Professor: Pozdnakova

Mohamed Abdelaal

Business communication with partners from different countries

Globalization and high-speed internet have opened our communication channels to
almost every country and culture on the planet. As business’ enter more emerging
markets and teams diversify both in-country and with remote workers internationally,
cross-cultural communication is increasingly part of our daily workday.
With this in mind, we chatted to, a Senior Lecturer at University of Sydney in
International Business to give us some tips on how to communicate cross-culturally
effectively.

Remember that communication is more than a cross-cultural issue

Every time we communicate, whether verbally, through text or even with body language,
we are sending out a message that needs decoding.
“Even within the same culture you can have a lot of [what we call] general noise,” Dan
says. “This is not necessarily literal noise, but all kinds of biases and interpretations and
different ways of looking at what is being communicated.”
This noise has the power to distort messaging, changing the sender’s original intention
to something entirely different.
“There is [always] a chance for misunderstandings,” Dan says.

Be careful not to make assumptions about cultures that look like your own

When we communicate with people from other cultures, there is an added layer to
coding and decoding which increases the chances of misunderstanding. The most
obvious challenge is of course language, but cultures will have differences in
communication even if they utilize the same language.
“The likely difficulties with cultural differences will be even more pronounced when the
cultures look like they might be similar,” Dan says.
This is because we are generally more prepared for differences with cultures that
appear different.
“Let’s say I’m going to Japan [from Australia],” Dan says. “I expect there will be
differences. I know I don’t speak the language so I’m much more alert and paying
attention to the communication.”
In contrast, we can often forget about the differences between cultures which appear
similar such as the US and Australia. “I would actually say to people going across
cultures – be even more alert to cultures that look more similar to your own because
that’s where we make assumptions as opposed to checking,” Dan says.

Acknowledge your own biases

We all have biases — it is a normal function of our brain trying to simplify information
processing and become more efficient. Unfortunately, automating processes can lead to
subconscious stereotyping, which is problematic, to say the least.
“We have to switch on the other way of thinking that’s a little bit slower and maybe less
efficient at least in the first instance when we’re still learning,” Dan says.
When we engage in slow thinking, we approach interactions as learning opportunities
rather than ways to confirm what we already think.
“We typically focus on learning about other cultures and trying to make predictions in
terms of others’ behavior, but we actually need to first understand our own biases and
the worldview we come with,” Dan says.
That way the focus is on improving yourself rather than perpetuating expectations that
may be unfair or even insensitive

1. Managing emails and phone calls

Telephone conferences can be very effective in improving business communication and
cooperation within international companies. However, sometimes problems can arise
when participants do not know what to expect from each other.
Let us look at how different cultures might approach this kind of communication –
perhaps Brazilian people need some personal contact before acting or would like to
know the benefits of providing information.
Small talk can be very important for Americans to build relationships. British people
might use humor, whereas Chinese colleagues may want to check with the group or
boss before responding.
If there are no sensitive issues involved, it’s a good idea to use emails to communicate
information beforehand, taking care to respect cultural differences when addressing
people (for example, the use of first names in the US, and titles in Austria).
Be sure to follow your emails with telephone or face-to-face communication, especially
when cooperating with cultures with high person orientation.
The telephone conference itself should have a clear structure, with time to speak for
everyone. Make sure that everyone is still involved by asking for feedback from
individuals, and keep in mind that some people may have to check with the group or
boss before expressing an opinion.
Things will go much more smoothly once everybody feels informed and involved.

2. Presentations
Consider how people from different countries approach their goals. Future oriented
cultures like those from the US want to hear about the potential benefits of a product,
while past oriented audiences from places like India or China recognize credibility
through past achievements. Because of this, presentation styles vary across cultures –
some like to focus on the ‘big picture’ before going into detail and appreciate interaction
with the audience.
On the other hand, in-depth presentations from low-context cultures simply concentrate
on the facts. The key to a successful international conference is the ability to translate
information in a way that appeals to everybody – think about your style of
communication, gestures and body language when presenting.

