Description
Describing about cross culture communication, verbal and non verbal.
CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
WHAT DOES A CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTION LOOK LIKE?
Tune in to a political argument between employees from different backgrounds or who are strongly affiliated with particular political groups Watch an interaction with a parent/teacher/supervisor with someone of a different generation. A conversation about the different reaction that you and a friend who comes from a different background have to a TV show or political event Attend a public meeting that involves several constituencies. Intercultural non-interaction reflects cross-cultural issues in another way: notice ways that people cluster and subtly exclude others from joining them.
FIRST SCENARIO: FAST FOOD
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CONTEXT
Place: Drive-through fast food window Time: Around 10 PM on a Wednesday Who was involved? Fast food clerk, customer (me) in car. Gender & age: Clerk was a man probably in his 30s, I am a woman, aged 29. Relationship: Customer / service worker. Never met before. Other relevant characteristics: The man came from Ghana. I am biracial (African-American, German)
DESCRIPTION I waited in line in my car, then ordered a cheeseburger and soft drink. The clerk spoke very softly. His right hand was on the cash register, his left at the window. • When he handed me my order, he looked away briefly, then said to me "Very sorry. In my country, Ghana, it is very rude to do this." I must have looked blank, because he then added, "handing a customer food with this hand." • I sensed that he felt bad, and I said in a bright smile, "Oh, whatever," and gave a wave of my hand. Then I drove away. MY INTERPRETATION Only after I drove away did I realize that he was talking about the left hand being unclean. My mind was (frankly) on getting food and getting home quickly. I think he was probably talking to me as another Black person about something that really made him ashamed. At the time, I reacted in very American mode: I wanted to be friendly, to tell him that he didn't insult me, that everything was fine. And I wanted to get going. In my culture, there's no particular stigma attached to using the left hand, so it didn't seem like a big deal to me.
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POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS
It is possible that in his culture, the taboo against using the left hand is so strong that he can't put aside those feelings when he is in the U.S. even though he knows Americans don't care. Does he apologize to everyone? I think he assumed that a Black American would be more sympathetic, would listen to him as a real person, would honor his African culture. Or maybe it is just a routine courtesy to apologize and he *does* apologize to customers often without thinking much about it.
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EVALUATION
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High context culture meets low context culture: Fast food is a very low context activity. Americans generally expect to order food, get it right away, take it away to eat it. We don?t expect conversation, a relationship with the cashier. The clerk was probably from a more high context culture where interactions with other people was more important than efficiency or speed. Understanding cultural differences does not necessarily mean that you can overcome your own physical and emotional reactions. The clerk still retained his own culture?s values even though he had changed contexts. Keeping your culture to yourself. Cultural differences are complicated and dangerous to talk about in the U.S. When you do, even well-meaning Americans often don't understand what you're saying.
SECOND SCENARIO:COLLEGE ROOMMATES
CONTEXT Place: A college dorm room Time: Around 11 PM on a Monday, in February Who was involved? “Chip”, a sophomore from Connecticut, and “”Yoshio”, who is here for one year as a Japanese exchange student. I (Rick) am also a sophomore, also from New England, and have been friends with Chip since last year. I live in the dorm room next to Chip and Yoshio. Relationship: Chip and Yoshio have been roommates since September Other relevant characteristics and background: Chip is a member of the debate team. I know from previous conversations that he finds Yoshio?s quiet manner boring and sometimes irritating. Yoshio mostly hangs out with other students from Asia and is in the room much more often than Chip.
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DESCRIPTION Chip and I had been talking in his room for about a half hour when Yoshio came back. He said hello and then started to study. The phone rang, Chip didn?t answer it. He said “It is probably for you.” Yoshio began talking Japanese on the phone. His voice was much more animated than before. After about 5 minutes, Chip waved his arms and said “Hey could you take the phone in the hall? Rick and I are having a conversation here! Yoshio stopped talking right away and hung up. He said, “I?m very very sorry, I?ll try to be a better roommate.” He went back to reading his textbook. To me the atmosphere felt very tense, but Chip just said, “Would you quit apologizing all the time? Just take the phone out in the hall next time.” To me he said later “All Yoshio does is say he?s sorry, he?s sorry, but then he goes and does whatever he wants to anyway. Really annoys me.”
