Chapter 2

Communicating Across
Cultures

Md. Shahidullah Kayser

Lecturer of Finance
JnU

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Importance of cross cultural
communication

• Integration of business ( product

globalization)
• Become an effective employee
• To enrich business as well as personal life
Three major factors that affect culture

• Topography: Means of surveying of

particular location.
• Countries history
• Religion

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Dimensions of cultural difference
A. National cultural Variables
⚫Education
⚫Law and Regulations
⚫Economics
⚫Politics
⚫Religion
⚫Social Norms
⚫Language

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 B. Individual Cultural variables
⚫Time
⚫Space
⚫Food
⚫Acceptable dress
⚫Manners
⚫Decision making

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 Education
• You should be aware of the education level
of the person you are speaking to.
• Management education is more prevalent in
U.S.
• Some countries have no academic courses
in communication training
E.g. China
Law and Regulations
• You and your legal department must be aware of
the law matters internationally
• In both the under-developed and developed
nations, various government regulations affect
business communications and sale of products.
Examples:
• Advertising children is restricted in U.S, Canada,
Scandinavian states.
• France, Mexico and Province of Quebec have
restriction on the use of foreign languages in
advertisements.
Economy
• Availability of capital and transportation and
the standard of living per capital vary from
nation to nation.
• The opportunity to borrow money, the rate of
inflation (price raise), and the exchange rates
influence business and a country’s ability to
communicate concerning that business.
• For example in Pakistan the competitors
usually set their own prices.
Politics
• Politics also effect our communication when
we are doing business which can even result
in personal harm.
• Even concepts of democracy vary in
different countries
• There are different indices of measuring
political instability in any country.
Religion
• Homogeneity and diversity of belief structure.
• Religion in different areas of the world can
effect the business and communications.
• Some basic beliefs may be same but different
religions have major differences which, if not
understood well can lead to great loss.
• Recent statistics have shown some religions
have totally changed the style of business and
even the structure of that specific country.
• Consumption of alcohol
• Holidays
• Status of women
Social Norms
• Importance of family, influence of past
colonial influences
• In most of the countries Male line of family
takes family decisions.
• Beyond family, bond may exist between
persons, based on caste, class, age
Language
• Every body knows that knowing the language
of your country is the most significant
contribute to improved communication, on
personal and business level.
• Your communication is good when both
sender and receiver have same language.
• Young people mostly are able to speak and
understand English but few are the old people
Individual Cultural variables
⚫ On the micro or personal level each individual
exhibits own habits and behavior.
⚫ Time
⚫ Space
⚫ Food
⚫ Acceptable dress
⚫ Manners
⚫ Decision making
 Time
• Time is also factor in communication.

• Monochronic time systems – time is experienced in a linear way

• Polychronic time systems – tolerate many things occurring
simultaneously and emphasize involvement with people

• Germans are time-precise; rarely do you wait for an appointment in Germany.

Specify exact opening and closing time for business
• In Latin America and Buddhist cultures-waiting is acceptable, same is the
example here in Bangladesh.

• Referring to seasons of the year differ; some say winter, spring, etc; some say
dry, rainy.
Space
• How close may stranger stand to you?
• Americans want more space, less do Arabs
and Latin Americans
• Make sure what is the average acceptable
space between the natives of your host
country
Food
• Eating habits are different throughout the
world
• Depends on religion, agriculture and
climatic conditions
• What table conventions should be followed?
• Which foods are disagreeable?
Acceptable dress
• Dress also has value in communication.
When u have good dress then sound will be
clear.
• So its very important when you are
communication in front of gathering, your
dress should be perfect.
• Check if any colors are disturbing?
• Will western attire be accepted?
Manners
• See children to know manners of elders
• They shake hand in Germany, hug in Italy,
and stay in background in Bangladesh.
• You bring a gift when visiting most homes
in Europe
• 2-3 hours lunch in Europe is acceptable.
• Many people sit on single table to eat in Asia
• In Saudi Arabia, you will learn that the
junior prince is silent when a senior enters.
Decision Making
• American are typecast as moving too
quickly in asking for a decision.
• Americans are accused of (blame) being
quick; “we wish to get to the point fast.”
• When one reaches Japan, decision time is
held back as group consensus moves toward
a decision.
Differences between Japanese and American
Communication Styles

