SIERRA LEONE

Teontay Stinney

Sierra Leone

Countrys
Countrys
flag
flag

Images of
Freetown

(language and religion)

English

is the official language

Krio

is the unofficial language

spoken by 97% of people in
Sierra Leone

Followed

by indigenous
languages

Islamic

by the vast majority

about 60% followed by
Christianity and the rest is
made up of various other
religions

Tourist Attraction 1(Bruce

island)

Tourist Attraction 2(Sierra

Leone National Museum)

Cuisine
soup dish
called Egusi
Soup

Jollof Rice
a main dish called
Cassava Leaves (a
stew w/ rice cassava
leaves, meat, and
dried fish

stereotypes
If

left alone Sierra Leone would just be a nation of farmers and

herders, not warriors and refugees

Sierra

Leoneans are ridiculously poor and theyre all suffering and

deprived of all necessities

Superstitions
Alligators

are associated to
evil because it destroys living
things

during

burial, mirrors are

turned to the wall so that the
corpse cannot be reflected.
Then, they have a "funeral
party," in which participants
dance around the grave,
singing and praying, then
smash bottles and dishes over
the site to "break the chain"
so that no one else in the

hand gestures

How does Sierra Leonne Business

Culture Differ From the US?

Etiquette and body language

Sierra Leonne

In most cases require certain attire to be

Greet elderly person first hello
worn
Greet with
Muslim women man not shake hand
a firmOccur in many setting ie. Office, lunch
Always use professional or honorific
right hand
areas
titles
sometimes
Maintain good contact during greeting
a hug
and through visit

USA

Relationship building
Sierra Leonne

While most people in power would

prefer to make exchanges w/ locals
there is some room for advancements
for outsiders w/ persistence and
creating many ties

USA

Easy going
not difficult to meet a greet with others
Often relationships become multiplex
ties

Power structure in decision

making
Sierra Leonne

Follow strict hierarchical order

Visitors may never meet top
decision makers ever(meet w/
small councils instead)
Reluctant to share info with
foreigners

USA

Establish
strong
connection
to get
further in
power
chain
Women
face a lot
of
adversity
w/ trying to
advance

casual
can reach out to any party

Internet penetration rate and most popular

social network sites in the country.
USA

Sierra Leonne

Very little internet

penetration(lowest)

Highest internet penetration rate

Facebook, twitter and pinterest are
amongst the most popular SNS

Individualism versus Collectivism

Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone has a very low degree of
individualism.
It is considered a more collectivist country.
Most focus and operate more as small
groups rather than individually.

U.S

u.s has a high degree of individualism.

Large or Small Power Distance

Sierra Leone people accept a

hierarchical order (large power
distance)

More egalitarian(democratic). The US does

not necessarily respect hierarchical order.
But does follow some authoritative
individuals Has a low degree of power
distance (small power distance)

Strong or Weak Uncertainty

Avoidance

Are more relaxed, less critical

of uncertainties, more
accepting of it(strong
uncertainty avoidance)

Some what similar however

some do have resistance(weak
uncertainty avoidance)

Masculinity versus Femininity

Male dominate majority of societal roles.

Women function at mothers, wives, cook
and have little rights.

The U.S is somewhat in the middle of the

scale where men do dominate large
portion of industries However the
women's role in society is steadily
evolving and becoming more diverse

Current Events
The

Ebola Outbreak

Women

give the right to

abortion

National

Clash Over The Sierra

Leone Abortion Bill Gets Hott
er

Sources
B. (n.d.). Blackboard Learn . Retrieved October
14, 2016, from
http://www.globalroadwarrior.com.ccbcmd.idm.oclc
.org/#mode=country
Bucher, R. D. (2015). Diversity consciousness:
Opening our minds to people, cultures, and
opportunities (4th ed.). USA: Pearson.
Police, B. (2016, April 15). National Clash Over The
Sierra Leone Abortion Bill Gets Hotter. Retrieved
October 14, 2016, from
http://answersafrica.com/clashes-over-sierra-leoneabortion-bill.html
P. (2015, May 05). The Hidden Ebola Outbreak in
Sierra Leone | FRONTLINE. Retrieved October 14,
2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=LKLJPlCPSpQ