The importance of interculturalcommunication Globalization of Market Technological Advancements Multicultural Work Force
Understanding Culture Culture is complex system of values, traits, morals, and customs shared by a society. Culture is a system for creating, sending, storing, and processing information.
Characteristics of Culture Culture is learned In western culture, too close means violation. Cultures are inherently logical In Japan, Barbie doll was a failure because of the toothy smile. Culture combines the visible and invisible In Japan, harmony with the environment is important Culture is dynamic Culture change as a result of migration, disasters, and wars
Prototypes Mental representations based on general characteristics that are not fixed and rigid, but rather are open to new definition. Dynamic abed may change Based on objective observations. Example Latin businesspeople often talk about their families before getting down to business. This prototype is generally accurate, but it may not universally apply and it may change over time.
Dimensions of Culture Context Individualism Communication style Time orientation
Context The dependence to environment of a situation Low-context cultures depend less on the environment of a situation to convey meaning than do high-context cultures. Low-context cultures: North America, Western Europe High-context cultures: Japan, China, Arab. People in low-context cultures tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented
Explicit and Implicit Communication High-context/implicit communication cultures Low-context/explicit communication cultures Japanese Arabs Latin Americans Italians English French North Americans Scandinavians Germans Swiss Germans
Individualism An attitude of independence and freedom from control. Members of many low-context cultures value independence and freedom from control. Tradition, ceremony, and social rules are more important in high-context culture
Individualism Low-Context Culture High-Context Culture Individualism Individual action and personal responsibility Collectivist Membership, group, teams Group value, duties, and decision Resist independence
Time Orientation North American tend to correlate time with productivity, efficiency. In other cultures time may be perceived as an unlimited resource. Westerners value a direct, straightforward communication style. Westerners: sound of words Asian: meaning of words Communication Style
Achieving Intercultural Sensitivity Avoiding Ethnocentrism: The belief in the superiority of one’s owned race. Bridging the Gap Empathy: trying to see the world through another’s eyes. Saving face: indirectly respect the feelings and dignity of others Patience: tolerance, patient, silent
Personal Space in the USA Intimate distance 18” Personal distance 18” to 4’ Social distance 4’ to 8’
The Barriers of Cross Cultural Communications Body Language Etiquette Establishing trust Religious Belief Social habits
Improving Cross-Culture Communication Improving Intercultural Proficiency &Communication Study your own culture first. Learn about other culture. Curb ethnocentrism Seek common ground Observe nonverbal cues in your culture Use simple English Adapt to local Preferences