DO'S FlND DON'TS OF INTER-CULTURAL COMMUNIC AT1 ONS

GREG BAKER foreign constituents would

understand t h e w a y I spoke and
Sr. S/W ENGINEER w r o t e . This a s s u m p t i o n l e a d t o
ISC SYSTEMS CORP. seueral communications problems
which could haue been avoided i f I
ASSOCIATE understood t h e people and culture I
was working with.
We a r e n o t e x p e c t e d t o become
c u l t u r a l e x p e r t s . What w e should do
Is gain a general understanding o f the
Intercultural communications various c u l t u r e s w e Communicate
requires patience, understanding, with. Four page Culturgrams I l l are
and training. With the 'world an excellent way t o obtain this
becoming smaller' it is increasingly information.
m o r e i m p o r t a n t t o enhance o u r
i n t e r c u l t u r a l communicatlons skills. SAMPLE CULTURGRAM TOPICS INCLUDE:
This p a p e r discusses h o w t h e s e s k i l l s
can be enhanced so t h a t mis- 1 ) Customs and Courtesies
understandings, misinformation, and Greetings
b a d f e e l i n g s a r e auoided. How Uisiting
common c o m m u n i c a t i o n s m e t h o d s c a n Eating
be u t i l i z e d so o u r u i e w s and ideas a r e Gestures
presented effectiuely and efflclently. 0 Personal Appearance
And, the do's and don'ts for
transferring Information. 2) People
General Attitudes
l" Population
language
When discussing my trauels
throughout t h e Pacific r i m countries Religion
one o f t h e m o s t common asked
3) L i f e s t y l e
questions is 'How do you
Family
c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h t h e people in t h e s e
Dating and Marriage
countries?'. M y standard r e p l y has
Social and Economic Levels
become ' A l l t h e p e o p l e I w o r k w i t h
Diet
speak English'. This m a y b e t r u e b u t
Recreation and Work
i t i s n o t accurate. The English spoken
Holidays
b y many o f m y foreign constituents is
n o t t h e same English w h i c h I s p e a k 4) Nation
r e s u l t i n g in m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g s a n d 0 l a n d and c l i m a t e
misinformation. They do not 0 History and Government
u n d e r s t a n d t h e j a r g o n , Idioms, a n d Economy
grammar I use in everyday 0 Education
c o n v e r s a t i o n . And, I in turn d o n o t 0 Health
u n d e r s t a n d t h e i r c u l t u r e a n d customs.
These t w o m a j o r s t u m b l i n g b l o c k s This general understanding
m u s t be ouercome b e f o r e successful provides us t h e opportunity t o
i n t e r c u l t u r a l communications can b e communicate w i t h our constituents
obtained. more effectively.

CULTURE a n d CUSTOMS

When I b e g a n w o r k i n g i n t h e When c o m m u n i c a t i n g w i t h o u r
international marketplace I had l i t t l e foreign constituents we must
o r no understanding o f the cultures I carefully analyze w h a t w e say and
w o u l d be d e a l i n g w i t h . I assumed m y w r i t e . Euen i f t h e w o r d s a r e f a m i l i a r

88CH2646-8/88/0000105 51.00 Copgright 1988 IEEE 105

the w a y they are used can be t o m o Trow ' s n e w s p a p e r .
confusing o r insulting. For example,
What do these sayings really mean? Refrain f r o m blaming o t h e r persons
or departments for problems
Raining c a t s and dogs encountered. You will appear
In the ballpark unprofessional.
Dog a n d p o n y s h o w
On a r o l l Be p r e c i s e in y o u r a n s w e r s . F o r t h e
Gaue t h e m t h e s l i p m a j o r i t y o f r e c i p i e n t s English w i l l b e
t h e i r second o r t h i r d language. fluoid
Slang s h o u l d n e u e r b e u s e d w h i l e u s i n g j a r g o n , sleng, o r idioms.
c o n d u c t i n g b u s i n e s s . You m a y b e
p e r c e i v e d as being d i s r e s p e c t f u l o r f l u o i d i n c l u d i n g s t a t e m e n t s s u c h as
t o o casual. Besides, w h a t do y o u 'according t o so and $ 0 . o r ' $ 0 and
think o f w h e n s o m e o n e s a y s ' l e a p i n so t o l d m e ' unless i t i s u i t a l t o t h e
lizards' o r 'geewillikers'. answer.

H u m o r m u s t b e a u o i d e d . Do n o t fluoid editorializing. State y o u r

send j o k e s (words o r pictures) along f i n d i n g s a n d a n s w e r as s i m p l y a s

-
w i t h t e l e x e s o r f a c s i m i l e s . fl j o k e possible.
w h i c h y o u c o n s i d e r in g o o d t a s t e o r
v e r y funny m a y b e t a k e n as an i n s u l t Eliminate t h e s h o r t cuts. fluoid
o r ethnic s l u r b y t h e recipient. 'i.e.', 'ditto', 'etc', 'don't'.
USING TFLEHES flND F f l C S l M l l F S

