Cross Cultural

Communication

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2 Culture

Culture is a word for the 'way of life' of groups of

people, meaning the way they do things.
Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a
particular group of people, encompassing language,
religion, social habits, music and arts.
3 Cross Cultural Communication
Cross-cultural communication is a process of
creating and sharing meaning among people from
different cultural backgrounds using a variety
of means.
The term cross-cultural communication is used
interchangeably with intercultural
communication at times.
4 Cross Cultural Communication

Cross Cultural Communication is a field of study

that looks at how people from differing cultural
backgrounds communicate, in similar and different
ways among themselves and how they endeavor to
communicate is a related field of study.
 The Growing Importance of Cross cultural
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Communication
Globalization is one of the major trends in business
today .
Todays Business has become more global and
competitive.
For increasing business expansion and achieving
business goal the importance of cross cultural
communication is increasing day by day.
 The Growing Importance of Cross cultural Communication
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In todays global world, working with people from different
cultures is a common happening in a business setting, your
suppliers may be located halfway across the world, your
partners may have just moved from another country and
your customers may speak a different language than you.
In order for business to succeed in this global environment,
its important to know how to navigate cross - cultural
communication.
DIFFERENCE in NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION ·
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EYE-CONTACT • Some cultures, looking people in the eyes is honesty and
straight forwardness & in others it is seen as challenging and rude.
In US, if you have good eye contact with a person, it generally signifies that you
are interested in the person.
In Middle East, eye contact is much less common and considered less
appropriate.
In many Asian, African and Latin American cultures, extended eye contact can
be taken as an affront or a challenge of authority.
In Western Europe, it is considered proper and polite to maintain almost constant
eye contact with another person.
TOUCH :Islam & Hinduism : Touching with left hand is insulting.
 COLOURS : A single color can have many different meanings in different cultures.
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In Asia orange is a positive, spiritually enlightened, and life-affirming color. In US
it is a color of road hazards, traffic delays, and fast-food restaurants.
Green is considered the traditional colour of Islam. It is also the national colour of
Egypt.
Green is a symbol of Ireland; green is a strong trend in the Irish holiday St. Patrick’s
Day. White is the traditional colour of bridal dresses in Western cultures. China:
blue-coloured gifts are associated with death.
CLOTHING : Traditional clothing is an important part of a region’s history and
identity.
Men tend not to wear suit jackets and ties in Colombia and the Middle East. The
traditional dress for an Indian woman is a Sari. Gulf countries women's have to wear
Pardha & compulsory for every women who visits Saudi
 Dimensions of Cultural Difference
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Different dimensions are
power distance, uncertainty avoidance,
performance orientation, assertiveness,
future orientation, humane orientation,
institutional collectivism, and gender
equality.
 1.Power Distance.
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Power distance is the degree to which people accept

an unequal distribution of power and status
privileges.
In high power distance countries, there is respect
for age and titles, people are expected to follow
rules, and there is more tolerance for concentrated
power.
India, Mexico, and the Philippines have high power
distance. The United States, Australia, and Israel
have low power distance.
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2. Uncertainty Avoidance.

The degree to which people are uncomfortable with

risk, change, and ambiguity is called uncertainty
avoidance.
In high uncertainty avoidance countries, there is a
greater emphasis on rules, structure, order, and
predictability.
France, Japan, and Costa Rica, for example, are
countries with high uncertainty avoidance. The
United States, India, and Sweden have low
 3. Performance Orientation.
Performance orientation is the degree to which innovation, high
12 standards, and excellent performance are encouraged and rewarded.

Countries with high performance orientation value materialism and

competitiveness, and they expect to invest in training to promote
performance improvements.

The United States and European countries have high performance

orientations; Argentina, Russia, and Greece have low performance
orientations.
13 4. Assertiveness.
Assertiveness is the degree to which individuals are
forceful, confrontational, and aggressive, as opposed to
cooperative and compassionate.

