PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

UNIT I - Module 2:
Global and Intercultural Communication

Start It Right…
Read the Learning Outcomes of this Module.

At the end of the learning engagement, you should be able to:

1. explain the concept of global and intercultural communication,
2. discuss how cultural and global issues affect communication,
3. participate in activities to enhance communicative competence, and
4. appreciate the significance of understanding how culture and globalization affect
communication.

Hook up and Share…

Around the World in One Minute. Select an Online Learning Partner (OLP).
Practice saying “Thank you” to each other in different languages. Then compose
your reaction of 40 – 50 words on this activity. Have fun!

English – Thank you, Thanks Russian – Spasiba (spah-see‟-boh)

Spanish – Gracias Korean – Gamsahamnida
French – Merci Arabic – Shukran
Italian – Grazie Icelandic – Takk
Japanese – Arigato Hawaiian – Mahalo
Chinese – Do jeh, Daw-dyeh Hebrew – Toda (toh-dah‟)
German – Danke sehr Greek – Efharisto (ef-har-ris-tou‟)
Thai – Khop Khun Mak Kha Hindi – Dhanyavād / Shukriya

My Reaction (include the name of your OLP)

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 Watch and Buzz…
Use the Internet and view the video presentation titled “Pop Culture in the Arab
World” at http://www.ted.com/talks/shereen_el_feki_pop_culture_in_the_arab_
world. After watching the video, answer the questions that follow. Present your
output in class. (Source: TED Talks)

1. How did Dr. Shereen El Feki start her speech? Why did she do it that way?
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2. Differentiate “clash of civilizations,” “mash of civilization” and “mesh of civilization” as mentioned by Dr.
El Feki in the video presentation.
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3. What is “Islamic cross-cultural hybridization”? Do you think Fulla, 4Shbab and The 99 who represent
the Arab pop culture are effective avenues in promoting successful intercultural communication?
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 Show and Tell…
A. Reacting to the Text. Read the following article by Leaf Group, Ltd.. (Source:
https://bizfluent.com/facts-7601794-definition-global-communication.html)

A Definition of Global Communication

By David Weedmark, Leaf Group
© 2019 Leaf Group, Ltd. U.S.A.
(Printed with author‟s and copyright owner‟s permissions.)
Today, the internet and advances in communication technologies have opened new opportunities for
both large and small businesses that would have been unthinkable 50 years ago. With a single web page
and a cellphone, any business person can reach new customers, partners and suppliers anywhere in the
world. However, communicating with people on a global scale is not the same as communicating with
people locally. Not only are there more technological hurdles to overcome, but you also need to address
language barriers and cultural nuances.
Global Communication Definition
At its root, global communication can be defined just as any communication can: a message is sent
from one person or group to another anywhere in the world, which can be described as a five-step
process:
(1) A person or an organization in one country sends a message.
(2) The message is encoded.
(3) The message travels through a channel or medium.
(4) The receiver in another country decodes the message.
(5) The recipient receives the message.
When it comes to communicating globally, it is usually in the encoding and decoding that problems
occur. As with any communication, ensuring that the message is received as it was intended is the
responsibility of the sender.
Examples of Global Communication
One of the most common forms of global communication is an email. A person in one country types a
message and clicks the send button. The message is then encoded into packets which are sent across
the internet to the recipient. In another country, the receiver logs in and decodes the message by
opening the email, and retrieves the message.
When someone from another country reads your company's web page, this too is an example of
global communication. The message is written and encoded in HTML, uploaded to a server, which is
then accessed across the internet and decoded by a web browser – and perhaps a translation plugin –
before the recipient reads it.
In both of these examples, noise can distort the message or make it undecipherable. In electronic
communication, noise can include anything from typos that change the context of a sentence to a failed
internet connection, which could make it appear that you are not communicating anything at all.
With global communication, encoding and decoding the message can be more complicated than
when you are communicating with someone in your own country due to differences in language and
culture. If either the sender or receiver isn't proficient in the language being used to send the message,
translation issues can add noise, distorting the message. Even small cultural differences can add noise.
While most Americans, for example, associate the word "cheers" with drinking, someone from the UK
may informally use the word as a way of saying thank you, or goodbye. In Quebec, Canada, a car is
often called "un char," which most translation services decode as a "chariot" or a "tank."
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 Global communication becomes more complicated when there are multiple recipients from different
cultures with different languages all receiving the same message, as well as when there are more layers
added to the channel. For example, if a world leader makes a speech broadcast across the globe, people
from one region may rejoice at the news, while others may find it offensive. In this case, the channel itself
can involve many different layers, as translators, news, editors and commentators each interpret the
message differently before passing it on to the intended audiences.
Language Barriers in Global Business Communication
Whenever you are communicating with someone in their language, it is your responsibility to ensure
that the words you use are correct. This includes advertising and marketing. Over the past several
decades there have been many large and successful companies that have made mistakes when
translating what they wanted to say to a different language, often with offensive, or even hilarious,
results. Here are a few examples of some translation misfires:
 Germany: Clairol marketed a new curling iron named "Mist Stick." In German, mist means
manure.
 China: Coca-Cola's name was mistranslated when it began selling its product to the Chinese,
who were told to "bite the wax tadpole."
 Ethiopia: When Gerber began selling its baby food here, they used the same label design as in
other countries, featuring a cute infant. In Ethiopia, however, where not everyone was literate, the
custom was that images on a label only depicted the jar's contents.
 Mexico: When Parker Pen began marketing its pens to this Spanish country, its motto, "It won't
leak in your pocket and embarrass you" was translated to, "It won't leak in your pocket and make
you pregnant."
 Thailand: Ikea entered this market using the same Swedish names for its products that it used all
over the world. However, many of these names in Thai mean "sex," or have sexual implications,
like "getting to third base."
Cultural Barriers in Global Business Communication
A common way small businesses first become involved in global operations is by hiring a firm or
consultant from another country, like a company in the United States hiring a software development team
in India with more affordable rates than those who are available locally.

