What is communication?

“Communication” comes from the Latin word “communis” which means “common”

When individuals communicate, they try to establish a common understanding between or among themselves.

What is communication? (Cont.)

The process of speaking, writing etc., by which people exchange information or express their thoughts and feelings

The way people express their thoughts and feelings or share information

A letter, message, or telephone call

Source: LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English

Business Communication

Definition: the process of establishing a common understanding between or among people within a business environment

Goals of Business Communication

1) Receiver Understanding2) Receiver Response3) Favorable Relationships4) Organizational Goodwill

What is goodwill?

The kind feelings towards or between people and a willingness to be helpful

The value that company has because it has a good relationship with its customers

Resource: LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English

2 Main Communication Forms1. Verbal Communication:

communication uses the words

2. Nonverbal Communication: does not use words

Verbal Communication

Face-to-face or phone conversations Meetings E-mail and voice-mail messages Letters and memos Reports

Nonverbal Communication

Pictures Company logos Gestures and body language

Why communication is important? In your workplace, you’ll

communicate by reading information; listening to instructions; asking questions; solving problem with other workers in teams

Communication ability consistently ranks first among the qualities that employers look for in college graduates!

3 Basic Purposes of Business Communication

• To inform• To request or persuade• To build goodwill

5 Basic Criteria for Business Writing:o Is clear: readers gets the meaning the

writer intended easilyo Is complete: all of reader’s questions are

answeredo Is correct: all information in message is

accurateo Saves reader’s time: style, organization,

visual impact help reader to read, understand

o Builds goodwill: message represents a positive image of writer and organization

Multicultural Business Communication Definition1: the transmission of

information among business people of different cultures, whether within national boundaries or across national boundaries

Definition2: Communication with many cultures; multinational communication is interaction across national boundaries

Diversity

Gender Race and ethnicity Regional and national origin Social class Religion Age Sexual orientation (the fact of being

Heterosexual or Homosexual) Physical ability

FYI

Diversity increases in the global marketplace

Business Week reports that two-thirds of all industries either operate globally or are in the process of doing so

How does diversity relate to business communication?

Culture

Our understanding of acceptable actions and beliefs

High-context culture or Low-context culture

High-context or Low-context High-context cultures: indirectness,

politeness, ambiguity(Examples: Japan, United Arab Emirates)

Low-context cultures: directness, confrontation, clarity(Examples: German, Canada, the United States)

High-context culture VS. Low-context culture

Source: ChangingMinds.org, n.d.

Opinion

Way of Life

Punctuality

Contacts

Anger

Party

3 Meals a Day

Queue When Waiting

HSBC’s Advertisement

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALWwK7Vz4gY

Cross cultural communication http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=BrJTf97Ev8o

Is this true?

Source: http://ikarusblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/international-business-reading.html

Gesture Around the World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa_GCK-Czqs

Body language, the power is in the palm of your hands: Allan Pease at TEDx Macquarie University

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZZ7k8cMA-4

How to kill your body language Frankenstein and inspire the villagers: Scott Rouse at TEDxNashville

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro2dgzXKJfQ

Stereotypes Intercultural Communication http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=LQQtoyStMe4

The Successful Intercultural Communicator is: Aware of the values, beliefs, and

practices in other cultures. Sensitive to differences among

individuals within a culture. Aware that his/her preferred values and

behaviors are influenced by culture and are not necessarily “right.”

Sensitive to verbal and nonverbal behavior.

Flexible and open to change