Communication across culture part 2

© 2006 Prentice Hall 4-1

Communicating Across Cultures

Pranav KulshresthaVadodara(India)

Vadodara Institute Of Engineering(GTU)www.twitter.com/pranavkuls

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The Communication Process

Cultural communications are deeper and more complex than spoken or written

messages. The essence of effective cross-cultural communication has more to do with

releasing the right responses than with sending the “right” messages.

—Hall and Hall



Managers spend between 50% and 90% of their time talking to people

Managers communicate to:– Coordinate activities– Disseminate information– Motivate people– Negotiate future plans


Cultural Noise

Cultural Noise – cultural variables that undermine the communication of intended meaning

Intercultural communication – when the member of one culture sends a message to a member of another culture

Attribution – the process in which people look for an explanation of another person’s behavior


Cultural Noise


Trust in Communication

Effective communication depends on informal understandings among individuals that are based upon trust

When there is trust between individuals an implicit understanding in communication is present


Trust in Communication

Guidelines for developing trust– Create a clear and calculated basis for mutual

benefit– Have realistic commitments and good

intentions to honor them– Improve predictability: resolve conflicts and

keep communication open– Develop mutual bonding through socializing

and friendly contact


Cultural Variables

Attitudes – ethnocentric and stereotypical attitudes are a particular source of noise in cross-cultural communicationSocial Organization – nations, tribes, religious sects, or professions can influence our priorities and valuesThough Patterns – the logical progression of reasoning varies by culture


Cultural Variables

Roles – the perception of the manager’s role differs considerable around the world, consider the conversation between the American and Greek

Nonverbal Communication – behavior communicated without words; even minor variations in body language, speech rhythms, and punctuality can cause mistrust


Cultural Variables

Language – an inability to speak the local language, and a poor or too literal translation are often causes for mistrust– Pepsi’s slogan “Come Alive with Pepsi”

translated into German as “Come out of the grave.”

– Rendezvous lounges on 747’s were not used on airlines because in Portuguese ‘rendezvous’ refers to prostitution


Cultural Variables - Language

Britain and America are two nations separated by a common

language.- George Bernard Shaw


Cultural Variables -Time

Mono-chronic Cultures – Time is experienced in a linear manner; generally mono-chronic people concentrate on one thing at a time and adhere to time commitments

Poly-chronic Cultures – Many things occur simultaneously and emphasize involvement with people


Context

Context in which the communication takes place affects the meaning and interpretation of the interaction

Cultures are either high- or low- context


Context


Comparative Management Focus: Communicating with Arabs

Arabs are warm, emotional, and quick to explode

The language aptly communicates the Arabic culture – one of emotional extremes– Contains means for over expression – Words that allow for exaggeration– Metaphors that emphasize a position– Many adjectives– What is said is not as important as how it is said



The core of the culture is friendship, honor, religion, and traditional hospitalityFamily and friends take precedence over business transactionsHospitality is a way of life and is highly symbolicWomen play little or no role n business or entertainment – it is a male-dominated society



Society values honor – which is brought about when conformity is achieved

Shame results not just from doing something wrong but from having others find out about it

High contact and High context



Be patient. Recognize the Arab attitude toward time and hospitality—take time to develop friendship and trust, for these are prerequisites for any social or business transactions.Recognize that people and relationships matter more to Arabs than the job, company, or contract—conduct business personally, not by correspondence or telephone.



Avoid expressing doubts or criticism when others are present—recognize the importance of honor and dignity to Arabs.Adapt to the norms of body language, flowery speech, and circuitous verbal patterns in the Middle East, and don’t be impatient to “get to the point.”Expect many interruptions in meetings, delays in schedules, and changes in plans.


Information Systems

Communication varies according to– Where and how it originates– The channels and the speed which it flows– Whether it is formal or informal

The nature of the organization’s information system are affected by– Organizational structure– Staffing policies– Leadership style


Information Technology

The Internet as a global medium for communication allows companies to develop a presence in markets globally

Companies must adapt their web communication to deal with local cultural variables


Managing Cross-Cultural Communication

Cultural Sensitivity

Careful Encoding

Selective Transmission

Careful Decoding

Appropriate Follow-up Actions


Appropriate Follow-Up Actions

Respect (eye contact, posture, tone, etc)Interaction posture – ability to respond in a descriptive, non-evaluative, and non-judgmental wayOrientation to knowledge – understand that your beliefs and perceptions are only valid for you and not everyone elseEmpathy


Appropriate Follow-Up Actions

Interaction management

Tolerance for ambiguity

Other-oriented role behavior – capacity to be flexible and to adopt different roles for the sake of the greater group cohesion/communication


Looking Ahead

Chapter 5 – Cross-cultural Negotiation and Decision making– Negotiation– The negotiation process– Understanding negotiation styles– Managing negotiation– Decision making


High Context

Feelings and thoughts are not explicitly expressedMeaning is found in the general understanding of the other person and their surroundingsMost communication takes place within a context of extensive information networks resulting from close personal relationships

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Low Context

Feelings and thoughts are expressed n words, and information is more readily available

Normally these cultures compartmentalize their business and personal relationships

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Nonverbal Communication

Kinesic Behavior refers to communication through body movements like posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact



Proxemics deals with how space influences the communication process– High contact – preferring to stand close, touch, and experience a

close sensory involvement– Low-contact – prefer much less sensory involvement, standing

farther apart and touching less



Paralanguage refers to how something is said rather than the content– Rate of speech, tone, inflection, other noises,

laughing, yawning, etc.– Silence is a powerful communicator

Object language refers to communication through material artifacts– Office design, furniture, clothing ,cars, etc.

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Cultural Sensitivity

When sending a message make it a point to know the recipientEncode the message in a form that will most likely be understood as it is intendedThis means the manager must– Be aware of their own culture– The recipient’s culture– The expectations surrounding the situation

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Careful Encoding

The sender must consider the receiver’s frame of reference to make the best choice regarding– Words– Pictures– Gestures

Remember that language translation is only part of the process, consider the nonverbal language as well

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Selective Transmission

The channel medium should be chosen after considering:– The nature of the message– Level of importance– Context and expectations of the receiver– Timing involved– Personal interactions

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Careful Decoding of Feedback

Best means for obtaining accurate feedback is face-to-face interactionsBest means for avoiding miscommunication is to improve your own listening and observation skillsThree types of miscommunications– Receiver misinterpreted the message– Receiver encoded response incorrectly– Sender misinterprets the feedback

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Communication across culture part 2

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Transcript of Communication across culture part 2