Module Number 2

Module Title Communication and Globalization

Module Overview Communication and Globalization is the second module of the course GE
105: Purposive Communication. This module will discuss the what
globalization is and how its impacts affect the type of communication that we
have across the world.
Module By the end of this module, you will be able to:
Outcomes a. Identify what globalization is;
b. Explain the impact of globalization to communication; and
c. Use different communication skills to respond to globalization.

Module Number 2
Module Title Communication and Globalization
Lesson 1 Globalization and Its Impact to Communication Skills Development
Description of Globalization and Its Impact to Communication Skills Development will introduce
the Lesson you to the definition of globalization and how it impacts communication with
others across the world. In this module, we will closely look into the different
global communication competencies and what we can do to equip ourselves to
be globally competent communicators.
Lesson By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Objectives a. identify the relationship between globalization and communication;
b. explain impacts of globalization to communication skills development;
and
c. interpret and respond to messages sent through medium of technology (e-
mail).
Lesson Proper
Activity As a 21 century communicator, we invite you to share your idea of what
st

globalization is by providing a word or phrase for each letter of the word.

Example:
G – lobal understanding
L – ong distance communication

G - _____________________________________
L - _____________________________________
O - _____________________________________
B - _____________________________________
A - _____________________________________
L - _____________________________________
I - _____________________________________
Z - _____________________________________
A - _____________________________________
T - _____________________________________
I - _____________________________________
O - _____________________________________
N - _____________________________________
Analysis From your responses in the previous activity, consolidate your thoughts on
globalization by answering the following questions. Write your insights on the
space provided below.
1. From where did you learn about what globalization is?
2. Has your idea of globalization changed over time? How?
3. Does your understanding of what globalization is, affecting the way you
communicate with others? In what ways?
4. How do you think can you be a better global communicator?

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Abstraction Before we can fully take off to our discussion, it is but fitting to understand
what globalization really is and how we can relate its impact on communication.
In the book, Globalization: A Very Short Introduction, Steger (2013) included
definitions of globalization from different personalities and they are as follow:
Globalization can be defined as the intensification of worldwide social
relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are
shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. (Anthony Giddens,
Formezr Director of the London School of Economics)
 Globalization may be thought of as a process (or set of processes) which
embodies a transformation in the spatial organization of social relations and
transactions—assessed in terms of their extensity, intensity, velocity and impact—
generating transcontinental or interregional flows and networks of activity,
interaction, and the exercise of power. (David Held, Professor of Politics and
International Relations, Durham University)
Globalization as a concept refers both to the compression of the world
and the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole. (Roland
Robertson, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland)
From these definitions, what key terms can you associate with
globalization? Kindly write your responses below by filling in the concept map.

Globalization

Indeed, globalization has shrunk the world. In what ways has it shrunk the
world? It has capsulized almost everything that we need through the use of
devices that we have right now such as cell phones, computers and other devices
powered by technology that enable us to be connected with other people
throughout the world.
Because of this, the question now is, how will be become responsible
global communicators?
We have to understand that globalization as the name implies, involves a
relationship with people from around the world. Meaning to say, we have to
consider the cultures, traditions and beliefs of people when we communicate.
Thus, Chen’s (2005) proposition of having global communication competence. As
cited by Manzano, et. al. (2018), competence, in the global communication context
further requires individuals to be equipped with the ability to acknowledge, respect,
tolerate, and integrate cultural differences in order to be qualified for enlightened
global citizenship (Chen & Starosta, 1997, 2003). To support his claims, he
developed a model of global communication competence.
According to Chen (2005), there are four dimensions of global
communication: global mindset, unfolding the self, mapping the culture, and
aligning the interaction.

1. Global Mindset. People with global mindset are characterized as

culturally sensitive, open, knowledgeable, critical and holistic
thinkers, and flexible. It enables individuals to regulate the
complexity, ambiguity, contradiction, and conflict embedded in the
turbulent change of the globalization process.

2. Unfolding the Self. Unfolding the self refers to the ability to look for
shared communication symbols and project the self into another
person’s mind by thinking the same thoughts and feelings and the
same emotions as the person (Chen &S Starosta, 1997, 2000b).

