Communication and Globalization

Purposive Communication
EPISODE 3
“Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with
integrity. The greatest problem with
communication is we don’t listen to understand.
We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity,
we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen
for what’s behind the words.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
Why is communication important?
(Reference: Purposive Communication
(OBE) by Hilda A. Manzolim et.al)
1. Resolving disputes
If the subject matter is not communicated effectively, then
each side would compete and strive to win leading to a
dispute. Disputes may take various forms such as
disagreement, debate, argument, controversy, conflict, etc. If
neither side feels that they are being understood by the other,
disputes can build up until they become practically
irresolvable. Good communication ensures that everyone
understands what the other person wants, and that
compromises can be reached.
2. Knowledge
We are able to acquire knowledge, learn new skills, facts,
and things – thanks to communication. An instructor with
good communication skills will impart understanding of
the theoretical and practical aspects of various subjects to
the learners. We communicate with others and our
teachers, mentors, friends and families communicate with
us – this is how we get to learn and accumulate
knowledge.
3. Building genuine friendship & relationships
A good friendship is all about truly getting to know and trust the
other person. Being able to communicate your feelings,
interests, and plans is very helpful here. That way, you will be
able to ask them for support when you are stressed, share your
joy with them when something good happens, and make plans
with them for the future as well. How would we build a
relationship with someone if we did not have the ability to
communicate our thoughts to them? We build and cultivate
relationships with others through communication.
4. Sharing of emotions and feelings – a sense of
belongingness
Human beings are fragile and in almost constant need of a
friendly listener to our feelings and emotional responses
such as love, affection, compassion, care, passion, desire,
devotion, happiness, loneliness, tenderness, etc. If we did
not have our friends and families to share our deepest fears
and secrets with, if we did not have the ability to
communicate, the world would be a very different place.
5. Businesses exist because of communication
Business would simply not be possible without communication.
If there was no communication, there would be no way to share
goods and services. No big business deals can ever happen,
unless the benefits are successfully conveyed. The buyer of a
product or service conveys his desire to the seller, while the
seller informs the prospective buyer of the price. When they
agree, the deal materializes. Therefore, business itself would
not exist in no way, shape, or form without communication.
6. Brand promotion
Advertising is considered an effective mode of
communicating to prospective consumers. If you want
customers to buy your products, it is 18 essential that you
are able to communicate your brand message to them. This
will result in increased sales.
7. Persuasion
One important aspect of communication is being able to
persuade people to do things. Whether you want to
encourage others to donate to a charity you work for, or
simply to persuade children to do the dishes, good
communication skills will really help as these will enable
you to explain to other people what the advantages are of
your suggested course of action.
8. It helps us express ourselves in a clear fashion.
No one would know who we are, what we think or how we
feel if we do not have the ability to communicate.
Communication is what helps us represent who we are to
the world.
9. Pleasurable experience
Human beings would be unable to feel the sensation of
please if their desires are not fulfilled, and this is done
through communication. We feel pleasure thanks to
communication.
10. Satisfy our needs and getting a good deal
If you can communicate well with your boss, you will have a
better chance of promotion. Build up a good rapport with a
market stallholder and chances are they will put the price
down for you. Communicating confidently, politely but
firmly is also very useful when you need to make a
complaint about a product or service, or when you need to
get your money back from the from the store.
GLOBALIZATION
Globalization is a term used to describe the
increasing connectedness and
interdependence of world cultures and
economies.
Globalization also captures in its scope the economic and
social changes that have come about as a result. It may be
pictured as the threads of an immense spider web formed
over millennia, with the number and reach of these
threads increasing over time. People, money, material
goods, ideas, and even disease and devastation have
traveled these silken strands, and have done so in greater
numbers and with greater speed than ever in the present
age. (National Geographic Channel)
• Cameron (2007) sees globalization as “the ongoing
integration of the world economy.”
• For Gannon (2008), “Globalization refers to the
increasing interdependence among national
governments, business firms, nonprofit organizations,
and individual citizens.”
• From an anthropological perspective, globalization is
“worldwide interconnectedness, evidenced in global
movements of natural resources, trade goods, human
labor, finance capital, information, and infectious
diseases” (Hilton, 2007).
The common theme resonating in these definitions is
connectedness.
This connectedness, which constitutes the core of
globalization, is the product of “growth in world trade and
the business activity that accompanies it; dramatic
improvements in telecommunications; ease of data
storage and transmission; and increased facility and
opportunity for business and leisure travel“.
Understanding the impact of globalization on cross-culture
communication is imperative for organizations seeking to
create a competitive advantage in the global market.

Recent economic challenges further highlight the need for

organizations to develop the internal communication
capacity necessary to control and monitor external threats.
According to Genevieve Hilton, “cultural proficiency doesn't
mean memorizing every cultural nuance of every market. It's
knowing when to listen, when to ask for help, and when—
finally—to speak.