Throughout their initial conversations, the American manager may be focused on the project
requirements, timelines and deliverables. The Indian manager, on the other hand, may be more focused
on building a solid relationship with a new client. After the American manager carefully explains the
project requirements and deliverable in terms she believes are easy to understand, the Indian manager
has many questions but does not ask them. Instead, he says, "Yes," and agrees to take on the project.
Weeks later, when the Indian team completes the first phase of the project, it does not meet the
Americans' expectations and the relationship falls apart.
This was caused by a cultural nuance, in which the word "Yes" did not necessarily mean that the
Indian manager understood everything and was in agreement. It was simply a word that he used to move
the relationship forward. Had the American manager understood this, she could have invested more time
in fostering their new relationship before assuming that they were in agreement, thus avoiding the
problem.
Complications Inherent with Global Communication
Increasing communication from a local to a global scale has many ramifications beyond cultural
pitfalls and language barriers. One example is the increase in emails and other messages people receive
every day, many of which are sent from different time zones, often when the recipient is not even awake
to read them in a timely manner. Many business people now receive up to 200 emails each day, which is
too many to read carefully and respond to in a thoughtful manner. The result is that many emails are
merely scanned before being deleted, or filtered away by software, never to be even read.
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 Business people must be diligent in trying to ensure that the most important emails don't get lost in
the volume. A legitimate query from a potential new client could get mistaken for spam. An important
question from a business partner could get lost in a series of replies in an unrelated thread of messages.
Additionally, when sending an email, business people have no assurances that the message will be
received and read by the recipient.
Another complication in global communication for businesses is overcoming the disadvantage you
have when competing with local companies. While face-to-face meetings can be replaced with video
conference calls, subtleties of body language can't always be captured on video. A frown from an
executive during a presentation, for example, is a crucial piece of visual information that you could easily
miss on video, particularly when that executive may be off-camera at that moment.
There are many other pieces of important information that get lost when you are interacting with
someone across the globe. When doing business locally, it's usually quite easy to discern between a
company located in the business district, whose ads you have noticed on billboards and local radio for a
number of years, compared to a business located in an apartment building on the outskirts of town. On
the other hand, when you are approached by a company located in a different country, you may not have
much to go with beyond what they state on their website. Finding out more about a foreign firm usually
requires much more time and research.
Benefits of Global Communication
Despite the risks, operating a business on a global level has many benefits that far outweigh those
risks. Not only does doing business on a global level open up new markets for selling products and
services, it can give you access to resources and talent that may not be available locally. While every
business is different, it's worthwhile to note that Coca-Cola didn't stop selling their products worldwide
because of a few translation problems.
As the world has continued to become more tightly connected and communication technologies have
continued to evolve, the benefits as a whole can be illustrated by the market penetration of these new
technologies themselves. The more globally connected the world has become, the faster people have
adopted new global communication technologies.
The telephone, which was the greatest global communication technology of its time, replacing the
telegraph, took 71 years to reach a market penetration of 50 percent of homes. Electricity took 52 years
to reach the same penetration. Radios followed, taking 28 years. Color televisions took 18 years.
Personal computers took only 19 years. Cellphones took 14 years, while internet access took only 10
years to reach 50 percent of all homes in the U.S.
Because a growing number of companies are already competing on a global level, any business that
wants to compete with them must also open its channels to communicate effectively with the entire
world.