MY INTERPRETATION • It seems like Yoshio was an odd combination of noisy and quiet. Sometimes he?s very polite, sometimes he?s rude. I know it isn?t true (because he?s Japanese) but my gut reaction is that he makes apologies because he?s afraid of Chip, but he isn?t really sorry, because he turns around and does the same things again the next day. Also, I suppose Chip and I could have gone to my room to talk, but I figured we were there first, and anyway it is inconsiderate to speak a foreign language when others in the room don?t understand.
THEIR POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS
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I think Chip also thinks that speaking a foreign language in front of him is rude. And I know he?s irritated by the constant apologizing. He?s a debater, he expects people to stand up for themselves, or at least to make a joke of it. He thinks Yoshio should lighten up. Some possible interpretations from Yoshio?s point of view: I have heard that it is important in Japan for people to get along, or at least look like they?re getting along, When Chip makes a blunt request, Yoshio may think it is more serious conflict than it is. Yoshio may think that Chip is insensitive, doesn?t take hints, that a polite person would have left the room because it is easier to go next door with me than for Yoshio to take the phone out in the hall where the reception is bad. Also, it is difficult to speak in a foreign language all day. For him talking in Japanese is probably restful and because it makes sense to him, he forgets that Chip hears it as nonsense sounds.
EVALUATION
This interaction is an example of cultural differences in conflict and of how important language joins and separates people.
Disputes are examples of Action Chains (cultural "recipes" that have a sequence of actions leading to a particular goal.). In this case, the Actions Chains didn't match. Yoshio and Chip come from cultures that have different ways of expressing discomfort. Chip?s background is white working class, and he expresses conflict directly, immediately, verbally. Yoshio tries to be quiet or give an apology. Because they have different “scripts” about conflict, they didn?t pick up each other?s cues very well.
Language is central to culture and identity. Language is a core part of who you are, a boundary between groups. Both these students generally pick friends who come from their own cultural and language background. In this case you could see how language differences created friction and distance between the roommates.
FOUR DIMENSIONS FOR DIVISION OF COUNTRIES
Deal focused (N. Europe, N. America, Australia, NewZealand) vs. relationship focused (Arab, Lain America) ? Formal (emphasis on hierarchy, power, status)(Mexico) vs. informal (egalitarian) ? Rigid time vs fluid time ? Expressive vs reserved
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VERBAL COMMUNICATION STYLES
Indirect and Direct ? Elaborate (Arabic countries); Exacting (England, Germany, Sweden) and Succinct (Japan, Thailand) ? Contextual (in high power distance, collective, high context cultures)and Personal (U.S.) ? Affective (Middle east, Latin America) and Instrumental (Switzerland, Denmark)
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VERBAL COMMUNICATION
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- Cultures may use different standards for loudness, speed of delivery, silence, attentiveness and time to respond to another's point.
Example: Many Native American societies place high value on contemplation and tend, therefore, to feel little responsibility to make immediate responses during conversation.
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Western society has predominantly verbal culture. They communicate with paper, film and conversation. ? For Anglo-Saxons, when A stops, B starts. It is not polite to interrupt. ? In Latin Culture, B will frequently interrupt A and viceversa to show keen interest in conversation ? The pattern of silent communication for oriental languages disturbs the westerner.
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Moment of silence is interpreted as failure to communicate which is a wrong perception. Silence could a mark of respect to other person, if time is taken to process the information without talking.
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VERBAL COMMUNICATION
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Tone of voice ? For some neutral societies, ups and down in speech suggest that speaker is not serious. ? In Latin societies this “exaggerated” shows keen interest in the matter ? Oriental societies have more of monotonous style : self-controlled, it shows respect.
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Higher the position of a person, the lower and flatter would be their voice.
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Be aware of different cultural rules for entering into conversations in progress.
Example: African- American students tend to consider conversations as private between recognized participants. Therefore, anyone, including the teacher, who "butts in" is viewed as an eavesdropper and rebuked.
DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION STYLES
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The way people communicate varies widely between, and even within, cultures. One aspect of communication style is language usage. 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.
DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARD CONFLICT
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Some cultures view conflict as a positive thing, while others view it as something to be avoided. In the U.S., conflict is not usually desirable; but people often are encouraged to deal directly with conflicts that do arise. In fact, face-to-face meetings customarily are recommended as the way to work through whatever problems exist. In contrast, in many Eastern countries, open conflict is experienced as embarrassing or demeaning; as a rule, differences are best worked out quietly. A written exchange might be the favored means to address the conflict.
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO COMPLETING TASKS
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From culture to culture, there are different ways that people move toward completing tasks. Some reasons include different access to resources, different judgments of the rewards associated with task completion, different notions of time, and varied ideas about how relationship-building and taskoriented work should go together.
