University of Languages and International Studies Vietnam National University

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION FINAL ESSAY

Communication style at the Vietnamese and Japanese Workplace

By: Nguyen Manh Ha QH2010.E16 Lecturer: Mr. Ngo Huu Hoang

COMMUNICATION STYLE AT THE VIETNAMESE AND JAPANESE WORKPLACE TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1. 2. Rationale ........................................................................................................................................... 1 Significance ....................................................................................................................................... 1

II. DEVELOPMENT.......................................................................................................................................... 2 1. Culture................................................................................................................................................... 2 2. Communication ..................................................................................................................................... 2 3. Intercultural communication ................................................................................................................ 2 4. Communication style at the workplace ................................................................................................ 3 a. Organizational culture ....................................................................................................................... 3 b. Some potential problems in multicultural working environment .................................................... 4 5. Japanese communication style at workplace ....................................................................................... 4 a. Japanese communication style ......................................................................................................... 4 b. How Japanese communicate at workplace ...................................................................................... 5 6. Vietnamese communication style at workplace ................................................................................... 7 a. Vietnamese communication style ..................................................................................................... 7 b. How Vietnamese communicate at workplace .................................................................................. 8 III. CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................................... 10 References: ................................................................................................................................................. 12

I. INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale In recent years, many linguists, researchers and scholars in linguistics together with professionals working for international companies have highlighted the importance of knowledge of different cultures and they are unanimous in that globalization has brought about the growing trend to communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds. With the increasing significance of the integrating Vietnam market in the world economy in view of the socioeconomic development of the twenty first century, many international companies and co-operations rushed and planned to penetrate into Vietnamese market to explore business opportunities. Hence, international working teams appearing in Vietnam are quite ubiquitous these days. This has at the same time spurred the need for cross-cultural research in Vietnam. Because, once Vietnam integrated into the worldwide economy, the question like "how to understand Vietnamese/Japanese people so as to work with them effectively" has occupied the minds of many people who are planning to work or have already worked in a multicultural organization. That is why the author of this small study decided to choose the topic Communication style at the Vietnamese and Japanese Workplace for the Final Essay of the Intercultural communication subject with a view to investigating and describing the Vietnamese and Japanese communication style at the workplace. 2. Significance To the researchers knowledge, this small study is the very first research on the culture-related themes. Therefore, it will enrich the literature on this topic. Moreover, hopefully, this small study will be of good use in assisting people, especially those who set out to apply for a job or are working in a multi-cultural
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working environment, in having a bird-eye view of possible problems occurring when Vietnamese and Japanese staff communicate with one another at workplace. Therefore, they can have a deeper understanding of the two cultures and avoid misunderstandings when communicating with one another. Additionally, in the age of globalization when intercultural communication is common nowadays, this small-scale study also hopes to contribute to the worldwide research on crosscultural communication to some extents.

II. DEVELOPMENT
1. Culture According to Brooks Peterson (Cultural Intelligence, 2004, p. 17), Culture is the relatively stable set of inner values and beliefs generally held by groups of people in countries or regions and the noticeable impact those values and beliefs have on the peoples outward behaviors and environment. 2. Communication The term communication can be defined in many ways. Levine and Adelman (1993) defined communication as the process of sharing meaning through verbal and nonverbal behaviors. According to Beisler (2004), communication is the transmission from one person to another of a message which is understood by the receiver as the sender intended. 3. Intercultural communication Intercultural communication is regarded as interaction between people who live in different countries and come from different cultural backgrounds. It is, according to Richards & Platt (1992), an exchange of ideas, information etc. between persons from different cultural backgrounds. In other words, according to Samovar
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and Porter (1991) intercultural communication occurs whenever a message is produced by a member of one culture for consumption by a member of another culture, a message must be understood. It plays such a pivotal role that Deborah Tannen (1986) states that: the fate of the earth depends on cross-cultural communication. Additionally, Wierzbicka (1985) asserts that: different cultures, different languages, different speech acts. These differences, as a result, lead to the great potential for misunderstandings or misinterpretations in cross-cultural interaction. Therefore, it is important to raise cross-cultural awareness for avoiding culture shock and communication breakdown. 4. Communication style at the workplace
a. Organizational culture

Culture is the pattern of taken-for-granted assumptions about how a given collection of people should think, act, and feel as they go about their daily affairs (Joynt & Warner,1996). Hofstede (1997) addresses that there are two kinds of cultures: organizational culture and national

culture, which differs when it comes to values and practice. Values come from the experience of life, in other words, ones value comes from family and school in the early year of his/her life. While practices come from social experience: working. The differences in national culture lie in values rather than practice. While, in organizational level, culture differences appear mostly in practice rather than value.

b. Some potential problems in multicultural working environment

Multicultural environment often generates frustrating dilemmas. Management at the typifies workplace this fact.

