BADM 633 - Wk 4 International Business Culture Terry Ryan

2. BADM 633 - Wk 4 International Business Culture Terry Ryan

3. Communicating Across Cultures LANGUAGE • Communication amongst people from the • same culture is often challenging • Communication with people who speak a different • language is complicated by different ideas, • attitudes, assumptions, perceptions and • methods of communication • Communication takes place in two ways: • Explicit words that are mutually understood • Implicit or non-verbal communications: the “silent • language”

4. Communicating Across Cultures • Just one flawed assumption can derail messages • Who – is the sender the right person? • Who – is the intended recipient the right person? • What – is the context appropriate? • What – is the content appropriate? • How – is the medium appropriate? • How – is the style appropriate? • How – is the location appropriate?

5. Communicating Across Cultures • Linguistic Proficiency is paramount (even with • other “English” speakers. • Cultural Competency is equally important • Although American English is often viewed as • the language of business, it is often • desirable to have expats learn the host- • nation’s language. • WHY? • Practicality is questioned

6. Communicating Across Cultures • Demonstrate trust and respect – very • important in many cultures. (Language and • religion are primary drivers of culture.) • Translating slows the flow, especially in sale • and negotiation scenarios. If one party • knows both languages, he or she has a • distinct advantage: what is this benefit? • Benefits to the individual: • Better understanding of other culture • Helps in learning of additional languages • Gain fuller understanding of one’s own culture

7. Communicating Across Cultures • More examples of poor translations: • Cigarettes with low “asphalt” • Computer “underwear” • “wet sheep”  • “Roto” • KY Jelly • “BIMBO” – what and where??? • Zit (Euro), Super Piss (FI) and Calpis (JPN) • Same English words – different meanings • Tabling an issue • Flats/apartments • Trainers/sneakers • Hooter/horn

8. Communicating Across Cultures • Language - The method of human communication, • either spoken or written, consisting of the use of • words in a structured and conventional way. • Conventionally, we think of language as (1) audible, • articulate, meaningful sound as produced by the • action of the vocal organs • (2): a systematic means of communicating ideas • or feelings by the use of conventionalized signs, • sounds, gestures, or marks having understood • meanings: • (3): the means by which animals communicate • (4): a formal system of signs and symbols (as • FORTRAN or a calculus in logic) including rules

9. Communicating Across Cultures • Linguistic Diversity • 750 languages in Sub-Saharan Africa • But, fewer than 100 are spoken by 95 per • cent of the earth’s population. • One-thousand Native American Languages • How was one Southwestren tribe’s • language used in WWII ??

10. Communicating Across Cultures Influence of Culture in Language What two activities’ terms are over-used in business??? • Most of us recognise technological and • occupational terms – both old and new • school • Carburetor  Fuel injection • Typewriter  Keyboard • Programmer (TV)  Programmer (S-ware)

11. Communicating Across Cultures le Web Influence of Culture in Language USA – incorporate foreign-language phrases: Quid pro quo; ex post facto; pro tem à la mode; apéritif; laissez-faire;raison d'être Japan – Independent Rear Suspension trans- lates to Independent Rear Suspension! France – the “language police WWW  le Web  la toile Hackers  les fourniers Surfer  un surfer  aquaplanchiste Weekend le Weekend  fin de semaine

12. Lost in the Clouds Influence of Culture in Language The word on the table that morning was "cloud computing." To translate the English term for computing resources that can be accessed on demand on the Internet, a group of French experts had spent 18 months coming up with "informatique en nuage," which literally means "computing in cloud." France's General Commission of Terminology and Neology – a group of professors, linguists, scientists and a former ambassador -- was gathered in a building overlooking the Louvre to approve the term. "What? This means nothing to me. I put a 'cloud' of milk in my tea!" exclaimed Jean Saint-Geours, a French writer and member of the Terminology Commission. Keeping the French language relevant ain’t easy in the Internet age.

13. Lost in the Clouds 'saut acrobatique sur tremplin de neige‘ B I G A I R ! ! acrobatic jump on a springboard of snow

14. Communicating Across Cultures • Influence of Language on Culture • Effects of language on perception • Navajo Experiment (Jos. Casagrande) • Navajo speakers use different verbs, • depending upon the shape of an object • Long, thin and flexible • Long, thin and rigid • Navajo-only speaking children sorted by shape • Bilingual children sorted by colour • Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis – linguistically different • people not only communicate differently, but also • think and perceive the world differently.

