The value of cross cultural communication is becoming widely recognised among multinational countries, particularly now that “business has turned more and more into an integrated world market” (Huang, L. (2010), this view particularly looks with regards to Australia. Australia is entering into a more global trade and becoming a more diverse culture with a report stating that in 2010 Australia was the second most multicultural nation in the world (Griffiths, (2010)). It is becoming more and more evident how important cross-cultural communication is on a multinational country like Australia. It is in Australia’s best interest to develop an understanding of cross cultural communication and the positive effects it can have when executed in the right manner, because being aware of differences and being sensitive to the needs of people from other cultures allows the business that is involved in multinational countries to continue their work easier and more efficiently. Cross cultural communication looks at ways in which people from different cultural backgrounds are able to communicate. Huang (2010) believes that the key to effective cross-cultural communication in business negotiation is knowledge. “Knowledge in the area of cultural differences can greatly enhance one's ability to interact with, motivate and influence people from other cultures successfully.”(Balsmeier, Heck, (1994). If there is a lack of knowledge when dealing with cross-cultural communication it can lead to misunderstandings. This paper will begin by discussing the recognized vitality of cross cultural communication in Australian global organisations and highlight some strategies on how to promote and implement them in the workplace. It will then talk about how to pr...
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...understanding of the multiple diverse cultures out there that are dealt with in everyday international business life.
This is a major contributor to employment advantages and opportunities as currently Australian businesses are constantly dealing interactively and socially with organizations across the globe. Not only are these fundamental principles, but vital and necessary in the completion of successful and effective business strategy, communication with global sources, for maintenance of business relationships and for the overall efficiency and well-being of employees in Australia. Co-operative firms are the best firms because they have overcome the cultural communication barriers and have improved their vitality and conditions through implementing a program that educates each individual how to counteract situations that could create a harmful consequence.
In this essay I will be addressing the argument if there is a collision of “two cultures” in this book. I will look at the fact the Hmong people have their own medical practices that is completely different from the western medicine practices. I will look at the fact that the Hmong and the doctors did not communicate well and that it’s hard for those people of different cultures to understand one another.
Intercultural communication is a significant, unavoidable element of communication in the 21st century. With the vast movements of population throughout history, as well as the growing prominence of technology, the ability to interact and come into contact with different cultures, both ethnic and sub-cultures, has never been easier. However, with this growing role of intercultural communication, there is a large opportunity for the existence and perpetuation of stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. In order to avoid offence and miscommunication when partaking in intercultural communication, a person must be willing to understand a person as an individual entity, and not as a representation of their culture or of what the host culture may believe it to be.
Doing this allows the individual to be aware of why and how culture affect their lives and the way they interact with others from differing cultures (Quappe & Cantatore, 2003). It is this awareness that enables individuals to develop cultural intelligence, which is the understanding of how individual culture may be construed by others and how to adapt behaviours in order to improve communication. An understanding of both these concepts allows individuals to develop strategies to implement to avoid miscommunication between themselves and people of differing cultures. The development of both cultural self-awareness and cultural intelligence is integral to efficient and acceptable cross-cultural communication (Brislin, Worthley & Macnab,
In Hall’s article, “Context and Meaning” it is revealed to us the importance in cross cultural communication. Context can be defined as the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed. Cross cultural communication is important because it creates diversity and understanding between the workers. In this essay the reader is provided with sufficient evidence to identify the staging of context with such importance to cross culture communication, teach about culture and joint cooperatives, and business transaction, and help create a diverse workforce.
The word 'culture' is often described in terms of concrete ideas or social artifacts. Gary R. Weaver describes some common conceptions such as "good taste," "art or music," or "something that people in exotic foreign lands had."1 However, culture in the context of international assignments relates to how people perceive the world and the influence this perception has on their actions. It is culture on the interpersonal level. Different cultures can perceive the same thing differently, which leads to miscommunication and misunderstanding when one crosses into another culture not their own.
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 a great deal about different cultures and the communication between those cultures. I didn’t really think I would learn as much as I did. I am from an older cohort than most of the people in my class; therefore my experience level is a little greater. This did not prevent me from learning a few things and enhancing the knowledge I already have.