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO COMPLETING TASKS
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When it comes to working together effectively on a task, cultures differ with respect to the importance placed on establishing relationships early on in the collaboration. Asian and Hispanic cultures tend to attach more value to developing relationships at the beginning of a shared project and more emphasis on task completion toward the end as compared with European-Americans. EuropeanAmericans tend to focus immediately on the task at hand, and let relationships develop as they work on the task. This does not mean that people from any one of these cultural backgrounds are more or less committed to accomplishing the task, or value relationships more or less; it means they may pursue them differently.
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RECONCILING THE SEQUENTIAL AND THE SYNCHRONIC : EXERCISE
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Some managers are arguing about the best ways of improving cycle time and getting products to market when they are needed. There were four possible views : It is crucial to speed up operations and shorten time to market. Time is money. Enemies of tighter schedules and faster deliveries are too much talking and relating to each other. It is crucial to speed up operations and shorten time to market. The faster jobs are done the sooner you can “pass the baton” to colleagues/ customers in the relay race. Just-in –time synchronization of processes and with customers is the key to shorter cycle times. The more processes overlap and run simultaneously the more time saved. Just-in-time synchronization of processes and with customers is the key to shorter cycle times. Doing things faster results in exhaustion and rushed work.
1. 2. 3. 4.
EXERCISE I : FINDINGS
? Answer 1 & 4 show approval of respectively high speed sequences and just-in-time synchronicity, but reject the opposite orientation. ? Answer 2 approves of high-speed sequences and connect it to synchronic processes ? Answer 3 approves of just-in-time synchronicity connected to high speed sequences
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HISPANICS
DIFFERENT DECISION-MAKING STYLES
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The roles individuals play in decision-making vary widely from culture to culture. For example, in the U.S., decisions are frequently delegated -- that is, an official assigns responsibility for a particular matter to a subordinate. In many Southern European and Latin American countries, there is a strong value placed on holding decision-making responsibilities to oneself. When decisions are made by groups of people, majority rule is a common approach in the U.S.; in Japan consensus is the preferred mode. Be aware that individuals' expectations about their own roles in shaping a decision may be influenced by their cultural frame of reference.
DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARD DISCLOSURE
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In some cultures, it is not appropriate to be frank about emotions, about the reasons behind a conflict or a misunderstanding, or about personal information. Keep this in mind when you are in a dialogue or when you are working with others. When you are dealing with a conflict, be mindful that people may differ in what they feel comfortable revealing. Questions that may seem natural to you -- What was the conflict about? What was your role in the conflict? What was the sequence of events? -- may seem intrusive to others. The variation among cultures in attitudes toward disclosure is also something to consider before you conclude that you have an accurate reading of the views, experiences, and goals of the people with whom you are working.
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
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Non-verbal communication includes not only facial expressions and gestures; it also involves seating arrangements, personal distance, and sense of time. In addition, different norms regarding the appropriate degree of assertiveness in communicating can add to cultural misunderstandings. For instance, some white Americans typically consider raised voices to be a sign that a fight has begun, while some Black, Jewish and Italian-Americans often feel that an increase in volume is a sign of an exciting conversation among friends. Thus, some white Americans may react with greater alarm to a loud discussion than would members of some American ethnic or non-white racial groups.
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When we are sad or angry, we can frown, scowl, or even cry. In Arab and Iranian cultures, people express grief openly. They mourn out loud, while people from China, Japan, and Indonesia are more subdued.
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The “Ring” or “OK” gesture has different meaning in different countries. In the USA and in English speaking countries, the ring or OK gesture means “Everything is OK”. In France it can also mean zero or nothing. In Japan it can mean „money, In Indonesia, the ring gesture means zero.
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The thumb-up gesture has three meanings in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. It is commonly used by hitch-hikers who are thumbing a lift, it is an OK signal, it is probably an insult signal. In Italy, when people count from one to five, they use the thumb to mean “one” and the index finger becomes “two”. In Australia, America, England and Indonesia, people count “one” on the index finger and two on the middle finger, hence, the thumb will be number five. In Indonesia, the thumb gesture means good job or response to someone who has completed an excellent job. It also means “delicious” when we taste delicious food. In Indonesia, if we want to stop the public transportation to take us to a certain place, we use the index finger to stop it, not the thumb.
