Transcript Cross-cultural Communication and Negotiation

Cross-cultural Communication
and Negotiation
Chapter 7
Chapter Outline
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The communication process
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Noise in communication
Direct vs. formal communication
Non-verbal communication
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Body movement and gestures
Space
Eye contact
Touching
Chapter Outline (2)
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Monochronic vs. polychronic time
Practical issues in communication
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Using interpreters
Communication with non-native speakers
Avoiding attribution errors
The Communication Process
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Communication is the process of transferring
meaning from sender to receiver.
Sender
meaning
Encoding
Medium
Decoding
Feedback
The Communication Model
Receiver
interpretation
The Communication Process
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Encoding: The sender expresses a meaning in a
message
Medium: the means that a sender uses to transmit
the message
Decoding: the receiver gets the message
Interpretation: the receiver tries to understand the
meaning of the message
Feedback: The receiver responds to the message
Noise in Communication
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Noise is a factor that causes the receiver to
misunderstand the hearer's message.
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"I wonder if you realize that what you think you
heard is not what I meant to say".
"Yes" does not always mean "yes".
Basic Communication Styles
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Direct communication: communication that
comes to the point and lacks ambiguity
Formal communication: communication that
acknowledges rank, titles, and ceremony in
prescribed social interaction
Exhibit 12.2: Cultural Differences in
Communication Styles
Context of Communication (1)
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Context is the information that surrounds a
communication and helps to convey the message
Low-context societies – U. S. and most northern
European countries
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Message is explicit and the speaker tries to say precisely
what is meant
Direct style: focus on speaker's statements
Silence may make people uncomfortable
Facial expressions and body language may be easy to
interpret, if you understand the gestures of the speaker's
culture
Business meetings are often focused on objectives.
Context of Communication (2)
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High-context societies – most Arab and Asian
countries
 Business meetings with new contacts focus on
relationships first. Business comes later.
 Indirect style: speaker does not spell out his
message
 Avoid saying "no"
 Avoid embarrassing people
Context of Communication (3)
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High-context societies (continued)
 Messages often are implicit: Listener is expected
to de-code verbal and non-verbal cues, such as
voice, intonation, timing, body language
 Silence is used to understand received messages
and decide how to reply
 If the culture is neutral (Asia), control body
language and facial expressions – if you do not,
people will not trust you or respect you.
Exhibit 12.1: Country Differences in HighContext and Low-Context Communication
Nonverbal Communication
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Communication without words
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Gestures and body language
Space
Touching
Eye contact
Non-verbal behaviors differ in different cultures
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Major source of "noise" or misunderstandings in
cross-cultural communication.
Body Movement
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Communication through body movements
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E.g., facial expressions, body posture
Most Asian cultures use bowing to show respect
No universal code for what body movements mean
Easy to misinterpret gestures
Space
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Use of space to communicate
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Each culture has appropriate distances for
communication
North Americans prefer more distance than Latin
American and Arab cultures
Closed offices vs. open offices
Space (2)
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Distance
 Intimate distance is used for very confidential
communications
 Personal distance is used for talking with family and
close friends
 Social distance is used to handle most business
transactions
 Public distance is used when calling across the
room or giving a talk to a group
Personal Space in the U.S.
Intimate distance
Personal distance
Social distance
Public distance
18”
18” to 4’
4’ to 8’
8’ to 10’
Seating in a Typical Japanese Office
Touching
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Shaking hands, embracing, or kissing when
greeting one another. Touching to emphasize a
point
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No touching or low touching
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Moderate touching
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E.g., Japan, U.S., England, and many Northern European
countries
E.g., Australia, China, Ireland, and India
Touching
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E.g., Latin American countries, Italy, and Greece
Eye Contact
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Communication through eye contact or gaze
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U.S. and Canada: people are very comfortable and
expect eye contact to be maintained
China and Japan: eye contact is considered very
rude and disrespectful
Monochronic Time
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Things are done in a linear fashion.
Manager addresses Issue A first and then moves on to
Issue B
Time schedules are very important. Time is viewed as
something that can be controlled and should be used
wisely
 Be on time for appointments.
 Perform services or deliver goods when promised.
Meetings have stated objectives and include only the
people that need to be there.
Polychronic Time
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People tend to do several things at the same time
People place higher value on personal involvement
than on getting things done on time
Schedules are less important than personal
relationships
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People should be understanding about delays.
In Arab countries, several meetings may be going
on in the same room at the same time.
Practical Issues in Cross-Cultural
Business Communication
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Interpreter’s role: to provide a simultaneous
translation of a foreign language
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Require greater linguistic skills than speaking a
language or translating written documents
Have the technical knowledge and vocabulary to
deal with technical details common in business
transactions
Have to ensure the accuracy and common
understanding of agreements
Successful Use of Interpreters
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Spend time with the interpreter
Go over technical and other issues with
interpreter for proper understanding
Insist on frequent interruptions when it’s
necessary
Look for feedback and comprehension by
watching the eyes
Successful use of Interpreters (2)
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Discuss the message beforehand
Request that your interpreter apologize for
your inability to speak in the local language
Confirm that all key components of the
message have been properly comprehended
Communication
with Non-native Speakers
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Use the most common words with most
common meanings
Select words with few alternative meanings
Follow rules of grammar strictly
Speak with clear breaks between words
Avoid sports words or words borrowed from
literature
Communication
with Non-native Speakers (2)
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Avoid words or expressions that are pictures
Avoid slang
Mimic the cultural flavor of the nonnative
speaker’s language
Test your communication success
Repeat basic ideas using different words
when your counterpart does not understand
Confirm important aspects in writing
Avoiding Attribution Errors
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Attribution: process by which we interpret the
meaning of spoken words or nonverbal
exchanges
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Attribute meaning based on our taken-for-granted
cultural expectations
Easy to make mistakes of attribution
Need to observe carefully
Avoid subtleties of a foreign language
Avoid complex nonverbal behaviors