A. Reacting to the Text. Answer the following questions briefly but substantially.
1. Give a one-sentence definition of global communication in your own words. How can language
barriers be avoided in global communication?

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2. Aside from email and web page, what two other examples of global communication are you familiar
with? Explain each.

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3. Explain this complication inherent in global communication: “While face-to-face meetings can be
replaced with video conference calls, subtleties of body language can't always be captured on video.”
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B. Quick Response. Choose an Online Learning Partner (OLP) and research about the following
concepts. Then fill the table with the necessary information. Present your output in class.
Indicate here your OLP: ______________________________________________
Concept Definition/Description Source
Global village

Culture and
Co-culture

Intercultural
Communication
Assimilation

Power Distance Index

Individualism and
Collectivism

Ethnocentrism

Cultural Relativism

Melting Pot Philosophy

Transpection

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C. Responding to Image. Study the picture below. Afterwards, write a reflection essay of 50 – 75 words
based on the message presented in the picture. Share your output with class.

My Reflection Essay
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D. “We’re Just Friends” Photo Gallery. Take some time to interview your classmates and ask about
their cultural background. Post your photo and of four classmates that you discovered to have a cultural
background different from yours. Indicate their names, describe in one sentence their cultural
backgrounds and state the reason that you want to connect and build relationship with them. Enjoy friend
hunting! Be artistic! Have fun!

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 Plug in and Chat…
Interactive Lecture. Participate in the discussion of the key concepts about
intercultural communication.

Intercultural Communication
By Jesus Perry L. Caudilla

In 1964, the term “global village” was coined by a media and communication theorist, the late
Marshall McLuhan to describe a world where people instantly and easily share culture through the tools
of technology. He popularized the concept of global village in his words: “Today, after more than a
century of electric technology, we have extended our central nervous system itself in a global embrace,
abolishing both space and time as far as our planet is concerned” (McLuhan, 1964).
Indeed, the world has changed not only physically because of drastic climate change but also
culturally because of the development of electronic and now digital media which has reduced the
distance of people from different parts of the globe. The world is now viewed as a global village where
people and their culture are brought together as one community by electronic communications,
particularly the Internet. Food, music, education, religion and government among others are linked
together and “compressed into one super-culture” (Dixon, 2009). In the global village, people may be
physically distant from one another yet everyone has become a neighbor. Undoubtedly, at the heart of
this phenomenon is the relationship between communication and culture.
It is common for people to share information with others who are culturally different from them. This is
particularly true when they are interacting within a multicultural environment - be it an academic
institution, a business firm, a professional organization or a neighborhood. Undeniably, since culture
influences communication, they need to learn how to develop their competence in intercultural
communication.
Definition of Culture

 Culture is the system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the
members of society use to cope with their world and with one another, and that are transmitted
from generation to generation through learning (Boas, 1911).

 Culture is the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings,
hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and
material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations
through individual and group striving.

Manifestations of Culture

The differences in cultures of people are manifested in various ways and at different levels. Hofstede,
Hofstede and Minkov (2010) identified these levels as symbols, heroes, rituals and values.

 Symbols are the most evident – words, gestures, pictures, clothes, acts or objects that carry a
particular meaning – which are recognized only by members of the same culture. Symbols easily
develop and disappear. A culture‟s symbols are easily imitated by other cultures.
 Heroes are past or present, real or fictitious personas who are respected and admired in a
culture. They possess qualities that are highly valued by members of a culture. According to Deal
and Kennedy (1982) the hero is a great motivator, the person everyone will depend on when
beset with problems.

