essay about local and global communication in multicultural settings

Module 5: Local and Global Communication in Multicultural Settings

Objectives:.

A. Determine culturally appropriate terms, expressions, and images.

B. Adopt cultural and intercultural awareness and sensitivity in communication of ideas; and

C. Discuss various cultural and intercultural modes of communication.

Verbal Communication Styles and Culture

Culture has been defined in many ways. Some commonly applied definitions view culture as patterned ways of thinking, feeling, and reacting common to a particular group of people and that are acquired and transmitted through the use of symbols. Others view culture as a function of interrelated systems that includes the ecology, subsistence , and sociocultural systems. It is fair to say that culture includes both objective and subjective elements. These interrelated systems do not dictate culture; rather, we can use them as general framework to understand culture and its relation to individual and collective actions.

A number of approaches have been used to describe and explain cultural differences. There are two approaches that are most widely accepted and relevant to our understanding of cultural variations in communication styles: value dimensions and thinking styles. Value can be defined as an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct is socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct. Values form the basis for judging the desirability of some means or end action.

Thinking style, or cognitive style, can be understood as a way of thinking that influences how we feel and how we act; it is how we process and categorize information, how we select information to store in memory, and how we make inferences or attributions about causality.

Dimensions of Cultural Values

Based on a study of 88,000 IBM employees in 72 countries, between 1967 and 1973, Hofstede (2001) identified four dimensions of cultural values; (a) individualism-collectivism, with individualism defined as a loosely knit social framework in which people are supposed to take care of themselves and their immediate families only, and collectivism defined as a tight social network in which people distinguish between in groups and outgroups, expect their in group to look after them, and in return they owe absolute loyalty to it.

High-Context and Low-Context Communication Styles

The concepts of high context and low context refer to how people communicate in different cultures. Differences can be derived from the extent to which meaning is transmitted through actual words used or implied by the context.

High context implies that a lot of unspoken information is implicitly transferred during communication. People in a high context culture such as Saudi Arabia tend to place a larger importance on long-term relationships and loyalty and have fewer rules and structure implemented.

Low context implies that a lot of information is exchanged explicitly through the message itself and rarely is anything implicit or hidden. People in low context cultures such as the UK tend to have short-term relationships, follow rules and standards closely and are generally very task-oriented.

Understanding whether your international colleagues are high context or low context will help you to adapt your communication style and build stronger relationships with them. These concepts are covered during cross-cultural training programs such as Communicating across Cultures and managing international teams. Cultural awareness training which focuses on one or more specific cultures like Doing Business in India or Living and Working in China will also address these concepts.

When doing business in a high context culture such as Mexico, Japan or the Middle East, you might encounter the following:

Misunderstanding when exchanging information

Impression of a lack of information

Large amount of information is provided in a non-verbal manner, e.g. gestures, pauses, facial expressions

Emphasis on long term relationships and loyalty

‘Unwritten’ rules that are taken for granted but can easily be missed by strangers

Shorter contracts since less information is required

When doing business in a low context culture such as Germany, Switzerland or the US, on the other hand, you might find the following:

All meaning is explicitly provided in the message itself

Extensive background information and explanations are provided verbally to avoid misunderstandings

People tend to have short-term relationships

People follow rules and standards closely

Contracts tend to be longer and very detailed

High and low context cultures usually correspond with polychronic and monochronic cultures respectively. The table below shows some general preferences of people from high context and low context cultures.

Direct and I ndirect Communication Styles

Cultures can have an indirect communication style or a direct communication style. This communication style effects how they communicate what they are thinking to others. “ Direct communication is when the speaker clearly relays his thoughts and opinion in his verbal message”. While indirect communication is defined as gathering information from more than the words spoken by the communicator. Both direct and indirect communication are important in understanding how a message should be interpreted in a given culture.

Direct Communication

Direct communication is very straight forward. Whether it is in giving instructions or asking a question. For instance in a direct communication style instead of “beating around the bush” the communicator would immediately ask the question, or give an order. Since the communication is so straight forward this tends to lead to less miscommunications between the sender and the decoder of the message. The thought process that is located during direct communication is linear. Thus the organization that is involved is usually chronological. With all that being said about verbal communication written communication in direct communication style cultures are to the point and concise.

Examples: What is you job?, Come to my office please.

Indirect Communication

Indirect communication is the opposite of direct communication. Indirect communication gathers information from in-between the lines. For instance in a indirect communication culture instead of coming out and asking a question or commenting on a situation they will go about it in a roundabout way. This roundabout way of communicating diffuses the responsibility between communicators, by doing this it also saves the face of both parties involved. Indirect communication makes connections between the communicators that are involved. Also by being an indirect communicator is shows sophistication and subtlety. On the other hand as a written communicator in an indirect culture being indirect shows respect and courtesy for the reader .

Examples: Can I ask the industry your working with?, If you're not busy now, could you please come to my office?

Self-Enhancement and Self-Effacement Communication Styles

Another Dimension of communication styles that differentiates between high-context and low-context communication cultures involves the degree to which positive aspects of the self are attended, elaborated and emphasized in interpersonal interactions.

Self-enhancement This verbal style emphasizes the importance of promoting one’s accomplishments and abilities. It is used when an individual is open and direct about his or her abilities, contributions or accomplishments. whereas a self-effacement communication style is used when an individual uses verbal restraints, hesitations, modest talk, and self deprecation when discussion his or her own abilities, contributions, or accomplishment or when responding to others' praises.

Self-effacement. This emphasizes the importance of humbling oneself via verbal restraints, hesitations, modest talk, and the use of self-deprecation concerning one’s effort or performance.

Elaborate and Understand Communication Styles

The difference between high context and low-context communication cultures can be further illustrated through the distinction between elaborate nad understated communication styles, which involves the degree to which talk is used.

E laborate style refers to the use of expressive language, sometimes with exaggeration or animation, in everyday conversations, whereas an understated style involves the extensive use of silence, pauses, and understatements in conversation.

TASK: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

Directions: Carefully watch the video clip to get the correct responses from the questions below.

What are the different Communication Styles?

Describe how an Analytical Communicator communicates with other people.

How Analytical Communication differs to Personal Communication style?

What is the downside of personal communication style?

Why Intuitive Communicator procrastinate less?

Explain how Intuitive Communicator differs to Functional Communicator?

Among the different Communication Styles, which one do you prefer? why and why not?