1

PowerPoint slides by R. Dennis Middlemist, Professor of Management, Colorado State University

Cha

pter 7

Cross-Cultural Communication and Negotiation

The specific objectives of this chapter are:

1. DEFINE the term communication, examine some examples of verbal communication styles, and explain the importance of message interpretation.

2. ANALYZE the common downward and upward communication flows used in international communication.

3. EXAMINE the language, perception, and culture of communication, and nonverbal barriers to effective international communications.

Cha

pter 7

Cross-Cultural Communication and Negotiation

4. PRESENT the steps that can be taken to overcome international communication problems.

5. 5. DEVELOP approaches to international negotiations that respond to differences in culture.

6. REVIEW different negotiating and bargaining behaviors that may improve negotiations and outcomes.

The specific objectives of this chapter are:

4

Communication Process and Verbal Communication Styles

Communication The process of transferring meanings from sender to receiver See Diagram

Verbal communication styles Role of context in communication: High or Low Indirect and Direct Styles Succinct vs. Exacting vs.Elaborate Contextual and Personal Styles

5

Context: What is it?

Context is information that surrounds a communication and helps convey the message. High-Context Societies

Messages are often highly coded and implicit , such as Japan and many Arab countries

(implicit = implied but not said directly) Low Context Societies

The message is explicit and the speaker says precisely what he or she means such as the United States and Canada

6

High Context

Less verbally explicit communication, less written/formal information

More internalized understandings of what is communicated

Long term relationships Strong boundaries- who is accepted as belonging vs wh

o is considered an "outsider" Knowledge is situational, relational. Decisions and activities focus around personal face-to-f

ace relationships, often around a central person who has authority.

7

Low Context

Rule oriented, people play by external rules More knowledge is codified, public, external, and acces

sible. Sequencing, separation--of time, of space, of activities,

of relationships More interpersonal connections of shorter duration Knowledge is more often transferable Task-centered. Decisions and activities focus around w

hat needs to be done, division of responsibilities.

8

Ways that High and Low Context Differ The Structure of Relationships High:  Dense, intersecting networks and longterm relationships, strong boundaries,

relationship more important than task Low:

  Loose, wide networks, shorter term, compartmentalized relationships, task more important than relationship

Main Type of Cultural Knowledge High:  More knowledge is below the waterline--implicit, patterns that are not

fully conscious, hard to explain even if you are a member of that culture Low:

  More knowledge is above the waterline--explicit, consciously organized

9

Entering High and Low Context Situations

High contexts can be difficult to enter if you are an outsider (because you don't carry the context information internally, and because you can't instantly create close relationships).

Low contexts are relatively easy to enter if you are an outsider (because the environment contains much of the information you need to participate, and because can you form relationships fairly soon, and because the important thing is accomplishing a task rather than feeling your way into a relationship).

10

Explicit and Implicit Communication

High-context/implicit communication

cultures

Low-context/explicit communication

cultures

Germans

Swiss Germans

Scandinavians

North Americans

French

English

Italians

Latin Americans

Arabs

Japanese

Adapted from Figure 7–1: Explicit/Implicit Communication: An International Comparison

11

Communication Process and Verbal Communication Styles

Indirect and direct styles In high-context cultures, messages are implicit and

indirect Voice intonation, timing, and facial expressions play

important roles in conveying information In low-context cultures, people often meet only to

accomplish objectives and tend to be direct and focused in their communications

Verbal communication styles

12

Communication Process and Verbal Communication Styles

Elaborate and succinct styles Three degrees of communication quantity— elaborate,

exacting, and succinct. The elaborating style is more popular in high-context cultures

that have a moderate degree of uncertainty avoidance The exacting style focuses on precision and the use of the right

amount of words to convey the message and is more common in low-context, low-uncertainty-avoidance cultures

The succinct style is more common in high-context cultures with considerable uncertainty avoidance where people tend to say few words and allow understatements, pauses, and silence to convey meaning.

Verbal communication styles (continued)

13

Communication Process and Verbal Communication Styles

Contextual and personal styles Contextual style is one that focuses on the

speaker and relationship of the parties Contextual style is often associated with high-

powerdistance, collective, high-context cultures Personal style focuses on the speaker and the

reduction of barriers between the parties Personal style is more popular in low-power-

distance, individualistic, low-context cultures

Verbal communication styles (continued)

14

Table 7–1Major Characteristics of Verbal Styles

Phases of Multicultural Development

Adapted from Table 7–1: Major Characteristics of Verbal Styles

Indirect vs. direct

IndirectDirect

Implicit messagesExplicit messages

Collective, high contextIndividualistic, low context

Succinct vs. elaborate

Elaborate High quantity of talk

Moderate uncertainty avoidance, high context

Exacting Moderate amount of talk

Low uncertainty avoidance, low context

Succinct Low amount of talk High uncertainty avoidance, high context

Cultures in WhichMajor Interaction Focus Characteristic It

Verbal Style Variation and Content Is Found

15

Table 7–1Major Characteristics of Verbal Styles

Phases of Multicultural Development

Cultures in WhichMajor Interaction Focus Characteristic It

Verbal Style Variation and Content Is Found

Adapted from Table 7–1: Major Characteristics of Verbal Styles

Contextual vs. personal

Contextual Focus is on the speaker and role relationships

High power distance, collective, high context

Personal Focus is on the speaker and personal relationships

Low power distance, individualistic, low context

16

Summary of Verbal Styles

17

Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication The transfer of meaning through means such as body

language and use of physical space Kinesics

The study of communication through body movement and facial expression

Eye contact Posture Gestures

Chromatics The use of color to communicate messages

18

Nonverbal Communication

Proxemics The study of the way that people use physical space to

convey messages Intimate distance is used for very confidential communications Personal distance is used for talking with family and close

friends Social distance is used to handle most business transactions Public distance is used when calling across the room or giving

a talk to a group

19

Personal Space in the U.S.

Intimate distance 18”Personal distance 18” to 4’

Social distance 4’ to 8’

Public distance 8’ to 10’

Adapted from Figure 7–3: Personal Space Categories for Those in the United States

20

Nonverbal Communication

Chronemics Monochronic time schedule

Things are done in a linear fashion. Manager addresses Issue A first and then moves on to Issue B Time schedules are very important and time is viewed as

something that can be controlled and should be used wisely Polychronic time schedules

People tend to do several things at the same time People place higher value on personal involvement than on

getting things done on time Schedules are subordinated to personal relationships