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International Business Negotiations
Communicating Effectively
Across Cultures
Learning Objectives
• Identify trends in international business communication
• Be aware of the role of language in international business
• Understand the many different ways to communicate across culture, including nonverbal communication
Overview
• Value of communications savvy
• Spoken and written communication
• Nonverbal communication
Value of Communications Savvy in International Setting
• Negotiations
• Decision making
• Strategy
• Understand and interpret behavior
• Leadership
Communication Styles
• A common style of communicating that is tacit and difficult for people in other cultures to appreciate• Use of irony• Sarcasm• Understatement• Body language
Spoken & Written Communication
• Language most important way to communicate
• Language impacts culture
• Over 2,500 languages
• 8,000 dialects
• 10 languages represent majority
The Ten Most Widely Used Native Languages in the World
Speaking Other Languages
• International managers must either• Speak the language or• Trust a translator
• Dealing with language can be expensive
• Definition of language competence varies
Americans on Foreign Languages and Foreigners on English
English & the International Environment
• Few U.S. citizens speak a second language
• English most popular second language
• Many MNCs use English
• Technology & publications often in English
• Some resistance to English dominance
Percentage of World Output Tied to Language Group
Relative Ranking of Developed and Developing countries on Knowledge of Foreign Languages
and Cultures
Relative Ranking of Developed and Developing countries on Knowledge of Foreign Languages
and Cultures (Cont’d)
Communicating in a Foreign Language
• Advantage
• Language proficiency ≠ Effective communication
• Accent and usage variations
• Many dialects
• Multiple languages within a country
Implications for Business
• Translation errors
• Cultural communication context • i.e., ways to say no
• Missed meaning in local context
Ways to Avoid Saying No in Japanese
Embarrassment & Apology
• Dealing with miscommunication• Loss of face
• Embarrassment• Shame
Embarrassment & Apology (Cont’d)
• Responses to miscommunication• Direct or indirect• Justifications and attributions• Admission of guilt• Show of humility
Apologies in the U.S. and Japan: Study of Conduct Manuals
• U.S.• 39 modifiers
• most frequent • sincere • brief
• Japan• 79 modifiers• most common
• sunao–submissive, compliant, obedient
• seii o motte–in good faith, with sincerity
• kokoro kara–from the heartAdapted from: Naomi Sugimoto. (1998). Norms of apology
depicted in U.S. American and Japanese literature on manners and etiquette. International Journal of Intercultural Relations 22, 3.
Content of Apologies
U.S Japan
Emphasize originality of words Construction, and linguistic formula is
emphasized
Little repetition is usedRepetition is used as a marker (i.e.,
Sorry, sorry)
Includes accounts for behaviorThere is not consensus on the
inclusion of accounts
Expressions of desire to maintain relationship
Self-castigation and references to violations of the victim’s “face” are often included
Message adopted to the individual recipient
Message adopted based on the nature of the relationship with the recipient
Adapted from: Naomi Sugimoto. (1998). Norms of apology depicted in U.S. American and Japanese literature on manners and etiquette. International Journal of Intercultural Relations 22, 3.
Embarrassment & Apology
• MNCs should prepare employees to handle
• Apologies
• Face management
• Accounts and explanations
Compliments as Communication
• Variations in use of praise
• Tied to underlying cultural norms
• Individualist use more than collective cultures
Criticism as Communication
• Differences in use of criticism
• High- versus low-context cultures
• Group orientation and importance of “face”
Monitoring Others
• Receiving and interpreting cues from others• Effective tool for understanding
• Self-monitoring—differences in ability to understand how one is perceived by others in a social setting
• Individualist more self-focused
• Collectivists more focused on situational cues
Written Communication
• Volume (e.g., e-mail)
• Can be as difficult as verbal
• Formality, courtesy, directness, & length are impacted by culture
• Bypassing—same word, different definitions
An Analysis of Letters Written to and Received From Foreign Countries
Nonverbal Communication
• Subtle cures used to communicate within and across cultures
• Conveying messages without words or writing
Nonverbal Communication (Cont’d)
• Can include• How one stands – Eye contact• What one wears – Movements• Facial expressions – Gestures• Body posture – Alignment
Nonverbal Communication (Cont’d)
• Interpersonal space—physical space between people
• Haptics—use of touch as communication tool
• Vocal qualities—characteristics of voice such as speed & loudness
Context and Nonverbal Communication
• High-context• Setting, surroundings & cultural norms provide
input
• Low-context• Require explicit statement of facts to convey
message
Characteristics of Communication in Low- and High-Context Cultures
Improving Your Cross-Cultural Communication Skills: Four Basic Suggestions