Our world is becoming increasingly connected and global and the role of international business is increasing. Each country has its own set of unique customs and traditions. Each citizen's beliefs define the cultures by which each citizen abides by in normal everyday life, thus serving as the very foundation of the country. For example, in Saudi Arabia a citizen convicted of stealing will have his hand cutoff. In the United States, a citizen convicted of stealing would possibly receive only short term probation. The American Heritage Dictionary defines culture as, "The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought characteristic of a community or population." Seemingly minuet gestures or situations which carry different meanings in particular cultures can make or break business deals. Global managers from the United States or from any other nation have to be aware of the various cultural differences. Injecting certain specific skills, such as diversity training for expatriate managers, will bridge the gap between cultural differences such as language, religion, and values.
The language barrier, which is also a difficult hurdle to encompass, serves as one of the most obvious cultural differences. A manager can delegate a task to be accomplished within a US based division and reap the expected results immediately. On the other hand, if an international manager is not familiar with the English language or culture, the same task may yield a different result. Language is the transmitter of both information and ideas. "The key to global competency is to develop the skills to cope, and that means integrating into the dominant culture and realizing how to properly interpret and analyze behavior" (Hayes, 1996). Being bilingual increases the advantage that foreign business partners have in interacting together. It nullifies the need of a third party translator. Business partners tend to be more open and receiving when communicating with bilingual personnel who speak there native language. "An understanding of the language allows the manager to pick up particular points of view, implied meanings, and other information that is not literal" (Moreno, 2006).
One also has to be mindful of unspoken language. Unspoken language includes implied hands gestures, facial expressions, physical greetings, eye contact, and the manipulation of personal space (Moreno, 2006). One great example illustrating the body language barrier between different cultures can be taken from a simple thumbs up. In the US, it is perceived as "all right" or "ok", but in Italy this gesture is professed as being vulgar! Languages are only the beginning when coming to conclusions about cultural differences, religion also plays a huge role.
Things like hand signals are different culturally for example in the United States the sign for ok is exactly as described meaning something is ok. But in Brazil the sign for OK is looked as an equivalent to someone giving you the middle finger in the United States. One last example would be personal space is different in different cultures. Here in the United States most people have a personal space bubble that is about maybe two feet away and someone getting in your space to talk to you can be uncomfortable. In other cultures though the personal space bubble doesn’t exist so much. Some come could be a few inches from your face and it would be completely acceptable in their culture to have a conversation that way. The examples of nonverbal communication difficulties could be endless because there are so many diverse cultures and communicating may be acceptable one way in a certain culture but not acceptable in the
It’s important to study and understand a culture and its norms before assimilating yourself into it so that you do not break a serious social norm, whether it be verbal or nonverbal. According to our book, “Nonverbal communication is an ever-present form of human expression,” and you are always communicating messages even if they are not stated explicitly. Nonverbal cues are there for a reason and they help us to form relationships when we learn how to pick up on those cues commonly used by certain people in our interpersonal relationships. Nonverbal norms help to shape our society in deciding what’s acceptable, help us to establish interpersonal relationships, and help us form a part of our
Nonverbal behavior is channeled by norms and most of us abide by them without being aware of them. Physical appearance, gesture and body movement, face and eye behavior, vocal behavior, personal space, touch, scent/smell, and time are all forms of nonverbal communication behavior. Norms differ amongst various cultures, ethnic, and geographic groups. There are endless ways and forms to violate nonverbal norms, and by doing so can lead to a barrier in communication, which are problematic to distinguish.
When involved in global affairs with another country, it is beneficial to be able to understand and speak the same language. Being monolingual severely hampers an individual 's ability to negotiate and be involved in global affairs. It was published by a website for higher education that, “At the risk of schematizing his account too severely, this means: more Arabic for national security and more Mandarin, Hindi, and en passant, Korean for the economy” (Berman). When involved with other countries, there is often a language barrier that hinders communication. It is very difficult to negotiate with another
Written communication is expressing oneself clearly, using language with precision, constructing a logical argument, note taking, editing and summarizing, and writing reports.(Spears, R. A. (2001). When doing business with a foreign country such as Brazil, one needs to also factor in the countries political history, religion, and culture of your audience.
This is also why language can be so difficult and dangerous because all over the world, people have their own way of communicating, and a gesture or action in one country may be significantly differ from
Culture has always been a driving force in understanding nonverbal communication as nonverbal communication is highly influenced by the cultural differences as the context of the culture defines how the communication/message is interpreted in certain cultures. “Communication occurs within a context but the context is particularly important in relation to non-verbal communication” (Tyler, Kossen & Ryan, 2005, p.185). Culture defines the messages perceived by the non-verbal communication. For instance, proxemics. “Proxemics refers to the spatial relationship or how we use space.” (Tyler, Kossen & Ryan, 2005, p.190) Culture plays an important role in defining the use of one’s personal space in the nonverbal communication process. For example, in North America people usually remain at a distance from one another when talking while Latin American people stay very close when talking. (Wood, 2009). This defines the use of the privacy or personal space in two different cultures. H...
