AUD - School of Engineering

Department of Civil Engineering

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN DUBAI

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF
CIVIL ENGINEERING

ECVL 499 Field Experience in Civil Engineering

Assignment # 03

By: Ali Khalaf

Submitted to: Dr. Adnan El Nasan

11 June, 2015

AUD - School of Engineering

Department of Civil Engineering

Answer 1:
One of the common communication problems that I have faced when
working in a team is the difference in language. The languages that I speak are
only Arabic and English and hence I have faced problems when communicating
with foreigners who havent yet had the time to master or learn any of the two
languages. This communication problem can be resolved by applying effective
body language and gestures to convey the desired message and avoiding the use
of a complicated vocabulary that will not be understandable to the receiver.
Another problem to effective communication is the psychological state of the
receiver. I encountered this problem especially in university life during the times
of the exams. Most of the students are very stressed during this stage of the
semester and that could act as an obstacle to effective communication between.
This problem can be solved by trying to calm the student down and help him
regain his focus to address the studies more effectively and remove the barrier to
effective communication. If I were encountered with any of these problems again I
would deal with it the same way because it is the most effective way to deal with
communication problems.
Answer 2:
1. Greeting: In some cultures it could be unacceptable to handshake and
hug a person from the opposite gender while it is considered a sign of
love and affection in other countries. The solution is to avoid
handshakes or politely decline if unacceptable.
2. Time: In many parts of the Arab world, it is socially acceptable to be
slightly late to meetings while in countries like Japan or Europe; this
could be a serious issue. This is avoided by strictly emphasizing the
time of meetings and imposing penalties if necessary.
3. Religion: Each religion has specific beliefs, celebrations, and
practices. All religions were treated with respect and understanding. As
a friendly gesture, congratulating messages were always sent for Eid,
Christmas, and Diwali.
4. Clothing: A lot of people wear their native clothes especially in Dubai
such as Thob or Abaya. Unless a specific dress code is required then
the person is allowed to wear their native clothes.
5. Dodging Eye Contact: Many countries especially in Asia consider
avoiding eye contact a sign of respect. However, in other parts of the
words it could be considered a sign of focus given to the person who is
talking.