• Japanese Style of • U.S. Adversarial Style of

Communication Communication
• Indirect verbal and nonverbal • More direct verbal and
communication nonverbal communication
• Relationship communication • More task communication
• Discourages confrontational • Confrontational strategies more
strategies acceptable
• Strategically ambiguous • Prefers more to-the-point
communication communication
• Delayed feedback • More immediate feedback
• Patient, longer term negotiators • Shorter term negotiators
• Uses fewer words • Favors verbosity

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Differences Between Japanese and American
Communication Styles
(Contd.)
• Distrustful of skilful verbal
communicators
• Group orientation
• Cautious, tentative
• Complementary communicators
• Softer, heartlike logic
• Sympathetic, empathetic,
complex use of pathos
• Expresses and decodes complex
relational strategies and nuances
• Exalts verbal eloquence
• More individualistic orientation
• More assertive, self-assured
• More publicly critical
communicators
• Harder, analytic logic preferred
• Favors logos, reason
• Expresses and decodes complex
logos, cognitive nuances
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Differences Between Japanese and American
Communication Styles
(Contd.)
• Avoids decision making in
public
• Makes decision in private
venues, away from public eye
• Decisions via ringi and
nemawashi (complete
consensus process)
• Uses go-betweens for decision
making
• Understatement and hesitation
in verbal and nonverbal
communication
• Frequent decision making in
public
• Frequent decisions in public at
negotiating tables
• Decisions by majority rule and
public compromise is more
commonplace
• More extensive use of direct
person-to-person,
player-to-player interaction for
decisions
• May publicly speak in
superlatives, exaggerations,
nonverbal projection
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Differences Between Japanese and American
Communication Styles
(Contd.)
• Uses qualifiers, tentative,
humility as communicator
• Receiver/listening-centered
• Inferred meanings, looks
beyond words to nuances,
nonverbal communication
• Shy, reserved communicators
• Distaste for purely business
transactions
• Mixes social and business
communication
• Favors fewer qualifiers, more
ego-centered
• More speaker- and
message-centered
• More face-value meaning, more
denotative
• More publicly self-assertive
• Prefers to “get down to
business” or “nitty gritty”
• Tends to keep business
negotiating more separated
from social communication
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Differences Between Japanese and American
Communication Styles
(Contd.)
• Utilizes matomari or “hints” for
achieving group adjustments
and saving face in negotiating
• Practices haragei or belly logic
and communication
• More directly verbalizes
management’s preference at
negotiating tables
• Practices more linear,
discursive, analytical logic;
greater reverence for cognitive
than for affective
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Different meanings of body
language

• Hand Shake
• The body

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Concerning factors of human relationships
• Time: Monochronic vs Polychronic
• Space: North American vs Arabian
• Odors: North American vs Asian.
• Frankness: Germans and Israelis are more frank
than American. Asian people are reticent. High
context vs low context .
• Social Hierarchy: High power distance vs low
power distance.
• Work place value: American vs Japanize job
expectations.
• Expression of Emotions: Asian vs Western
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Problems of Language
• Lack of Language Equivalency:
1. no corresponding word in another. French
have no word to distinguish house and
home, Mind and brain.
2. Grammatical and syntactic difference
3. Multiple word meanings : Run
4. Different meaning of certain expression:
“Business couldn’t be better”

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• Difficulties with English
1. Two Word Verbs: cut back, call back, take
back……..
1. Slang and colloquialisms :
Your request has been delivered, a guy came
round with your stuff.
Advice for Communicating
Across Cultures
• Do your Research
• Know yourself and your company
• Adapt your English to your Audience
• Be open to change

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