3. Meetings and how to facilitate them

Big events like international sales meetings can quickly become disorganized and lose
direction if communication breaks down between groups from each country. Participants
may arrive late and leave early if there’s no clear schedule, and frustration can arise if
too little time is left to cover all of the topics. Perhaps some colleagues don’t
concentrate on the presentations, or don’t go to the meals as planned.
Avoid misunderstandings by clearly defining the aims of a meeting and telling
presenters what is expected from them. Remember that meeting culture for the
participants could be very different from yours – it’s very important to consider language
requirements like interpreting and translation facilities, as well as dietary requirements, if
food is being provided.
Do make sure to plan enough time for interaction and a social program around the
meeting. Check what is expected from the participants and keep an open mind when
considering their cultural preferences.

4. Socializing
Highly person-oriented cultures find socializing very important, because getting to know
each other is necessary to doing business together. You may be invited out in many
countries, often to places you may never have expected – like a karaoke bar in Japan,
or a sauna in Finland.
Try to research these customs before your trip and take advantage of being invited out
to get to know each other and build trust. Not only will it benefit you professionally by
meeting new contacts, but you will be also experiencing something new! By showing
interest, you will make it much easier to navigate negotiations when the time comes.

5. Handling negotiations
Business negotiations can be tricky at the best of times, but even more so if there are
any cultural misunderstandings. For example, Chinese culture values hospitality and
getting to know business partners better before anything is agreed upon – eating
together is very important, and it can take a long time before plans are made. For an
American visitor, this approach could seem counterproductive.
Think about the best environment for negotiations, who should be involved, and even
things like appropriate clothing and seating arrangements – as with many of the above
scenarios, being sensitive of cultural factors like this can make all the difference when
building relationships.

6. Managing teams
Communication is vastly improved when roles and expectations are clarified and
proper cross-cultural communication training has been implemented. This is especially
important when managing teams from all over the world. Be aware of different styles of
communication – some may be more direct than others, or only give feedback at certain
stages.
Spend time on face-to-face relationship building before switching to virtual
communication, and make sure to include all team members in decision making at all
stages of the project. Once you have identified the cultural differences that could lead to
any miscommunications or misunderstandings, find common ground and decide how
you want to work together.
As with any aspect of business, things are made easier with good communication.
Although this can be daunting when dealing with colleagues from different cultural
backgrounds, it is important to educate yourself and your employees about how to
approach any potentially delicate situations.

Communication Breakdown

Ignoring culture in business communication can lead to problems and communication

disruptions. Internal business communication can be disrupted or misinterpreted if
workers do not share the same understanding of goals, expectations and processes.
Understanding a culture can help businesses anticipate potential challenges or
barriers in the adoption of new policies or processes before efforts break down. For
example, some business cultures may thrive in an exchange and dialogue-based
communication system while other cultures (for example, Japanese and Arab cultures)
rely more heavily on subtext. If new information or ideas are suddenly imposed on
employees accustomed to a more collaborative work culture, there may be a lack of
buy-in and the project will fail.

Training

Some businesses may choose to pursue professional training in business

communication with an emphasis on cultural understanding. For example, the Global
Business Communication training program offered by the University of Colorado
includes training on cross-cultural awareness for international business settings.
Participants dissect cultural case studies, learn communication skills and practice
sustainable business communication skills.

Whether you are working abroad or are required to liaise globally with
colleagues or business partners, understanding how to effectively
communicate with people from all over the world is a key professional
skill – one that is increasingly important in today’s multicultural work
environment.

It can be difficult to find common ground with people from other countries, especially
when their customs and business practices seem so different from your own. So, we
have outlined a few examples of cultural differences in communication and how they
become apparent in the workplace, along with some easy tips on how to better
understand your international peers.

Thank you
https://shieldgeo.com/tips-for-communicating-with-your-overseas-employees-
insights-from-an-international-business-expert/
https://berlitzca.com/6-examples-of-cultural-differences-in-business-
communication-2/
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/culture-business-communication-2922.html