ACHIEVING MULTICULTURAL COLLABORATION
Learn from generalizations about other cultures, but don't use those generalizations to stereotype, "write off," or oversimplify your ideas about another person. The best use of a generalization is to add it to your storehouse of knowledge so that you better understand and appreciate other interesting, multi-faceted human beings.
Practice is the first rule, because it's in the doing that we actually get better at cross-cultural communication. ? Don't assume that there is one right way (yours!) to communicate. Keep questioning your assumptions about the "right way" to communicate. For example, think about your body language; postures that indicate receptivity in one culture might indicate aggressiveness in another.
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Listen actively and empathetically. Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes. Especially when another person's perceptions or ideas are very different from your own, you might need to operate at the edge of your own comfort zone. ? Respect others' choices about whether to engage in communication with you. Honor their opinions about what is going on. ? Stop, suspend judgment, and try to look at the situation as an outsider.
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Don't assume that breakdowns in communication occur because other people are on the wrong track. Search for ways to make the communication work, rather than searching for who should receive the blame for the breakdown.
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Be prepared for a discussion of the past. Use this as an opportunity to develop an understanding from "the other's" point of view, rather than getting defensive or impatient. Acknowledge historical events that have taken place. Be open to learning more about them. Honest acknowledgment of the mistreatment and oppression that have taken place on the basis of cultural difference is vital for effective communication.
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Awareness of current power imbalances -- and an openness to hearing each other's perceptions of those imbalances -- is also necessary for understanding each other and working together. Remember that cultural norms may not apply to the behavior of any particular individual. We are all shaped by many, many factors -- our ethnic background, our family, our education, our personalities -- and are more complicated than any cultural norm could suggest. Check your interpretations if you are uncertain what is meant.
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EFFECTIVE CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Be aware of words, images and situations that suggest that all or most members of a racial group are the same. Example: "Why can't Joe ever be on time?" "He's African American, isn't he?" - Avoid using qualifiers that reinforce racial and ethnic stereotypes. Example: "The articulate korean manager" implies that African American managers typically have low verbal skills. -Avoid racial identification except when it is essential to communication. Example: "Judy, an outgoing student" is preferable to "Judy, an outgoing Hispanic female student." - Be aware of possible negative implications of color symbolism and usage that could offend people or reinforce bias. Example: Terms such as "black magic" or "black market" can be offensive.
- Be aware of rules for attentiveness during conversation. Example: The constant maintenance of eye contact while listening during a conversation often violates a conversational rule in working class Hispanic cultures. Intense eye contact: Arab countries, Latin America, Mediterranean region Firm eye contact: Northern Europe and North America Moderate Eye contact: Thailand, Korea
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- Be aware of rules regarding the distance between speakers during conversation. Example: In some cultures, speakers stand close enough to touch often (Latin America, Mediterranean Region). In other cultures, distance is maintained to denote respect (Asian, Europe, North America).
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- Avoid language that has questionable racial or ethnic connotations. Example: Phrases such as "culturally deprived," "culturally disadvantaged" and "you people" have racist overtones. - Be aware that objects, characters and symbols may reflect different beliefs or values for different groups. - Be aware that cultures may vary in what they consider humorous or taboo. Example: Ethnic humor is often perceived by many groups as evidence of racial prejudice. Discussion of in group cultural rules and behaviors with outsiders is considered taboo within many cultures. Be aware of different rules for taking turns during conversations.
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When Kentucky Fried Chicken entered the Chinese market, to their horror they discovered that their slogan "finger lickin' good" came out as "eat your fingers off"
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Chinese translation also proved difficult for Coke, which took two tries to get it right. They first tried Ke-kou-ke-la because when pronounced it sounded roughly like CocaCola. It wasn't until after thousands of signs had been printed that they discovered that the phrase means "bite the wax tadpole" or "female horse stuffed with wax", depending on the dialect. Second time around things worked out much better. After researching 40,000 Chinese characters, Coke came up with "ko-kou-ko-le" which translates roughly to the much more appropriate "happiness in the mouth".
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When Pepsi entered the Chinese market the translation of their slogan "Pepsi Brings you Back to Life" was a little more literal than they intended. In Chinese, the slogan meant, "Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back from the Grave".
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American Motors tried to market its new car, the Matador, based on the image of courage and strength. However, in Puerto Rico the name means "killer" and was not popular on the hazardous roads in the country.
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Mountain Bell Company tried to promote its telephone and services to Saudi's. Its ad portrayed an executive talking on the phone with his feet propped up on the desk, showing the soles of his shoes-- something an Arab would never do!
ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE AND NATIONAL CULTURES
doc_596329114.pptx
Describing about cross culture communication, verbal and non verbal.
CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
WHAT DOES A CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTION LOOK LIKE?
Tune in to a political argument between employees from different backgrounds or who are strongly affiliated with particular political groups Watch an interaction with a parent/teacher/supervisor with someone of a different generation. A conversation about the different reaction that you and a friend who comes from a different background have to a TV show or political event Attend a public meeting that involves several constituencies. Intercultural non-interaction reflects cross-cultural issues in another way: notice ways that people cluster and subtly exclude others from joining them.
FIRST SCENARIO: FAST FOOD
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CONTEXT
Place: Drive-through fast food window Time: Around 10 PM on a Wednesday Who was involved? Fast food clerk, customer (me) in car. Gender & age: Clerk was a man probably in his 30s, I am a woman, aged 29. Relationship: Customer / service worker. Never met before. Other relevant characteristics: The man came from Ghana. I am biracial (African-American, German)
DESCRIPTION I waited in line in my car, then ordered a cheeseburger and soft drink. The clerk spoke very softly. His right hand was on the cash register, his left at the window. • When he handed me my order, he looked away briefly, then said to me "Very sorry. In my country, Ghana, it is very rude to do this." I must have looked blank, because he then added, "handing a customer food with this hand." • I sensed that he felt bad, and I said in a bright smile, "Oh, whatever," and gave a wave of my hand. Then I drove away. MY INTERPRETATION Only after I drove away did I realize that he was talking about the left hand being unclean. My mind was (frankly) on getting food and getting home quickly. I think he was probably talking to me as another Black person about something that really made him ashamed. At the time, I reacted in very American mode: I wanted to be friendly, to tell him that he didn't insult me, that everything was fine. And I wanted to get going. In my culture, there's no particular stigma attached to using the left hand, so it didn't seem like a big deal to me.
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POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS
It is possible that in his culture, the taboo against using the left hand is so strong that he can't put aside those feelings when he is in the U.S. even though he knows Americans don't care. Does he apologize to everyone? I think he assumed that a Black American would be more sympathetic, would listen to him as a real person, would honor his African culture. Or maybe it is just a routine courtesy to apologize and he *does* apologize to customers often without thinking much about it.
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EVALUATION
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High context culture meets low context culture: Fast food is a very low context activity. Americans generally expect to order food, get it right away, take it away to eat it. We don?t expect conversation, a relationship with the cashier. The clerk was probably from a more high context culture where interactions with other people was more important than efficiency or speed. Understanding cultural differences does not necessarily mean that you can overcome your own physical and emotional reactions. The clerk still retained his own culture?s values even though he had changed contexts. Keeping your culture to yourself. Cultural differences are complicated and dangerous to talk about in the U.S. When you do, even well-meaning Americans often don't understand what you're saying.
SECOND SCENARIO:COLLEGE ROOMMATES
CONTEXT Place: A college dorm room Time: Around 11 PM on a Monday, in February Who was involved? “Chip”, a sophomore from Connecticut, and “”Yoshio”, who is here for one year as a Japanese exchange student. I (Rick) am also a sophomore, also from New England, and have been friends with Chip since last year. I live in the dorm room next to Chip and Yoshio. Relationship: Chip and Yoshio have been roommates since September Other relevant characteristics and background: Chip is a member of the debate team. I know from previous conversations that he finds Yoshio?s quiet manner boring and sometimes irritating. Yoshio mostly hangs out with other students from Asia and is in the room much more often than Chip.
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DESCRIPTION Chip and I had been talking in his room for about a half hour when Yoshio came back. He said hello and then started to study. The phone rang, Chip didn?t answer it. He said “It is probably for you.” Yoshio began talking Japanese on the phone. His voice was much more animated than before. After about 5 minutes, Chip waved his arms and said “Hey could you take the phone in the hall? Rick and I are having a conversation here! Yoshio stopped talking right away and hung up. He said, “I?m very very sorry, I?ll try to be a better roommate.” He went back to reading his textbook. To me the atmosphere felt very tense, but Chip just said, “Would you quit apologizing all the time? Just take the phone out in the hall next time.” To me he said later “All Yoshio does is say he?s sorry, he?s sorry, but then he goes and does whatever he wants to anyway. Really annoys me.”
