Senior High School

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Contact Center
Services
Quarter 2 – Module 5:
Cultural Variables: Time Zones
and Temperate Zones
(Week 7)
 What I Need to Know

You are now about to learn the lessons found in this fifth module of the second
quarter in Contact Center Services. Before this module, you were able to grasps
various information such as logging off from a computer, Observe OHS policies and
procedures in accordance with the SOP, save files and many more. It is important
that you have mastered these lessons so that you will be able to connect the insights
you have gained with the new topics that you are about to explore.

In this module you will be able to learn more about the concepts of local and
international geography and cultures. Understanding a country's culture is a sign of
respect. It also helps to foster effective communication, a vital factor in business
success. Values and attributes such as frugality, trust and endurance may be viewed
differently in other countries. Let’s look cultural geography. Cultural geography is
also called human geography since it does have to do with how humans interact with
environments.

Cultural geography is simply how the physical geography is going to impact

the humans that live there. Cultural geography also compares various cultures and
how their lifestyles and customs are affected by their geographical locations, climate,
etc., as well as how they interact with their environment.

At the end of this lesson, you can:

1. Define Temperate zone and Time zone;
2. Identify principles and accurate calculations of time zones; and
3. Infer the importance of individual cultures when dealing with customers.

What I Know

Name: ________________________________ Grade and Section: ______________________

Grade Level & Subject (Specialization): ________________________ Module No: _______
Name of Activity: ___________________________________________ Date: _______________

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the letter of the best
answer. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

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1. When it is Noon (12 PM) in London (0° Longitude), what time is it in New York at
approximately 75°W?
A. 7 AM C. 9 AM
B. 8 AM D. 10 AM

2. When it is Noon (12 PM) in London, it is 10pm in Sydney, Australia. Dan in London
rings his friend Boski in Sydney at 15.30pm on Christmas Day. What time is it in
Sydney?
A. 1:00 AM on 26th December C. 2:00 AM on 26th December
B. 1:30 AM on 26th December D. 2:30 AM on 26th December

3. San Francisco is approximately 120° west of London. An observer in London sees

a clock at 15.30. How long will it be before a clock in San Francisco displays the
same time?
A. 6 hours later C. 8 hours later
B. 7 hours later D. 9 hours later

4. At 1 AM, Joanne in Brisbane, Australia (10 hours ahead of London) rings her
friend Mary in Hawaii (10 hours behind London) to wish her a happy new year.
"What are you ringing me at this time for?" Mary exclaims. When does Mary receive
the call?
A. 4:00 AM on 31st December C. 5:00 AM on 31st December
B. 4:30 AM on 31st December D. 5:30 AM on 31st December

5. What is the meaning of GMT?

A. Greenwich Mean Time C. astronomical time
B. Greenwich Mean Time D. solar time

6. Which word has the most similar meaning to the word 'temperate'?
A. Warm C. Damp
B. Moderate D. Northern

7. Which of these places is NOT located in the temperate climate zone?

A. Europe C. Southern South America
B. Northern China D. Indonesia

8. What does the word maritime mean?

A. near the ocean or sea C. near water, like lakes and streams
B. in the middle; average D. southern

9. In temperate zones of the Earth between 300 and 600 latitudes, where does the
prevailing winds come from?
A. north C. east
B. south D. west

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10. What is sometimes called the mid-latitudes because they exist roughly between
30 degrees and 60 degrees north and south latitude?
A. Time zone C. Humid tropical zone
B. Temperate zone D. Moderate Temperate zone

What’s In

Cultural Artifact paper

Collect between three to five artifacts which represent things which are
important in your life outside of school and can be used to symbolize aspects of your
culture too.

Write the following prompts about your artifact. Follow the directions below.
1. Describe the artifact objectively so that someone who could not see it would get a
good visual picture of it. Your aim is to be very objective in your description.
2. Use present tense reflection. Imagine that you are using the artifact or engaging
in an activity associated with the artifact. Write from the world of the artifact itself.
Speak as you would if you were there in the photograph or using the artifact. The
aim here is to get directly into the world of the artifact. The way you do this will
vary with the artifact itself.
3. Write about the significance of the artifact to you; try to explore all possible
meanings. Try to go beyond pat statements to ways in which what this artifact
represents colors your whole view of life. If we were to remove what this artifact
represents from your life, how would your life be different? How would you be
different?
4. Free associate, using the artifact as a base and coming back to it. You might return
to describing the artifact if you run out of things to write until another idea occurs
to you.

What did you find out? The idea is to reveal a lot about yourself and your culture
indirectly through the artifact. These are called cultural variables.

