Revista da ESPM MAI-JUN_2008

Orivaldo O. Gallasso M A I O / J U N H O D E 2 0 0 6 – REVISTA DA ESPM ES PM 129 MAIO / JUNHO DE 20 8 – R E I S T D A E S P M this starting point, the author examines the contemporary scenario of mass media, in order to affirm that, in post-industrial society, the new information technologies perform a critical role in the processes of social change, assuming – at the same time – an integrating and a liberating characters. Establishing a dialogue with Gianni Vattimo, who discusses the weakening of objective and unitary conceptions of reality, Jean-François Lyotard (theoretician of the “crisis of grand narratives”), Marshall McLuhan (creator of the “global village” concept) and Gilles Deleuze (from whom he borrows the notion of “rizomatic society”), the author endeavors to show how the post-modern digital technologies contribute potentially for the experimentation and expansion of social relations. By means of the concept of “native media”, he shows how previously socially and culturally marginalized segments can become players in the technological universe of new media. And offers the conclusion that the rapid technological advance of the means of communication in our time will allow for the beginning of new concepts, not only of society, but of reality itself. GUIDELINES FOR INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION J. R OBERTO W HITAKER P ENTEADO pAgE 80 The article presents a series of guidelines for intercultural communication, which represents a problem almost as old as mankind itself, and is, today, a matter of survival for the entire planet. The author examines many of the aspects involved in the debate, along 8 topics, starting with definitions of the key concepts of communication and culture – and proceeding to identity/belonging, the diversity of peoples, multiculturalism, verbal and nonverbal communication, the influence of contexts in the emission and reception of messages, the encoding and decoding of messages, and, finally, the important question of ethics, which will – in the long run – determine the nature of the relations among individuals in situations of inter or multiculturality. KABBALAH AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT J ORGE F ORNARI G OMES pAgE 100 Jewish-Christian influences explain much of what we are, and of what we think in our work and daily life. In fact, they are so much part of our Western culture, that many of our values, principles, habits, customs and social norms seem to us like absolute truths, rather than the established conventions which they really are. The association of principles between personal development and the Kabbalah happened accidentally. The Kabbalah is a medieval Jewish tradition, which has its roots in the South of France in the XIIth Century, and grew into Spain in the following century. As an interpretative tradition, it adapts to new realities; so this essay is an attempt to adapt some of its teachings to the realities of today’s business organization. INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION: CELEBRATING CULTURAL DIVERSITY INSIDE THE ORGANIZATION A NDRÉA S EBBEN pAgE 110 The article invites the reader to think about the idea of cultural diversity in modern organizations, where the concept is seen mostly as something of a positive and enriching nature. In these days, when globalization is a force daily materialized in transport and communication, companies have to deal constantly with cultural differences and similarities. It is time to face, without fear, the complexities of managing concrete problems such as expatriation, intercultural communication and negotiation. Intercultural Education is a new pedagogy aiming at understanding all these phenomena and creating new practices which will help stimulate the true acceptance – and celebration – of cultural diversity; which also means teaching how to be different. INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP – GENERATORS OF BUSINESS COMPETITIVENESS A NDRÉ M OTA /A NTONIO C ARLOS M ORIM pAgE 116 Innovation may be defined as bringing to the market products and services with characteristics that are different from the competitors’. It is considered, today, as the basic way to compete in the knowledge economy. The objective of this article is to emphasize that companies seek more and more new executives with the skills of innovation and entrepreneurship. It is, therefore, important, for an educational institution, to have innovation as one of its pedagogic guidelines. ESPM is considered, today, one of the Brazilian schools which dedicate more time and energy to this aspect of its mission.