Topics Of Discussion

• What is Cross Cultural Communication

• Its Importance
• Relation Between Values, Culture and Communication
• Hofstede’s Framework
• How cultural differences effect Communication
• Impact of cross culture communication in Business
organizations
• Barriers and Challenges of Cross cultural communication
• Keys to have a successful Communication between
different cultures.
• How better cross cultural communication leads to better
productivity.
What is Cross Cultural Communication?
• The field of cross-cultural communication is a
study that evaluates how people from different
cultural backgrounds attempt to communicate.

• Cross-Cultural Communication is a necessary

ingredient in cross-national understanding -
understanding people from different cultural
backgrounds.
 Why Cross Cultural Communication?

• Globalization of business and economy

• Improves productivity and efficiency.
• Understanding cultural differences.
• To communicate effectively with different people
in different languages and from different
cultures.
 How Cultural Differences affect
Communication?
Two major kinds of cultural differences affect communication:

1.Differences in body positions & movements:

• Body positions & movements differ among culture
• Ways of speaking differ among culture
• Hand gestures differ among cultures

2.Attitudes towards factors of relationships:

• Time
• Space
• Frankness
• Values
• Emotions
• Intimacy of relationships
Considerations When Interacting with People of
Other Cultures
 Relation between Values, Culture &
Communication

Value 1 Value2
Value Value3
Value

Communication Communication
Culture 1 Culture 2 Culture 3
 Hofstede’s
One of the most widely reference approaches for
analyzing variations among cultures .

• Power Distance
• Individualism vs. collectivism
• Masculinity vs. femininity
• Uncertainty avoidance
• Long vs. short term orientation
 Getting Started with Cross Cultural
Communication
1) Direct experience is the best way to begin to learn any
culture
2) Differences can feel like a threat at first
3) We tend to overlook similarities and notice just the
differences
4) Stereotyping due to overgeneralization is a common
occurrence
5) There is always more variation within groups than there is
between them
6) Own cultural identities are not apparent to us until we begin
7) Finally, cultures are always changing, especially as they
interact with each other
 Spots in Cross Cultural
Communication
• Opening and closing conversations
• Taking turns during conversations
• Interrupting
• Use of silence
• Appropriate topics of conversations
• Use of humor
• Knowing how much to say
• Sequencing elements during conversation
In Business Organizations…
 How Cultural Differences Can
Impact Teams ?
Team members may differ in:
• Their perceptions of the team’s objectives
• How they view leadership
• Their work habits
• Their manner of interacting with members of the
opposite sex
• Their level of formality with other team members
• Their willingness to socialize with other team members
• Their use of nonverbal communication
• Their rules for conversation
 How Cultural Differences Can
Impact Professional Interactions ?
• Either completing a task or building a relationship may
take precedence
• Either the written word or the spoken word may be more
trusted
• Persuasion may be based on facts or on the reputation
of the individual
• Meetings may be for exploring an issue or for
demonstrating agreement
• The degree to which hierarchy is important varies
 Identifying the Challenges and
Oppurtunities

• How to avoid cultural collision?

• How to become competent in another culture and build relationships
across cultures?
• How to communicate effectively with people from other cultures?
• How to recognize conflicting values and avoid conflict?
• How to know if what you are communicating is being received accurately?
• How to manage cross-cultural negotiations?
• How to manage cross-cultural conflicts?
• How to communicate across cultures and be understood?
• How to understand cross-cultural non-verbal communication?
• How to see things from someone else's point-of-view?
• How can you influence someone from another culture?
Do you or your employees struggle with...

• Miscommunications or lack of communication?

• Lack of motivation, thus lack of performance?
• Lack of sensitivity to one another?
• Lack of team spirit?
• Recognition of personal cultural values, norms,
behaviors and how they are perceived by others?
• Recognition of the cultural values of others, how to
respond to them, and their impact on the work
environment?
Cross- cultural communication Barriers
1. Language
2. Non-verbal communication
3. Assuming similarity instead of difference
4. Stereotypes and prejudice
5. Barriers caused by ascent differences.
6. Barriers caused by differences among perceptions.
 Overcoming these Barriers

• Listen carefully and, if in doubt, ask for confirmation.

• Strive for clarity
• Check for understanding
• Encourage questions
• Observe Non verbal gestures carefully
• Develop communication flexibility; learn to tolerate
ambiguity
• Accenting and intonation can cause meaning to vary
• Explain jargon and idiomatic expressions
• Suspend judgments
 Successful Cross Cultural
Communication
1. Setting communication objectives
2. Choosing a communication style
3. Assessing and enhancing credibility
4. Selecting and motivating audiences
5. Setting a message strategy
6. Overcoming language difficulties
7. Using appropriate nonverbal behaviors
 Tips for a Good Cross
Cultural Communication
1. Speak Coherently
2. Understanding Culture
3. Be Aware of Poor Communicators
4. Do Not Judge
5. Get Feedback
6. Avoid Expressions
7. Be Knowledgeable of A Cultures Nonverbal
Communication
8. Seek Help
9. Use of Humor
10. Learn From Other Cultures
 Benefits to company
• Acknowledgment and Understanding of own cultural
value
• Understand how culture impacts communications
• Overcame verbal and non-communication barriers
• Embraced motivation and performance to achieve
company goals
• Empowered to contribute more to their company's
productivity and profit
• Understanding Beliefs and Behaviors of other people.
• Acceptance and Responsibility of self to strive toward
goals for the company