Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Mary Ellen Guffey Copyright © 2008 Chapter 3 Communicating Across Cultures

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 2 Intercultural Skills in the New Workplace Importance of Intercultural Skills Characteristics of Culture Savvy Intercultural Communication Dimensions of Culture Ethics and Diversity

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 3 The Importance of Intercultural Communication Intercultural Workforce Global Connectivity Global Markets

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 4  Mergers, acquisitions, and buyouts stir growth beyond national boundaries.  American companies in global markets must adapt to other cultures.  New trade agreements, declining domestic markets, and middle-class growth drive global markets. Intercultural Communication Matters Global Markets

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 5  Advances in logistics and transportation reduce distances.  Information technology has changed they way we do business.  The Internet permits instant communication across time zones and continents. Intercultural Communication Matters Global Connectivity

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 6  Immigration makes intercultural communication increasingly necessary.  Business communicators must learn to adapt to an intercultural workforce.  Multinational companies and diversity at home require culturally savvy workers. Intercultural Communication Matters Intercultural Workforce

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 7 Characteristics of Culture Culture Learned behavior Inherently logical Shapes us and our community Visible and invisible Dynamic and evolving

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 8 Oversimplified behavioral pattern applied uncritically to groups How We Form Judgments Stereotype Negative!

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 9 Rigid attitude based on erroneous beliefs or preconceptions How We Form Judgments Prejudice Negative!

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 10 Mental representation based on characteristics that are flexible and open to new definitions How We Form Judgments Prototype Positive

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 11 Why is it important to make generalizations in describing cultural prototypes? How We Form Judgments Question 1:

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 12 Are all generalizations invalid? How We Form Judgments Question 2:

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 13 Comparing U.S. and Foreign Views How Many U.S. Persons View Themselves Informal, friendly, casual Egalitarian Direct, aggressive Efficient Goal- and achievement-oriented Profit-oriented Resourceful, ingenious Individualistic, progressive Dynamic, identify with work Enthusiastic, prefer hard sell Open How Many Foreigners View U.S. Persons Undisciplined, too personal Insensitive to status Blunt, rude, oppressive Opportunistic, obsessed with time Promise more than they deliver Materialistic Deals more important than people Self-absorbed Driven Deceptive, fearsome Weak, untrustworthy

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 14 Culture Context Individualism FormalityCommunicationStyle Time Orientation Dimensions of Culture

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 15 Dimensions of Culture: Context Context High-context cultures tend to be relational, collectivist, intuitive, and contemplative. Low-context cultures tend to be logical, linear, and action-oriented. North America, Germany, Scandinavia Japan, China, Arab countries

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 16 Dimensions of Culture: Individualism High-context cultures tend to prefer group values, duties, and decisions. Low-context cultures tend to prefer individual initiative, self-assertion, and personal achievement. Individualism

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 17 Some cultures may prefer greater formality in dress, speech, and social interaction. North Americans place less emphasis on tradition, ceremony, and social rules. Formality Dimensions of Culture: Formality

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 18 Dimensions of Culture: Communication Style High-context cultures rely on nonverbal cues and the total picture to communicate. Meanings are embedded at many sociocultural levels. Low-context cultures emphasize words, straightforwardness, and openness. People tend to be informal, impatient, and literal. Communication Style

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 19 Dimensions of Culture: Time Orientation Time is seen as unlimited and never-ending in some cultures. Relaxed attitude toward time. Time is precious to North Americans. Correlates with productivity, efficiency, and money. Time Orientation

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 20 High-Context and Low-Context Cultures Japanese Arab Latin American Spanish English Italian French North American Scandinavian German Swiss Low Context High Context HIGH-CONTEXT CULTURES LOW-CONTEXT CULTURES  Relational  Collectivist  Intuitive  Contemplative  Logical  Linear  Individualistic  Action-oriented

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 21 Cultural Contrasts in Written Business Communication ArabAmericanJapanese Cultural Objectives Provide information Seek information, offer proposal Exchange information OpeningState objective directly Offer thanks, apologize Issue personal greeting BodyPresent facts and plans of action, direct approach Pose questions, solicit information Provide back- ground data, use indirect approach

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 22 Cultural Contrasts in Written Business Communication Arab AmericanJapanese Persuasion tools Immediate gain or loss of opportunity Waiting Personal connection, future opportunity Style Urgency, short sentences Modesty, minimize position Elaborate expression ClosingAffirmative, specific requests Maintain harmony, future relationship Future relationship, personal greeting Cultural values Efficiency, directness, action Politeness, indirectness, relationship Status, continuation, recognition

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 23 U.S. Proverbs  He who holds the gold makes the rules.  Waste not, want not.  The early bird gets the worm.  If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Proverbs Reflect Culture

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 24 Chinese Proverbs  A man who waits for a roast duck to fly into his mouth must wait a very, very long time.  A man who says it cannot be done should not interrupt a man doing it.  Give a man a fish, and he will live a day; give him a net, and he will live a lifetime. Proverbs Reflect Culture

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 25  No one is either rich or poor who has not helped himself to be so. (German)  Words do not make flour. (Italian)  Wealth that comes in at the door unjustly, goes out at the windows. (Egyptian) Proverbs Reflect Culture Other Proverbs

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 26 The belief in the superiority of one’s own race and culture Applying the norms of one’s culture, expecting that others will act the way we do. © Maciej Frolow / Brand X Pictures/ Jupiterimages Achieving Intercultural Proficiency Ethnocentrism

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 27 The belief in the superiority of one’s own race and culture © Maciej Frolow / Brand X Pictures/ Jupiterimages Achieving Intercultural Proficiency Overcoming ethnocentrism  Takes a conscious effort  Leads to more satisfying relationships  Makes work life more productive and gratifying

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 28 Practice  Tolerance  Open- mindedness  Empathy See the world through another’s eyes Bridging the Gap Between Cultures

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 29 In high-context cultures opt for indirectness to help preserve harmony. Respect the image a person holds in his or her social network. Bridging the Gap: Saving Face

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 30 Be patient  Wait and listen  Embrace silence Recognize the effort non-native speakers are making Bridging the Gap: Patience

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 31  Learn foreign phrases.  Use simple English.  Speak slowly and enunciate clearly.  Observe eye messages.  Encourage accurate feedback. Improving Intercultural Communication  Check frequently for comprehension.  Accept blame.  Listen without interrupting.  Smile when appropriate.  Follow up in writing. OralMessages

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 32  Consider local formats.  Observe titles and rank.  Use short sentences and short paragraphs.  Avoid ambiguous expressions. Improving Intercultural Communication  Strive for clarity.  Use correct grammar.  Cite numbers carefully.  Accommodate reader in organization, tone, and style. WrittenMessages

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 33  Broaden your view of other cultures.  Avoid reflex judgments.  Find alternatives.  Refuse business if options violate your basic values.  Conduct all business openly.  Don’t rationalize shady decisions. Making Ethical Decisions Across Borders  Resist lawful but unethical strategies.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 3, Slide 34  Seek training.  Understand the value of differences.  Don’t expect conformity.  Learn about your cultural self.  Make fewer assumptions.  Build on similarities. © BananaStock / Jupiterimages Capitalize on Workplace Diversity

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