Communicating Across Cultures

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Communicating Across Cultures
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Why the need for cross-cultural communication
skills?

• Why are American companies expanding
  internationally?
• Why, specifically do you believe Asian countries
  are targeted?
• What statistic did your test provide pertaining
  to Japan?

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Wal-Mart Communication in Action

• What differences in the Wal-Mart experience are
  there for
• employees?
• consumers?
• executives?

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Three Important Trends

• Globalization of markets
• Commonplace
• Made in America isnt
• Chains
• Franchises (customize for culture)
• Trade Agreements

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Three Important Trends

• Globalization of markets
• Commonplace
• Made in America isnt
• Chains
• Franchises (customize for culture)
• Trade Agreements

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General Agreement on Tariffs and Trades (GATT)
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Technology

• Transportation
• Supersonic planes
• Highly-developed systems
• Communication
• Instantaneous
• Equal field
• Marketing strategies

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Intercultural Workforce

• Increasing Diversity
• Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Hire and promote more qualified
• More women and minorities in workforce
• Hiring from non-traditional sources
• Strategic alliances and foreign ownership

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Trends in US Population Shape

• Grow by 50 by 2050
• 275m to 394m (2/3s from immigration)
• Older workforce
• Gender 50 years (mid 1960s early 2000s)
• 66 male 34 female
• 52 male 48 female
• Glass Ceiling
• Whites down minorities up
• African Americans, Hispanics, Asians

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What is culture?

• High Context Culture
• Low Context Culture
• P. 108
• Hofstede Framework

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Low Context High Context

• Direct
• Face value
• Minimal non-verbal
• Individualism
• Logic
• Linear
• Highly structured
• Detailed

• Indirect
• Embedded meanings
• Reads nonverbal
• Group over Individual
• Context and feeling
• Spiral logic
• Ambiguous dialog
• Simple

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Intercultural Proficiency

• Ethnocentrism
• Inherent view of superiority or right
• How could ethnocentrism confuse business?
• Tolerance
• Empathy
• Do these present a dilemma for Christian business
  people?

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Intercultural Proficiency

• Saving face
• Mattel President visit China Executive
• Patience

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Improving Oral Communication

• Nonverbals
• Basic Expressions (p. 115)
• Simple English
• Speak slowly and enunciate clearly
• Observe eye messages
• Encourage feedback

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Improving Communication

• Check for comprehension
• Accept blame
• Listen without interrupting
• Remember to smile
• Follow up in writing

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Improving Written Communication

• Adopt local formats (p. 117)
• Observe titles and rank
• Use short sentences and paragraphs
• Avoid ambiguous expressions
• Strive for clarity
• Use correct grammar
• Cite numbers carefully
• Accommodate reader in tone and style

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