Cultural variables are differences in behavior, outlook, and values between

people from different societies. Body language, styles of humor and attitudes toward
family, authority figures, religion, gender roles and time can all be very different in
different cultures. It's always better to avoid making assumptions when you're
talking to a person from a different culture. How does knowing cultural variables
help you become a good customer contact center representative? To find out,
continue with the next activities…

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 What’s New

Cultures in Emotion

One of the most relevant dimensions for customer service is understanding

how one person show emotion in each situation. Conduct a little study in your home.
Find out how readily your family members show their emotions.

Steps:
1. Choose at least 5 members of your
family.
2. On a piece of paper, draw the four kinds
of emoticons.
3. On a separate occasion, ask each family
members on what makes them happy,
sad, angry, and disappointed and how
they readily show such emotions.
4. Record their responses.

Synthesis Questions

Based on the above activity, answer the questions below.

1. What are the things that makes them show their emotions?
2. How readily do they show their emotions?
3. What could be the reason for easily showing their emotions?

That is right! How readily customers show their emotions is largely based on
culture. Remember, customers from emotional cultures will freely share when they
are angry, disappointed, or happy about something. Those from neutral cultures will
mostly keep up a poker face. As a result, you must know how to deal each one of
them to provide good contact center services.

Aside from emotion as cultural variables you need also to know the time and
temperate zone of your client. What are these? Read the next section to know.

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 What is It

Time Zones

Universal Time (UT), Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), Greenwich Mean

Time (GMT), or Zulu Time (Z): all four terms can be defined as local time at 0 degrees’
longitude, which is the prime meridian (location of Greenwich, England).

The earth rotates on its axis once every twenty-four hours at the rate of 15
degrees per hour (15 × 24 = 360). Time zones are established roughly every 15
degrees’ longitude so that local times correspond to similar hours of day and night.
With this system, the sun is generally overhead at noon in every time zone that
follows the 15-degree-wide system. The continental United States has four main time
zones (see Table 1.1 “Four Main Time Zones in the Continental United States and
Their Central Meridians” and Figure 1.7 “Major Time Zones of the World”).

Figure 1.8 Diagram Illustrating the Width of a Time Zone. In this diagram, 75 W is the central meridian for the eastern standard time zone in the United States.

The twenty-four times zones are based on the prime meridian regarding
Universal Coordinated Time (UTC), Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), or Zulu Time (Z),
which all operate on the twenty-four-hour time clock. Local time zones are either
plus or minus determined by the distance from the prime meridian.
Since different parts of Earth enter and exit daylight at different times, we
need different time zones. People have lived in different time zones for a long time,
but it has not always been as organized as it is today. Just over a century ago, towns
and cities set their own time.

Temperate Zone

In broadest sense, the temperate zone encompasses the areas of Earth that
lie between the tropical zone and the polar zones. The temperate zone is sometimes
called the mid-latitudes because they exist roughly between 30 degrees and 60
degrees north and south latitude. There is a greater variety in climates in the
temperate zone, but many regions can be classified as either moist-continental or
moist-subtropical.

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Temperate zone from 40°–60°

In the temperate zone, the solar radiation arrives with a smaller angle, and
the average temperatures here are much cooler than in the subtropics. The seasons
and day length differ significantly over a year. The climate is characterized by less
frequent extremes, a more regular distribution of the precipitation over the year and
a longer vegetation period - therefore the name "temperate".

Principles and accurate calculations of time zones

The principles and accurate calculations of time zones follow these for factors,
earth's Rotation, latitude, and Longitude, calculating time, and calculating time
through the International Date Line. Study the examples below.

Timeline
-12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3
+4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9 +10 +11

Time Conversion of One Time Zone to Another

- For easy conversion of time from one-time zone to another, use the timeline
technique.

Example: it is 9:00PM in Manila (UTC +8), what time is it in California (UTC -8)?

1. Plot the base time zone (UTC +8) on the timeline.

Do the same for the looked-up time zone.

-12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3

+4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9 +10 +11

2. From the base time zone, count an hour (minus if new time zone is -, plus
if new time zone is +)

.-12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3

+4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9 +10 +11

[Link], if it is 9PM in Manila, Philippines (UTC +8), it is 5AM in California,

USA (UTC -8).

Temperature

A temperature is an objective comparative measure of hot or cold. It is

measured by a thermometer, which may work through the bulk behavior of a
thermometric material, detection of thermal radiation, or particle kinetic energy.

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- The universal unit is in Celsius, but USA is still using Fahrenheit.

Converting Fahrenheit to Celsius

C= F – 32 5/9

Example. 100F = ____ C

C= 100 – 32 5/9
C= 68 5/9
C=340/9
C= 37.78

In customer service, in which you are dealing with many people every day,
being aware of cultural diversity is a must. And it is even more important in
eCommerce – since customers can come in from all over the world.

What’s More

This time try to check your understanding on cultural variables on Time zones
and Temperature conversion. Do the exercises below.

On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following exercises.

Activity 1. Plotting Time zone and Temperature conversion.

