Title: Chapter 4 Communicating Across Cultures
1Chapter 4 Communicating Across Cultures
- PowerPoint by
- Kristopher Blanchard
- North Central University
2The 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
3The Communication Process
- Managers spend between 50 and 90 of their time
talking to people - Managers communicate to
- Coordinate activities
- Disseminate information
- Motivate people
- Negotiate future plans
4The Communication Process
5Cultural 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 persons behavior
6Cultural Noise
7Trust 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
8Trust 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
9Cultural Variables
- Attitudes ethnocentric and stereotypical
attitudes are a particular source of noise in
cross-cultural communication - Social Organization nations, tribes, religious
sects, or professions can influence our
priorities and values - Though Patterns the logical progression of
reasoning varies by culture
10Cultural Variables
- Roles the perception of the managers 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
11Cultural Variables
- Language an inability to speak the local
language, and a poor or too literal translation
are often causes for mistrust - Pepsis slogan Come Alive with Pepsi
translated into German as Come out of the
grave. - Rendezvous lounges on 747s were not used on
airlines because in Portuguese rendezvous
refers to prostitution
12Cultural Variables - Language
- Britain and America are two nations separated by
a common language. - - George Bernard Shaw
13Cultural 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
14Context
- Context in which the communication takes place
affects the meaning and interpretation of the
interaction - Cultures are either high- or low- context
15Context
16Comparative 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
17Comparative Management Focus Communicating with
Arabs
- The core of the culture is friendship, honor,
religion, and traditional hospitality - Family and friends take precedence over business
transactions - Hospitality is a way of life and is highly
symbolic - Women play little or no role n business or
entertainment it is a male-dominated society
18Comparative Management Focus Communicating with
Arabs
- 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
19Comparative Management Focus Communicating with
Arabs
20Comparative Management Focus Communicating with
Arabs
- Be patient. Recognize the Arab attitude toward
time and hospitalitytake 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
contractconduct business personally, not by
correspondence or telephone.
21Comparative Management Focus Communicating with
Arabs
- Avoid expressing doubts or criticism when others
are presentrecognize 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 dont be impatient to get to
the point. - Expect many interruptions in meetings, delays in
schedules, and changes in plans.
22Information 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 organizations information
system are affected by - Organizational structure
- Staffing policies
- Leadership style
23Information 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
24Managing Cross-Cultural Communication
- Cultural Sensitivity
- Careful Encoding
- Selective Transmission
- Careful Decoding
- Appropriate Follow-up Actions
25Appropriate Follow-Up Actions
- Respect (eye contact, posture, tone, etc)
- Interaction posture ability to respond in a
descriptive, non-evaluative, and non-judgmental
way - Orientation to knowledge understand that your
beliefs and perceptions are only valid for you
and not everyone else - Empathy
26Appropriate 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
27Looking Ahead
- Chapter 5 Cross-cultural Negotiation and
Decision making - Negotiation
- The negotiation process
- Understanding negotiation styles
- Managing negotiation
- Decision making