INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

“…one of the world’s most significant problems:

intercultural relations…”

Edward T. Hall
OUTLINE OF TODAY’S LECTURE

1. The Nature of Intercultural Communication

2. Dominant Cultural Orientations

3. Domains of Cultural Differences

4. Steps Towards Effective Communication

 PART I

THE NATURE OF
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
 DEFINITION

Intercultural communication is:

communication between at least two people from

different cultures.
 WHY STUDY
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION?

 Increasing interaction between people due to

globalization

 Increasing diversity in workplaces

 Increasing need to develop caring, responsible and

ethical business leaders
DEFINITION OF CULTURE
FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS
OF CULTURE
INTERCULTURAL DOMAINS

 National cultures
 Social groups
 Ethnic groups
 Genders
 Age or generational groups

(and more…)
 IMPLICATIONS

 If intercultural communication is communication between at

least two people from different cultures…

 ALL communication between people is essentially intercultural.

 Different types of cultures shape communication.

 Caring, responsible and ethical business leaders must be effective

intercultural communicators.
 PART II

DOMINANT
CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS
 CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS

1. How contexting affects communication

 CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS

2) How face-saving affects communication

 CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS

3) How the individual is viewed in relation to the group

 CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS

4) How time is perceived

CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS

5) How power is distributed

 CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS

6) How decisions are made

CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS

Reminder: cultural orientations are NOT dichotomies; they are

tendencies.
 PART III

DOMAINS OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

 DOMAINS: Verbal

 Choice of words

 Organization of messages
 DOMAINS: Non-verbal

 Body language

 Eye contact

 Laughter
 Touch

 Tone, volume and speed

 Turn-taking and silence

 PART IV

STEP TOWARDS EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

STEPS TOWARDS EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

 Develop a sense of cultural awareness

 Do not be ethnocentric

 Listen genuinely when others speak

 Do not lapse into your own language while in the
presence of others who do not speak it

 Take responsibility for the communication (e.g., if

miscommunication happens, it is not always the other person’s fault)

 DO NOT STEREOTYPE
 CONCLUSION

Intercultural communication:

 respects people as part of a group AND as

individuals.

 is not about interaction between national cultures

only.
 CONCLUSION

Intercultural competence:

 helps you deliver your messages clearly,

appropriately and persuasively.

 enables you, as a business leader, to contribute to

a just and equitable world.
THANK YOU!