Respect is a cornerstone of any successful community or organisation, especially in a culturally diverse environment like the Asia School of Business (ASB). Recently, Cultural Impact conducted a session with ASB students, focusing on how different cultures demonstrate respect and collaboratively developed a roadmap to foster respect within their cohort. The session emphasised that while respect may be a universal concept, the ways it is shown can vary significantly across cultures, reflecting the universalism vs. particularism continuum.
Universalism and Respect: A Balancing Act
Universalism suggests that certain values, like respect, are universally applicable and should be consistently upheld. While everyone desires to feel respected—a notion that can be considered universal—the expression of respect varies widely across cultures. This variation is shaped by cultural, social, and historical contexts, emphasising the role of particularism. Particularism highlights the importance of context and relationships in determining what constitutes appropriate behaviour, and social rules to take into account.
During our session, we explored the interplay between universalism and particularism in the context of respect. Participants from diverse cultural backgrounds shared their insights, revealing how respect can be expressed through formal gestures and acknowledgment of hierarchy, while in other contexts, it might be demonstrated through open dialogue and egalitarian interactions. This exploration underscores that while the desire for respect is universal, its expression is profoundly influenced by cultural backgrounds, upbringing, and individual experiences.
The ASB Cohort's Roadmap to Respect
To ensure that every student felt respected and valued within the cohort, we worked together to create a roadmap, reflecting a blend of universal principles of respect while accommodating particular cultural nuances. Here's are what the students have came up with from our brainstorming session:
A New Framework for Respect[
By incorporating both universal values and cultural particularities, the roadmap for respect at ASB represents a conscious effort to bridge the gap between universalism and particularism. The students recognized that while respect is a value shared by all, the way it manifests requires a nuanced, flexible approach that takes into account the diverse perspectives within their cohort.
This roadmap is more than just a set of guidelines; it’s a living document that will evolve as the cohort continues to learn from one another and deepen their cultural understanding. ASB students are not just learning how to show respect—they are building the intercultural competencies needed to lead global teams and organisations, with empathy and inclusivity.
At the heart of this initiative lies a simple truth: respect, while universal, is best practised when it embraces the unique contexts and cultures that shape our interactions. By doing so, the students at ASB are paving the way for a more respectful and harmonious environment, one that values both shared principles and individual differences.
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