MY INTERPRETATION • It seems like Yoshio was an odd combination of noisy and quiet. Sometimes he?s very polite, sometimes he?s rude. I know it isn?t true (because he?s Japanese) but my gut reaction is that he makes apologies because he?s afraid of Chip, but he isn?t really sorry, because he turns around and does the same things again the next day. Also, I suppose Chip and I could have gone to my room to talk, but I figured we were there first, and anyway it is inconsiderate to speak a foreign language when others in the room don?t understand.
THEIR POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS
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I think Chip also thinks that speaking a foreign language in front of him is rude. And I know he?s irritated by the constant apologizing. He?s a debater, he expects people to stand up for themselves, or at least to make a joke of it. He thinks Yoshio should lighten up. Some possible interpretations from Yoshio?s point of view: I have heard that it is important in Japan for people to get along, or at least look like they?re getting along, When Chip makes a blunt request, Yoshio may think it is more serious conflict than it is. Yoshio may think that Chip is insensitive, doesn?t take hints, that a polite person would have left the room because it is easier to go next door with me than for Yoshio to take the phone out in the hall where the reception is bad. Also, it is difficult to speak in a foreign language all day. For him talking in Japanese is probably restful and because it makes sense to him, he forgets that Chip hears it as nonsense sounds.
EVALUATION
This interaction is an example of cultural differences in conflict and of how important language joins and separates people.
Disputes are examples of Action Chains (cultural "recipes" that have a sequence of actions leading to a particular goal.). In this case, the Actions Chains didn't match. Yoshio and Chip come from cultures that have different ways of expressing discomfort. Chip?s background is white working class, and he expresses conflict directly, immediately, verbally. Yoshio tries to be quiet or give an apology. Because they have different “scripts” about conflict, they didn?t pick up each other?s cues very well.
Language is central to culture and identity. Language is a core part of who you are, a boundary between groups. Both these students generally pick friends who come from their own cultural and language background. In this case you could see how language differences created friction and distance between the roommates.
FOUR DIMENSIONS FOR DIVISION OF COUNTRIES
Deal focused (N. Europe, N. America, Australia, NewZealand) vs. relationship focused (Arab, Lain America) ? Formal (emphasis on hierarchy, power, status)(Mexico) vs. informal (egalitarian) ? Rigid time vs fluid time ? Expressive vs reserved
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VERBAL COMMUNICATION STYLES
Indirect and Direct ? Elaborate (Arabic countries); Exacting (England, Germany, Sweden) and Succinct (Japan, Thailand) ? Contextual (in high power distance, collective, high context cultures)and Personal (U.S.) ? Affective (Middle east, Latin America) and Instrumental (Switzerland, Denmark)
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VERBAL COMMUNICATION
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- Cultures may use different standards for loudness, speed of delivery, silence, attentiveness and time to respond to another's point.
Example: Many Native American societies place high value on contemplation and tend, therefore, to feel little responsibility to make immediate responses during conversation.
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Western society has predominantly verbal culture. They communicate with paper, film and conversation. ? For Anglo-Saxons, when A stops, B starts. It is not polite to interrupt. ? In Latin Culture, B will frequently interrupt A and viceversa to show keen interest in conversation ? The pattern of silent communication for oriental languages disturbs the westerner.
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Moment of silence is interpreted as failure to communicate which is a wrong perception. Silence could a mark of respect to other person, if time is taken to process the information without talking.
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VERBAL COMMUNICATION
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Tone of voice ? For some neutral societies, ups and down in speech suggest that speaker is not serious. ? In Latin societies this “exaggerated” shows keen interest in the matter ? Oriental societies have more of monotonous style : self-controlled, it shows respect.
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Higher the position of a person, the lower and flatter would be their voice.
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Be aware of different cultural rules for entering into conversations in progress.
Example: African- American students tend to consider conversations as private between recognized participants. Therefore, anyone, including the teacher, who "butts in" is viewed as an eavesdropper and rebuked.
DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION STYLES
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The way people communicate varies widely between, and even within, cultures. One aspect of communication style is language usage. 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.
DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARD CONFLICT
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Some cultures view conflict as a positive thing, while others view it as something to be avoided. In the U.S., conflict is not usually desirable; but people often are encouraged to deal directly with conflicts that do arise. In fact, face-to-face meetings customarily are recommended as the way to work through whatever problems exist. In contrast, in many Eastern countries, open conflict is experienced as embarrassing or demeaning; as a rule, differences are best worked out quietly. A written exchange might be the favored means to address the conflict.
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO COMPLETING TASKS
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From culture to culture, there are different ways that people move toward completing tasks. Some reasons include different access to resources, different judgments of the rewards associated with task completion, different notions of time, and varied ideas about how relationship-building and taskoriented work should go together.
