The research question addressed in this article is, "To which extent does intercultural communication depend on selfunderstanding, accumulated during the process of socialization, as well as the feeling of safety?" This question may have received less attention from researchers. This article draws upon modern and classical theories to explain the concept of self-understanding and the feeling of safety conceived in two meta-analytical models of socialization. The models were applied in a longitudinal study. They will be explained in detail, and the findings of the study will be discussed. by guest on June 5, 2016 Downloaded from SAGE Open process of socialization, affect communication. Reflection is based on the Backpack metaphor and the Ladder metaphor, two meta-analytical models that draw upon theories from philosophy and history. 1 The second objective of the article is to confirm the applicability of these models. Comparative View: Cultural complexity is often visualized through models and metaphors that decipher patterns of interaction within a certain context (Erez & Gati, 2004). Models take the form of Venn diagram, Yin and Yang, or circles drawn into one another illustrating dimensions such as micro, meso, exo, and macro (Bronfenbrenner, Lerner, Hamilton, & Ceci, 2005). As to metaphors, Bradley Wiggins mentions the following: The Iceberg Metaphor, the Onion metaphor, the Genealogical Tree, the Rhizome, or the rootstock, and the Cage Metaphor. He says that the most common trait here "is the ability to convey visually the abstract notion that culture is a collection of experiences and ways to perceiving reality from the standpoint of the individual" (Wiggins, 2012, p. 554). The present article adds the Backpack metaphor to explain the process of socialization that starts at pre-natal period and the Ladder metaphor to highlight six premises for fruitful communication. Research Question:To which extent does intercultural communication depends on self-understanding, accumulated during the process of socialization, and the feeling of safety during communication?If people could communicate and enjoy the company of one another whenever they sense self-esteem and feel safe, then there must be circumstances at home or abroad where this does not apply. The plausible question here is, "Which circumstances inhibit intercultural communication?" This article attempts to answer these questions based on purposive data collection.

SWOT is a much utilized tool for identifying, gathering, interpreting and assessing internal and external data based on four key-variables (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats). Developed by Harvard Business School during the 1960 s, SWOT has been criticized on several grounds for being a top-down approach for gathering data; for creating a separation between those who think and those who do; for downplaying emergent strategies during the process of experimentation as opposed to intended strategies, and for neglecting anticipated future situations as opposed to current ones. In an attempt to remedy such weaknesses, this paper proposes two explorative frameworks similar to SWOT both in number of components and in utility. The first is PEAK where the components stand for: Power, Earnings, Artistry or Activity and Knowledge. The second is SETS where the components stand for: Solidity, Extent, Type and Segment or specialization. These two frameworks can be combined with SWOT and they can also be used separately in working with areas unrelated to SWOT.

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