CHAPTER 2: COMMUNICATION & GLOBALIZATION

Comm 01

Purposive Communication

Globalization

● process by which ideas, goods and services spread throughout the world

● driven by the convergence of political, cultural and economic systems that ultimately
promote :

- increased interaction

- integration

- dependency amongst nations

What are the causes of globalization?

● Advances in technology:

-transportation

-communication

● money, technology, materials and even people flow more swiftly across national boundaries

● flow of knowledge, ideas and cultures is expediated through internet communications

Effects of globalization

● can be felt both locally and globally

● can be observed in interactions at every level of society:

-from an individual at the micro level

-to a society at the macro level

1. individual level - the way international influence affects ordinary people within a nation

2. community level - effects to local or regional organizations, businesses and economies

3. institutional level - effects to multinational corporations, national governments and higher

education institutions that have international students

Overcoming Communication Challenges

1. Flexible communication style

2. Two-way communication (give and take)

3. Be concise

4. Embrace technology

5. Avoid jargon, slang and localized expressions

6. Be respectful of cultural and religious differences

 CHAPTER 3

I. Local and Global Communication in Multicultural Setting

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

• the process of sharing and interpreting meanings with individuals from different cultures

• exchange of information between individuals who are unalike culturally

CULTURE

It is a learned set of shared interpretations about beliefs, values, norms, and roles which affect the
behaviors of a relatively large group of people.

FORMS OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

➢ INTERRACIAL – involves different races

➢ INTERETHNIC – involves different ethnic

➢ INTERNATIONAL – between two or more nations

➢ INTRACULTURAL – within a single culture

• variation between individuals who belong to the same cultural group

RACE – physical traits, something inherited

ETHNICITY – cultural identification, something learned

BELIEFS AND VALUES

• Beliefs are assumptions and convictions that are held to be true, by an individual or a group

• Values determine what we think is right, good, important, and beautiful.

NORMS

• refer to appropriate behaviors and rules that are accepted in society.

• this rules pertain actually to culture and how people in a particular place are expected to
behave and react to given circumstances.

II. LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNICATION IN MULTICULTURAL SETTINGS

Intercultural Communication

‘Colere’, Latin

Means to tend to the earth and grow, or cultivation and nurture.

Intercultural Communication

-examines the influence of culture on who people are, how they act, feel, think, and speak and
listen. (DODD, 1991)
 -a communicative process involving individuals from different cultures to overcome certain personal
and/or contextual barriers in order to achieve effective communication. (Vila, 2005 as cited in
Domingo, 2018)

-the sending and receiving of messages across languages and cultures. (Arent, 2009)

“Intercultural communication is the exchange and sensitivity of views across social systems and
societies; cultural groups; develop deeper tolerance and appreciation of various languages,
institutions, cultural beliefs, and practices.”

Cultural Dialectics

Individualism vs Collectivism

Individualistic cuture

- Cultivates individualistic initiative and achievement

- “I” perspective

- Emphasis is placed in developing a sense of self.

Collectivist Culture

- Nurtures group influence

- “We” perspective

- Members are expected to fit into the groups

High Context vs Low Context

INDICATORS LOW-CONTEXT CULURES HIGH-CONTEXT CULTURES

1. Style of Communication Direct, explicit, informal, detail-oriented, linear Implicit, indirect,

group-oriented

2. Mode of Communication High use of verbal communication High use of nonverbal

communication

3. Relationship Individualized. Interpersonal comm is short. Collectivist Long term

Task is more important.
relationships.

4. Space Privately owned Communal, people stan

close to each other

5. Time Things are scheduled. Change is fast. Time is Time is not strictly followed..
commodity
Change is slow.

Time is a process.
6. Learning Following directions and explanations Observing then following

7. Thinking Inductive (Specific to general) Multiple sources.

Deductive thinking.

8. Knowledge Accessible and more often, transferrable Situational and relational

9. Power and Authority People respect each other, are equal People are not equal

Examples USA, Switzerland, Germany China, Russia, India

High Power distance versus Low Power Distance

High Power distance

• Power is used when it is legitimate.

• Apt to employ expert of legitimate power

• Interdependence by displaying a preference for consultation

Low Power Distance

• Power is a fact of life

• Apt to stress coercive or referent nature

• Superiors and subordinates view each other differently.