In conclusion, Barna discusses the five stumbling blocks in cross-cultural, and I overall agree with the four stumbling blocks, which are the language, nonverbal signs and symbols, preconceptions
Since culture is different and unique in every society, some negotiations between country's can be affected by the culture difference. Great cultural distance in international companies can damage the dignity of the company and overall business in the long-term run. A cultural mistake can cause a decrease in customer amount as they leave away; it can cause problems for a company through pressure groups and general public outrage, attracting negative feedback in the process. The decrease in the customer amount means less income and less profit. People offended by cultural mistakes committed by companies can sue the companies which can result in fines or settlement pay-outs mainly in a money loss.
The difference in languages can cause different perceptions of various cultures leading to distinctions or possible clashes. When I lived in France I faced some of the problems a language barrier can cause. The most common and at the same time most irritating problem of language is the inability to translate word for word as some words just don’t have a direct translation into another language. These are normally colloquialisms for example “up the apples and pears” does not translate into “monter les pommes et les poires.” This would cause people to look at you in a very strange manner wondering what on earth you were talking about and it’s not only verbal language which creates different perceptions of people. Body language, such as hand movements and voice intonation can determine or change someone’s perception of a culture. The following paragraphs will illustrate the way language can be misconstrued.
The way people communicate varies widely between, and even within, cultures. One aspect of communication style is language usage. Language has always been perceived as a link between people but it can also constitute a barrier. Across cultures, some words and phrases are used in different ways. For example, even in countries that share the English language, the meaning of "yes" varies from "maybe, I'll consider it" to "definitely so," with many shades in between . Furthermore, communication between cultures which do not share the same language is considerably more difficult . Each culture, has its distinct syntax, expressions and structure which causes confusion in intercultural communication. For example , in Asian countries the word “no” is rarely used, so that “yea” can mean “no” or “perhaps”. Therefore, an American traveling to Japan might be considered impolite if he ignores this rule. Furthermore, individuals who are not comfortable with a certain language may not be taken seriously. Such is the case in the classroom, where a student who has a perfect knowledge of the subject in question may have difficulty expressing his idea due to his inability to write properly and therefore he would not receive the grade he truly deserves. Similarly intercultural communication is dominant in the workplace. In the past, many companies and organizations could operate entirely within their country of origin and conduct their activities exclusively in their own native language. But now, due...
Depending on the culture and society will determine how a leader should approach and create an effective communication process. Whether it be having classes or hiring translators. There are many tools and solutions to problems that can help companies overcome them. This is the main challenge of companies abroad. Because there CEO deals with so many different countries, cultures and societies they must learn to quickly adapt to change. They must have a plan of communication established and it should appeal to the culture they are presenting to. Without this most important quality, this is what could make or break a company looking to expand itself.
The differences in other cultures vary from beliefs to ways of life, or norms, of the different societies. The importance of understanding and sensitivity to other countries’ differences is crucial to a business’ success. “Lack of familiarity with the business practices, social customs, and etiquette of a country can weaken a co...
I have learned about body language, and the tone of ones voice and the words you choose can make a difference in the way the message is received. Again, I think that this course has introduced me to a meaning and understanding of these types of messages that are more in depth, and complex then I expected. I feel as though the verbal codes are still a little confusing to me. For some of the codes, I can figure them out by looking at the prefix of a word such as morphology; the smallest form meaning in a language, and phonology; the combining of basic sound units of a language. For others, I wasn 't aware that there were words that define a concept, such as semantics, which is the study of the meaning of words. The majority of nonverbal messages in intercultural communication make sense to me. I can think of examples of when they are used in everyday life, but I think it is interesting that we, as least I, do not think of them when we they actually occur. For example, when I talk I do not think of the nonverbal behaviors I am doing that are tied to what I am saying, or illustrators. However, there are a few messages that are so close in similarity that I do have to think about them, such as the difference between regulators and vocalics, and proximity and
Therefore, this is able to encourage the ability to communicate and appreciate the depth and diversity of the world. Communication with two different countries, or three, or four, will further bring the world closer together, in hopes of closing the divide between some countries. By learning a second language, it can significantly broaden your native language as it gives you stronger vocabulary skills, improved literacy skills and a better understanding of the grammar and construction of your own native language. Furthermore, this can help you in other educational studies. Though it is possible to travel to another country without acquiring the native language, the experience you will have is greatly diminished as you will not see beyond the surface of their culture. Additionally, knowing the native language makes travelling easier, by being able to order meals in restaurants, ask and understand directions. Additionally, it makes it easier to find accommodation, it’s more enjoyable, informative and more satisfying. You are able to further understand and appreciate international literature, music and films, by being able to understand word plays, innuendoes, cultural references, metaphors and further improve your ability to speak the