Collectivism
• . Cambodia is a collective society - individuals take second place to
the group whether this is the family, neighbourhood or company.
. In such societies, etiquette and protocol guidelines are used to
maintain a sense of common harmony - for example subtle
communication styles are employed in order to minimize the
chances of causing offense to others.
. The concept of face also ties in with this collective outlook.
. Protecting both one's own and other's face is extremely important.
. Face can roughly be translated as a combination of honour, dignity
and public reputation that is attributed to a person.
. Face can be lost, given and accrued.
. Foreigners in Cambodia need to be aware of the mechanics of
face to ensure they do not cause anyone to lose face as a result of
unintentional actions.
. Face is lost when someone is criticized, embarrassed or exposed
in public.
. It can be given by complimenting someone publicly, i.e. for their
business acumen or hospitality.