Transcript
Cross-cultural Communicationand Negotiation
Chapter 7
Chapter Outline
The communication process Noise in communication
Direct vs. formal communication Non-verbal communication
Body movement and gestures Space Eye contact Touching
Chapter Outline (2)
Monochronic vs. polychronic time Practical issues in communication
Using interpreters Communication with non-native speakers Avoiding attribution errors
The Communication Process
Communication is the process of transferring meaning from sender to receiver.
MediumReceiver
interpretationSendermeaning
Encoding Decoding
Feedback
The Communication Model
The Communication Process
Encoding: The sender expresses a meaning in a message
Medium: the means that a sender uses to transmit the message
Decoding: the receiver gets the message Interpretation: the receiver tries to understand
the meaning of the message Feedback: The receiver responds to the
message
Noise in Communication
Noise is a factor that causes the receiver to misunderstand the hearer's message. "I wonder if you realize that what you think
you heard is not what I meant to say". "Yes" does not always mean "yes".
Basic Communication Styles
Direct communication: communication that comes to the point and lacks ambiguity
Formal communication: communication that acknowledges rank, titles, and ceremony in prescribed social interaction
Exhibit 12.2: Cultural Differences in Communication Styles
Context is the information that surrounds a communication and helps to convey the message
Low-context societies – U. S. and most northernEuropean countries
Message is explicit and the speaker tries to say precisely what is meant
Direct style: focus on speaker's statements Silence may make people uncomfortable Facial expressions and body language may be easy to
interpret, if you understand the gestures of the speaker's culture
Business meetings are often focused on objectives.
Context of Communication (1)
High-context societies – most Arab and Asian countries Business meetings with new contacts focus
on relationships first. Business comes later. Indirect style: speaker does not spell out his
message Avoid saying "no" Avoid embarrassing people
Context of Communication (2)
Context of Communication (3)
High-context societies (continued) Messages often are implicit: Listener is
expected to de-code verbal and non-verbal cues, such as voice, intonation, timing, body language
Silence is used to understand received messages and decide how to reply
If the culture is neutral (Asia), control body language and facial expressions – if you do not, people will not trust you or respect you.
Exhibit 12.1: Country Differences in High-Context and Low-Context Communication
Nonverbal Communication
Communication without words Gestures and body language Space Touching Eye contact
Non-verbal behaviors differ in different cultures Major source of "noise" or misunderstandings
in cross-cultural communication.
Body Movement
Communication through body movements E.g., facial expressions, body posture Most Asian cultures use bowing to show respect No universal code for what body movements
mean Easy to misinterpret gestures
Space
Use of space to communicate Each culture has appropriate distances for
communication North Americans prefer more distance than
Latin American and Arab cultures Closed offices vs. open offices
Space (2) Distance
Intimate distance is used for very confidential communications
Personal distance is used for talking with family and close friends
Social distance is used to handle most business transactions
Public distance is used when calling across the room or giving a talk to a group
Personal Space in the U.S.
Intimate distance 18”
Personal distance 18” to 4’
Social distance 4’ to 8’
Public distance 8’ to 10’
Seating in a Typical Japanese Office
Touching
Shaking hands, embracing, or kissing when greeting one another. Touching to emphasize a point No touching or low touching
E.g., Japan, U.S., England, and many Northern European countries
Moderate touching E.g., Australia, China, Ireland, and India
Touching E.g., Latin American countries, Italy, and Greece
Eye Contact
Communication through eye contact or gaze U.S. and Canada: people are very
comfortable and expect eye contact to be maintained
China and Japan: eye contact is considered very rude and disrespectful
Monochronic Time
Things are done in a linear fashion. Manager addresses Issue A first and then moves on
to Issue B Time schedules are very important. Time is viewed
as something that can be controlled and should be used wisely Be on time for appointments. Perform services or deliver goods when
promised. Meetings have stated objectives and include only
the people that need to be there.
Polychronic Time
People tend to do several things at the same time
People place higher value on personal involvement than on getting things done on time
Schedules are less important than personal relationships People should be understanding about delays.
In Arab countries, several meetings may be going on in the same room at the same time.
Practical Issues in Cross-Cultural Business Communication
Interpreter’s role: to provide a simultaneous translation of a foreign language Require greater linguistic skills than speaking
a language or translating written documents Have the technical knowledge and vocabulary
to deal with technical details common in business transactions
Have to ensure the accuracy and common understanding of agreements
Successful Use of Interpreters
Spend time with the interpreter Go over technical and other issues with
interpreter for proper understanding Insist on frequent interruptions when
it’s necessary Look for feedback and comprehension
by watching the eyes
Successful use of Interpreters (2)
Discuss the message beforehand Request that your interpreter apologize
for your inability to speak in the local language
Confirm that all key components of the message have been properly comprehended
Communication with Non-native Speakers
Use the most common words with most common meanings
Select words with few alternative meanings
Follow rules of grammar strictly Speak with clear breaks between words Avoid sports words or words borrowed
from literature
Communication with Non-native Speakers (2)
Avoid words or expressions that are pictures
Avoid slang Mimic the cultural flavor of the nonnative
speaker’s language Test your communication success Repeat basic ideas using different words
when your counterpart does not understand
Confirm important aspects in writing
Avoiding Attribution Errors
Attribution: process by which we interpret the meaning of spoken words or nonverbal exchanges Attribute meaning based on our taken-for-
granted cultural expectations Easy to make mistakes of attribution Need to observe carefully Avoid subtleties of a foreign language Avoid complex nonverbal behaviors
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