The screeners at Asian airports with their Eastern cultural world view see the screening and security activities in a broader sense as a necessary part of the overall travel experience. Culturally, Asians focus on the relations between their screening mission as well as the overall environment and surroundings of the air travel experience.

So what can U.S. airports glean from Eastern thinking patterns that may be able to help ensure better customer service in diverse environments such as international airports?

Here are five of the most important differences gathered from interviews and research in cultural diversity.

1. Although travelers may speak the same language, there is still a chance that they will misunderstand each other and perceive a situation totally differently. Each will encode the information available and the experience based on their cultural world view. However, both are right.

2. Western thinking is based more upon the enforcement of rules, regulations, and laws, while Eastern cultures tend to consider the context, the environment, and utilize that information as they interpret the task at hand.

3. Eastern values are based more on collective group effort, preserving harmony among people and focusing on “we” communications in business and personal interactions, rather than “I.” By contrast, Western communications are oriented to the individual autonomy, self- focused and directed language.

4. In disagreements, Easterners avoid conflict and often retreat and react in a non-verbal manner. Westerners are much more direct and often are willing to say what they feel and be perceived as argumentative or hostile in interpersonal interactions.