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  Rituals are a collection of activities such as ways of greetings, paying respect to others, religious
and social ceremonies. They hold social significance although often times they are acted out for
their own sake.
 Values are the core of a culture. They consists of a culture‟s predilection between right and
wrong, good and bad, likes and dislikes, and natural or unnatural. They are interconnected with
what moral or ethical standards of a culture.

Co-cultures Defined

From the previous definitions, culture can be considered as the system of knowledge, beliefs, values,
customs, attitudes, and utilitarian objects that are acquired, shared and used by a specific portion of a
population. When a person closely aligns with a cultural group, he or she acquires a certain cultural
identity. Culture can be dominant in the sense that majority of a population possess and share the same
knowledge, beliefs, values, customs, attitudes, and materials. On the other hand, people can be part of a
co-culture, or subculture, in which they are members of the same parent culture but differ in some racial
or ethnolinguistic characteristics from that parent culture. The Philippine culture, for example, is the
parent culture of Igorot, Lumad and Yakan cultures and of cultures of other tribal groups or indigenous
peoples in the country.
Philippine Culture

Igorot Lumad
Culture Culture

Yakan Co-Culture
Culture

Co-Culture

Another example is „Muslim culture‟ which broadly represents many diverse Muslim cultural groups:
the Asian Muslims, the Middle Eastern, the African, the European and the American Muslims, each with
their own variations on customs and traditions (Sharon Pluralism Network, 2019). Other examples of co-
culture pertain to gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and social class.

Strategies of Interaction within a Culture

Individuals or groups of people who migrate to a whole new environment by choice, necessity or force
have to contend with the new system of the host or dominant culture. They can use strategies when they
choose to interact with members of the host culture or not at all.

 Accommodation. According to the famous psychologist J. M. Baldwin, the term denotes

acquired modifications in the behavior which help individuals to adjust to their new environment
(Sociologyguidecom).

 Acculturation. Conceived in the fields of anthropology and sociology early in the 20th century, N.
L. Cole defines the term as “a process through which a person or group from one culture comes
to adopt the practices and values of another culture, while still retaining their own distinct
culture”(ThoughtCo.).
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  Assimilation. Considered as the most extreme form of acculturation, assimilation is “a linear
process by which one group becomes culturally similar to another over time. Taking this theory as
a lens, one can see generational changes within immigrant families, wherein the immigrant
generation is culturally different upon arrival but assimilates, to some degree, to the dominant
culture” (ThoughtCo.).

 Integration. This process occurs “when a person or group is encouraged to maintain their
original culture (cultural integrity) while they are simultaneously encouraged to adopt necessary
elements of the new culture in order to live and full and functional life in their new home”
(ThoughtCo.). Integration leads to, and is often synonymous with biculturalism.

 Separation. This strategy occurs when individuals focus on keeping their own values and avoid
contact with the dominant or host culture as much as they can to preserve their culture of origin.

 Marginalization. This strategy occurs when individuals don‟t keep hold on to their original culture
nor integrate in the new culture where isolation from both cultural groups or living in non-identity
is promoted.

Hofstede's Dimensions of Culture: Understanding Cultural Similarities and Differences

What if you will be assigned by your multimillion business firm to manage a team consisting of
members from different parts of the globe? You might think that this is an exciting once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity but a challenging and nerve-wrecking one as well. Apparently, you will be working closely
with people who have cultures different from yours. Therefore, it is necessary that you understand their
cultures and avoid using inappropriate cross-cultural communication.

To understand cultural similarities and differences, it is useful to learn about and explore the use of
Hofstede's six dimensions of culture. Back in the 70s, a Dutch social psychologist and former IBM
employee Dr. Gerard Hendrik (Geert) Hofstede published his cultural dimensions model after a decade‟s
research involving people who worked for IBM in more than 50 countries. From four dimensions, two
others were added later in cooperation with Drs. Michael H. Bond and Michael Minkov. The three scored
each country on a scale of 0 to 100 for each dimension.

Here is a bite-size discussion of Hofstede's four of six dimensions of culture.