15. Communicating Across Cultures • Language Mirrors Values • The “self-xxxxxxxx” examples • Japan: ‘We’ comes before ‘I’ • Ohayo gozaimasu  Konnichiwa • Joggers greetings amongst fellow runners vs. • non-joggers acknowledgements • Hai  Yes OR Yes, I understand and (not • agreement); real vs.. good reasons

16. Communicating Across Cultures • Linguistic Styles • Tell it like it is; Talk turkey; lay cards on the table • Ambiguity, e.g., Asians • Maybe  no; Very difficult means Never • Perhaps . . . • Silence can be misconstrued • Overstatement vs. understatement • What may seem to be assertive to an American • may be seen as week or equivocating to an • Arab.

17. Communicating Across Cultures • Language and Social Context • Situational awareness • Formal (TLN) • Informal or familiar (FN) • Diplomatic openings • Verbal pauses or hiccups (ya’ know, • Perhaps . . . • Additional Complicating Factors • Slang/jargon • Euphemisms • Proverbs/ • Verbal Dueling • Humour • Conversational taboos

18. Communicating Across Cultures • Lessons for Managers • Learning the host language is usually helpful to settling into another culture. • Communicating is life-threatening situations is • paramount • Knowledge of local language can alleviate risks of • injury or death • Local language capability can help to minimise • culture shock.

19. Communicating Across Cultures • Language and Social Context • Situational awareness • Formal (Title Last Name) • Informal or familiar (First Name) • Diplomatic or tactful openings • Verbal pauses or hiccups (ya’ know, like) • Perhaps . . .

20. Communicating Across Cultures • Language and Social Context • Additional Complicating Factors • Slang/jargon • Euphemisms • Proverbs/ • Verbal Dueling • Humour • Conversational taboos

21. Communicating Across Cultures • Language and Social Context • Additional Complicating Factors • Slang/jargon • dead in the water (disabled, but not sunk, • ship) • red tape • bottom line

22. Communicating Across Cultures • Language and Social Context • Additional Complicating Factors • Euphemisms • New Yorkers called it “What happened” • Pass away or passed; croaked or augered in • Inventory shrinkage or leakage • Life jacket  PFD • BCG: Cash cow, Dogs

23. Communicating Across Cultures • Language and Social Context • Additional Complicating Factors • Proverbs • An apple a day keeps the doctor away • An army marches on its stomach • Any port in a storm • Better late than never • Better safe than sorry • Beware of Greeks bearing gifts • Spare the rod and spoil the child • Speak softly and carry a big stick • The apple never falls far from the tree • Touch wood • Horses for courses

24. Communicating Across Cultures • Language and Social Context • Additional Complicating Factors • Verbal Dueling • One upsmanship • “I can top that” or “When we were up north”

25. Communicating Across Cultures • Language and Social Context • Additional Complicating Factors • Humour D O N ‘ T

26. Communicating Across Cultures • Language and Social Context • Additional Complicating Factors • Conversational taboos • Politics and religion • Wars • Immigration • Health, but no health of family members • Earnings • Material goods

27. Communicating Across Cultures “Vacantly occupied, sat on the beach 'til my body got fried Dreamin' of your pretty eyes up in South Carolina I can't pronounce my r's or g's when I'm speakin' southerneseHoney do, honey come and do me again”

28. Communicating Across Cultures • Additional Complicating Factors • Southernese or Southernisms • That's about as useful as a trap door on a canoe. • He couldn't carry a tune if he had a bucket with a lid on it. • She was so tall she could hunt geese with a rake. • Somebody beat him with the ugly stick • I'll knock you so hard you'll see tomorrow today. • Dumb as a bucket (or box) of rocks. • You're the spitting image of your mother/father. • She's madder than a wet hen in a tote sack. • Happier than a pig in slop • “He’s a mess” followed by ???

29. Communicating Across Cultures • Lessons for Managers • Learning the host language is usually helpful to • settling into another culture. • Communicating is life-threatening situations is • paramount • Knowledge of local language can alleviate risks of • injury or death • Local language capability can help to minimise • culture shock.

