Valeria Diaz Hernandez

Corrected by: Daniel Andres Ruiz

Why an appreciation of cultural differences is important for an

International Business professional.

Knowing how to communicate with a different culture is probably one of the key factors
any international business professional needs not only because it shows respect and
interest about cultural differences but also because it is the way to succeed in the global
market. However, one may struggle on how to do it successfully. One way to
communicate effectively in a cross-cultural environment is to be familiar with what is and
is not acceptable in said environment. For example, Marzena Adamczyk, student from
the WSB University of Poland wrote in an article from 2017 that in Arab countries
``Conversation can be about the country, the other person’s family (but never about the
Arab client’s wife, for that could be misunderstood as taking a more personal interest in
her), the countries your interlocutor visited, and the likes.” Another important aspect to
consider is the language. Understanding the language your target market speaks and
how to use it can be crucial in a business setting. To illustrate this, take India, for
example, almost all Indian people communicate in a very subtle and indirect way,
whereas Finns on the other hand tend to be direct and brief in their communication. As
a final idea, it is very important to contemplate the basic mannerisms and gestures that
are commonly accepted in that culture. Sometimes a behaviour that might be common
in one culture can be unusual or offensive in another one. For example, business
handshakes are almost a norm in European and US cultures, however in the Middle
Eastern cultures, handshakes are seen differently. To conclude, it is very evident how
important it is for a professional in international business to keep in mind all the different
communication barriers such as language, gestures, and ways to speak to be
successful in the future.

Comments:

In general, the paragraph is well written, she responds in a very nice form to the task
with coherence. Maybe there are a few mistakes when it comes to spelling and
grammar. Another thing is that the paragraph is not justify
CORRECTED PARAGRAPH:

Why an appreciation of cultural differences is important for an

International Business professional.

Knowing how to communicate with a different culture is probably one of the key factors
any international business professional needs not only because it shows respect and
interest in cultural differences but also because it is the way to succeed in the global
market. However, a person may struggle with how to do it successfully. One way to
communicate effectively in a cross-cultural environment is to be familiar with what is and
is not acceptable in said environment. For example, Marzena Adamczyk, a student from
the WSB University of Poland wrote in an article from 2017 that in Arab countries
“Conversation can be about the country, the other person’s family (but never about the
Arab client’s wife, for that could be misunderstood as taking a more personal interest in
her), the countries your interlocutor visited, and the likes.” Another important aspect to
consider is the language. Understanding the language your target market speaks and
how to use it can be crucial in a business setting. To illustrate this, take India, for
example, almost all Indian people communicate in a very subtle and indirect way,
whereas Finns on the other hand tend to be direct and brief in their communication. As
a final idea, it is very important to contemplate the basic mannerisms and gestures that
are commonly accepted in that culture. Sometimes behaviour that might be common in
one culture can be unusual or offensive in another one. For example, business
handshakes are almost a norm in European and US cultures, however, in the Middle
Eastern cultures, handshakes are seen differently. To conclude, it is very evident how
important it is for a professional in international business to keep in mind all the different
communication barriers such as language, gestures, and ways to speak to be
successful in the future.