Mathematics

Time is a concept and a measure of how long things last. It is evidence of existence. It is philosophical and debatable. In some cultures, the idea of time and quantity as we know it does not exist. They would instead base the year on seasons and the day's structure on light and darkness patterns. If it is monsoon season or heavy rain, work may have to pause. In the U.K. and other western societies, everything gets done by the clock. Once famously, Nina Simone said we do everything by the clock, even drink by it, as she spoke in the live album Young, Gifted and Black. Almost every culture understands that there are 365 ¼ days in a calendar year. The days equate to twelve months of 30 or 31 days (February has 28 or 29) and 52 weeks. Each week consists of 7 days, and each day has 24 hours. Each hour consists of 60 minutes, and each minute consists of 60 seconds. We have the academic calendar, the moon cycle, and various other cycles and rotations within the year. However, regardless of the season, rain or storm, work starts and ends at a particular time. The majority of us do this in sync.

Those who have a calendar and those who have a personal assistant live a structured life based on time. They eat, drink, play, study, sleep for a time. In our world, depending on where you live, time is different; we call these time zones. For example, in Winter, Kuwait is three hours ahead of the U.K. Depending on the season, time will change either one hour again backward and forwards. Time is not absolute, and it is adjustable to suit the needs of those who follow it. Time is considered philosophy for this fact. People will tend not to question it because we have lived by it from the moment we were born.

Timing is the choice, judgment, or control of a task, from beginning to completion. It is considered a particular point or period when something happens. Why are we learning about time? We have to understand people operate at different times to connect with other people, and their timing is marginally different. When you are ready, it may not necessarily be the same as a business associate is. What must be done; compromise with each other and an understanding of different cultures.

Each culture has a different timing pattern, but what is culture? Geert Hofstede defines culture as the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from others. We come from groups, and we are born into and live in them. Some may consider this as tribes, clans, and others. The way one group does things differs from another and to discriminate one group against another is discrimination. We are programmed to think and act. The way we dress, adorn ourselves, walk, speak, and to an extent how we conduct ourselves around time. We hear the countryside and rural areas often live at a slower pace. They do not place as much importance on time as in urban and suburban areas.

In trying to present a working definition of culture, Kathleen Banks studies various cultures, including Black and Hispanic. She found that evidence indicates that inferential items are more susceptible to cultural bias than literal things when applying for jobs. Meaning that Black and Hispanic applicants may be equally qualified for the same role. Still, they may face discrimination based on their upbringing (culture) in interpreting certain situations. Situational judgment tests may actually be Black and Hispanic employees' downfall as they infer situations differently and do not take it literally. Kathleen references the Black or African American culture has had fundamental values, which includes, but is not limited to:

• The Social time perspective

Broken down, this means this particular culture operates on a time basis, different from other cultures. The social time perspective is a cognitive process through which people perceive, interpret, and negotiate their physical and social worlds. Their timing and what is socially acceptable or unacceptable is down to their culture. It explains why different cultures prioritise and put things first above others (how they structure their timings). Black cultures' relationship with time has often been the source of a joke within themselves, and their relationship with timing is admirable in the form of music. Black people timing [coloured people timing] is a colloquialism, which indicates that people of these groups may come to events late, as this is where the fun or action begins. It is a mindset that the time given on an invitation can be negotiated, by the host and attendees, because the event will last long enough to get there later and still enjoy a large portion of the festivities. There is no strict adherence to timing because these cultures may operate on feelings and vibe instead of a clock. The social time perspective is how we feel socially as opposed to what time it is.

It causes problems when people of these cultures live in a western society that operates by the clock. At a wedding, a hired priest may need to conduct the ceremony under strict guidelines, and the venue may host several weddings on this day. Capitalism is concerned with concentrating activities/ services to maximise economic value. If the wedding party was to come late, then this causes problems as the ceremony will need to be rushed or worse, it may not go through.

Having a culture is essential, but understanding differing cultures is more important if you want to connect with the world. Timing in cultures helps us understand cooking shows. When the British chef goes to Asia and magpies their recipes, the native cook will often put ingredients into the pot. Still, when asked how much did you put, the native often looks bewildered and makes gestures to indicate they place what they feel like putting in. It is difficult to mirror a dish that there are no concise measurements. Nevertheless, they taste nice.

- M. Olayinka