Cultural differences can create

substantial obstacles to effective teamworkbut these may be subtle and difficult to recognize until significant damage has already been done. Some potential problems may rise as follows: The first problem is the matter of language barriers.. The second problem may lie in the difference of attitudes toward hierarchy and authority, which could be the punctuality of staff to the company, etc. Moreover, cultures differ enormously when it comes to decision makingparticularly, how quickly decisions should be made and how much analysis is required beforehand. In addition, accents and fluency can also cause trouble. Last but not least, non-verbal communication can be a big problem in multicultural environment. 5. Japanese communication style at workplace
a. Japanese communication style

It is pointed out that throughout the long history of Japan, the Japanese have cultivated their unique communication styles which are based on their highcontext, collectivistic, and almost homogeneous society (Ishii et al., 1996). The Japanese are reported to be reserved, cautious, evasive, silent, and ambiguous (Barnlund, 1975), placing an emphasis on not hurting others and keeping harmonious relations with each other. This emphasis on harmony has helped to
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mold a society in which the ability to assimilate differences and to engineer consensus is valued above a talent for argument (Barnlund, 1989). The purpose of the dialogue is not to clarify the points on which disagreement exist, but to confirm to the views of the other party (Kunihiro). In this communication-passive society of Japan, modesty, humility, and suppression of self are considered to be moral ideas (Okabe, 1983), and people are rather reluctant to disclose their true feelings (Barnlund, 1975).
b. How Japanese communicate at workplace

As regards to the Japanese communication style at workplace, bowing is one of the most typical

paradigms. It is observed everywhere in the culture, especially in

business. Bowing is used to greet people, such as when introducing, acknowledging, or welcoming someone. It can be used to show sincerity by offering something or show gratitude by congratulating or sympathizing someone, or show humility by requesting or apologizing. It is also used at the onset or closing of events and ceremonies like competition or negotiations. Mostly it is used to agree and to acknowledge what the other person is saying.

By and large, the Japanese are considered to set a great store by the accuracy in everything they do and anything they said as well. They are considered stickers for the rules or speakers by the books as they always obey to the rules and regulations at any rates. One of the best lessons learned from Japan working style is that they put quite a high value on working time. Everybody invited to a meeting of a company must present at the meeting hall at least 5 minutes prior to the start. Of all the aspects of dealing with the Japanese, the ones which probably cause the biggest dilemmas are odds-on to concern communication difficulties. In fact, every culture has its own rules regarding etiquette. In the case of Japan, some of these rules are straightforward while others are more subtle. One of the basic concepts of Japanese society, which strongly affects their communication style at work, is tatemae and honne. Honne means the true feelings of people while tatemae is the face they present to the world. While they do not ignore their feelings, Japanese consider tatemae to be more important in maintaining a harmonious society in general, and working environment in particular. Japanese communications are epitomized by subtlety and nuance, where how one appears and what one publicly states (tatemae) and what one really thinks (honne) are often poles apart. There is often a huge distance between the expressed 'tatemae' and the felt 'honne' they can often even be contradictory. It is tatemae and honne that make Japanese turn into an iceberg as such not

only at their workplace but also in the society in general as well. What they display in public is just a third of the iceberg. The other two is hidden. The development of relationships and rapports in a company in Japan is often dependent on people's ability to read the underlying truth which may underpin the spoken rhetoric. It can, of course, be very difficult for the non-Japanese to navigate these very confusing paradoxes. It is probably best to say that everything should be questioned in order to ensure that clear understanding has been achieved. It is suggested to double-check back several times for clarification of anything that remains unclear. Communication difficulties are further compounded by the fact that in times of stress or difficulty during a meeting at work, the Japanese will often resort to silence in order to release the tension in the room and allow people to move away from the area of difficulty (to preserve harmony which is tantamount). Unfortunately many westerners are extremely uncomfortable with silence in meetings and feel the need to fill the silence with more discussion over the issue the Japanese would rather avoid. In addition, Japanese body language is very minimal, making it difficult for the untrained observer to read. The Japanese seem to be very still in meetings, sitting in a formal upright posture. It is rare for any reaction or emotion to be visible. 6. Vietnamese communication style at workplace
a. Vietnamese communication style

