Communicating Across Cultures

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The Communication Process

Cultural communications are deeper and more complex than spoken or written messages. The essence of effective crosscultural communication has more to do with releasing the right responses than with sending the right messages. Hall and Hall

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The 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

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The Communication Process

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Cultural 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

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Cultural Noise

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Trust 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

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Trust 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

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Cultural 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

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Cultural 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
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Cultural 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

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Cultural Variables - Language Britain and America are two nations separated by a common language.
- George Bernard Shaw

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Cultural 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
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Context
Context in which the communication takes place affects the meaning and interpretation of the interaction Cultures are either high- or low- context

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Context

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Comparative 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

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Comparative 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
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Comparative 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

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Comparative Management Focus: Communicating with Arabs

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Comparative 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.
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Comparative 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.

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Information 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

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Information 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

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Managing Cross-Cultural Communication

Cultural Sensitivity Careful Encoding Selective Transmission Careful Decoding Appropriate Follow-up Actions

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Appropriate Follow-Up Actions

Respect (eye contact, posture, tone, etc) Interaction posture ability to respond in a descriptive, non-evaluative, and nonjudgmental way Orientation to knowledge understand that your beliefs and perceptions are only valid for you and not everyone else Empathy
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Appropriate 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

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Looking Ahead
Chapter 5 Cross-cultural Negotiation and Decision making
Negotiation The negotiation process Understanding negotiation styles Managing negotiation Decision making

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High Context
Feelings and thoughts are not explicitly expressed Meaning is found in the general understanding of the other person and their surroundings Most communication takes place within a context of extensive information networks resulting from close personal relationships
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Low Context
Feelings and thoughts are expressed n words, and information is more readily available Normally these cultures compartmentalize their business and personal relationships

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Nonverbal Communication
Kinesic Behavior refers to communication through body movements like posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact

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Nonverbal Communication
Proxemics deals with how space influences the communication process
High contact preferring to stand close, touch, and experience a close sensory involvement Low-contact prefer much less sensory involvement, standing farther apart and touching less

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Nonverbal Communication
Paralanguage refers to how something is said rather than the content
Rate of speech, tone, inflection, other noises, laughing, yawning, etc. Silence is a powerful communicator

Object language refers to communication through material artifacts

Office design, furniture, clothing ,cars, etc.
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Cultural Sensitivity
When sending a message make it a point to know the recipient Encode the message in a form that will most likely be understood as it is intended This means the manager must
Be aware of their own culture The recipients culture The expectations surrounding the situation
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Careful Encoding
The sender must consider the receivers frame of reference to make the best choice regarding
Words Pictures Gestures

Remember that language translation is only part of the process, consider the nonverbal language as well
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Selective Transmission
The channel medium should be chosen after considering:
The nature of the message Level of importance Context and expectations of the receiver Timing involved Personal interactions
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Careful Decoding of Feedback

Best means for obtaining accurate feedback is face-to-face interactions Best means for avoiding miscommunication is to improve your own listening and observation skills Three types of miscommunications
Receiver misinterpreted the message Receiver encoded response incorrectly Sender misinterprets the feedback
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