INTERCULTURAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

OVERVIEW

CONCLUSION

GESTURES

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

EYE CONTACT

UNDERSTANDING NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

UNDERSTANDING NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

The process of communication through sending

and receiving wordless gestures

between people

Represents two-thirds of all

communications

Speakers may use many different

signals at the same time

The listeners might receive the wrong messages if they interpreted the body language

differently

UNDERSTANDING NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

To some extent, people are able to manipulate the signals consciously but in many cases, people send nonverbal signals without being aware of doing so.

Often the different meaning in nonverbal signals can lead to uncomfortable feeling without being aware of why they are uncomfortable.

Understanding different meaning of nonverbal signals in different cultures can help people to reduce the uncomfortable feeling and misunderstanding that may happen.

EYE CONTACT

EYE CONTACT

EYE CONTACT

In most cultures, superiors have more freedom to look at subordinates than

the other way around.

Eye contact

Power and perceived power

EYE CONTACT IN DIFFERENT CULTURES

Examples of different eye contact interpretations for different cultures.

Traditionally, men can look more at women than women can look at men. This is also the culture of most Southern European countries and South America.

In majority of Moslem countries, ogling at the other sex may be interpreted as a form of sexual harassment and may even have legal consequences.

In United States, it is customary to look at the speaker’s mouth while listening but make eye contact interchangeably with the eyes of a listener when speaking.

In China, the speaker focuses on the listener with sustained, unbroken eye contact, but the listener does not make eye contact or look at the speaker’s face consistently.

EYE CONTACT

Eye Contact as a Sign of Honesty Eye Contact as a Sign of Invasion of Privacy

In North American and majority of European countries, eye contact shows openness, trustworthiness, and integrity. Avoiding the direct eye contact is considered shifty, untrustworthy, and make the listener suspicious.

In Indonesia, staring at someone straight in the eyes is considered staring. Avoid prolonged eye contact, which may be viewed as a challenge and may cause anger.

Arab men use very intense eye contact and concentrate on eye movement to read real intentions, since they believe that eyes do not lie. However, eye contact between men and women is forbidden.

In Japan, to look at someone in the eye is to invade the particular person’s space and is considered rude. They want to preserve their private space bubble and therefore, avoiding direct eye contact.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

Spoken words often accompanied by distinct facial expressions.

Most of the time, the sincerity of the words can also be read from what kind of facial expression the speaker has.

Many facial expression carry similar meaning in different cultures.

However, the frequency and intensity of their use may vary.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS: SMILE

The various meanings of smile throughout different cultures

Everyone in United States smiles at everyone in an attempt to appear open and friendly. However, to other cultures, their smile often appears as insincere and frozen.

Germans do not smile as much as people in the United States do. They are very reserved, because they view the world not as a pleasant place and think that “Life is severe, and there is very little to smile about.”

In Indonesia, smiling, even toward strangers that accidentally met your eyes are considered polite and could be a social ice-breaker and to sign that you are approachable.

Koreans and Japanese consider it is inappropriate for adults to smile in public, even more, smiling to strangers. One does not show feelings freely and force one’s emotions on anybody else.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS: ANGER

In formal settings, Koreans are expected to behave with dignity and maintain face so as not to violate the emphasis on formality and courtesy.

Middle East men tend to use intense and expressive gestures to show their anger, for instance, verbal tirades accompanied with expression of anger from their whole body.

Japanese hide anger because showing anger openly is considered inappropriate in business contexts. They also seldom raise their voices when angry.

Germans’ shows their anger in controlled manner. Even when their facial expression shows that they are angry, they are still fairly correct in the way they address the opponent.

In Indonesia, negative feelings should be hidden from the people until one has a close in-group relationship with them.

GESTURES: HEAD MOVEMENT

In most cultures, nodding one’s head is seen as agreeing and shaking is rejecting.

However, Bulgarians shake their heads when agreeing.

Likewise, people in India also shake their heads when agreeing.

Nodding not only means saying ‘yes’, but can also means that the person listens to the speaker, understands the topic discussed, and the speaker may progress the discussion, just like the Japanese.

A lowered head signifies defeat or uncertainty in Western culture.

While Asian cultures in general lower their head as a sign of accepting their place in hierarchy.

GESTURES: ARM MOVEMENT

Arm movements take up space and therefore can emphasize the intimidation of the listener because the speaker appears more powerful.

Generally in most cultures, men tend to use larger gestures than women do.

People who are used to expressive gestures often have difficulty recognizing and interpreting subdued gestures since they may be so busy talking with their arms that they don’t realize the body language of the other person.

Likewise, the person from the subdued culture may be overwhelmed by the gestures from the expressive culture that they also has difficulties in understanding it.

GESTURES: ARM MOVEMENT

People in United States tend to pound their fist on the table when they want to emphasize a point in a discussion and underline their statements with staccato drumming of the table, although the women use fewer arm and hand movements.

Since personal space in Japan is limited and big arm movements could invade someone’s private space, Japanese people use far fewer arm movements than United States people.

Arab men use their arms even more excessively than United States men do. Almost every word they say accompanied by gestures and waving the arms. Furthermore, they may touch the listener occasionally.

In Indonesia, rapid or abrupt movements of face, arms, or body are avoided before guests.

GESTURES: POSTURE

Western Culture: standing tall with shoulders back and heads up conveys confidence.

Eastern Culture: The person in lower rank in hierarchy may be expected to lower

themselves when in front of the people with higher rank to show respect. In Indonesia and Malaysia, younger people are expected to bow when

passing elder people. In East, Southeast Asia, and Moslem countries in general, younger people

are expected not to walk in front of elders. Many business discussions being conducted while sitting on floor with legs

crossed (in Arab) or legs tucked under (in Japanese traditional business setting).

Korean and Japanese greets their superior with bow. Men and women have different style of bowing. The higher or more respectable the people they greet are, the deeper their bow.

CONCLUSION

Generally, eye contact is more frequent and more open in the Western culture compares to Eastern culture.

Traditionally, men can look more at women than women can look at men, but in majority of Moslem countries, staring to other sex is considered sexual harassment.

Western culture is also more open in showing their feeling and expression on their face compares to Eastern culture, where their face expressions and gestures are ruled by hierarchy and dignity.

The posture of Eastern people shows their place in the hierarchy more clearly than Western people.

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