1. Power Distance Index (PDI) refers to the level of inequality that exists between people who hold
and who do not hold power. Malaysia with a high PDI rating of 100 accepts an unequal hierarchical
distribution of power. In this country, employees will not take any action unless guided and directed to
finish a task. A leader‟s status is recognized in cultures with high PDI score. Contrarily, cultures with low
power distance score believe that power is shared and considerably distributed. As such, supervisors
and employees are considered almost as equals. Likewise, employees who will be directly affected by a
decision are involved in decision making.

2. Individualism Versus Collectivism (IDV) pertains to how strong the ties that exists among people
within a community. Cultures with high IDV rating shows weak interpersonal relation with others, thus
people‟s time and privacy are highly respected. Individual achievements are highly valued. On the other
hand, cultures with low IDV score tend to promote group welfare towards stability and harmony, and
therefore suppress behaviors (giving derogatory remark in public) that may espouse disagreement or
disintegration. Panama and Guatemala of Central America have very low IDV scores.

3. Masculinity Versus Femininity (MAS) refers to the distribution of roles between men and
women. In highly masculine culture, aggressiveness, strength, money and achievements are given high
premium by members. They show strong egos brought about by status of pride and importance. In highly
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feminine societies, members value relationship, sensitivity towards members of both sexes, and a high
quality of life. They give importance to flexibility at work (maintaining good relationship with supervisor)
and balance between life and work. Japan has the highest MAS score of 95 (a hierarchical, deferential
and traditionally patriarchal society), whereas Sweden has the lowest measured value of five (a highly
feminine culture where management style is largely through discussion, consensus, compromise, and
negotiation)

4. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) is the dimension that describes the way people tackle
uncertainty and ambiguity. People in societies that have high score in this dimension make life as
predictable and controllable as possible. They have the tendency to give up easily when they lose control
of their own lives or depend so much on God‟s hands for their destiny. They are generally conservative
and follow many declared and undeclared societal norms and conventions. In conversations,
expressions of emotions and anger and the use of vigorous gestures are nothing but normal. They use
indirect approach based on tradition-bound communication system. Greece is topnotch in the UAI scale
with 100. In a low UAI culture, people are more relaxed, open to change and innovations and generally
inclusive. They give less value to titles, so bragging about achievements is avoided. In addition, they give
respect to those who can deal with any difficulties. In Hofstede's model, Singapore has the lowest score
of eight.

The two additional dimensions, Long- Versus Short-Term Orientation (originally Pragmatic Versus
Normative (PRA) dimension) and Indulgence Versus Restraint (IVR) are relatively new, and are therefore
accompanied by less data.

By recognizing the characteristics of cultures belonging to a particular dimension, it becomes easier to

understand the way members communicate within their group. When a non-member steps into a specific
culture, he or she can evaluate his or her communication approach – words and actions – in relation to
the way members of that culture might think and react. Hofstede‟s dimensions can be a good starting
point to overcome cultural ignorance and to guide one‟s behavior and competence in communicating with
people of different cultures, i.e. to respond appropriately to varying communication styles and to interact
effectively with people of diverse religious, social, ethnic, and educational backgrounds.

Defining Intercultural Communication

Intercultural communication refers to the communication between people from two different cultures.
(Chen & Starosta, 1999)

Intercultural communication is the exchange of information between individuals who are “unalike
culturally.” (Rogers & Steinfatt, 1999)

Intercultural communication is a symbolic, interpretive, transactional, contextual process, in which

people from different cultures create shared meanings. (Lustig & Koester, 2007)

Intercultural communication is identified as both a concept and a competence. Intercultural

competence is the active possession by individuals of qualities which contribute to effective intercultural
communication and can be defined in terms of three primary attributes: knowledge, skills and attitudes.
(LANQUA, n.d.)

Intercultural communication is called in various ways: interracial communication, interethnic

communication, and international communication.

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Culture Influences Communication

The formula for a successful communication with other cultures is by understanding our similarities
and differences from them. When we interact with people whose system of knowledge, values,
behaviors, etc. differs from ours, we need to compare and contrast our cultures and interaction
approaches in order to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts that communication can create.

The following concepts are a good guide in intercultural communication:

 Ethnocentrism is the tendency of a group of people to consider their culture as superior to all
other cultures. It can lead them to give negative judgments on other cultures based on their own
knowledge, values and behavioral norms. Ethnocentrism can also steer them to a failure in
intercultural communication. Although it can be a barrier to successfully communicating
interculturally to highly ethnocentric culture, it can be a challenge to improve intercultural
competence among those with low ethnocentricity level.

