Barriers to intercultural

communication
Aldira Jasmine R.A
Ayu R. Azzahra
Rosa Nabillah
Sulthan Rafi A.
Barriers in cross-cultural management communication

Some problems of this nature can occur when doing business with foreign
partners, working with foreign colleagues in the same company, or within a joint
venture with a foreign company. Communication problems may happen not only
during meetings or negotiations, but also during informal situations. A barrier can
lead to a business opportunity falling through and/or a business relationship
ending up on the rocks.
Non-verbal behaviour as a barrier
● The cultural dimension of non-verbal behaviour is apparent once the body
language used by interlocutors from diff erent cultures is compared and
contrasted. The interactional nature of face-to-face communication therefore
takes on an intercultural dimension.
● All cultures use forms of body language to communicate, but the meaning of
these forms is subject to diff erent interpretations according to the cultural
background of the interpreter.
Non-verbal interaction
When those interacting come from different cultures, the non-verbal signals used
in a certain context may therefore not only differ but also necessarily influence
other consequent non-verbal signals.

Those communicating across cultures, therefore, must be careful not to assume

that certain gestures have the same meaning as in their own culture. In France, for
example, pulling one’s eyelid down with the forefinger means ‘I don’t believe you!’
In Italy, however, the same gesture means something very diff erent: ‘I’m keeping
an eye on you!’
Non-verbal communication barriers in business
Although verbal communication is essential in business contacts and can be the
main source of misunderstandings between cultures, language diff erences can
be a dominant factor in any communication barrier and can even be an
insurmountable one. Just as with translating from one language to another, it can
be difficult to convey the full meaning and nuances of expression.

However, the way all sorts of feelings are expressed can be so different between
cultures that it can result in representatives of one culture having negative
feelings towards another. Th e creation of such prejudices is not the differences in
themselves but the way in which the diff erences are interpreted.
Assumptions and culture
Cultural assumptions evolve as basic human responses to fundamental problems.
Usunier and Lee (2005) provide a framework for the evaluation of the problems
and combine three dimensions. Assumptions may have: a cognitive dimension,
related to presumptions as to how people think that things work; an affective
dimension, related to the presumed likings of people; and a directive dimension
related to the presumed choices of people.
Barriers
Apart from a system of values, every culture has assumptions that are seldom
tested for their justifiability. These are affirmations, mostly normative in nature,
about what is true and what is not. To be accepted in a culture or subculture, one
has to respect these assumptions.

The problem of interpretation is not a language issue but a cultural one. Th e

words are clear, but the assumptions underlying the words may diff er from
culture to culture. Th is can also be seen in the use of words describing time such
as ‘soon’ or ‘straightaway’.
Perceptions and stereotypes
● Every culture sees its own system of values in a positive light. So when asked to apply a
stereotypical characteristic to itself, every culture listed above could, for example, refer
to itself as being individualistic because in the West this is generally considered to be a
positive trait.
● However, if individuals of a specific nationality within a multicultural group are
confronted with negative rather than positive stereotypes of themselves by other
nationalities, these individuals will, according to Lipianski (1992), not recognise
themselves in the profile made. They will react strongly because they feel personally
under attack and deny belonging to the group being characterised. They will defend
their own personal identity and see their national identity more in terms of ‘them’ rather
than ‘us’.
Identity as an obstacle to communication
However, identity can also appear as an obstacle to communication because the
identity of both interlocutors defi nes and sets the limits of the exchange. The confl icts
of ideas, opinions and interpretations – also in the interpersonal relations between
individuals of different nationalities – refer to identity conflicts: on the one hand there
is the alter ego, namely the double who reflects our own image, and on the other hand
the opponent for whom we feel aversion (Ladmiral and Lipianski, 1989). The perception
of the other always has a projective nature and can only have one’s own culture as
base and reference. This phenomenon is called ethnocentrism and refers to the
values of one’s own culture even when dealing with others who cannot share these
values.
Stereotyping in advertising
In specifically cultural terms, the starting-point for building stereotypes is the norms and
values of the culture concerned. When someone from that culture judges someone from
another culture, the tendency is for that person to do so using his/her norms and values. If
the person being judged does not conform to these in some way through their behaviour – or
simply appearance – then a negative judgement will probably be made.

A stereotype is a series of images created in our minds with regard to a group or groups of
people, in this context: cultural groups. Th ese images are over-generalisations made through
selective perceptions (self-perceptions) and information that corresponds with our beliefs. A
stereotype is therefore a confi rmation of prejudices rather than the result of accurate
observations of reality.
Stereotypes in the Confucian business world
Cazal (1993) raises the question of stereotypes in business relating to Confucianism. He
reminds us of an important characteristic of Confucianism whereby formal value is attached
to status in the sense that a person in a subordinate position must behave in a way that
conforms to that of his interlocutor. Nowadays, however, a subordinate is not expected to
adhere to these Confucian principles.

Foreigners, especially those who have lived in South Korea, observe that Confucianism still
survives in social relations, such as those within the hierarchy based on age, gender and
qualifi cations. Although these people still see that it refl ects a philosophy that rests on the
principle of harmony, they consider the majority of the stereotypes resulting from it as being
negative in nature.
Dealing with stereotypes
It is better when dealing with other cultures not to fi ght against stereotypes and prejudices.
A stereotype is, aft er all, the fi rst stage in the process whereby the existence of another
culture is acknowledged. Nevertheless, cross-cultural researchers are attempting to find
perception areas that cultures share, rather than the differences.

Finally, it should be noted that there is a dynamic element present when two people are
communicating, namely interaction. Not only do the specific characteristics of the speakers
play a role, but also the structure of the situation and the context, as well as time and space.
If you are aware of the barriers when communicating with your interlocutor, this does not
mean that you are able to conduct the conversation well. The variable nature of the
interaction makes every communicative situation unique and therefore unpredictable.