Masculine or Feminine Culture

Highly Masculine Culture

- Value male aggressiveness, strength, and material symbols of success.

Highly feminine

- Value relationships, tenderness in members of both sexes and value high quality of life.

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

BARRIERS OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

(Ngan Giang, 2012)

❑ Assumptions about similarities and differences

❑ Ethnocentrism

❑ Stereotypes and prejudice

❑ Incompatible communication codes

 ❑ Incompatible norms and values

STRATEGIES TO MANAGE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

(Gayle Cotton, 2013)

❑ Create proactive, not reactive, communication.

❑ Manage pre-existing cultural perceptions.

❑ Understand cultural sensitivities; avoid conflict due to differences in beliefs, values,

and traditions.

❑ Build rapport in person, on the phone, and by email.

❑ Understand how words, tone, and body language vary with every culture.

❑ Increase self-awareness and adapt a style to the type of culture/situation.

POLITICALLY CORRECT LANGUAGE

POLITICALLY INCORRECT POLITICALLY CORRECT

Negro Afro-American

White Caucasian

Homosexual Gay

Cripple Physically Challenged

Idiot, Crazy, Nutcase, Mad Mentally Disturbed

Blind Visually Challenged

III. COMMUNICATION & CULTURE

Culture

• Our understanding of acceptable actions & beliefs

• We may not be aware of the most basic features of our own culture until we come into
contact with people who do things differently
 Categories of culture

1. High-context cultures – most of the information is inferred from the context of a

message; little is directly stated.

- Japanese, Arabic, Latin American

2. Low-context cultures – context is less important; most information is explicitly

spelled out.

- German, Scandinavian, US, Canadian

Views of communication in High- & Low-context cultures

High-context Low Context

Indirectness, politeness,
Preferred communication strategy Directness, confrontation, clarity
ambiguity

Reliance on words to communicate low high

Reliance on nonverbal signs to

high low
communicate

Importance of written word low high

Agreements made in writing not binding binding

Agreements made orally binding not binding

Attention detail low High

Globalization and diversity

• Globalization continues to change the workplace

• Diversity in the workplace comes from many sources:

gender

race and ethnicity

regional and national origin

social class

religion

age
 sexual orientation

physical ability

• Communication is influenced by organizational culture, national culture and personal

culture

Personal
(gender, race,
ethnicity, social
class)

organizational national

All the three intersect to determine what kind of communication is needed in a given situation

Values and beliefs affect our response to people and situations:

• North Americas value fairness; in some countries, people expect certain groups to receive
preferential treatment.

• In US, success is based on individual achievement; in England and France, it is more linked to
social class.

• US value individualism; other countries value group.

• North Americans believe competition produces better performance; Japanese believe it

leads to disharmony.

• US students are expected to complete assignments alone, if they get help from anyone,
they’re cheating; in Japan, groups routinely work together to solve problems.

• In US, being quiet is a sign that people are working; in Japan, people talk to get the work
done.
 Values and beliefs are influenced by religion:

• Christianity coexists with a view of the individual as empowered to make things happen; in
some Muslim and Asian countries, it is seen as presumptuous to predict the future by
promising action by a certain date.

• The Puritan work ethic legitimizes wealth by seeing it as a sign of divine favor; in other
Christian cultures, a simpler lifestyle is considered to be closer to God.

❖ Differences in values, beliefs and practices lead to differences in what kinds of appeals
motivate people.

Cultural Contrasts in Motivation

United States Japan Arab Countries

Group participation; company

Emotional appeal Opportunity Religion, nationalism, admiration
success

Basis for recognition Individual achievement Group achievement Individual status, status of class/society

Annual bonus, social services,

Material rewards Salary, bonus, profit sharing Gifts for self/family; salary
fringe benefits

Threats Loss of job Loss of group membership Demotion, loss of reputation

Competition, risk taking,

Values Group harmony, belonging Reputation, family security, religion
freedom

Nonverbal communication

Learning about nonverbal language can help us project the image we want to project and make us
more aware of the signals we are interpreting.

Nonverbal symbol may have more than one meaning in a single culture, but even more common
across cultures.

An Arab student assumed that his US roommate disliked him intensely because the US student sat
around the room with his feet up on the furniture, sole toward the Arab roommate. Arab culture sees
the foot in general and the sole in particular as unclean; showing the sole of the foot is an insult.