 Cultural relativism is the acceptance that all cultures are equal in value with one another despite
their differences. It is an approach in avoiding giving judgments on other cultures as inferior to
one‟s own standards of right and wrong, bad and good or natural and unnatural. Because cultural
relativism leads to understanding cultural practices of a group of people in their own context, it
can show the way towards effective intercultural communication.

 Melting pot philosophy pertains to the idea that different cultures will blend together and create
one ultimate culture. The USA is often described as a melting pot of all races or all types of
people who migrate to the country. It is an environment where many cultures or people, despite
their assortment, assimilate to produce a new amalgam of culture and co-exist as one strong
homogenous American nation.

 Pluralism refers to the acknowledgement of cultural relativism and promotion of respect for
uniqueness and forbearance of diversity of cultures. Instead of creating a new hybrid of culture
like in the melting pot theory, all cultures are allowed to co-exist with one another. For a
successful intercultural communication to thrive in a pluralistic society, people need to understand
and interact with others with different social and educational backgrounds, values, lifestyles,
religious and political beliefs, behavioral norms, communication styles, etc.

Improving Intercultural Communication

In intercultural communication, it is necessary to reduce the strangeness of strangers. Stanley

Martinez (n.d.) in his discussion of intercultural communication at personales.upv.es/mcandel/Hybels9
_Ch3.pdf, explained five ways to improve communicating interculturally.

 Pay attention to your words and actions. Become cognizant of how your own thinking
patterns, assumptions, perceptions, prejudices, and biases through thoughtful communication
with others. Study your own self and the way you interact with others based on how well you
know your own gender, race, social status, physical appearance, abilities and disabilities.

 Control your assumptions. Question a lot of your assumptions about cultures, for example, the
one right way to communicate is your way, communication breakdowns are brought about by
others because you have different mind tracks, rules on interpersonal communication in your
culture are the same with all other cultures, etc.

 Engage in transpection. Transpection is the process of empathizing across cultures. Through

practice that involves structured experience and self-reflection, try to see the world exactly the
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 way others see it. Try to learn beliefs, feelings and perspectives of other cultures. Martinez (n.d.)
explained that transpection can help you avoid assumptions and move you closer to tolerance,
sensitivity, respect, empathic listening, and effective communication responses.
 Gain knowledge. Read, observe and discover about other countries‟ customs, traditions,
religions, etc. Visit places where you can meet and talk to people from other cultures. The more
you know about a culture, the better that you control assumptions and the more you overcome
misunderstandings. Graining knowledge about other cultures is a great way of eliminating any
personal biases and prejudices you have developed over the years.
 Gain experience. Gaining experience in intercultural communication is not limited to reading,
observing, discovering or doing research on the net about a culture. You gain true experience by
actually visiting a place though sometimes it is costly and tedious. However, you can also find
someone of another culture and talk to him or her and ask direct questions in a conversation
intended to help you better understand his or her culture.

Intercultural Communication Tips

By Commisceo Global Consulting
(Printed with copyright owner‟s permission.)

Working across cultures is a new experience for many people. Intercultural communication can be a
dynamic and creative affair but occasionally due to the inability to interpret people correctly it can be a
challenge. Building an understanding of other people's cultures, their communication styles and
behaviors can go a long way in improving relationships and being more successful in an intercultural
environment.
Even without trawling through lots of books, articles or even taking part in an intercultural
communication workshop it is possible to implement some basic principles to help improve one's
intercultural communication skills. The following intercultural communication tips are provided to help
people working in international and multicultural environments get some basic insight into dealing more
effectively with people and not letting culture become an issue.
1. Be Patient. Working in an intercultural environment can be a frustrating affair. Things may not get
done when expected, communication can be tiresome and behavior may be inappropriate. Patience with
yourself and others helps move beyond such issues and address how to avoid similar incidents in the
future.
2. Establish Rules. Sometimes if working in a truly intercultural team it may be necessary for all to
take a step back and set down some ground rules. i.e. how do we approach punctuality, meetings,
communication, emails, disagreements, etc? It is always a good idea to try and develop the rules as a
group rather than have them imposed.
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 3. Ask Questions. When you don't understand something or want to know why someone has
behaved in a certain way, simply ask. Asking questions stops you making assumptions, shows the
questioned you did not understand them and helps build up your bank of intercultural knowledge.