A.
1. What is the corresponding time in New York (UTC -5), If it is 11PM in Manila
(UTC +8)? Answer by using the timeline.

2. What is the corresponding time in Seoul (UTC -9), if it is 11PM in Manila (UTC
+8)? Answer by using the timeline.

B. Present the following Fahrenheit Temperatures into the Celsius scale.

1. 32F 5. 23F
2. 45F 6. 37F
3. 50F 7. 20F
4. 0F 8. -10F

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Activity 2. Multiple Time Zone

Study the picture below. Then, answer the questions that follow.

Situation:
Different regions of the
world have different times.
Each time zone is separated
by one hour. If it’s 1:00 in
the pacific time zone, it’s
2:00 in the Mountain time
zone. It’s 3:00 in the Central
time zone, and its’s 4:00 in
the Atlantic time zone.
Then, answer the questions
that follow.

Task: Solve the following

1. if it is 10:00 am in San
Francisco, what time is it
in Denver?
2. if it is 3:00 pm in
Chicago, what time is in
Boston?
3. If is 12:00 am in New
York, what time is it in
Atlanta?

Activity 3. Time Zones in Philippines

Study the map of the Philippines. Then, answer the question that follow.

Guide Questions

1. How many Time

Zones are there in the
Philippines? Explain your
answer in 3-5 sentences.

Were you able to correctly plot the time zone and convert Temperatures from
Fahrenheit into Celsius scale? For sure you did!

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 What I Have Learned

Take note that…

• Time Zone is a geographical region that follows the same time standard. A
region that observes a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social
purposes. Most of the time zones on land are offset from Coordinated
Universal Time (UTC) by a whole number of hours (UTC−12 to UTC+12). Based
on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) [citation needed], the mean solar time at
longitude 0° (the Prime Meridian).

• Temperate Zone- In broadest sense, the temperate zone encompasses the

areas of Earth that lie between the tropical zone and the polar zones. The
temperate zone is sometimes called the mid-latitudes because they exist
roughly between 30 degrees and 60 degrees north and south latitude. There
is a greater variety in climates in the temperate zone, but many regions can
be classified as either moist-continental or moist-subtropical.

• Aside from using the basic steps of plotting the time zone and converting the
temperate zone, following principles and accurate calculations in getting
information of time zones can be used by ensuing Earth’s Rotation, Latitude
and Longitude, Calculating Time and Calculating Time Through the
International Date Line in locating regions/places/countries that could
detect regions/places/countries with Celsius scale.

• In customer service, in which you're dealing with many people every day, being
aware of cultural diversity is a must. And it's even more important in
eCommerce – since customers can come in from all over the world. Culture
goes deeper. It's about values and beliefs, and the behaviors that flow from
them.

What I Can Do

Essay: Write a 150-word essay on the topic “How applying knowledge of common
cultural variables improves contact center service industry in this COVID-19 crisis”.
Use the rubrics to guide you.

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Writing Rubrics:

Criteria 25 20 15 10
Most words Some words Words are Words are
are carefully are carefully chosen with chosen with
chosen; chosen; less care; less care;
writing is writing is writing is writing is
clear and clear and sometimes sometimes
legible. Most legible. Most unclear; most unclear; some
Mechanics
words are words are words are words are
spelled spelled spelled spelled
correctly and correctly and correctly and incorrectly
proper proper is and proper
punctuation is punctuation is grammatically punctuation is
employed. employed. correct. not employed.
Major points Major points Major points Topic is
are presented are presented. are presented. oversimplified
and However, However, most or fails to
fully some of them of them are present major
supported are not not points.
Content with supported supported
convincing with with
arguments, convincing convincing
ideas and arguments, arguments,
data. ideas and ideas and
data. data.

Assessment

Name: ________________________________ Grade and Section: ______________________

Grade Level & Subject (Specialization): ________________________ Module No: _______
Name of Activity: ___________________________________________ Date: _______________

Directions. Read the statements carefully and identify what is asked in each item.
Use another piece of paper in writing your answers. Write only the letter of the correct
answer.

1. 0 deg. longitude and 0 deg. latitude is located:

A. over central Australia C. in the Atlantic south and west of Africa
B. in Brazil D. at the South Pole; E. none of the above.

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2. To find longitude, a sailor needs to know:
A. the elevation of the sun above the horizon
B. the latitude at the prime meridian
C. local time and the time at another line of longitude
D. the relative space; E. none of the above.