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO COMPLETING TASKS
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When it comes to working together effectively on a task, cultures differ with respect to the importance placed on establishing relationships early on in the collaboration. Asian and Hispanic cultures tend to attach more value to developing relationships at the beginning of a shared project and more emphasis on task completion toward the end as compared with European-Americans. EuropeanAmericans tend to focus immediately on the task at hand, and let relationships develop as they work on the task. This does not mean that people from any one of these cultural backgrounds are more or less committed to accomplishing the task, or value relationships more or less; it means they may pursue them differently.
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RECONCILING THE SEQUENTIAL AND THE SYNCHRONIC : EXERCISE
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Some managers are arguing about the best ways of improving cycle time and getting products to market when they are needed. There were four possible views : It is crucial to speed up operations and shorten time to market. Time is money. Enemies of tighter schedules and faster deliveries are too much talking and relating to each other. It is crucial to speed up operations and shorten time to market. The faster jobs are done the sooner you can “pass the baton” to colleagues/ customers in the relay race. Just-in –time synchronization of processes and with customers is the key to shorter cycle times. The more processes overlap and run simultaneously the more time saved. Just-in-time synchronization of processes and with customers is the key to shorter cycle times. Doing things faster results in exhaustion and rushed work.
1. 2. 3. 4.
EXERCISE I : FINDINGS
? Answer 1 & 4 show approval of respectively high speed sequences and just-in-time synchronicity, but reject the opposite orientation. ? Answer 2 approves of high-speed sequences and connect it to synchronic processes ? Answer 3 approves of just-in-time synchronicity connected to high speed sequences
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HISPANICS
DIFFERENT DECISION-MAKING STYLES
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The roles individuals play in decision-making vary widely from culture to culture. For example, in the U.S., decisions are frequently delegated -- that is, an official assigns responsibility for a particular matter to a subordinate. In many Southern European and Latin American countries, there is a strong value placed on holding decision-making responsibilities to oneself. When decisions are made by groups of people, majority rule is a common approach in the U.S.; in Japan consensus is the preferred mode. Be aware that individuals' expectations about their own roles in shaping a decision may be influenced by their cultural frame of reference.
DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARD DISCLOSURE
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In some cultures, it is not appropriate to be frank about emotions, about the reasons behind a conflict or a misunderstanding, or about personal information. Keep this in mind when you are in a dialogue or when you are working with others. When you are dealing with a conflict, be mindful that people may differ in what they feel comfortable revealing. Questions that may seem natural to you -- What was the conflict about? What was your role in the conflict? What was the sequence of events? -- may seem intrusive to others. The variation among cultures in attitudes toward disclosure is also something to consider before you conclude that you have an accurate reading of the views, experiences, and goals of the people with whom you are working.
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
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Non-verbal communication includes not only facial expressions and gestures; it also involves seating arrangements, personal distance, and sense of time. In addition, different norms regarding the appropriate degree of assertiveness in communicating can add to cultural misunderstandings. For instance, some white Americans typically consider raised voices to be a sign that a fight has begun, while some Black, Jewish and Italian-Americans often feel that an increase in volume is a sign of an exciting conversation among friends. Thus, some white Americans may react with greater alarm to a loud discussion than would members of some American ethnic or non-white racial groups.
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When we are sad or angry, we can frown, scowl, or even cry. In Arab and Iranian cultures, people express grief openly. They mourn out loud, while people from China, Japan, and Indonesia are more subdued.
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The “Ring” or “OK” gesture has different meaning in different countries. In the USA and in English speaking countries, the ring or OK gesture means “Everything is OK”. In France it can also mean zero or nothing. In Japan it can mean „money, In Indonesia, the ring gesture means zero.
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The thumb-up gesture has three meanings in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. It is commonly used by hitch-hikers who are thumbing a lift, it is an OK signal, it is probably an insult signal. In Italy, when people count from one to five, they use the thumb to mean “one” and the index finger becomes “two”. In Australia, America, England and Indonesia, people count “one” on the index finger and two on the middle finger, hence, the thumb will be number five. In Indonesia, the thumb gesture means good job or response to someone who has completed an excellent job. It also means “delicious” when we taste delicious food. In Indonesia, if we want to stop the public transportation to take us to a certain place, we use the index finger to stop it, not the thumb.