The term “culture” refers to the complex accumulation of knowledge, folklore, language, rules, rituals, habits, lifestyles, attitudes, beliefs, and customs that link and provide a general identity to a group of people. Cultures take a long time to develop. There are many things that establish identity give meaning to life, define what one becomes, and how one should behave.
I wasn 't quite sure what I was getting into when I first enrolled in Intercultural Communications. I had assumptions as to the goals of the course such as I would be learning about the way cultures interact with each other, learn about communication in general, or I would be learning about the ways we use communication through our culture. I think that I achieve the latter goal, but I also gained knowledge about more then just my culture. I came to realize that there is more to a culture than just language, appearances, and customs, which are aspects of culture that could be seen above the waterline, or they are more noticeable/obvious to someone outside of that culture. There are aspects of culture that are below the waterline, or more
As I mentioned earlier, I thought I had very good understanding of cross cultural communication. I did not know if I would gain much in this class before I decided to take this class. For me, cross cultural communication was about talking with people with different cultures backgrounds. For example, two people are from two different countries; the communication between them is cross culture. However, I found that cross cultural communication is a more complex thing than I ever thought. The definition of cross cultural communication can be defined as the ability to successfully form, foster, and improve relationships with members of a culture different from one’s own. It is based on knowledge of many factors, such as the other culture’s values, perceptions, manners, social structure, and decision-making practices, and an understanding of how members of the group communicate—verbally, non-verbally, in person, in writing, and in various business and social contexts, to name but a few. I know this is a long definition. It is not as simple as I ever thought.
Many people who go to visit or work in another country suffer some misunderstanding from the local people, because they have a different culture. Different culture will cause disparity points of view about almost everything. In the article, Intercultural Communication Stumbling Blocks by Laray M. Barna, there are five stumbling blocks mentioned that are seen in a cross-culture communication. These blocks are: language, nonverbal signs and symbols, preconceptions and stereotypes, the tendency to evaluate and high anxiety. Barna wants to use these stumbling blocks to show the common blockades between different cultures. I agree with what she thinks about the language, nonverbal signs and symbols, preconceptions and stereotypes, and the tendency
Humans have been communicating since four million years. On the other hand, the birth of culture is estimated to have taken place about 35,000 years ago. Today, both culture and communication have evolved considerably and have become interdependent of one another, to the point that communication is considered to be a product of culture. Thus, our own culture has a deep impact on our thoughts and behaviors. Since each culture has its distinct aspects, intercultural communication can be the cause of conflict and disorder. There are three main issues which are at the root of the problem of intercultural miscommunication : language as a barrier, cultural diversity and ethnocentrism. I will analyze these three notions in situations in which intercultural communication is frequent such as : the workplace, the classroom and vacation trips.
With the rapid growth in globalization there are a number of firms who have taken their businesses abroad. Their challenge, cross cultural management and communication. An effective communication strategy begins first with understanding who the sender of the message is and who the receiver of the message is. Many companies have realized this and offer training in the different cultures to help better facilitate communication between leaders (Cross-Cultural Communication, mindtools.com). Without this basic understand between sender and receiver it can be very difficult for companies of multicultural to even begin to communicate. The second important understanding is that leaders must demand a cultural tolerance of acceptable behavior between cultures to facilitate effective communication (Cross-Cultural Communication, mindtools.com).
The intimacy between culture and communication exists in the fact that actors interact by way of communication which is a technique used to continue the established patterns of meaning, thinking, feeling and acting. There are common characteristics in most definitions of culture. These characteristics are that culture is shared and is a stable construct, consisting of patterns, values, symbols, meanings, beliefs, assumptions and expectations. The characteristics of culture mean that culture is socially constructed and, therefore, must be learned.
Abstract: Globalization has made intercultural communication inevitable. Communicating with other cultures characterizes today’s business, classroom, and community. Technology, especially the internet, has increased the probability that whatever is documented online will be read by someone from another culture. Intercultural communication is of importance in any career field, thus the art of knowing how to communicate with other cultures should be a workplace skill that is emphasized. This is a conceptual paper whose purpose is twofold.