BODY LANGUAGE

Open body positions

• People are accepting and open to ideas

• Leaning forward with uncrossed arms and legs with arms away from the body

Close body positions

• People are physically or psychologically uncomfortable

• Leaning back, arms and legs crossed or close together, and hands in pockets.
Eye contact

• North Americans see eye contact as a sign of honesty

• In many cultures, dropped eyes are a sign of appropriate deference to a superior.

➢ Puerto Rican children are taught not to meet the eyes of adults

➢ Japanese are taught to look at the neck

➢ In Korea, prolonged eye contact is considered rude. The lower-ranking person is expected to
look down first.

➢ In Muslim countries, women and men are not supposed to have eye contact.

Gestures

• No gesture or body motion has the same meaning all societies.

• The “thumbs up” sign that means “good work” or “go ahead” in the US and most of western
Europe is a vulgar insult in Greece.

• The circle formed with the thumb and first finger that means OK in the US is obscene in
Southern Italy an can mean “you’re worth nothing” in France and Belgium.

Space

• Most North Americans, North Europeans, and Asians want a bigger personal space than do
Latin Americans, French, Italians, and Arabs.

• Men take more personal space than women

• People of the same age and sex take less personal space than do mixed-age or mixed-sex
groups

• Latin Americans will stand closer to people of the same sex than North Americans would,
but North Americans stand closer to people of the opposite sex.

Touch

• Repeated studies have shown that babies need to be touched to grow and thrive and that
older people are healthier mentally and physically if they are touched.

• Some people shake hands in greeting but otherwise don’t like to be touched at all , except
by family members or loved ones

• Touch is interpreted as power. More powerful people touch less powerful people

• Most parts of North America allow opposite-sex couples to hold hands in public but frown
on the same behavior in same sex couple; people in Asia, Middle East and South America
allow male friends or female friends to hold hands in public but not for friends of the
opposite sex

• In Iran, handshakes between men and women are seen as improper

Spatial arrangements

• US offices: the size, placement and privacy of one’s office connote status; large corner
offices have the highest status; an individual office with door that closes connotes more
status than a desk in a common area.

• Japanese offices: they see private offices as ”inappropriate and inefficient”; only the very
highest executives and directors have private offices and even they will also have desks in
the common areas.

• Japanese homes: have smaller rooms than most US homes; have less furniture and arrange
it differently (small table in the center of the room, while western furniture lines the walls
leaving a large space at the center)

• US: a person sitting at the head of the table is assumed to be the group’s leader.

Time

• In the US, they keep time by the calendar and the clock; other cultures may keep time by the
seasons and the moon, the sun, internal “body clocks,” or a personal feeling that “the time is
right”.

• North Americans who believe that “time is money” are often frustrated in negotiations with
people who take a much more leisurely approach. (many cultures want to establish a
personal relationship before they decide whether to do business with each other)

monochromic cultures – treat time as a resource

polychromic cultures – emphasize relationships

Other nonverbal symbols

Clothes carry nonverbal messages of success, prestige, and competence. Clothing denotes not only
status but also occupational group( uniform, badges).

Colors: Americans wear black to funerals, while brides wear white; in pre-communist China and
some South American tribes, white is the color of mourning; purple flowers are given to the dead in
Mexico; Korea use red ink to record deaths but never to write living people.

Youth is valued in the US, some color their hair and undergo facelift; in Japan, grey hair is a sign of
wisdom and respect.

Height connotes status in many parts of the world: executive offices are usually on the top floors
while the underlings work below; studies show that employers hire the taller applicant over the
shorter one with the same qualifications; but some perceive tall people to be slow.

ORAL COMMUNICATION

Conversational style

• Denote our conversational patterns and the meaning we give to them

• Your answers to the following questions reveal your own conversational style:

1. How long a pause tells you that it’s your turn to speak
 2. Do you see interruption as rude? Or do you say things while other people are still talking to
show that you are interested?

3. Do you show interest by asking lots of questions? or do you see questions as intrusive?

There’s no better or worse conversational style, but people with different conversational styles may
feel uncomfortable without knowing why:

• People who talk quickly may be frustrated by someone who talks slowly

• Younger generations often use a rising inflection on statements as well as questions . They
see this as gentler and more polite. – Their senior counterparts see this speech pattern as
hesitant.

