Enhancing Cross-Cultural Communication: Understanding Cultural Variables and Overcoming Barriers

1. Chapter 5

2. The Communication Process Cultural communications are deeper and more complex than spoken or written messages. The essence of effective cross-cultural communication has more to do with releasing the right responses than with sending the “right” messages. —Hall and Hall

3. 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

4. The Communication Process

5. For discussion: • What are the most common barriers to communication between cultures?

6. 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 person’s behavior

7. Cultural Noise

8. 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

9. 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

10. For discussion • How can education help reduce or eliminate these barriers?

11. 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

12. Cultural Variables • Roles – the perception of the manager’s 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

13. Cultural Variables • Language – an inability to speak the local language, and a poor or too literal translation are often causes for mistrust • Pepsi’s slogan “Come Alive with Pepsi” translated into German as “Come out of the grave.” • Rendezvous lounges on 747’s were not used on airlines because in Portuguese ‘rendezvous’ refers to prostitution

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

15. 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

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

17. Context

18. For discussion • What are the top three ways you could improve your own intercultural communication competence?

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

20. 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

21. 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 recipient’s culture • The expectations surrounding the situation