Cross-Cultural Communications

in BusinessPreped By Preped By

Solanki HiteshSolanki Hitesh Enroll.130210125115Enroll.130210125115

We’re Going To Talk About…. A Communications A Communications

ModelModel What is “Culture”?What is “Culture”? Good Cross-Cultural Good Cross-Cultural

CommunicatorsCommunicators High-Context CulturesHigh-Context Cultures Low-Context CulturesLow-Context Cultures

A Communications ModelChannel

Sender Message Audience

Feedback

A Better Communications Model

Context

Channel

Sender Message Audience

Feedback

What is Culture??? Provides patterns of Provides patterns of

acceptable behavior & acceptable behavior & beliefs.beliefs.

May be based on….May be based on….NationalityNationalityRace and ReligionRace and ReligionHistorical RootsHistorical Roots……All of the AboveAll of the Above

Good Intercultural Communicators Are….

Aware values & Aware values & behaviors not behaviors not always “right.”always “right.”

Flexible & open to Flexible & open to change.change.

And….. Sensitive to verbal Sensitive to verbal

& nonverbal & nonverbal behavior.behavior.

Aware of values, Aware of values, beliefs, practices of beliefs, practices of other cultures.other cultures.

Sensitive to Sensitive to differences differences withinwithin cultures.cultures.

HIGH CONTEXT VS. LOW CONTEXTCULTURES

High-Context Cultures Infer information from Infer information from

message message contextcontext, rather than , rather than from from contentcontent..

Prefer indirectness, Prefer indirectness, politeness & ambiguity.politeness & ambiguity.

Convey little information Convey little information explicitly.explicitly.

Rely heavily on nonverbal Rely heavily on nonverbal signs.signs.

AsianAsian Latin AmericanLatin American Middle EasternMiddle Eastern

Low-Context Cultures Rely more on Rely more on contentcontent rather than on rather than on contextcontext.. Explicitly spell out Explicitly spell out

information.information. Value directness.Value directness. See indirectness as See indirectness as

manipulative.manipulative. Value written word more Value written word more

than oral statements.than oral statements.

EuropeanEuropean ScandinavianScandinavian North AmericanNorth American

Some Cultural Scenarios

Japan China

India Mexico

JAPANTo help her American Company establish a presence in Japan, Mrs. Torres wants to hire a local interpreter who can advise her on business customs. Ms. Tomari has superb qualifications on paper, but when Mrs. Torres tries to probe about her experience, Ms. Tomari just says, “I will do my best. I will try very hard.” She never gives details about any of the previous positions she has held. Mrs. Torres begins to wonder if Ms. Tamari's résumé is inflated.

CHINAStan Williams wants to negotiate a joint venture between his American firm and a Beijing-based company. He asks Tung-Sen Lee if the Chinese people have enough discretionary income to afford his product. Mr. Lee is silent for a time, and then says, “Your product is good. People in the West must like it.” Stan smiles, pleased that Mr. Lee recognizes the quality of his product, and he leaves a contract for Mr. Lee to sign. Weeks later, Stan still hasn’t heard anything. If China is going to be so inefficient, he wonders if his company should try to do business there.

INDIAGloria Johnson is proud of her participatory management style. Assigned in Bombay on behalf of her U.S.-based company, she is careful not to give orders but to ask for suggestions. But the employees rarely suggest anything. Even a formal suggestion system she established does not work. Worse still, she doesn’t sense the respect and camaraderie that she felt at the plant she managed in Texas. Perhaps the people in India just are not ready for a woman boss.

Cross-Cultural Communications

in BusinessMGT 3003, Business Communication MGT 3003, Business Communication

& Professional Development& Professional DevelopmentDr. Bennie WilsonDr. Bennie Wilson

University of Texas at San AntonioUniversity of Texas at San Antonio