• Women are more likely to nod and say yes or mm hmm than men are. (Women – I’m
listening, go on; Men- I agree)

❖ Differences in conversational style may be responsible for the miscommunication that

sometimes occurs in male-female conversations

Understatement & exaggeration

• British have a reputation for understatement.

ex. Someone good enough to play at Wimbledon may say he/she “plays a little tennis”

• Many people in the US exaggerate.

ex. A US businessman negotiating with a German said “I know it’s impossible, but we can do
it”

Compliments

❖ The kinds of statements that people interpret as compliments and socially correct way to
respond to compliments also vary among cultures:

Statement: “You must be really tired”(Japan-compliment)

Response: “Thank you, but I’m OK”

Statement: “Your oral presentation was great”

American: Thank you.

Japanese: No, it wasn’t very good.

Silence

• Americans have difficulty doing business in Japan because they do not realize that silence
almost always means that the Japanese do not like the Americans’ ideas.

• During a period of military tension, Greek traffic air controllers responded with silence when
Egyptian planes requested permission to land. The Greeks intended silence as refusal; the
Egyptians interpreted silence as consent. Several people were killed when the Greeks fired
on the planes as they approached the runway.

• Women sometimes use silence to respond to comments they find offensive, hoping that
silence will signal their lack of appreciation. Men may think that silence means appreciation.
 Cultural Contrasts in Business Introductions

US Japan Arab Countries

Establish status and job Establish position in group,

Purpose of Introduction Establish personal rapport
identity; network build harmony

Image of individual Independent Member of group Part of rich culture

Information Related to business Related to company Personal

Informal, friendly, use first

Use of language Little talking Formal, expression of admiration
name

Religious harmony, hospitality,

Values Openness, directness, action Harmony, respect, listening
emotional support

Generation name Births start Births end

The lost generation 1890 1915

The interbellum generation 1901 1913

The greatest generation 1910 1924

The silent generation 1925 1945

Baby boomer generation 1946 1964

Generation X 1965 1979

Generation Y

The Millenial 1980 1995

Gen Next

Generation Z 1996 2010

Generation Al[ha 2011 2025

Differences among generations in the workplace

• Friction among members of generations can be found throughout history

• Some Millenials shake their heads at Baby Boomers’ mandate that employees start at entry-
level jobs or work beyond 40hrs a week; being rich is their most important life goal.

• Of Millenials’ strengths, including optimism, confidence, enthusiasm, organization, and goal

orientation, their greatest may be with technology.

• No generation has been as plugged in as the Millenials, who are accomplished multi-taskers.
They show great facility in gathering information.

• Supervisors relying on “snail mail”, voice mail, or even mail messages to contact Millenial
employees may find they’re better off texting or adopting newer technologies.

❖ People are individuals, as much as they are members of groups, and for many Millenials,
Gen-Xers, and Baby Boomers, intergenerational conflicts are non-existent.

How to be successful international communicator

1. Be aware that your preferred values and behaviors are influenced by culture and are not
necessarily “right”

2. Be flexible and open to change.

3. Be sensitive to verbal and nonverbal behavior.

4. Be aware of the values, beliefs, and practices in other cultures.

5. Be sensitive to differences among individuals within a culture

Writing to international audiences

• Most cultures are more formal than the US.

• When writing to international audiences, use titles, not first names.

• Avoid contractions, slang, sports metaphors.

• Make a special effort to avoid phrases that could be seen as arrogant or uncaring.

• Cultural mistakes float away in the air; those made in writing are permanently recorded.
 Cultural Contrasts in Written Persuasive Documents

US Japan Arab Countries

Request action or get

Opening Offer thanks, apologize Offer personal greetings
reader’s attention

Immediate gain or loss of Personal connections;

Way to persuade Waiting
opportunity future opportunity

Modesty, minimize own Elaborate expressions;

Style Short sentences
standing many signatures

Future relationship
Closing Specific request Desire to maintain harmony
personal greeting

Politeness, indirectness,
values Efficiency, directness, action Status, continuation
relationship

Bias-free language

• Language that does not discriminate against people on the basis of sex, physical condition,
race, age, or any category.

• It is fair and friendly; it complies with the law.

• It includes all readers; it helps sustain goodwill.

• It is non-sexist, nonracist, and nonagist language.