3. Mapping the culture. Global communication competence requires a

cognitive ability to map a person’s or another person’s culture.
Understanding ourselves as a cultural being is a prerequisite to
knowing other cultures. Respect and integration of cultural
differences becomes possible through mutual awareness of cultural
knowledge. Thus, cultural awareness is a necessity in reducing
situational ambiguity and uncertainty in the process of intercultural
global communication (Chen & Starosta, 2003).

4. Aligning the Interaction. The behavioral requirement of aligning

global interaction allows individuals to negotiate the multiple
meanings and manage complexity and conflicts in the global context.
It requires individuals to foster the ability of intercultural adroitness by
which they can function effectively and appropriately in the global
communication environment without violating their counterpart’s
norms and rules in order to reach a global civic society.

Globalization requires the development of a person’s language ability.

The ability to use language accurately and appropriately is a requirement of a
globalizing society. In a social interaction, a person demonstrates the ability to
respond appropriately to the formality level of the situation, can use a variety of
sentence structures, and can handle expanded inventory of concrete, idiomatic
and conceptual language. Hence, the creativity to use the English language is a
determinant of a person’s communication skill. (Manzano, B., et.al, 2018)
In this task, you will learn about the necessary impact of globalization on
communication skills development and what we can do about it.
Through communication technologies we talk to one another, view news
and documentaries about other parts of the world and other cultures, revisit
history, and share in the cultural production of other social groups. Through other
technologies we can rapidly traverse the globe physically, transmit information
almost instantaneously, and send goods around the world in hours or days, rather
than months. The speed of transmission, and the mobility of capital, mean that
both space and time seem to have been truncated, or to have collapsed entirely.
(Schirato, T. & Webb, J., 2003). This is exactly what globalization has done to the
world that we live in.
Baxter (2018) argued that as technology advances, the world is both
getting larger and smaller. Today, we are able to communicate with people across
the globe at the touch of a button. While globalization, or communication between
nations beyond their borders, is an old concept, with the onset of new technology
globalization is impacting the ways we communicate and learn in fascinating ways.
Manzano, B., et.al, (2018) presented 4 major impacts of globalization on
communication skills development.
1. Virtual interactions. Globalization has introduced virtual communication and
collaboration as a major part of workplace dynamics. Modern entrepreneurs need
to understand the strengths and limitations of different communications media and
how to use each medium to maximum effect. For example, communicating via
email to distant team members requires a certain etiquette and nuance not
necessarily required in face-to-face interactions. Holding virtual meetings requires
a similar change in approach, and people who are unaccustomed to
communicating in groups can find themselves lost, confused or unable to share
their input.
2. Cultural awareness in speech. Today, global communication is often referred
to as dialogue between civilizations (Tibi, 2011). The need for cultural awareness
is a major impact of globalization on the required skill set of effective
communicators. Modern entrepreneurs and employees need the ability to catch
subtle nuances of people’s manner of speech when communicating across
cultures. Even when two people are speaking the same language, cultural
differences can affect vocabulary, colloquial expressions, voice tone, and taboo
topics (Ingram, 2009). In Filipino culture, for example, it can be considered rude
to ask unprofessional questions. Even if they seem harmless, these questions
could show that the employees are incompetent, rude or even liabilities to the
company, and it might end up costing their job.

Some Questions to Avoid in Speech in the Workplace

Are you sure about that?
How much are you offering them?
Do I get some bonus pay?
Who is your capitalist? (If the capitalist does not like to reveal his/her identity)
Do I get my birthday off?
I don’t have much to do today. Can I go home early?
How do I benefit from this?
When do I get raise?
What’s the employee discount like?
Am I going to do that? It is not part of my job?
 Who should I avoid around here?

3. Cultural awareness in body language. Awareness of cultural differences in

body language can be just as important as the nuances of speech. Students
should understand acceptable speaking distances, conflict styles, eye contact,
and posture in different cultures, accepting that the physical expressions of their
own culture are not universally accepted. These differences should be addressed
to avoid difficulties or miscommunication.

