CrossCultural Communication

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Cross-Cultural Communication

• Dr. Carol Reade
• Bus 162

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Learning Objectives

• DEFINE communication examine examples of verbal
  communication style explain importance of
  message interpretation
• EXAMINE language, perception, culture of
  communication nonverbal barriers to effective
  international communication
• PRESENT steps to overcome international
  communication problems

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Overall Communication Process

• Communication
• The process of transferring meanings from sender
  to receiver.
• On surface appears straightforward
• However, a great many problems can result in
  failure to transfer meanings correctly

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Verbal Communication

• Context is information that surrounds a
  communication and helps convey the message
• Messages are often highly coded and implicit in
  high-context societies, such as Japan and many
  Arab countries
• The message is explicit and the speaker says
  precisely what he or she means in low-context
  societies such as the United States and Canada

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Explicit and Implicit Communication
Japanese
Arabs
Latin Americans
Italians
English
French
North Americans
Scandinavians
Germans
Swiss Germans
Adapted from Figure 71 Explicit/Implicit
Communication An International Comparison
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Verbal Communication Styles
Table 71 Major Characteristics of Verbal Styles
Adapted from Table 71 Major Characteristics of
Verbal Styles
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Verbal Communication Styles
Table 71 Major Characteristics of Verbal Styles
Adapted from Table 71 Major Characteristics of
Verbal Styles
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Summary of Verbal Styles
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The Impact of Cultural Values
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Communication Complications

• He was laughing like hell.
• Dont worry Its a piece of cake.
• What are these expressions and what communication
  complications might they present?

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Nonverbal Communication

• Nonverbal communication
• The transfer of meaning through means such as
  body language and use of physical space
• Kinesics
• The study of communication through body movement
  and facial expression
• Eye contact
• Posture
• Gestures
• Chromatics
• The use of color to communicate messages

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Nonverbal Communication

• Proxemics
• The study of the way that people use physical
  space to convey messages
• Intimate distance is used for very confidential
  communications
• Personal distance is used for talking with family
  and close friends
• Social distance is used to handle most business
  transactions
• Public distance is used when calling across the
  room or giving a talk to a group

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Personal Space in the U.S.
Adapted from Figure 73 Personal Space
Categories for Those in the United States
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Nonverbal Communication

• Chronemics
• Monochronic time schedule
• Things are done in a linear fashion.
• Manager addresses Issue A first and then moves on
  to Issue B
• Time schedules are very important and time is
  viewed as something that can be controlled and
  should be used wisely
• Polychronic time schedules
• People tend to do several things at the same time
• People place higher value on personal involvement
  than on getting things done on time
• Schedules are subordinated to personal
  relationships

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Achieving Communication Effectiveness

• Improve feedback systems
• Two basic types of feedback systems between home
  office and affiliates
• Personal (e.g., face-to-face meetings, telephone
  conversations and personalized e-mail)
• Impersonal (e.g., reports, budgets, and plans)
• Language training
• Cultural training
• Flexibility and cooperation

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Suggestions for Communication

• Use most common words with most common meanings
• Select words with few alternative meanings
• Strictly follow rules of grammar
• Speak with clear breaks between words
• Avoid using esoteric or culturally biased words
• Avoid use of slang
• Dont use words or expressions requiring listener
  to form mental images
• Mimic cultural flavor of non-native speakers
  language
• Paraphrase and repeat basic ideas continually
• At end, test how well other understand by asking
  him/her to paraphrase