CROSS-CULTURE COMMUNICATION

The reasonable person adapts himself to the world,

while the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt
the world to himself
 What is a culture?
Culture is the "lens" through which you view the
world.
It is central to what you see,
How you make sense of what you see,
How you express yourself.

"Culture is the arts elevated to a set of

beliefs."
Tom Wolfe
Four Fundamental Patterns of Cultural Difference

What is different?

1. Communication Styles
2. Attitudes toward conflicts
3. Decision making style
4. Approaches to knowing

What is hidden below the surface?

1. Beliefs
2. Values
3. Expectations
4. Attitudes
 Why Cross Culture
Communication is important ?
Business Opportunities
Job Opportunities
Improves the contribution of employees in a
diverse workforce
Sharing of views and ideas
Talent improvisation
An understanding of diverse market
 High Context and Low Context Cultures

High Context Culture:- Cultures that rely heavily on non-

verbal and subtle situational cues in communication.

Low Context Culture:- Cultures that rely heavily on

words to convey meaning in communication.
High Context and Low Context Cultures

In high-context cultures, messages are implicit and

indirect
Voice intonation, timing, and facial expressions play
important roles in conveying information

In low-context cultures, people often meet only to

accomplish objectives and tend to be direct and
focused in their communications
 Elaborate and succinct styles
Three degrees of communication quantity elaborate, exacting, and
succinct.

The elaborating style is more popular in high-context cultures that

have a moderate degree of uncertainty avoidance

The exacting style focuses on precision and the use of the right
amount of words to convey the message and is more common in
low-context, low-uncertainty-avoidance cultures

The succinct style is more common in high-context cultures with

considerable uncertainty avoidance where people tend to say few
words and allow understatements, pauses, and silence to convey
meaning
 Verbal communication styles
Contextual style
is one that focuses on the speaker and relationship
of the parties
Contextual style is often associated with high-
power distance, collective, high-context cultures
Personal style
focuses on the speaker and the reduction of
barriers between the parties
Personal style is more popular in low-power-
distance, individualistic, low-context cultures
 Affective style: collective, high-context cultures
is characterized by language that requires the listener to
note what is said and to observe how the message is
presented
The meaning is often nonverbal and requires the receiver
to use his or her intuitive skills to decipher the message
Instrumental style: individualistic, low-context cultures
is goal oriented and focuses on the sender who clearly
lets the other party know what he or she wants the other
party to know.
 Non-Verbal Communication
Differences

In USA, the cheapest, most effective way to connect with

people is to look them into the eye.
Most people in Arab culture share a great deal of eye contact
and may regard too little as disrespectful.

In English culture, a certain amount of eye contact is required,

but too much makes many people uncomfortable.
In South Asian and many other cultures direct eye contact is
generally regarded as aggressive and rude.
Case in Point : Gesture
Gestures

A motion of the hands, head or body to emphasize an

idea or emotion.

How can a Gestures distort the message..

Perfect! OK! Zero! Rubbish!

Worthless!
 USA=OK JAPAN=MONEY

RUSSIA=ZERO BRAZIL=INSULT
How can the same Gestures be treated differently in
different cultures
 Gestures Around the World

Western - Do you have a telephone ?

Brazil - Cuckold (Your wife is cheating to you)
USA - Sign for the Texas Long Horns
Blocks to Cultural Communication

1. Ethnocentrism : Inability to accept another culture's world view;

"my way is the best."

2. Discrimination : Differential treatment of an individual due to

minority status; actual and perceived; e.g., "we just aren't equipped to
serve people like that."

3. Stereotyping : Generalizing about a person while ignoring presence

of individual difference; e.g., "she's like that because she's Asian all
Asians are nonverbal."
4.Cultural Blindness: Differences are ignored and one proceeds as
though differences did not exist; e.g., "there's no need to worry about a
person's culture

5.Cultural Imposition: Belief that everyone should conform to the

majority; e.g., "we know what's best for you, if you don't like it you can
go elsewhere."

6.Tone Difference : Formal tone change becomes embarrassing and

off-putting in some cultures.
DEVELOPING CROSS CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
 Tact is the ability to see others as they see
themselves. (Abraham Lincoln)
To handle yourself, use your head; to handle
others, use your heart.
Donald Laird
 Skills To Overcome Differences

Understanding Body Language

United States of America
Americans tend to refrain from greetings that involve hugging and other
close physical contact.
When sitting, U.S. citizens often look very relaxed. They may sometimes
sit with the ankle of one leg on their knee.
Arab Countries
The left hand is considered unclean in the Arab countries.
When sitting, keep both feet on the ground.
The "thumbs up" sign is offensive throughout the Arab world.
South Korea
Bows are used for expressing appreciation, making apologies and
requests, as well as for greetings and farewells.
When the Japanese want to give the impression that they are in deep
thought, they will sometimes fold their arms.
Things To Remember While Interacting And Connecting
With People
Business Attire
Selecting and Presenting Business Gifts
Selecting and Presenting gifts
Unwrapping gifts

Saudi Arabia - Gifts are opened in private.

USA - Gifts are opened in public
Appreciated Gifts
Indonesia - Gifts, such as tokens memento of your country or
your company logo
Turkey - Wine or liquor if you are sure your hosts drink alcohol,
Candy, pastries & Roses, Glassware, such as a vase, goblet, or decanter
make prized gifts

 Gifts to avoid

UAE - Alcohol / perfumes containing alcohol and

pork and pigskin products to be avoided
China - Do not give anything in sets of four or gifts
that carry the association of death, funerals such as
clocks, cut flowers, white objects.
 Handshakes
How you do it:

The handshake should be firm.

While shaking hands establish eye contact and

always smile

The person who initiates the handshake is the

one who closes it.
Welcome topics of communication
Welcome Topics of Conversation:
Indonesia: Family, travel/tourism, sports,
praising the local cuisine, future plans and
success of the group or organization
Germany: Sports--particularly soccer, tennis,
current events, politics, among those who
imbibe, beer is often a good topic of
conversation
 Topics to avoid
Indonesia: Politics, corruption, criticism of Indonesian ways,
commenting on Indonesian customs that you find peculiar,
religion
Saudi Arabia: Middle Eastern politics and International oil
politics, Israel, criticizing or questioning Islamic beliefs,
women/ inquiries or complimentary remarks about the
female family members of your Saudi associates
South Korea: Korean politics/local politics, The Korean War,
Socialism and Communism, Japan and your contacts in
Japan, your host's wife, Personal family matters
Germany: World War II, personal questions
TEN Pre-cautions in Cultural Communication

1. Slow Down
2. Separate Questions
3. Avoid Negative Questions
4. Take Turns
5. Write it down
6. Be Supportive
7. Check Meanings
8. Avoid Slangs
9. Watch the humour
10. Maintain Etiquette
Business in Todays Scenario is not a National Match but is an
Olympics, where there are International Players. Only that Individual /
Company can survive which has done its homework well & developed its
uniqueness.