MULTICULTURAL & GLOBAL COMMUNICATION

What is Culture?

Culture means customary beliefs, social norms, values, traits & behavioral patterns , transmitted from generation to generation, that distinguishes groups of people.

 Cultural background affects how individuals communicate and how they interpret messages. It also affects how individuals view the world and what they value.

Core Dimensions of Culture

Cultural Ethnicity & Race

Gender Roles

Age Diversity

Physical Disability

I. Cultural Ethnicity
Ethnic means national or religious group of people and Race is people who share same language, history and physical characteristics. Race & Ethnicity are cultural and historical construct. American Indian Or Alaska native, Asian, Black, native Hawaiian.

II. Gender Roles

In Middle East, holding hand between friends of different sex is considered as improper behaviour. In US, men are expected to be decisive and use language to assert independence whereas women are expected to be nurturing and use language to build relations. In India, Women before taking decisions seek consultation and men do not.

III. Age Diversity

K.P. Crosss Life Stages
AGE GROUP
18 - 28 29 - 42

PARTICULARS
Establishing identity & building future Searching for stability & security (both in personal & Professional sense) Settling down, becoming a mentor & grand parent Retirement age, dependent on others.

43 - 59 60 +

IV. Physical Disability

In a work place, Physical disability means, use of wheel chair, crutches, walker, or difficulty in seeing, hearing, speaking, or performing physical activities.
These individuals are sometimes avoided, due to their difficulty & lack of awareness of how to interact with them.

Tips & Hints

Focus on persons ability rather than disability Use terminology such as a person who uses wheel chair rather than a wheel chair bound person. When talking more than few minutes with a person on wheel chair, then sit down. Speak clearly to permit lip reading and use gestures & facial expressions

Communication Barriers
Lack of Knowledge & Understanding of Cultures

Cultural Relativism & Ethnocentrism

Language

Global Communication Strategies

Review Business Communication Principles Analyze the message receiver Be open & accepting of other cultures Learn about other cultures and apply what you learn Consider language needs