Intercultural Interaction-A self-study solution

Features•Who am I?•Objective•The Package• Introductory Course•Questions

Who Am I?•Martin Sønderholm Eriksen•Consultant•MA in International Business Communication•Priming & Optimizing• International Business Environment

Objective•Diminish pitfalls•Enhancing Oral Competencies•Cultural Background Knowledge• Importance?▫Several understandings

•Shared platform of engagement

“The Package”•Document Folder•Three-part▫Two basic constituents

Generic material▫One flexible constituent

Situational fitting

First constituent

•Manual•English as Lingua Franca

“Two non-native speakers who engage in English as contact and trade language totransfer opinions and make themselves under-stood in a business situation”

•Goodwill

Contents of the manual•One-way communication▫Presentations▫Lessen the noise▫Clear and concise (level of abstraction)▫Create shared platform

Contents of the manual•Two-way communication▫Debate▫Constructive and respectable▫Avoid assumptions▫Underpin the platform

Pamphlet (Manual)•Quick-guide•Describing differences▫Do’s and Dont’s

•Prototyping

Example•Don’t:▫ Charm & Charisma▫ Don’t be pushy – don’t waste their time▫ Jokes about religion

•Do:▫ Facts – Back up all you say with facts▫ Focus on mutual profits▫ Professional competence

•Nice to know:▫ Personalities are separated from opinions

Manual•Exhaustive•Substantiate and elaborate•Social differences•Cultural backgrounds▫e.g. Power Distance

Example•China:▫ High power distance▫ Unequal distribution of power (hierarchic)▫ Asymmetric interaction

•Denmark:▫ Low power distance▫ Perceive each other as equals – regardles of formal positions▫ Engage in a more involving manner

•Again - Prototyping

Introductory Course•Hosted by Language & Intercultural Processes•Four hour session•Approach•Q&A

Questions?•Thank you for your time…