CHAPTER TWO
Communicating Across Cultures
THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF CROSS-CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
Understanding and Communicating with Different Cultures in Business
Importance of cross-cultural communication in businesses:
Understanding customers' needs and addressing them effectively.
Enhancing employee effectiveness within the company.
Creating a comfortable and productive workplace.
Minimizing cultural barriers for a wider range of good people.
Minimizing problems from misinterpretations.
Enriching business and personal life through clear communication.
Being able to communicate across cultures is necessary in these operations.
Specifically, it helps in satisfying customers’ needs, gaining additional business, getting
along with co-workers, hiring good people, and avoiding misinterpretations.
• Learning about cultural differences is crucial for successful business communication.
DIMENSIONS OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCE
culture as “the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one
category of people from another,” and national culture as “that component of our mental
programming which we share with more of our compatriots as opposed to most other world
citizens.’
In other words, cultures are “shared ways in which groups of people understand and interpret the
world.”
Three Major Factors That Affect Culture
Three Major Factors That Affect Culture are topography, history, and religion
1. Topography: The geography of a country influences its culture by shaping how people
live. Natural borders for instance, can lead to more isolated culture. While diverse
climates influence lifestyle and values.
2. History: historical events and governance systems shape national identity and memory,
influencing how people perceive themselves and their interactions with others especially
with foreign countries.
3. Religion: Religion beliefs shape values and behaviors, even if people no longer actively
practice them. For example, Islamic culture norms often prioritize oral communication
over written notes and view detailed planning as subjects to gods will.
By understanding these broads factor business professionals can better communicate across
culture, avoiding ethnocentrism and fostering mutually beneficial relationships.
Body Positions and Movements
Body positions and movement vary significantly across culture impacting communication
For example, squatting is common in Indonesia and Zimbabwe but might be seen as primitive by
Americans, who typically sit.
Similarly, walking styles, gestures, and greetings differ: Americans take longer strides, while
some Asians take quick, short steps.
Gestures like nodding or using hand signs also have varied meanings – what may mean ‘yes’ in
one culture could mean something else in another,
Eye contacts norms differ, with direct eye contact seen as respectful in north America but
potentially rude in Indonesia, Americans have a direct handshake, while Asians often prefer a
gentler one.
Understanding these culture nuances is crucial to avoiding misinterpretations and building
respectful cross-culture connections.
How people walk, gesture, smile, and touch differs from culture to culture.
Understanding others’ body movements is important in cross-cultural communication.
Views and Practices Concerning Factors of Human Relationships
People in different cultures differ in their ways of relating to people.
Specifically, they differ in their practices and thinking concerning time, space, odors,
frankness, social hierarchy, workplace values, and social behavior.
We should not use our own culture's practices as standards for interpreting and evaluating
the practices of those from other cultures.
Instead, we should try to understand other cultures and adapt our communication styles
accordingly.
Adapt Your English to Your Audience
Nonnative English speakers can vary in their language skills, so simplicity is crucial for clear
communication. Avoid pitfalls like double questions and yes/no questions, as they may not
understand slang or differences in meanings. Use open-ended questions and avoid negative
questions. Confirm your understanding and being understood correctly, as similar words can
have vastly different meanings in different cultures.
Explain the language equivalency problem and techniques for minimizing its
effects.
Language equivalency problems are another major cause of miscommunication in A cant
Peale cross-cultural communication, but you can minimize them.
Some words in a language have no equivalent in other languages.
Languages can also differ greatly in terms of grammar and syntax.
As in English, most words in other languages have multiple meanings.
As a result, accurate translation is difficult.
The best advice is to master the language of the nonnative English speakers with whom
you communicate.
Ask questions carefully to make sure you are understood.
‘Try to avoid two-word verbs and colloquial expressions.
Continually check the accuracy of the communication.
Describe what one can do to enhance one’s cross-cultural communication
skills.
Keep in mind the following advice about cross-cultural communication:
Do your research.
Know yourself and your company.
Be aware—and wary—of stereotypes.
Adapt your English to your audience.
Be open to change.