30. 3-1 Wayne Calder, a recent Harvard MBA and one of his organization’s most innovative planners, was assigned to the Paris office for a two-year period.Wayne was particularly excited about the transfer because he could now draw on the French he had taken while in school. Knowing that his proficiency in the French language would be an excellent entrée into French society, Wayne was looking forward to getting to know his French colleagues on a personal level. During the first week in Paris, an opportunity to socialize presented itself. While waiting for a planning meeting with top executives to begin, Wayne introduced himself to Monsieur LeBec. They shook hands and exchanged some pleasantries, and then Wayne told LeBec how excited his family was to be in France. Wayne then asked LeBec if he had any children. LeBec replied that he had two daughters and a son. But when Wayne asked other questions about LeBec’s family, his French colleague became quite distant and uncommunicative. What did Wayne do wrong?

31. 3-2 Bill Nugent, an international real estate developer from Dallas, had made a 2:30 P.M. appointment with Mr. Abdullah, a high-ranking government official in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. From the beginning things did not go well for Bill. First, he was kept waiting until nearly 3:45 before he was ushered into Abdullah’s office. When he finally did get in, several other men were also in the room. Even though Bill wanted to get down to business with Abdullah, he was reluctant to get too specific because he considered much of what they needed to discuss sensitive and private. To add to Bill’s sense of frustration, Abdullah seemed more interested in engaging in meaningless small talk rather than dealing with the substantive issues concerning their business. How might you help Bill deal with his frustration?

32. 3-3 Stan Gorelick, an engineer for a Chicago-based international construction company, was working on a two-year building project in Montevideo, Uruguay. After several months on the job, Stan attended a cocktail party reception his firm was hosting for some of the local subcontractors. Upon entering the formal cocktail party about thirty minutes after it started, Stan greeted several groups of people with a cheerful “Hola!” (Hello) and headed for the bar. Soon, Stan noticed that some of the local people seem to be upset with him. What did he do wrong?

33. 3-4 A large Baltimore manufacturer of cabinet hardware had been working for months to locate a suitable distributor for its products in Europe. Finally invited to present a demonstration to a reputable distributing company in Frankfurt, it sent one of its most promising young executives, Fred Wagner, to make the presentation. Fred not only spoke fluent German but also felt a special interest in this assignment because his paternal grandparents had immigrated to the United States from the Frankfurt area during the 1920s.When Fred arrived at the conference room where he would be making his presentation, he shook hands firmly, greeted everyone with a friendly Guten Tag, and even remembered to bow the head slightly as is the German custom. Fred, a very effective speaker and past president of the Baltimore Toastmasters Club, prefaced his presentation with a few humorous anecdotes to set a relaxed and receptive atmosphere. However, he felt that his presentation was not very well received by the company executives. In fact, his instincts were correct; the German company chose not to distribute Fred’s hardware products. What went wrong?

34. 3-5 Betty Carpenter, president of a cosmetics firm headquartered in Chicago, decided to spend several days in Paris, talking to some potential distributors of their more popular product lines. Upon arrival she felt quite confident with her proficiency in French (based on several years of French in college) in getting from the airport and checking into her hotel. The next morning she met with Monsieur DuBois, vice president of a large French department store chain. Although their initial conversation went quite well, when the subject turned to business, Betty felt that she was not communicating very effectively with DuBois. He seemed to be getting mildly annoyed and showed little interest in continuing the discussion. What was Betty’s problem?

35. 3-6 Ted Gross was in charge of setting up his company’s exhibit at a trade show in Hong Kong. As an inducement for visiting the exhibit, Ted and his two assistants gave away green baseball caps with the company’s logo on the front. During the first day of the show, however, very few people visited Ted’s exhibit. And those who did stop by refused the free gift of a cap. How can you explain this unanticipated poor response at the trade show?

36. 3-7 Steve Reichs was on a month-long assignment at his company’s office in Pusan, Korea. Wanting to catch the attention of his supervisor who was standing across the room, Steve “crooked” his index finger at him in an innocent gesture to have him come closer. Not only did Steve get his supervisor’s attention, but he so infuriated his boss that Steve came very close to being sent back to the home office. What was the problem?

