Culture pervades everyday business. You see in it the way people interact with one another, in the way they negotiate business deals, and in just about every facet of business. Every nation has a slightly different culture, and some have many cultures within (subcultures). Some also have culture’s that oppose the norm (countercultures), but no matter where you find yourself, you still will find a nation’s culture in some way. The following activity will have you explore culture a little bit, and then produce a humorous comic!

Watch the video below; what you will listen to is an exploration of many of the world's indigenous cultures. Wade Davis will have you explore the many differences that our world has, and how that is a good thing. When you finish watching the video, answer this very simple question:

Culture can be broadly defined, but what it really boils down to is the values that are handed down through generations. We are told how to behave from our parents, elders, and mentors, and we take these lessons and apply them to our lives. But what about Business? Does the culture we are accustomed to reflect in the businesses that populate our country? Read the following article from Forbes to gain a better understanding of 'Business Culture'. When you're finished answer the questions that follow.

1. What does Business Culture even mean?
2. What do you feel is more important - the 'culture of production' or the 'culture of innovation'? Why?
3. How can a country's culture lead to a 'culture of innovation'? A 'culture of production'?

Many companies have different cultures, just like nations. One of the most famous corporate cultures is found at Google. Take a look at what life is like at Google. What characteristics, values, norms, and customs, does the company exhibit? Make sure you complete the 'Follow-up Question' after the video.

"Can you describe the culture of the United States from the video? If not the whole United States, at least California?"

Now that you have a better understanding of culture, and how it displays itself in a company, it's your turn to now illustrate the culture of Canada. The task will have you examine the 'Canadian Culture' (I bet you don't even know what that means!), and then produce a comic strip illustrating a humorous business event with a foreigner who doesn't understand how to conduct business in Canada.

What is Canada's culture? Take a look at the following website to gain a better understanding of our country's culture.

Now it's time to illustrate a funny, humorous interaction between a Canadian business person and a foreigner. The interaction will take place in Canada, where a person from another country is attempting to conduct business with a Canadian. The foreigner does not quite understand Canadian culture, and thus will make a mistake when conducting business. So create a rough draft of your story, and make sure you include plenty of references to Canadian culture.

Now that you understand the Canadian culture, and you have a story, you will now produce a comic strip that illustrates your story. Using the Bitstrips App, or the program on the school's network, you will create a comic strip.

(*For a turorial on how to use Bit Strips, visit the link below)