Intercultural Diversity

1. Technology has made global communication both quick and easy.

2. The globalization of business is accelerating as more companies cross national
borders to find customers, materials and money.
3. Cultural diversity is the degree to which the population is made up of people from
varied national, ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds.
4. Culture is a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations and
norms for behaviour.
5. Subcultures are distinct groups that exist within a major culture.
6. Intercultural communication is the process of sending and receiving messages
between people of different cultures.
7. People from the USA emphasize hard work, material success and efficiency more
than many other people do.
8. People from other cultures demonstrate their status differently than do people in the
USA.
9. Many cultural groups take longer than US and Canadian business people to reach
decisions and many rely more heavily on group consensus.
10. Business people in the USA and Germany see time as a way to organize the business
day efficiently, people in other cultures see time as more flexible.
11. People from various cultures have different comfort zones (personal spaces).
12. People in the USA rely mostly on words to convey meaning. Others in Asia may rely
less on verbal communication and more on the context of nonverbal actions and
environmental setting to convey meaning. Situational cues are such as gestures and
tone of voice.
13. Variations in the meaning of body language can cause problems because people are
unaware of the messages they are transmitting.
14. The rules of polite behaviour vary from country to country.
15. People often encounter differing standards of legal and ethical behaviour in the course
of doing business in other countries.
16. English is the most prevalent language in international business, but its a mistake to
assume that everyone understand it.
17. Always watch for clues to be sure that your message is getting through to people who
dont speak your language.

18. If you have a long-term business relationship with people of another culture, it is
helpful to learn their language.
19. Differences in pronunciation, vocal inflections, and vocabulary can pose problems
when youre speaking to people from other cultures.
20. Stereotyping is he attempt to categorize individuals by trying to predict their
behaviour or character on the basis of their membership in a particular group.
Stereotyping should not be allowed at workplace.
21. Learning as much as possible about another culture will enhance your ability to
communicate with its members.

Stress
1. Causes of stress:
a) Change
b) Family problems
c) Poor management
d) Financial difficulties

2. Dealing with stress:

a) Ask for help
b) Exercise
c) Change of diet
d) Set aside 5-10 minutes in a day to relax
e) Practice handling difficult situations
f) Take up new hobby or interest
g) Take holidays allowed to you
h) Be positive and decisive
i) Confide in others
j) Retain your perspective
k) Be consistent in your approaches
l) See the humour and keep smiling

Emotion at workplace
1. Communication can breakdown when the receiver reacts negatively to a message.
You may have to deal with people when they are upset (or when you are).
2. To overcome emotional barriers, be aware of the feelings that arise in yourself and in
others as you communicate, and attempt to control them. Try to understand the other
persons point of view, and respect the inevitable differences in background and
culture.
3. In business communication, try to maintain your objectivity.