3. Latitude and longitude is a spherical coordinate system with its origin at 0 deg.
latitude and 0deg. longitude. This point is in the Atlantic Ocean just below the
African country of the Ivory Coast. Locations are measured in degrees away from
this origin in north, south, east, and west directions. 23.34deg. S and 46. 38deg.W
is probably located in:
A. Russia C. South Africa
B. Canada D. South America

4. The circumference of the earth at the equator or along any line of longitude is
approximately:
A. 25,000 KM C. 36,000 KM
B. 40,000KM D. 46,000 KM

5. It is 1:00 PM on Friday at 90deg. W. what time is it at 90deg. E?

A. 7:00 PM Friday C. 7:00 AM Saturday
B. 7:00 AM Friday D. 1:00 AM Saturday

6. When it is Noon (12pm) in London (0° Longitude), what time is it in New York at
approximately 75°W?
A. 7 AM C. 9 AM
B. 8 AM D. 10 AM

7. When it is Noon (12pm) in London, it is 10pm in Sydney, Australia. Dan in London

rings his friend Boski in Sydney at 15.30pm on Christmas Day. What time is it in
Sydney?
A. 1:00 AM on 26th December C. 2:00 AM on 26th December
B. 1:30 AM on 26th December D. 2:30 AM on 26th December

8. San Francisco is approximately 120° west of London. An observer in London sees

a clock at 15.30. How long will it be before a clock in San Francisco displays the
same time?
A. 6 hours later C. 8 hours later
B. 7 hours later D. 9 hours later

9. At 1 AM, Joanne in Brisbane, Australia (10 hours ahead of London) rings her
friend Mary in Hawaii (10 hours behind London) to wish her a happy new year.
"What are you ringing me at this time for?" Mary exclaims. When does Mary receive
the call?
A. 4:00 am on 31st December C. 5:00 am on 31st December
B. 4:30 am on 31st December D. 5:30 am on 31st December

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10. What is the meaning of GMT?
A. Greenwich Mean Time C. astronomical time
B. Greenwhich Mean Time D. solar time

Additional Activity

More on Time Zones on a Map

Can’t get enough of time zones? Study the pictures below. Then, answer the
given questions.

There are 24 time zones on Earth. In the illustration below, you see all of them
illustrated on a flat map. Coordinated Universal Time (CUT) is a standard time for
the entire world. To calculate the CUT, moving west, subtract one for each time zone.

Case Study
1. Christina, a contact center service representative lives in London, England. If
she punches in at 7 p.m., at what time will she be punching in if she lives in
California?
2. If a customer begins calling in Beijing at 4 a.m., at what time will the contact
center service representative receives the call in New York City?

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 Answer Key

What I Know (Pre-Test)

1. A
15° = 1 hour difference
75 divide 15 = 5
5 hours difference. 5 hours west = earlier than London, 12pm minus 5 hours =
7am
2. B
Time difference = 10 hours. 15.30 + 10 hours is 25.3.
There is no 25.3 hours as we measure time. 25.3 minus 24 = 1.3. Correct time
is 1.30 am on 26th December
3. C
360 = 24 hours
360 / 120 = 3
24 hours / 3 = 8
Time difference = 8
The clock would display the same time 8 hours later
4. D
This crosses the International Date Line so the date will change
Difference is twenty hours
01.00 minus 20 hours = 5.30am on 31st December (the previous day and year)
Mary is confused as to why both her and Joanne are not in Lancashire
5. A
6. A 7. B 8. A 9. D 10. B

What’s New Assessment

Activity 1 1. C 6. A
1. D 6. C 2. C 7. D
2. D 7. D 3. D 8. C
3. B 8. B 4. B 9. B
4. D 9. D 5. D 10. A
5. C 10. A

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References:
(n.d.). Time Zones.
[Link]

(n.d). [Link]. The Earth and Graticule Location.

[Link]
geography-basics/

(2019). [Link]. Dlp activity sheets in tle 7/8 - ict contact center services
[Link]://[Link]/document/dlp-activity-sheets-in-tle-78-ict-
[Link]

(2020-2021). [Link]. Time zones.

[Link]

(1999). Time zones.

[Link]
html

(2006-2021). [Link]. Temperate zone.

[Link]

(2021). [Link]. Where are the Temperate zones located?

[Link]

(n.d) [Link]. Time Zones In Contact Centers [Link]

zones-in-contact-centers/

(2021). [Link]. Difference Between Physical and Cultural Geography.

[Link]

(n.d). [Link]. Philippines — History and Culture.

[Link]
asia/philippines/history-and-culture

(September 29,2017).Thompson,S. What Are Cultural Variables?

[Link]

(n.d).[Link]. Cultural Factors affecting Consumer Behaviour.

[Link]
[Link]

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(n.d.) [Link]. Culture: Definition, Influence and Factors Affecting
Culture. [Link]
consumer-markets/culture-definition-influence-and-factors-affecting-
culture/64174

(2021).[Link] Zone in Philippines.

[Link]

(2017). [Link] Location Matters when Choosing a Call Center.

[Link]

(2021).Userlike. Understanding Cultural Diversity in Customer Service.

[Link]/vCIJW

(2021).travelonline. Philippines Weather & Climate. [Link]/giW14

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