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Intercultural Communication Unit 7 CM 115 "...the single greatest barrier to business success is the one erected by culture." Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall Consider these examples: •When Kentucky Fried Chicken entered the Chinese market, to their horror they discovered that their slogan "finger lickin' good" came out as "eat your fingers off" •General Motors had a perplexing problem when they introduced the Chevy Nova in South America. Despite their best efforts, they weren't selling many cars. They finally realized that in Spanish, "nova" means "it won't go". *In Italy, a campaign for "Schweppes Tonic Water" translated the name into the much less thirst quenching "Schweppes Toilet Water". Globalization Increasing world interdependence caused by changes in global economies and communications technology What is Culture? Learned social behaviors that develop over time A complex and multidimensional concept Do the languages we speak shape the way we think? Do they merely express thoughts, or do the structures in languages (without our knowledge or consent) shape the very thoughts we wish to express? Cultural Norms and Values True or False? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Exchanging business cards is very ceremonious in the UK. Business cards are always reciprocated in the USA? When meeting a group of people in Venezuela you should give your business card to... What language should you ideally translate your business cards into if going to Taiwan? Which of these should you not do to a South Korean's business card? Answers 1. Exchanging business cards is very ceremonious in the UK. False 2. Business cards are always reciprocated in the USA? False 3. When meeting a group of people in Venezuela you should give your business card to...Everyone 4. What language should you ideally translate your business cards into if going to Taiwan? Cantonese 5. Which of these should you not do to a South Korean's business card? Write on it Intercultural Communication The sharing of meanings between individuals from different cultures For discussion What are the most common barriers to communication between cultures? Intercultural Communication… Requires an understanding of … Own culture Cultures of other groups Parent/Dominant culture (e.g. based on race or ethnicity) Co-cultures (e.g. based on gender, religion, age) Intercultural Communication… Requires an understanding of ….. Knowledge system Beliefs Values Customs behaviors Cross-cultural Communication Involves highlighting similarities and differences across cultural groups to promote communication Intracultural Communication Shared communication between members of the same cultural group For discussion How can education help reduce or eliminate these barriers? Enculturation The process of learning or absorbing one’s own culture Acculturation The process of adjusting to the host culture by adopting its values, symbols and/or behavior Ethnocentrism The belief that one’s own cultural norms are superior to those of other social groups Cultural Relativism The acknowledgement of cultural differences and acceptance that each social groups has its own set of norms Intercultural Business Communication Intercultural sensitivity is vital for success in business! Dimensions of Cultural Diversity Power Distance Individualism Masculinity Uncertainty Hofstede (1984) Avoidance Barriers to Intercultural Communication Linguistic Nonverbal Cultural Emotional Physical Experiential Perceptual Bell (1992) Developing Intercultural Communication Competence Culture-specific approach Process of learning information about the other culture Useful but limited For discussion What are three ways you could improve your own intercultural communication competence? Developing Intercultural Communication Competence Culture-general approach focuses on… Cultural awareness and sensitivity Cultural and communication sensitivity behavioral flexibility An ‘other-orientation’ Developing Intercultural Communication Competence Business communicators need to be competent in ….. »Their own culture »Their business culture »Their corporate culture