Managing Business and Professional Communication Chapter Six: Managing Intercultural Communication in the Workplace This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: -any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; -preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; -any rental, lease, or lending of the program.

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 How will you be affected by intercultural diversity in a future career??? Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

Model of Intercultural Diversity Perceived Culture-Group A Perceived Culture-Group B Perceived Differences (Uncertainty, anxiety) Model shows how perceived differences effect communication. Functional: time, listening, friendship, honest communication Create drive for harmony Dysfunctional: stereotypes, ethnocentrism, avoidance, non-cooperation, hostility Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

The Significance of Managing Cultural Diversity Cultural diversity poses potential barriers Impoverished intercultural communication is costly The workplace is growing in cultural diversity Culture: A set of beliefs, attitudes, customs, rules, activities, and communication patterns of an identifiable group of people Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

A Need for Intercultural Communication in Organizations Ethnocentrism Prejudice Intense Symbolic Tokenism Arms-length Stereotyping Classifying in and out groups Ethnocentrism: A sense of egotism and selfishness about one’s own culture whereby one’s own culture is elevated in importance above others. Prejudice: Occurs when one acts towards another person with a preconception of their attitudes or behaviors in a way leading to bias, unfairness, intolerance, or injustice. Intense: Treating certain groups as outcasts Symbolic: Devaluation not because of a belief in inherent inferiority, but because the group is seen as blocking cultural goals Tokenism: Small participation in activities appearing non-prejudicial as self-convincing proof of not being prejudiced. Arms-length: Non-prejudicial actions in public, but warmth, friendship, and intimacy are withheld in private. Stereotyping: Assumptions that are made about an individual or a group of people – often made on limited data and limited exposure to groups Classifying In and Out groups: People seek people like themselves (in-groups) and distance themselves from dissimilar people by categorizing others (out-groups) Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

A Need for Intercultural Communication in Organizations Communication style expectations Culturally diverse conflict styles Cultural values Languages and code Interaction rituals Failure to recognize gendered culture Cultural values: Long abiding judgments of good and bad which a culture considers worthwhile and important Languages and code: Even if two people share a language, the thought processes behind the words may not be the same Failure to recognize gendered culture: Gender and international culture differences influence communication expectations in some social situations Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

A Need for Intercultural Communication in Organizations Will two cultures have different communication expectations? How do you understand different styles in a business transaction? How can you stop barriers, eliminate discrimination, and accept cultural diversity? Arabs: expect friendship and warmth, socializing and getting to know each other, often expect gifts to be exchanged American: expect to get things done quickly – time is money, less socializing and get to the point, creating long term relationships less important Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

Strategies for Promoting Cultural Diversity Strategies of Unity Search for common ground Adapting to low and high context cultures Adapting to group and individual cultures Adapting to task and people priorities Adapting to cultural hierarchy Adjust linearity Understand nonverbal interaction in culture Avoid hasty impression formation Common ground: emphasize similarities Adapting to low or high context cultures: Low context cultures rely on codes of explicit information – organizations thrive best when everyone knows as much as possible relevant to that person’s role High context cultures provide little overt information Adapting to group and individual cultures: individualism versus collectivism Adapting to task and people priorities: Are the cultures focused on the job or on the relationships Adapting to cultural hierarchy: The social distance – power distance – that people maintain Adjust linearity: Be aware of how linear styles (moving in a straight line from one point to another point) can be considered abrupt to a culture accustomed to working around a point until a later time in the conversation Understand nonverbal interaction in culture: Nonverbal behavior is culture specific. Awareness of what behaviors mean in a given context is a must. Avoid hasty impression formation: Be aware of how you reduce anxiety in culturally diverse contexts. Be aware of attribution. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

Strategies for Managing Cultural Diversity Engage strategies of cultural adaptation. Culture shock Symptoms include: expressions of loneliness, irritability, statements of great fear or depression, avoidance of communication Reasons are many and may include: low self-esteem, inadequate preparation, non-supportive network Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

Stages of Cultural Adaptation Stages of culture shock Stage one: Feeling good! Stage two: Disappointment Fight Flight Filter Stage three: Everything is OK 1 3 Stage one: The honeymoon stage Stage two: Utopia turns to paradise lost 1. Fight 2. Flight 3. Filter Stage three: Life returns to normal 2 Time Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

Strategies for Managing Cultural Adaptation Understand how culture shock is normal Develop interpersonal networks of trust and sharing of problems Try new things at times Use a mentor or coach Study the new culture Practice stress reduction techniques Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008