When Similarity Misleads: A Conversation with Dr. Jerome Dumetz on Culture, Context, and the Future of Cross‑Cultural Work
In early 2008, just a few months after landing in Moscow for what would become a seven‑year chapter of my life, I met Dr. Jerome Dumetz. At the time, I was a wide‑eyed newcomer trying to make sense of Russia’s complexity, contradictions, and charisma. Jerome was the person who helped me decode it. His cultural training didn’t just prepare me for business; it gave me a lens for understanding people, systems, and assumptions in a country that would shape my worldview for years to come.
Nearly two decades later, reconnecting with him on The Auto Ethnographer podcast felt like closing a circle. Jerome has spent more than twenty‑five years teaching, researching, and advising across Europe, Russia, Eastern Europe, and Asia. He has trained executives, coached families, lectured at more than two dozen universities, and recently released a new book: 199 Cross‑Cultural Case Studies, a collection of real stories of cultural misunderstandings and the insights they reveal.
Our conversation ranged from theory to lived experience, from the pitfalls of cultural similarity to the role AI may play in the future of cross‑cultural management. What follows are some of the most compelling ideas from our discussion. You can listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of the conversation by clicking on the links.
Why the Classic Models Still Matter—and Why They Don’t
Throughout his career, Jerome has worked with the major frameworks that shaped the field: Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, Trompenaars’ seven‑dimension model, and Richard Lewis’ Triangle.
A quick refresher:
Hofstede introduced dimensions such as Power Distance, Individualism vs. Collectivism, and Uncertainty Avoidance. These became the backbone of early cross‑cultural training.
Trompenaars added layers like Universalism vs. Particularism and Neutral vs. Emotional communication styles.
Lewis mapped cultures into three broad orientations: Linear‑Active, Multi‑Active, and Reactive.
These models were groundbreaking in the 1980s and 1990s. They gave structure to a field that had been largely anecdotal. But as Jerome points out in the transcript, many trainers still rely on these frameworks as if the world hasn’t changed. And that’s a problem.
“Too often my fellow trainers rely on concepts that are totally outdated,” he says in the interview. “The balance of pros and cons is less and less in their favor.”
His critique isn’t that the models are wrong—they’re simply insufficient. They were built on data from a different era, before globalization, mass mobility, hybrid identities, and digital communication reshaped how people live and work. They also risk reinforcing stereotypes when used uncritically.
Jerome’s alternative is to shift from ETIC (outside‑in, model‑driven) approaches to EMIC (inside‑out, context‑driven) understanding. And that’s where his new book comes in.
Why Case Studies Reveal What Models Can’t
Jerome’s book is built on one‑page case studies: short, real stories of cultural misunderstandings, surprises, and moments of friction. Some are humorous, some painful, some subtle. All are deeply human.
He argues that case studies offer something models never can: context.
“It’s more interesting to observe a particular situation with all the context,” he explains. “People today have multiple identities. They’ve lived abroad, studied abroad, worked across cultures. A model can’t capture that.”
In other words, culture is no longer a neat national box. It’s layered: passport culture, corporate culture, department culture, generational culture, and the culture of one’s first meaningful job. These layers interact in unpredictable ways, and made for great conversation during the podcast!
A French intern in Germany asking her boss for a “rendezvous.”
A Spanish speaker using a harmless word that means something scandalous in another Spanish‑speaking country.
A manager assuming similarity because the language is shared.
These moments reveal the real work of cross‑cultural understanding: noticing, pausing, asking, and recalibrating.
The Most Dangerous Cultural Gap Is the One You Don’t See
One of the most striking insights from our conversation is Jerome’s argument that the cultures most similar to ours may be the ones that trip us up the most.
He describes situations where expats move to a country whose language they speak or whose culture feels familiar. People laugh at their jokes. Meetings feel comfortable. Daily life seems intuitive. And then, suddenly, something snaps.
“You convince yourself you’ve adapted very well,” he says. “But you’re living in a theater where everyone is adapting to you.”
The illusion of similarity is powerful. It blinds us to the subtle norms we don’t see, the expectations we don’t know, and the assumptions we don’t realize we’re making. When the moment of friction finally arrives—when someone says, “No, we don’t do that here”—the shock is sharper than in cultures that feel obviously different.
This idea resonates deeply with anyone who has lived abroad. The biggest surprises often come not from the exotic, but from the familiar.
Jerome’s Advice for Anyone Moving Abroad
Jerome has coached countless expats, executives, spouses, and families. When I asked him for the single most important piece of advice he gives newcomers, he didn’t hesitate:
“Don’t rush. Take your time.”
He explains that most cultural mistakes come from assuming the world works the way our immediate environment works. The antidote is a moment of hesitation—a pause long enough to ask:
“Is this normal here?”
or even better,
“What would you do?”
That second question is key. When locals try to be polite, they often tell foreigners, “Do whatever you want.” But when asked what they would do, their answers reveal the real norms.
Jerome also emphasizes the value of preparation. Some argue that arriving with an open mind is enough. Jerome disagrees.
“Knowledge predates attitude and behavior,” he says. “Do your homework. Learn the basics. You’ll adapt better.”
Where AI Fits Into the Future of Cross‑Cultural Work
Given how quickly AI is reshaping communication, translation, and global collaboration, I asked Jerome how he sees it influencing cross‑cultural management.
His answer was both pragmatic and cautionary.
AI is a powerful tool for translation, summarization, and even analyzing cultural patterns. But it lacks the one thing cross‑cultural work depends on: the ability to question assumptions.
“AI goes from A to B,” he says. “Cross‑cultural work requires stepping to the side and asking, ‘Did they really mean that?’”
He also raises a critical point: AI systems themselves carry cultural bias. They are built on data shaped by particular societies, languages, and norms. Treating them as neutral oracles is dangerous.
Jerome is now working with colleagues to study the cultural biases embedded in AI models. It’s an emerging field, and one that will matter enormously as global teams rely more heavily on AI‑mediated communication.
Seeing the World with New Eyes
As we wrapped up the conversation, Jerome offered a final thought that captures the heart of his work:
“Look at the world with new eyes if you can. We get comfortable in our vision of the world. But it rarely turns out to be the way we think.”
That idea sits at the core of The Auto Ethnographer as well. Culture isn’t a set of rules or a checklist. It’s a living, shifting landscape shaped by history, identity, emotion, and experience. Understanding it requires curiosity, humility, and the willingness to be surprised.
Jerome helped me see Russia with new eyes in 2008. His work continues to help people around the world do the same—one case study, one conversation, one moment of hesitation at a time.
John Jörn Stech
The Auto Ethnographer