ACHIEVING MULTICULTURAL COLLABORATION
Learn from generalizations about other cultures, but don't use those generalizations to stereotype, "write off," or oversimplify your ideas about another person. The best use of a generalization is to add it to your storehouse of knowledge so that you better understand and appreciate other interesting, multi-faceted human beings.
Practice is the first rule, because it's in the doing that we actually get better at cross-cultural communication. ? Don't assume that there is one right way (yours!) to communicate. Keep questioning your assumptions about the "right way" to communicate. For example, think about your body language; postures that indicate receptivity in one culture might indicate aggressiveness in another.
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Listen actively and empathetically. Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes. Especially when another person's perceptions or ideas are very different from your own, you might need to operate at the edge of your own comfort zone. ? Respect others' choices about whether to engage in communication with you. Honor their opinions about what is going on. ? Stop, suspend judgment, and try to look at the situation as an outsider.
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Don't assume that breakdowns in communication occur because other people are on the wrong track. Search for ways to make the communication work, rather than searching for who should receive the blame for the breakdown.
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Be prepared for a discussion of the past. Use this as an opportunity to develop an understanding from "the other's" point of view, rather than getting defensive or impatient. Acknowledge historical events that have taken place. Be open to learning more about them. Honest acknowledgment of the mistreatment and oppression that have taken place on the basis of cultural difference is vital for effective communication.
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Awareness of current power imbalances -- and an openness to hearing each other's perceptions of those imbalances -- is also necessary for understanding each other and working together. Remember that cultural norms may not apply to the behavior of any particular individual. We are all shaped by many, many factors -- our ethnic background, our family, our education, our personalities -- and are more complicated than any cultural norm could suggest. Check your interpretations if you are uncertain what is meant.
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EFFECTIVE CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Be aware of words, images and situations that suggest that all or most members of a racial group are the same. Example: "Why can't Joe ever be on time?" "He's African American, isn't he?" - Avoid using qualifiers that reinforce racial and ethnic stereotypes. Example: "The articulate korean manager" implies that African American managers typically have low verbal skills. -Avoid racial identification except when it is essential to communication. Example: "Judy, an outgoing student" is preferable to "Judy, an outgoing Hispanic female student." - Be aware of possible negative implications of color symbolism and usage that could offend people or reinforce bias. Example: Terms such as "black magic" or "black market" can be offensive.
- Be aware of rules for attentiveness during conversation. Example: The constant maintenance of eye contact while listening during a conversation often violates a conversational rule in working class Hispanic cultures. Intense eye contact: Arab countries, Latin America, Mediterranean region Firm eye contact: Northern Europe and North America Moderate Eye contact: Thailand, Korea
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- Be aware of rules regarding the distance between speakers during conversation. Example: In some cultures, speakers stand close enough to touch often (Latin America, Mediterranean Region). In other cultures, distance is maintained to denote respect (Asian, Europe, North America).
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- Avoid language that has questionable racial or ethnic connotations. Example: Phrases such as "culturally deprived," "culturally disadvantaged" and "you people" have racist overtones. - Be aware that objects, characters and symbols may reflect different beliefs or values for different groups. - Be aware that cultures may vary in what they consider humorous or taboo. Example: Ethnic humor is often perceived by many groups as evidence of racial prejudice. Discussion of in group cultural rules and behaviors with outsiders is considered taboo within many cultures. Be aware of different rules for taking turns during conversations.
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When Kentucky Fried Chicken entered the Chinese market, to their horror they discovered that their slogan "finger lickin' good" came out as "eat your fingers off"
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Chinese translation also proved difficult for Coke, which took two tries to get it right. They first tried Ke-kou-ke-la because when pronounced it sounded roughly like CocaCola. It wasn't until after thousands of signs had been printed that they discovered that the phrase means "bite the wax tadpole" or "female horse stuffed with wax", depending on the dialect. Second time around things worked out much better. After researching 40,000 Chinese characters, Coke came up with "ko-kou-ko-le" which translates roughly to the much more appropriate "happiness in the mouth".
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When Pepsi entered the Chinese market the translation of their slogan "Pepsi Brings you Back to Life" was a little more literal than they intended. In Chinese, the slogan meant, "Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back from the Grave".
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American Motors tried to market its new car, the Matador, based on the image of courage and strength. However, in Puerto Rico the name means "killer" and was not popular on the hazardous roads in the country.
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Mountain Bell Company tried to promote its telephone and services to Saudi's. Its ad portrayed an executive talking on the phone with his feet propped up on the desk, showing the soles of his shoes-- something an Arab would never do!
ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE AND NATIONAL CULTURES
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