the HR manager subtly mentioned that my loose hair was a concern. In the Netherlands, my manager would have directly told me, “Hey Bente, tie your hair up!” This difference highlighted the cultural emphasis on maintaining harmony in Thailand. Initially strange, I’ve come to appreciate the sensitivity involved.

  1. Hierarchy:
  • Netherlands: Egalitarian, minimal emphasis on hierarchy.
  • Thailand (Bangkok): Hierarchical, with deep respect for superiors.

Personal Reflection: In Bangkok, the General Manager is a highly respected figure, and the atmosphere changes when he’s around. This contrasts sharply with my experience in the Netherlands, where casual conversations with the GM were common. This high power distance culture in Thailand requires showing deference to higher-ups, a significant shift from the egalitarian approach I’m accustomed to.

  1. Personal Relationships:
  • Netherlands: Personal and professional relationships are often separate.
  • Thailand (Bangkok): Personal relationships are integral to professional interactions.

Personal Reflection: In Thailand, building rapport and forming friendships with colleagues is crucial for professional growth. During my midterm evaluation, my manager emphasized that strong bonds with colleagues lead to better knowledge sharing and teamwork. This collectivist culture fosters collaboration and cooperation, essential for providing excellent service.

The combination of these differences has been both challenging and enlightening. Adapting my communication style and understanding the importance of relationships and hierarchy has deepened my appreciation for the cultural nuances in the workplace. Though it can feel like a tug-of-war at times, this journey is teaching me the value of intercultural competence.

#InterculturalCommunication #WorkplaceCulture #ProfessionalGrowth #CulturalDifferences #GlobalWorkplace #PersonalDevelopment

 

 

Rethinking with AI

by | Jan 31, 2025 | News, News featured home