37. 3-8 Peter Gorman, an accountant from Raleigh, North Carolina, had been working for two years in one of his firm’s branch offices in Melbourne, Australia. Normally, he took the bus to work, but one morning he was running late and did not want to miss an important meeting, so he was forced to take a taxi. He signaled to a cab on the street by raising his right hand, jumped into the back seat, and told the driver where he wanted to go. As the driver begins to pull away, however, he turned to Peter and said: “What’s wrong, Mate? Do you think I have leprosy?” Peter was not sure whether the taxi driver was joking or not. How can you explain this situation?

39. Communicating Across Cultures Nonverbal Dimension • Nonverbal communications referred to as: • The silent language • Hidden dimension of communication • Body language • Telegraph messages about feelings • Elaborate on the verbal language • Govern the time and turn taking btwn. communicators • Arbitrariness of nonverbal communications • Nonverbal cues that connote a different meaning • Nonverbal cues that connote the same meaning

40. Crude & Rude

41. Communicating Across Cultures • Nonverbal communications categorised: • Facial expressions • Hand gestures • Walking • Posture • Space • Touching • Eye contact (or NOT!) • Artifacts • Clothing • Hairstyles • Cosmetics • Time • Silence

42. Communicating Across Cultures • Body Posture: • Who was criticised for bowing to the Prime • Minister in Japan ? • Can communicate: • social status • religious practices • feelings of submissiveness • social distance • sexual intentions • US – lean back, feet up (casual dress) • Europe - offensive

43. Communicating Across Cultures • Hand Gestures: • (Under Construction)

44. Communicating Across Cultures • Facial Expressions: • Face-2-face communications • “Losing face” • Eyebrows, eyes & mouth are primary • Interpretation is difficult • Masking one’s emotions • Tom Brokaw • Poker face • React opposite: cry while laughing (tears • of happiness)

45. Communicating Across Cultures • Gaze: • Maintaining eye contact is as effective as not • maintaining eye contact • But the extent to which different cultures utilise it • vary widely. • What is acceptable in Greece may make others • uncomfortable • To the Taureg, gaze is important because hands • and arms are covered with clothing • High level of gazing can be seen as • threatening, disrespectful, haugthy or • insulting.

46. Communicating Across Cultures • Proximity: • Personal spaces differ • Initimate distance – really close • Personal distance – 1 ½ to 4 ft. • Social distance – 4 to 12 ft. • Public distance – 12 to 25 ft. (or 4 to 8 metres)

47. Communicating Across Cultures • Bodily Contact (Touching): • Most personal form on nonverbal • communications • Patting  Slapping  Punching  Kicking • Shaking hands  Air kissing  Kissing • Guiding  Holding  Embracing • Grooming  Stroking • High-touch cultures: Arabs, Jews and Eastern • Europeans • Low-touch cultures: English, Germans, • Northern Euro’s and many Asian cultures • Subway (tube) and elevator (lift) protocols

48. Communicating Across Cultures • Bodily Contact (Touching): • Ballroom dancing can be viewed as asexual • (USA) or promiscuous or in bad taste. • PDA: where did Richard Gere – a Buddhist - • get in trouble? • Low-touch cultures: English, Germans, • Northern Euro’s and many Asian cultures • Subway (tube) and elevator (lift) etiquette • Be careful of stereotypes or appearances: • German & American men less tactile than Italian • men, they were more tactile that Italian women.

49. Communicating Across Cultures • Lessons for Managers: • When in doubt: DON’T • Read, read, read • Observe, observe, observe • Research, research, research (I’net) • Ask, ask, ask – no “dumb” questions • Context/situation specific • Virgin Media COO Leigh Wood – guy or gal? • Typical greetings

50. 4-1 Don Bynum, a Boston banker, was assigned for several weeks as a troubleshooter in the Rome office. To facilitate his adjustment to the Italian banking system and to assist with translation, the branch manager had assigned Don to work with Maria Fellini, a bilingual employee of the bank. Maria, like Don, was single and in her early thirties, and she lived with her widowed mother. Maria invited Don to her mother’s home for dinner. When Don arrived, he brought a large bouquet of chrysanthemums for Maria’s mother as a token of his appreciation for her hospitality. Maria answered the door, greeted Don, and took the flowers into the kitchen. But for the entire evening neither Maria nor her mother mentioned anything about the flowers. Don felt that perhaps he had done something inappropriate, or maybe they were just not appreciative. What went wrong?