Examples of Body Language

shaking hands eye contact
OK sign head nod from side to side or head shake
thumbs-up head nod up and down
broad arm movement tugging the earlobes
pointing using the lips sitting with crossed legs

4. Time Differences. The advent of global collaboration introduces another new

dynamic to communication skills – the need to communicate and share
information with people across several time zones. When people collaborate with
others on the other side of the globe, their counterparts are usually at home asleep
while they themselves are at work. Today’s communication skills development
programs should address the nuances of overcoming this challenge by
overcoming this challenge by teaching people to understand the information
needs of their colleagues, according to the communication styles of different
countries or cultures. Being able to share effectively information between shifts
can make or break the productivity of a geographically dispersed team, making
this an important issue for many companies (Ingram, 2009).

Application Task 1: In the next activity, you will have the opportunity to interpret a message
that is sent through an e-mail, which is one of the impacts of communication
across the globe.

This activity was taken from Stringer and Cassiday’s (2009) book, 52 Activities for
Improving Cross-Cultural Communication.
E-mail Intent vs. Impact
For this activity, we would like you to answer the following set of questions for
every sample e-mail. Kindly write your answer below each sample e-mail.
a. How would you respond to this e-mail message?
b. What approach might the sender be using?
c. What could be the positive intention of the sender?
d. How might you respond to this e-mail if you assumed your initial
response was correct?
e. How might you respond to this e-mail if the sender had a positive
intent?
f. How could you rewrite this e-mail to have a positive impact on you?
g. How might you use this reframing of an e-mail in your daily work?
Email #1:
Miguel: Will arrive at hotel 7 pm. See you then. Donna

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Email # 2:
My dearest Donna: How is your family? I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I
am very excited about our upcoming work together because I always learn so
much when we work together. I will arrive at the hotel about 7 pm and hope we
can have dinner together and catch up on each other’s lives before we begin our
project. I spent the weekend hiking with my partner and we saw some beautiful
scenery. I have photos that I look forward to sharing with you. I will call you when
I get to the hotel. Warmest regards, Miguel.

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Email # 3:
Sharon: Regarding Q1 results. Off by 10% of target. Clearly not acceptable.
Please send your plan for revision.

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Email # 4:
Harold: Want to discuss my observations of last week’s meeting. You are not
much of a team player are you? Results are good. Carolyn

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Email # 5:
Pietre: Want to inform you that due to staff shortages and schedule demands,
we have not yet shipped the order that was due to your client in Bogata this
week. Efforts being made to ship next week. Emma
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Debriefing Conclusions:
1. E-mail messages are often misinterpreted because the sender and receiver
have different cultural approaches.
2. Reframing the message with a positive intention can allow people to be more
effective in accurately perceiving and working with one another.

Task 2:
At this point, you are invited to watch a video titled “The Flight from
Conversation/Connected, but Alone?” by Sherry Turkle that shows how
globalization has affected communication. The video can be viewed or
downloaded using this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Xr3AsBEK4.You may also read the
facsimile of the talk below or from this link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-
conversation.html.

After watching/reading, kindly write a one-page insight paper containing your

realizations about the article.

Metacognition As a wrap, we would like to invite you to write a one-page reflective essay by
answering the following questions:
1. What did you learn from this module?
2. How can you use what you have learned as
a. a student?
b. a citizen
c. a human being at large?
Suggested Ahmed, A. 2018. The Effects of Globalization on Global Communication.
Readings Nove,ber 21, 2018. Retrieved from https://bizfluent.com/how-5192697-
communicate-globally.html
 Sorrells, K. 2016. Intercultural Communication: Globalization and Social Justice.
2nd Edition Retrieved from shorturl.at/xEI28
References Baxter, B. The impact of globalization on communication and education. July 31,
2018. Retrieved from shorturl.at/vxAN0

Manzano, B., et. al. 2018. Purposive communication for college freshmen. St.
Andrew Publishing House. Plaridel, Bulacan

Schirato, T. & Webb, J. 2003. Understanding globalization. SAGE Publications

Ltd. 6 Bonhill Street. London EC2A 4PU

Tibi, B. The Handbook of Global Communication and

Media Ethics Volume I. 2011. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.