Telexes and facsimiles are t h e

fl t e l e p h o n e c o n u e r s a t i o n i s u s u a l l y
most effectiue w a y t o respond t o
the least effectiue method of
inquires o f an international origin.
transferring information. If this
They p r o u i d e a w r i t t e n r e c o r d , a
m e t h o d must be used m a k e sure it is
u i s u a l aid, a n d c a n b e s t o r e d f o r
f o l l o w e d up b y a t e l e x o r facsimile.
f u t u r e reference. I f t h e r e a d e r does
This p r o u i d e s t h e r e q u e s t o r w i t h
n o t understand a specific area it can
written documentation that the
b e e a s i l y s t u d i e d a n d r e v i e w e d . They
c o n u e r s a t i o n w a s u n d e r s t o o d . The
cannot be f o r g o t t e n with t i m e l l k e
following guidelines will help make
verbal conversation. But t h e y can be
using telephones m o r e effectiue:
m i s i n t e r p r e t e d. The foIlow i n g
guidelines can help alleviate
Since E n g l i s h m a y b e a s e c o n d o r
misinterpretation:
t h i r d language speak clearly and
slowly.
The i n f o r m a t i o n y o u p r o u i d e w i l l b e
interpreted as official
Simple s e n t e n c e s s h o u l d b e used.
statement/policy. If y o u are n o t sure
a b o u t s o m e t h i n g t h e n d o n o t s t a t e it.
Slang, i d i o m s , a n d j a r g o n will
confuse or mean nothing t o the
The i n f o r m a t i o n c a n b e r e f e r r e d t o
listener.
later. Ensure your response is
accurate.
It may be necessary to repeat
o f t e n . Be p a t i e n t !
Respond p r o m p t l y , euen i f i t i s t o
a c k n o w l e d g e r e c e i p t . No r e s p o n s e c a n
h a u e p e o p l e w o n d e r i n g 'Was it f l u o i d j o k e s o r h u m o r . fl j o k e t o
y o u m a y b e an i n s u l t t o t h e l i s t e n e r .
r e c e i u e d o r j u s t b e i n g ignored?'.

Do n o t i n c l u d e s t a t e m e n t s s u c h as LFT'S F I X IT!
'unofficially' o r ' o f f t h e record'.
A n s w e r as t h o u g h t h e i n f o r m a t i o n Now t h a t w e haue discussed a l l o f
will appear on the front of the ways we can make our
communications more effectiue lets

106
r e v i e w a n e x a m p l e . The f o l l o w i n g 3) Manuals not available to
t e l e x b r e a k s many o f t h e r u l e s w h i c h customers- Since c u s t o m e r s do n o t do
haue been o u t l i n e d in t h i s paper. equipment repair t h e bench manuals
Read it and see how many and s c h e m a t i c s a r e n o t a u a i l a b l e t o
communications problem areas you them. A l l o t h e r manuals a r e auailable
can i d e n t i f y . t o customers.
1 ) Status o f p r o j e c t A - according t o Thanks f o r t h e c o m p l e m e n t o n d a t a
so and so, t h e s t a t u s i s 'unreleased'. policy.
They w o n ' t r e l e a s e i t u n t i l c o m p l e t i o n
o f a b e t a t e s t . They do n o t h a u e a CO"
b e t a t e s t site. Ouerseas s i t e s a r e NOT
e l i g i b l e t o b e b e t a t e s t sites. I f a n Clearly, these guidelines seem
Overseas distributor wants the simple t o use. But t h e y a r e among t h e
f e a t u r e , w e can g e t i t f o r t h e m now, most forgotten. Following them w i l l
b u t unsupported. create a b e t t e r communications p a t h
by passing information effectiuely.
2 ) Custom-length cables -
yes. s o and Remember Keep i t simple, k e e p i t
so w i l l g i v e d e t a i l s as soon as h e can. concise, and k e e p i t professional.
I t a i n ' t easy o r fast.

3) Manuals not auailable to REFERENCES

c u s t o m e r s - as l i s t e d b y t e c h pubs,
1. C U I T U R G R A M , B r i g h a m Young
there aren't any s o f t w a r e manuals
U n i v e r s i t y Dauid M. K e n n e d y C e n t e r
f o r b i d d e n t o customers. This i s l e f t t o f o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l Studies, P u b l i c a t i o n
the discretion o f the distributor, I
Seruices, 2 8 0 HRCB: Prouo, Utah 1986.
guess. Field seruice m a n u a l s a r e also
a u a i l a b l e . H o w e v e r , BENCH r e p a i r 2. P a r k e r P e n Company, DO'S and
manuals and schematics a r e n o t t o b e JABOOS a r o u n d t h e world', The
p r o u i d e d t o customers, period.
B e n j a m i n Company, inc: Elmsford, NY,
1985.
Thanks f o r t h e c o m p l e m e n t o n d a t a
policy. The r e a s o n i t ' s so c l e a r a n d
done so quick i s t h a t I didn't haue t o
get corporate product marketing
involved. Forget euer getting
a n y t h i n g t h a t good f r o m corporate.
NOW, r e a d t h e same t e l e x a f t e r i t
w a s r e w r i t t e n t o a d h e r e t o t h e do's
and don'ts rules.

1 ) Status of Project A -
Currently
t r y i n g t o l o c a t e a b e t a t e s t s i t e in
t h e U n i t e d States. Overseas Sites a r e
n o t eligible due t o t h e amount o f
on-site t i m e and trauel required b y
t h e d e v e l o p m e n t g r o u p . You c a n
receive a preliminary copy o f this
s o f t w a r e f o r t e s t i n g purposes b u t n o
on-site support and maintenance
w o r k w o u l d b e done u n l e s s s p e c i a l
a r r a n g e m e n t s a r e made.

2) C u s t o m - l e n g t h cableYes -
Cost -
information currently being
researched. Should be a u a i l a b l e
b e f o r e end o f n e x t week.