1

Communicating Across Cultures

 The Growing Importance of Cross Cultural
Communication
 Selling products domestically and
internationally.
 More effective employees.
 Enriching personal and Business life.
Dimensions of Cultural Difference
 What is “culture”?
 Factors that affect culture:
1. Topography.
2. History.
3. Religion.
 Body Position and Movements
 Passing Time : USA Vs Indonesia; Card giving.
 Heads, Hands (2), Finger for number, me
(japan, china, USA), Eye contract,
handshaking, smile, meaning of left hand).
 Handshaking Culture of Different Countries
Culture Handshakes

Americans Firm, three to five pumps.

Germans Brusque, firm, single pump, repeated upon arrival and

departure.
French Light, quick, not offered to superiors, repeated upon arrival
and departure, may include a double kiss.
British Short, three to five pumps.

Hispanics Moderate grasp, repeated frequently.

Latin Americans Firm , long lasting.

Middle Easterners Gentle, repeated frequently.

Asians Gentle, for some, shaking hands is unfamiliar, and

uncomfortable.
 Views and Practices Concerning
Factors Human Relationships
 Time ( monochronic vs. Polychronic Time)
 Space ( U.S.-2 feet, Arab Culture).
 Odors ( USA vs. Asian)
 Frankness (Low context culture vs. High Context
Culture).
 Social Hierarchy ( Power Distance and
Masculinity and Feminity ).
 Workplace Values ( USA, Asia: Japan and Spain).
 Expression of emotions (middle east ).
 Effects on Business Communication
 Approach : Direct and Indirect.
 Handling of Negative Message.
 Online Communication.
 Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions (5 dimensions).
 Blundering With Words
 Coca-Cola (China) Wax Flattened Mare---
Happiness in the mouth.
 Olympia’s Roto (Chile) – Broken (Spanish).
 Matador----Killer in Puerto Rico.
 Toyota’s MR2---merde (French) ---Human waste.
 Ford’s Fiere-----Ugly old women.
 Nike’s graphic of flames on shoes--- God in the
eyes of Muslims.
 Lack of language Equivalency
(3000)
 The same word used in 2 language with different
meanings: florists.
 A word in one language may not have a
corresponding words in another language.
1. English: Supermarket.
2. French: Home-house, Brain-mind, Men- gentlemen.
3. Spanish: Chairman-president.
4. Italians: Wishful Thinking.
5. Russians: Efficiency, challenge, having fun.
6. Arabic: Rahman, Robb, camel (5000).
 Lack of language Equivalency
 Grammatical and Syntactic differences among language
(Bangla-5, Arabic-3, English-8, Urdu-no gerund).
 Multiple Word Meaning (Heavy-43, What-15000, Run= to move fast, to
compete for office, a score in baseball, a break in a stocking, a fading of colors).
 Certain Manners of expression of a culture:
1. Business couldn’t be better.
2. We could never be too nice to our customers.
 Like Meaning words may be used differently in different
culture: yes in UK and China.
 Overcoming those problems: Know the language, ask, be aware
of the problem, back translating.
 Difficulties with English
(Urdu-Hindi, Iraq-Arab, Venezuela- Mexico)

2 Word Verbs:(breakthrough, Cover-up, drive-in, show-off, clean-up)

Two Word Verbs Suggested Substitutes
Give Up Surrender

Speed Up, Hurry Up Accelerate

Go on, Keep on Continue

Put off Defer, delay

Take off Depart, remove

Come Down Descend

Go in , Come in, Get in enter

 Difficulties with English
(nerd, couch potato, control freak, 24/7, pumped, basket case)

Slang and Colloquialisms:

Head for home Shoot from the hip In a nut

Seal the deal Over the top Priming the pump

Grasp at straws On the same page Make heads or tails of it

Flat-footed Start at square one Countdown

On target A fish out of water Shortcut

Out of posture In the ballpark Break the ice

 Slang and Colloquialisms
Not This But This
This is just off the top of my head. Here is a quick idea.

He frequently shoots from the hip. He frequently acts before he thinks.

We would be up the creek without a We would be in a helpless situation.

paddle.
They couldn’t make the heads or tails of They could not understand the report.
the report.
The sales campaign was a flop. The sales campaign was a failure.

I’ll touch base with you on this problem in I’ll talk with you again about this problem
August. in August.
Don’t let him get you goat . Don’t let him upset you.
 Advice for Communicating Across
Cultures
 Do your research.
 Know yourself and your company.
 Be aware of the stereotype.
 Adapt English to your audience (talk simply, clearly and
slowly, avoid double barreled and negative questions, ask open ended questions)

 Be open to Change.
“Why use two words when one will do.”

--Thomas Jefferson

2-15