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