Nonsexist language

• Treats both sexes equally

• Make sure your writing is free from sexism in four areas: words and phrases, job titles,
pronouns, and courtesy titles.

Getting rid of sexist terms & phrases

• Not every containing man is sexist. Manager is not sexist, it comes from the Latin manus,
meaning hand.

• Avoid terms that assume that everyone is married or is heterosexual:

Biased: You and your husband or wife are cordially invited to the dinner.

Better: You and your guest are cordially invited to the dinner.
Job titles

• Use neutral titles which do not imply that a job is held only by men or only by women.

• While some job titles reflect gender stereotypes, many are already neutral: accountant,
banker, doctor, engineer, inspector, manager, nurse, pilot, secretary, technician, etc.

Four ways to eliminate sexist generic pronouns

1. Use plural nouns and pronouns

ex. Supervisors must certify that the timesheets for their departments are correct.

2. Use second-person/you

ex. You must certify that the time sheet for your department is correct.

3. Substitute an article (a, an, the) for the pronoun, or revise the sentence so that the pronoun is
unnecessary.

ex. The supervisor must certify that the time sheet for the department is correct.

4. When you must focus on the action of an individual, use pronoun pairs.

ex. The supervisor must certify that the time sheet for his or her deparyment is correct.

Making language nonracist and nonagist

• Give someone’s race or age only it is relevant to your story.

When you mention these characteristics, give them for everyone in your story – not just the non-
Caucasian or non-young-to-middle-aged adults.

• Refer to a group by the term it prefers

Negro or colored – African American or black

Oriental – Asian

❖ Older people and mature customers are more generally accepted terms than senior
citizens or golden agers.

• Avoid terms that suggest that competent people are unusual

She is an intelligent black woman. – suggests that most black women are stupid

He is an asset to his race. – suggests excellence in his race is rare

Choosing bias-free photos and illustrations

• Check visuals for possible bias. The general impression should suggest that diversity is
welcome and normal.

• Check relationships and authority figures as well as numbers

If all men appear in business suits and the women in maid’s uniforms, the pictures are sexist.

If the only blacks and Latinos pictures are factory workers, the photos show racism.
 CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

▪ Ethnocentrism is the tendency to see your own culture as superior to all others. It is
a key characteristic of failed intercultural communication efforts.

▪ Cultural relativism is understanding the behavior of other groups on the basis of the
context in which the behavior occurs rather than from your own frame of reference.
In short, it is the acceptance of other cultural groups as equal in value to one’s own.

THE COST OF CULTURAL IGNORANCE

• US/Europe vs. Saudi Arabia- Showing the sole of a shoe or crossing legs

• US vs. Thailand- patting of the head

• Iraq and Iran- left hand receiving objects

• Americans Vs. Asians- personal achievements and individualism

“Effective communication and the ability to understand cultural differences are skills that are too
frequently deficient both in students and in educators”

▪ The melting-pot philosophy is the view that different cultures should be assimilated
into the dominant culture. Cultural differences were submerged and eradicated as
quickly as possible rather than accepted by the parent culture and allowed to thrive.

▪ Cultural pluralism advocates respect for uniqueness, tolerance for difference, and
adherence to the principle of cultural relativity. In a multicultural society, every
group is believed to do things differently, and that’s okay.

LANGUAGE REGISTERS

A variety of language used in a particular social setting, using certain words, phrases and
contractions that are not normally used in other settings- or if they did, they may sound strange or
out of place. (Youssef, 2015)

Language Register was first used by Thomas Bertram Reid in 1956.

Five Styles of Language Register (Joos, 1961)

▪ Static (or frozen)

Fixed; rarely or never changes

▪ Formal

Official and ceremonial settings

▪ Consultative

Professional tone; professional discourse

▪ Casual

Informal and relaxed

▪ Intimate
Private and interpersonal

Other Styles of Language Registers

▪ Aggressive

Involves intimidating or bullying people

▪ Passive

Avoidance of communicating one’s self

▪ Submissive

To please others to avoid conflict or resistance

▪ Assertive

Used by self-assured and confident people

Three Most Common Language Registers

❑ FORMAL REGISTER

Professional writing and letters

❑ INFORMAL REGISTER

Conversational. Appropriate to people you know very well

❑ NEUTRAL REGISTER

Non-emotional and sticks to facts