UNIT 1 NOTES

VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Verbal Communication Verbal communication is communication done orally between
people. If done properly, it helps both the parties involved understand each other better.
The biggest advantage of verbal communication is that it provides immediate feedback to
the sender of the message. It also gives a personal touch to the communication. Certain
aspects like gestures, facial expressions, voice modulation, tone, making the other person at
ease, etc., can all be done using verbal communication. In fact, the sender can even modify
his/her message based on the feedback he/she gets during the conversation. This method of
communication is given less preference over written communication in business scenarios
because any mistake made during a conversation, is difficult to correct.
Non-Verbal Communication
This refers to communication done through gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, touch,
tone of voice, dress, space between the people communicating, and ambience, to name a
few. Even while sitting quietly, two people can communicate using one of the
aforementioned forms of communication.

 Kinesics
Kinesics refers to communication through the body language of the parties communicating.
Sometimes people use signs for communicating their message. For example, when a boss
gestures a thumbs up to his/her colleague, it could mean that he/she liked the idea or is
giving him/her a go-ahead. Sometimes during a conversation, a person may pound the table
to express anger or disagreement over something.

 Paralinguistic
Paralinguistics refers to spoken communication through changes in the rate of speech,
accent, volume, voice modulation, pitch, and fluency. It is not only what is being said is
important but also how it is said plays a role in communication. For example, a simple
sentence like “Come here!” can be said authoritatively or endearingly, depending on the
tone of voice of the sender.

 Proxemics
Ever wondered how some people stand very close to another person while talking. Some
people may be okay with it, while others may take offence. This aspect of communication is
called proxemics.

 Chronemics
Chronemics refers to communication using time as a factor. Let us understand this with the
help of an example. A boss who comes to office on time every day, subtly communicates it
to his/her employees that they too are expected to be on time every day.
 To conclude, we can say that non-verbal messages are as important as or sometimes even
more important than their verbal or written counterparts. Therefore, while communicating,
especially in professional settings, non-verbal gestures should also be taken care of.

 Oculesics
It is the study of the role of eyes in non-verbal communication. It is the way our eyes are
used during a communication exchange. Can include eye contact or the avoidance of eye
contact.

 Haptics
Haptic communication is the means by which people communicate through touch. Touch
helps groups to form bonds and stay peaceful It can convey many factors such as intentions,
feelings both positive and negative, relationships, respect and so on.

 Appearance and artefacts

It is a major factor used to judge a person. First impression of a person is based on
appearance. This may include clothing, hairstyle, accessories, etc. Physical characteristics
may include facial shape, height, skin colour, body odour, hair, body shape, etc.
MULTIMEDIA MESSAGING SERVICE- MMS
 MMS stands for Multimedia Messaging Service
 It is a standard way to send multimedia messages to and from a mobile phone via a
cellular network
 In most cases, this is in the form of images.
 It can also be used to send video files, phone contacts, and audio files.
 Like SMS, MMS is sent via a mobile network
 It enhances productivity, fosters team building efforts and enables cost-effective and
speedy communication
 It is used to drive complex business deals
 Interact with team members
 Discuss details
 Take approvals and
 Seek clarification
 Offices with multiple locations are leveraging it
 There is a real time communication
 It is user friendly
 Easy to use and cheap
 Helps in multi-tasking
 Many people can chat at the same time with one another
 When projects need to be managed and delivered across multiple locations
 It is gaining popularity among as both an informal and formal communication channel
VIDEO CONFERENCING
 It takes place in real time
 Between individuals or groups who are usually geographically separated
 The participants are allowed to view each other
 it reduces travel cost
 Enables better quality teaching
 Easier collaborative working
 Face-to-face rather than telephone

CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Culture and communication go hand in hand. Culture refers to a group of or community

with which we share common experiences that shape the way we understand the world
It includes race, gender, or nation, etc.
There are 3 main components to any communication-
 Subject matter
 Medium of delivery
 Cultural consideration (generally ignored)

Direct/Indirect or High/Low Context.

There are numerous ways in which communication styles in one culture may differ from
another.
Interculturalists have identified 2 main distinctions

High Context cultures

The people here are homogeneous and collectivist
This may include Russia, Japan Thailand, Korea, China
Here, Greater emphasis is placed on common goals than on individual pursuits
One's identity is rooted in groups (family, culture, work).
Social structure and authority are centralized; responsibility is at the top. Person at top
works for the good of the group.
High use of nonverbal elements; voice tone, facial expression, gestures, and eye movement
carry significant parts of conversation.
Groups are preferred for learning and problem solving.

Low Context Cultures

In this, people are heterogeneous and individualistic in nature
This may include United States, Germany, Ireland, South Africa, and Australia.
Here, the communication style is more direct
People often place a greater emphasis on standing out and being unique
People prefer discussing the issues directly.
One's identity is rooted in oneself and one's accomplishments.

