BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

LECTURE 4

COMMUNICATING IN WORLD OF DIVERSITY

Understanding How Culture Affects Communication

EVERY COUNTRY HAS A ‘UNIQUE CULTURE’ OR ‘COMMON HERITAGE’, JOINT

EXPERIENCE, AND SHARED LEARNING THAT PRODUCE ITS CULTURE.

A. Comparing Key Culture Values Focus on four dimensions to help you

better understand some of the values that shape your actions and judgements of other.

These Four Dimension are : Individualism FormalityCommunication Style Time Orientation

I. Individualism While North Americans Value individualism

and personal responsibility, other cultures emphasize group and team-oriented values.

II. Formality While North Americans Value informality

and directness, othter cultures may values and indirectness

III. Communication Style North Americans tend to be direct and to

understand word literally.

I. Time Orientation North Americans correlate time

with productivity, effieciency and money.

B. Controlling Ethnocentrism &

Stereotyping

II. Ethnocentrism The belief in the superiority of

one’s own culture is known as Ethnocentrism.

This natural attitude is found in all cultures.

Ethnocentrism causes us to judge other by our own values.

I. Stereotypes Is an oversimplified behavioral

pattern applied to entire groups. A generaliazation that is based on

limited understanding of few characteristics.

For Examples : The Swiss are hardworking , efficient

and neat. German are formal,reserved and blunt. Americans are loud, friendly and impatient.Canadians are polite, trusting and tolerant. Asian are graciuos, humble and instructable.

II. Tolerance Developing intercultural tolerance

means practicing empathy, being nonjudgemental, and being patient.

One of the best way to develop tolerance is by practicing empathy. This means trying to see the world through another eyes. It means being nonjudgement, recognizing thing as they are rather than as they ‘ should be’.

METHODS FOR IMPROVING CROSS-CULTURE COMMUNICATION.

A. Tips for Minimizing Oral Communication Among Cross-Cultural Audiences. Use Simple English Speak Slowly and enuciate clearly Encourage accurate feedbackCheck frequently for comprehensionObserve eye messagesAccept BlameListen without interrupting

Remember to smileFollow up in writting

B. TIPS FOR MINIMIZING WRITTEN

MISCOMMUNICATION AMONG CROSS-

CULTURAL AUDIENCES. Adopt local styles Consider hiring a translator Use short sentences and short

paragraphs Avoid ambiguous wording Cite Numbers carefully