4. Respect. The foundation of all intercultural communication is respect. By demonstrating respect

you earn respect and help create more open and fruitful relationships.

5. The Written Word. Sometimes people who do not have English as their mother tongue will read
more proficiently than they speak. It is a good idea to always write things down as a back-up.

6. Time. Not everyone in the world thinks "time is money". Understand that for many people work is
low down on the priority list with things like family taking a much higher precedence. Do not expect
people to sacrifice their own time to meet deadlines. It is good practice to always leave a bit of spare time
when considering deadlines.

7. Humor. In an intercultural environment one man's joke is another's insult. Be wary of differences in
the sense of humor and also the acceptability of banter and the like in a business environment.

8. Always Check. The easiest way of minimizing the negative impact of intercultural communication is
to check and double check. Whether agreeing something or giving instructions, a minute spent double
checking all parties are 'reading from the same sheet' saves hours of work later on down the line.

9. Be Positive. When faced with incidents of an intercultural nature steer clear of blame and conflict.
Stay positive, analyze the problem areas and work as a team to build strategies and solutions to ensure
the same never occurs again.

10. Self-Reflect. A good intercultural communicator not only looks outwards but also inwards. Take
time to reflect on your own communication, management or motivation style and see where you can
improve as an individual.

Research into the area of intercultural communication and working in a multicultural environment
continues to show that the culturally diverse team is usually the most inventive and vibrant. However,
unless businesses and individuals start to address the area of intercultural communication as a serious
business issue, this potential will not be realized.

(bing.com images)

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 Clinch It Well…
Accomplish the assessment activity that follows. Then submit your output to your
instructor for evaluation and grading.

Name: ___________________________________ Section: _______ Date: _______ Score: ________

A. Watch the hospital scene of 2003 movie titled “Lost in Translation” at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDC3Lhq0LBA&list=PLYXBBu_0XmglIiGkCb9fcGEj5JVFwcirM&inde
x=44. In this part of the movie, Charlotte has hurt her toe, and it is now bruised so badly that Bob insists
that she must visit a local hospital to have it checked. After watching, answer the questions that follow.

1. What type of communication difficulties do Charlotte and Bob experience in the hospital (at the front
desk and in the waiting room)?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. What do you think the Japanese woman was asking Bob?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What specific strategies were used to bridge their language and culture gaps?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. What does this movie tell you about intercultural communication? Explain your answer briefly but
substantially.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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B. Country Specific Communication Styles. Take a good look at the picture below. Then answer the
questions that follow.

1. Which groups of people will have little or no difficulty in communicating interculturally? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Which groups of people will have more problems in intercultural communication? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

3. How can the differences between two cultures draw people closer to each other? Explain your answer
using an example.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

4. How does globalization affect intercultural communication? Substantiate your answer using examples.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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References

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Caudilla, J. P. L. (2019). Intercultural communication. Purposive Communication. Mandaluyong City:

Books Atbp Publishing Corp.

Chapter Three: Intercultural Communication. Retrieved from http://personales.upv.es/mcandel/

Hybels9_Ch3.pdf

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Communication, 2, 27-54.

Commisceo Global Consulting. (2017). Intercultural communication tips. Retrieved from

https://www.commisceo-global.com/blog/intercultural-communication-tips

Dixon, V. K. (2009). Understanding the implications of a global village. Retrieved from

http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1681/understanding-the-implications-of-a-global-village

Hofstede, G. (1997). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind. New York: McGraw Hill.

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communication/

Lost in Translation – Hospital scene. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDC3Lhq0LBA&

list=PLYXBBu_0XmglIiGkCb9fcGEj5JVFwcirM&index=44.

Lustig. M. W. & Koester, J. (2007). Intercultural competence: Interpersonal Communication across

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protocols/muslim-culture/

TED. (2009, December 12). Pop Culture in the Arab World. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/
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Weedmark, D. (2019). A definition of global communication. Retrieved from https://bizfluent.com/facts-

7601794-definition-global-communication.html

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