(to learn more about direct and indirect context visit-

https://www2.pacific.edu/sis/culture/pub/context_cultures_high_and_lo.htm)

Example-

ETHNOCENTRISM

Ethnocentrism is perceiving one's own cultural beliefs and customs as superior to those of
other people. When communicating, an attitude of ethnocentrism makes people from other
cultures feel undervalued. When people feel devalued or invalidated, they tend to shut
down.
Some people are ethnocentric on purpose and consciously and genuinely believe that their
own culture is superior to all others. A historical example of this ethnocentric perspective
can be seen in Adolf Hitler and his desire to build what he believed was a superior race, the
Aryan race.
 Refers to perceiving other cultural groups from one's own cultural point of view
 Making invalid ASSUMPTIONS about others based on narrow experience.
 People are often not aware that they are being ethnocentric
 It often leads to misunderstanding others by misinterpreting
 We often tend to judge their ways in terms of our life experience and not theirs.

VARIABLES OF NATIONAL CULTURE

There are several variables and constraints that communicators are faced with while
working with foreign nationals-

Education- the education system of nations vary drastically. The conclusions which people
draw from visiting companies in other countries is that many managers in foreign factories
are not very well educated or way too much educated. We should be aware of the fact
about the education level of the person which we are speaking to, because communication
a lot depends on education.

Law and Regulations: In both the developed and developing nations, various government
regulations affect business communications and the sale of products. Making mistakes in
communication is easy in a foreign country
Few examples: 1. advertising directed at children is restricted in the US, Canada and
Scandinavia. 2. Advertisement on cigarettes is restricted in Europe. 3. France, Mexico and
Province of Quebec lied restrictions on advertisement with foreign languages.

Economics: Availability of capital and transportation and the standard of living per capita
vary from nation to nation. The opportunity to borrow money, the rate of inflation (price
raise), and the exchange rates influence business and a country’s ability to communicate
concerning that business.
Example: 1. In Pakistan the competitors usually set their own prices. Israeli agricultural
competitors mutually agree on price. Some Japanese businesses check with the government
before initiating major production and trading changes.

Politics: Politics also affect our communication when we are doing business with our
company can result even in personal harm. Concepts of democracy will vary as interpreted
in Korea, the Philippines, or Great Britain.

Religion: Be especially careful of religious belief within foreign countries. Although some
basic beliefs overlap, there are major differences that if not understood can result even in
personal harm. Religious holidays affect international communication, interrupting work
schedules or delaying responses to requests

Language: Everybody knows that knowing the language of a country is the most significant
contribute to improved communication, on personal and business level. Your
communication is good when both sender and receiver have same language. An important
constraint that under girds all the preceding is language. English is a world language and to a
major extent the language of business. But, you should know some basic vocabulary of your
host country. Each language has it is own sentence patterns and vocabulary. Thus, writing
and speaking in a second language are more prone to errors. It is an easy take to find
support for this assertion: language problems are often core to communication
misunderstandings

Social Norms: In various ways any national environment constraints-education law and
regulations economics, Politics, religion- affect a nation’s social Norms. In many countries a
male line of the family profoundly influences some business decisions. Then the family and
how its members relate to one another-decisions, buying patterns, pooling of resources,
special interests- affect behaviour and business communication.

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION TIPS

Some simple tips to help you improve your cross-cultural communication skills are given as
follows:

 Slow down - Even when English is the common language in a cross-cultural situation,
this does not mean you should speak at normal speed. Slow down, speak clearly, and
ensure your pronunciation is intelligible.
 Separate questions- Try not to ask double questions such as, 'Do you want to carry
on or shall we stop here?' In a cross-cultural situation, only the first or second
question may have been comprehended. Let your listener answer one question at a
time.
 Avoid negative questions- Many cross-cultural communication misunderstandings
are caused by the use of negative questions and answers. In English, we answer yes
if the answer is affirmative and 'no' if it is negative. In some cultures, a 'yes' or 'no'
may only be indicating whether the questioner is right or wrong. For example, the
response to 'Are you not coming?' may be Yes', meaning Yes, I am not coming.
 Take turns- Cross-cultural communication is enhanced through taking turns to talk,
making a point, and then listening to the response.
 Write it down If you are unsure whether something has been understood, write it
down and check.
 Be supportive Effective cross-cultural communication is in essence about being
comfortable. Giving encouragement to those with weak English gives them
confidence, support, and trust in you.
 Check meanings- When communicating across cultures, never assume that the other
party has understood. Be an active listener.
 Summarize what has been said in order to verify it. This is a very effective way of
ensuring that accurate cross-cultural communication has taken place.
 Avoid slang Even the most well-educated foreigner will not have complete
knowledge of slang, idioms, and sayings. The danger is that the words will be
understood but the meaning missed.
 Watch the humour In many cultures business is taken very seriously. Professionalism
and protocol are constantly observed. Many cultures do not appreciate the use of
humour and jokes in a business context. When using humour, think whether it will
be understood in the other culture.
 Maintain etiquette Many cultures have certain etiquette when communicating. It is
always a good idea to undertake some cross-cultural awareness training or at least
do some research on the target culture.

Cross-cultural communication is about dealing with people from other cultures in a way chat
minimizes misunderstandings and maximizes your potential to create strong cross-cultural
relationships. The list just discussed should be seen as a starting point to greater cross-
cultural awareness.