In high assertiveness countries such as the United States,

Germany, and Mexico, communication is direct and
unambiguous.

Countries with low assertiveness rankings are Switzerland

and New Zealand. Managers in these countries are more
likely to look for consensus and cooperative decision
 5. Future Orientation
14 The degree to which delayed gratification and planning for
the future are valued over short-term gains is called future
orientation.

Countries with high future orientation encourage

investments for future payoffs over immediate
consumption. It is similar to the ability of individuals to
delay gratification.
Canada, Switzerland, and Malaysia have high future
orientation; Poland, Argentina, and Russia have low future
orientation.
 6. Humane Orientation.
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The degree to which fairness, generosity, and kindness are
encouraged and valued is a measure of a country’s humane
orientation.
In nations with high humane orientation, individuals are
responsible for promoting the well-being of others as
opposed to the state providing social and economic
support.

The Philippines, Ireland, and Egypt have high humane

orientation; France, Germany, and Singapore have low
humane orientation
 7. Institutional Collectivism.
16 Institutional collectivism is the degree to which
organizational and social institutions encourage individuals to
be integrated into groups and organizations.

In high institutional collectivism countries, collective

distribution of resources and collective actions are
encouraged. Group loyalty is encouraged, even if it
undermines the pursuit of individual goals.

Sweden, Japan, and Singapore are examples of countries that

have high institutional collectivism; Germany, Argentina, and
Italy have low institutional collectivism.
17 9. Gender Equality.
The degree to which male and female equality is
actualized is called gender equality. Countries with
high gender equality provide more opportunities for
women and have more women in positions of power.

Sweden, Poland, and Costa Rica have high gender

equality.
 ADVICE FOR COMMUNICATING ACROSS
18 CULTURES

Cross cultural communication is about dealing with people

from other cultures in a way that minimize misunderstanding
and maximize our potential to create strong cross cultural
relationship.

Like other communication, cross cultural communication

involves people, and people are unpredictable and therefore,
can be hard to deal with.
 That’s why one involved in such communication should keep the following
19 instructions in mind-

1.Doing research-
Before any international business encounter, be sure
you have done your homework. Learn something
about the topography, climate, and location of your
potential partners’ countries of origin. Learn
something about their language –learn to speak ,if
youcan.
 2.Know yourself and your company
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Besides researching about other cultures, people,
geography, the company should know about themselves
too.
It is also important to understand the type of business the
company represents.
For example, rule bound organization or loose and trusting
one etc.
you have to send accurate message about your company &
culture.
21 3.Being Aware of Stereotypes

Stereotypes (generalizing about a culture) are one of the most

sensitive issues in cross cultural communication which is generally
considered as negative.

Despite it’s downside, it is powerful because they are based on some

degree of observable likeliness within a group of people.

The prospective business partner might see a company with cultural

stereotypes. It’s also another reason to be aware of it.

It’s negative sides includes being a cause of prejudices, fixed and

conventionalized etc.
22 4.Adapt Your English to Your Audiences
Adapting language is one of the most important thing while
Communicating across culture. The English speaker one will
meet will vary widely. So in order to make Communication
meaningful, adaptation is highly important.

Simplicity is the best way to adapt one’s English to all types of

audience, especially non-native audiences. If one uses simple
English their audiences will understand at least enough to
communicate. Otherwise, some might understand, but a lot
won’t.
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Carefulness is another way to adapt and
communicate. Like avoiding double questions
or yes/no questions. Asking positively etc.

Finally, one should check and clarify

communication through continuous
confirmation.
 5. Being open to changes
Adapting to practices of one’s international partners is not always
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feasible. Sometimes one engaged in cross cultural communication
might face situation they’re totally unprepared for. In that scenario,
they must accept the change.

But sometimes, the changed situation can be unethical. And many such
situation can be widespread. In cases like that, one should seek advice
from others.
Last but not the least, one should be ready acknowledge mistakes and
also forgive other’s mistakes. Mutual respect is one of the keys to
success in cross cultural situations.
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