Since both Japan and Vietnam belong to Asia, compared with Japanese communication style, Vietnamese one basically has quite a few similarities. Formality, respect, and interpersonal harmony are cultural values evident in

verbal communication among Vietnamese. To avoid confrontation or signs of disrespect, especially with persons of higher status, Vietnamese may not express disagreement. Instead, they may not answer a question directly, or they may remain silent (LaBorde, 1996). Though Vietnamese may nod and use the word yes or ya to show respect and convey that they are listening, this does not necessarily indicate understanding or agreement (Stauffer, 1995). Hence, it is suggested that foreigners should not assume that nodding or responding yes to their questions means that a Vietnamese person agrees or understands. It may mean that he is listening or wants to show respect to the speaker. What is more? Misunderstanding nonverbal cues to questions about diagnosis and treatment has been mistakenly linked with treatment noncompliance (Hunt, 2002; Lindsay et al., 1998). For that reason, so as to elicit a patients understanding of diagnosis, treatment, or other health issues, it is recommended to avoid asking yes or no questions; instead, ask open-ended questions that call for more than a simple oneword response.
b. How Vietnamese communicate at workplace

Vietnamese have an old saying, which goes: Before Vietnamese do business, the first things they look at are trust and relationships (C. Nguyen, personal communication, November 9, 2007). Truly, on the whole, the way Vietnamese communicate depend much on the trust and relationship. Generally, Vietnamese people always keep a distance when speaking to someone However, there is a common thing is that, at workplace, Vietnamese tend to convey respect and other

traditional values right through nonverbal gestures such as gentle bows, smiles, nods (Hunt, 2002; Lindsay, 1998). Vietnamese always show their care for colleagues. If one day a person comes to the office and other Vietnamese staff do not greet him very warmly and they keep quiet or focus on their work rather than asking some questions about his daily life, it is a clear sign that they are not happy with him. He may well have either done something they did not like, or he have failed to do something that he should have done for them. Some gestures that Vietnamese may view as inappropriate or offensive, especially at workplace include winking (especially when directed at the opposite sex), beckoning someone with the index finger, placing hands in pockets or on hips while talking, patting a persons back, and pointing to other people while talking (Hunt (2002). Vietnamese seldom use touch as a means of communication at workplace, especially with elderly people, members of opposite sex, and those of higher status. Besides the fact that touching other employees or business partners are discouraged in Vietnam (except for handshakes), looking at peoples eyes when they are speaking are also not a good idea, especially as speaking to elders (C. Nguyen, personal communication, November 9, 2007). It is similar to Japan in that Vietnamese prefer to speak in a very indirect manner, including circumstances at work. Important questions or issues are raised indirectly. In Vietnam, a more circular route is often more appropriate. The shortest distance between two points is not always a straight line. Therefore, it is very difficult to know if the person with whom you are speaking is happy, disappointed, or otherwise; without sounding trite, it can be said that Vietnamese, like many Asian people, have facial expressions that are somewhat
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difficult to read. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon to see people become enraged or raise their voices, particularly when a superior is talking to a junior employee. Since nobody wants to lose face, meetings appear to remain rather superficial and many discussions take place behind the scenes, but usually in the end everyone comes to a mutually acceptable settlement. In sharp contrast to sticking-to-the-rule culture of Japanese, in Vietnamese local governmental organizations, deadlines are not strictly adhered and may be delayed by few days. The same is true for time, there exists a so-called rubber time in Vietnam. For example, if you expect people to come to a meeting at 8am, you should invite them for 7.30am. Vietnamese are also not very strict on absenteeism. Vietnamese always show their care for others.

