Cross Cultural Communication And Cultural Differences

I. Executive summary (maximum 250 words) Training on cultural competence today is an urgent necessity for many organizations. As institutions expand their relationships and processes around the world, staff and executives themselves find themselves dealing with people from different cultures. Differences in behaviors and expectations arising from differences in cultural backgrounds make dealing in this global environment fraught with many possibilities of misinterpretation and disruption of communication. Practical solutions are to find realistic and ideal ways to preserve a climate and an environment that supports "cultural competence" by promoting respect for and understanding of diverse cultures and individuals.

From a relative perspective, effective communication proves imperative in aiding efficient business transactions. The different cultures and nations involved in the launch of the fast-food franchise should aim at understanding one another’s culture despite their differences between culture, language, and way of life. To begin with, proper channels should be put in place to communicate important factors concerning the business without necessarily having an interpreter. In equal measure, some challenges present themselves during the presentation to the various individuals involved with the firm. For instance communicating may prove difficult putting into consideration that not all persons can speak fluently in English. Additionally the fact that American culture is typically made up of low-context practices, it may appear rude and ill-mannered for persons who originate from high-context cultures. A good illustration of the above-mentioned factor is that Chinese culture dictates that individuals should engage in typical chit-chat before getting down to serious business. In this instance, if the individual from any cultural background jumps in immediately to address serious matters, he or she is viewed as rude and insensitive.

It is crucial for today's business personnel to understand the impact of cross cultural differences on business, trade and internal company organization. The success or failure of a company, venture, merger or acquisition is essentially in the hands of people. If these people are not cross culturally aware then misunderstandings, offence and a breakdown in communication can occur.

My research is focused on the problems associated with cross-cultural communication and how awareness of culture, language, tradition, and business practices can increase the advantages to globalization. This report will be field specific in

The shrinking borders of the international business landscape demand keen interpretation of the unique cultural expectations of organizational partners. Guffey & Loewy (2015) note that there are five distinct dimensions of cultural difference that inhibit effective intercultural communication. Barron (2013) states that it is imperative for North American organizations in particular to actively increase the cultural awareness of employees conducting international business. International negotiators can improve an organization’s rate of success through thoroughly understanding several important cultural differences. First, businesspeople should be aware of the communication idiosyncrasies of high and low-context cultures (Guffey & Loewy, 2015). Secondly, American workers should understand the varied importance of time orientation in foreign organizations (Keating, 2014). Finally, international negotiations will proceed more smoothly if cultural power distances are respected (Rao, 2013).

The importance of understanding communication across cultures, specifically high-context versus low-context, is to the business owner

Communication is very important to me. I have trouble communicating with people verbally and written. Verbally because I have a speech impairment that causes me to have trouble speaking my “R’s” and sometimes my "TH 's". Trying to get my thoughts across is difficult for me and I am just now learning how hard it is across different cultures, how a person can be interrupted different ways across cultures and between genders. I have had some experience in communicating with others from different backgrounds, cultures and between husband and wife even. Each person takes communication differently than what that person may have meant.

Language can be loaded with meaning, beyond its dictionary definition. The meaning of language is often encapsulated in culture from micro interpersonal to macro international. Culture defines who we are and it is expressed in the language we use. When culture is defined as a set of customs, traditions, beliefs, etc., it is more than just a national identity: it is a Sunday social group, a visible minority or youth group, a family run company, a corporate entity, a community. Culture encompasses that which we identify with as a member of society whether it be a large or small group within society. In today’s world of business communication using a common lingua franca such as English helps to make communication more fluid but it is often not enough to bridge cross cultural gaps and common misunderstandings. In our communication we need to be careful in the language we use and the meaning we either knowingly or unknowingly impart on our listeners. (Czako,K., 2015)

Cross cultural communication theory (CCT) implies the idea of the communication of people who differ from one another. These differences can include the age, race, financial status, ethnicity, and gender of an individual (“Cross Cultural Communication”). The theory looks at how a culmination of individuals with conflicting traits interact together and how their culture impacts said interaction. Body language, gestures and language are all used to find a common ground between two or more individuals. Finding the balance and compromise between cultural differences makes it possible to communicate effectively and efficiently with each other, which can only assist in coherent dialogue.

¡°The moon is a rocky physical sphere that orbits the Earth; yet when looking at this object, many Americans often see a man in the moon, many Native Americans perceive a rabbit, Chinese claim a lady is fleeing her husband, and Samoans report a woman weaving¡±(Samovar 56). For Americans, a ¡°V¡± sign made with two fingers usually represents victory. Australians equate this gesture with a rude American gesture usually made with the middle finger. Most Asians respond negatively to white flowers because white is associated with death. For Peruvians, Iranians, and Mexicans, yellow flowers often invoke the same reaction. In these three examples, the external objects (moons, hands, flowers) were

"We didn 't all come over on the same ship, but we 're all in the same boat."- Bernard Baruch

Culture can be defined into many definitions and it also can be separated into different types, all so that we can better understand it. Hofstede claimed that culture was the mind 's way of separating one group of people from another (Kawar, 2012). Due to the technological advancements in the world people from all over are working together with new ways of communication. Though we must know the diversities of each culture in order to avoid being offensive, the same principles we use in communicating with different cultures is no different to what we would use in the workplace. When working in an organization you must motivate the employees, all while setting a structure for their policies and guidelines. Also, developing

The importance of different languages and cross culture communication are imperative when it comes to adequate care for patients in the nursing field. The transcultural framework states that communication is "....a continuous process by which one person may affect another through written or oral language, gestures, facial expressions, body language, space or other symbols" (Giger and Davidhizar, 2008, pg. 20).

In today’s world, globalization is rapidly dominating and mobilizing multicultural interactions among leaders (Bücker & Poutsma, 2010). The Eurocentric Germanizing authoritative leadership approach is no longer dominating in a colorful society of people (NewsBlaze, 2007). As globalization comes into realization, more and more people of various gender, race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, and even disability will continue to change the course of leadership (Nahavandi, 2014; NewsBlaze, 2007). Successful leaders are challenged to adapt new methods to seek out effective communication and address every human being with compassion and empathy (Harvard Business Review, 2011).

Culture is a set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes a society, a country or a group. According to Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner, organizational theorists and authors in the field of cross-cultural communication, “Culture is a shared system of meanings. It dictates what we pay attention to, how we act, and what we value.” (Trompenaars, 17) Culture is “observable” through language, living environments, governing institutions, food and material goods, the arts and literature, and religion of a particular group or society. Culture also reflects the norms and values of a group and directs their behavior. Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner also believe a culture is distinguished by the way in which it “solves problems” and “reconciles dilemmas.” (Trompenaars, 8-9) A culture has to find ways deal with its external environment and has to determine how to effectively use available resources.