Recognizing variations in a

Eight main types of Cultural Differences1. Contextual Differences

Cultural context• High-context culture• Low-context culture

2. Legal and Ethical Differences Four basic principles:• Send and receive messages w/o judgment• Send messages that are honest• Show respect for cultural differences

3. Social Differences- Formal rules of etiquette are explicit and well

defined, but informal rules are learned through observation and imitation.

Social norms can vary from culture to culture in the ff. areas: • Attitudes toward work and success• Roles and status• Use of manners• Concepts of time• Future orientation• Openness and inclusiveness

4. Nonverbal Differences- Meaning of nonverbal signals vary widely

from culture to culture, so you can’t rely on assumptions.

Ways people behave in other culture that you can observe:• Greetings• Personal space• Touching• Facial expressions• Eye contact• Posture• Formality

“Avoiding Nonverbal Mishaps”

5. Age Differences- A culture’s views on youth and aging affect how

people communicate w/ one another.6. Gender Differences

- Broadly speaking, men tend to emphasize content in their messages, and women tend to emphasize relationship maintenance.7. Religious Differences

- U.S. law requires employers to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs to a reasonable degree.8. Ability Differences

- Assistive technologies help employers create more inclusive workplaces and benefit from the contributions of people w/ physical or cognitive impairments.

COMMUNICATING IN A

WORLD OF DIVERSITY

Understanding the opportunities and challenges of communication in a diverse worldDiversity

- includes all the characteristics that define people as individuals.

Intercultural Communication- is the process of sending and receiving

messages between people whose cultural backgrounds could lead them to interpret verbal signs differently.

The opportunities in a global marketplace

The advantages of a diverse workforceThe diversity of today’s workforce brings distinct advantages to businesses:

• A broader range of views and ideas• A better understanding of diverse,

fragmented markets• A broader pool of talent from w/c to

recruit

The Challenges of Intercultural Communication

A company’s cultural diversity affects how its business messages are conceived, composed, delivered, received, and interpreted.

Culture influences everything about communication, including:LanguageNonverbal signalsWord meaningTime and space issuesRules of human relationships

ENHANCING YOUR SENSITIVITY TO CULTURE AND DIVERSITY

Understanding the concept of culture Culture is a shared system of symbols,

beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations, and behavior norms.

You belong to several cultures, each of which affects the way you communicate.

You learn culture both directly(by being instructed) and indirectly(by observing others).

Cultures tend to offer views of life that are both coherent(internally logical) and complete(answer all of life’s big questions).

Overcoming Ethnocentrism and Stereotyping

Ethnocentrism is the tendency to judge other groups according to the standards, behaviors, and customs of one’s own group.

Stereotyping is assigning generalized attributes to an individual on the basis of membership in a particular group.

Cultural pluralism is the acceptance of multiple cultures on their own terms.

You can avoid ethnocentrism and stereotyping by avoiding assumptions and judgments and by accepting differences.

Adapting to other Business CulturesFour general guidelines that can help all business communicators improve their cultural competency:Become aware of your own biases.Ignore the “Golden Rule”Exercise tolerance, flexibility, and

respect.Practice patience and maintain a sense

of humor.

Adapting to U.S. Business Culture

Key points to remember to facilitate business communication w/ U.S. companies :IndividualismEqualityPrivacy and personal spaceTime and schedulesReligionCommunication style

Improving Intercultural Communicati

on Skills

Components of successful Intercultural Communication

Effective Communication across Cultures

Improve intercultural

communication skills

Study other

cultures and

languages

Write and speak clearly

Respect style

preferences

Listen carefully

Use interpreters,

and translation software

Help others

adapt to your

culture

Studying other Cultures

Successful intercultural communication can require the modification of personal communication habits.

Making an effort to learn about another person’s culture is a sign of respect.

Studying other LanguageEnglish is the most prevalent language in international business, but don’t assume that everyone understands it or speaks it at the same way.

“Doing Business in other Cultures”

Writing ClearlyUse simple, clear language.Be brief.Use transitional elements.Address international correspondence

properly.Cite numbers and dates carefully.Avoid slang, idiomatic phrases, and business

jargon.Avoid humor and other references to popular

culture.

Speaking and Listening Carefully

Speaking clearly and getting plenty of feedback are two of the keys to successful intercultural conversations.

To listen more effectively in intercultural situations, accept what you hear without judgment and let people finish what they have to say.

Using Interpreters, Translators, and Translation Software

For important business communication, use a professional interpreter(for oral communication) or translator ( for written communication).

Helping others adapt to your Culture

Help others adapt to your culture; doing so will create more productive workplace and teach you about their cultures as well.