III. CONCLUSION
This study has drawn out a relatively clear idea and general knowledge of intercultural communication and some problems that may occur in the intercultural working environment. Moreover, by utilizing a selective materials and quotes from prestigious researchers and scholars all over the world, the study sets out to investigate the Vietnamese and Japanese communication style at the workplace and some potential problems when Vietnamese and Japanese communicate with each other are identified. The study pointed out that, Vietnamese and Japanese, share many common traits as regards to communication style at workplace. First, both are from a collectivistic and high-context cultural background, and are more likely to communicate indirectly and to have a higher degree of tolerance of ambiguity in communication. They tend to control their feelings and express them in a more subtle manner. Second, Vietnam and Japan have been both a centralized society for thousands and
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hundreds of years respectively, so the practice of hierarchy is deeply rooted in both societies. The employees of the two countries were reported to be to obey or compromise to the authority. Besides, the difficult-to-read facial expression is also a shared elements of employees of the two countries. In addition to so many similar factors, there still exists several differences in communication style at workplace, which will be certainly of great use to either Japanese or Vietnamese employees to understand each other. First of all, unlike the joyfulness visibly featured in almost every single Vietnamese employees faces as they go to work, Japanese prove themselves very cold at work on the surface as they are very reserved. Furthermore, the concept of time also differs greatly between Vietnamese and Japanese culture. Japanese tend to be on time while many Vietnamese do not have this habit. Finally, nonverbal cues of each countries are what both Vietnamese and Japanese should pay a close attention to. Put simply, bowing in Japan is divided into three levels. The informal bow is bowing down 15 with the hands at the sides. This bow is used for casual occasions for all ranks. The formal bow is typically used in business. It is a 30 bend from the waist with palms faced down on the knees or on the sides. It is held for a few seconds before returning. The last type is hardly used. It is mainly used for the imperial family. It is a bow given while sitting on the floor with the legs beneath you. Therefore, unless Vietnamese employees master those rules, they cannot perform bowing in the most suitable manner. All countries are changing. Though it may be slower than others, Japan and Vietnam is no exception. Shaking hands is becoming more common in Japan whilst more Vietnamese are becoming receptive about bowing. Take these tips

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with a grain of salt because in a world where all the nations are struggling to become more global, everything has many shades of gray.

References:
In English 1. An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 2 (Published by the University of Languages and International Studies, VNU) 2. Doing Business with Japanese People - Miami University Supervised by Dr. Sooun Lee Retrieved from http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/Japanese-BusinessCommunication-Style.html 3. Cultural Intelligence by Brooks Peterson (2004) 4. Cultural Information Vietnam Retrieved from http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=vn 5. Japanese Communication Style Retrieved from http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/Japanese-BusinessCommunication-Style.html 6. Etiquette in Japan Retrieved from http://www.japanzone.com/new/etiquette.shtml 7. Communicating with Japanese in Business (1999,2000) 8. Overview of Vietnamese Culture (Chapter 2)

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9. American doing business in Vietnam: Communication differences by Katrine Syppli Kohl. COM 9656: International Business Communication Fall 2007 10. A comparative Study of Communication Styles among Japanese, Americans, and Chinese toward an understanding of intercultural friction. By Teruyuki Kume, Atsuko Tokui, Noriko Hasegawa, Keiko Kodama. 11. Different cultures, different languages, and different speech act revised by Roman Kalisz. 12.. Hofstede, G. H. & Bond, M. H. (1988). The Confucius connection: From cultural roots to economic growth .Elsevier Science Publishing Company, Inc 13. Wierzbicka, A. (2003), Cross-Cultural Pragmatics - The Semantics of Human Interaction, Die Deutsche Bibliothek, Berlin. 14. Ybema, S. & Byun, H. (2009). Cultivating Culture Differences in Asymmetric Power Relations. Cross Culture Management, 9 (3), pp. 339-358. 15. Hitt, W. D. (1995). The learning organization: Some reflections on organizational renewal. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, p. 17-26 16. Mcphee, R. D. (1985). Organizational communication: Traditional themes and 17.New directions. Beverly Hill, CA: Sage, pp. 149-177 In Vietnamese 1. Nguyn Quang (2007). Giao tip phi ngn t qua cc nn vn ho, NXB i Hc Quc Gia H Ni.

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