Intercultural Communication

Intercultural communication is an important factor in today’s globalized world. People

travel and they need to communicate, in most cases, it’s out of one’s culture.
Culture is combining with each other gradually. Sharing information with people
belonging to different cultures is known as intercultural communication or cross-cultural
communication.
People who have to deal with other cultures, face a problem of intercultural
communication. Even though they take language classes and learn to speak local
languages fluently, intercultural communication isn’t just that. Its one’s understanding of
the culture, the social interactions, and cultural accommodation.

What is Culture?
Culture isn’t only intellectual happenings like arts, festivals, traditional foods, heritages
or literature, but refers to the daily lifestyle of the general population or a group of people
or an individual. It also describes the family life and social life.
It can be tangible or intangible and are ever-changing. Not every aspect of the cultural
pattern is noticeable. As of which it is compared with an iceberg whose 7/8th part cannot
be seen and is hidden from view.
Culture is created by humans and can be different from place to place. It creates a human
environment with shared meanings within a society through beliefs, values, norms, etc.
and are a learned behavior.
Culture defines how a person behaves, interacts and gives meaning to actions. People
identify themselves with their culture and tend to behave differently in different cultures.
This is due to the different perception of people, on the world, from different cultures.

What is Intercultural communication?

Intercultural communication is the study and application of knowledge on “cultural
perceptions and symbol systems” of people belonging to different cultures.
The intended meaning of any message differs when encoded by a person of a certain
culture and decoded by someone of the other. The different meanings of symbols in
different culture also vary making the interpretation difficult.
While applying inter-cultural communication, it refers to making people aware and able
to adopt others’ cultures when they communicate with them and thus have a meaningful
communication.
“Intercultural communication,’ can…be defined as the interpersonal interaction
between members of different groups, which differ from each other in respect of
the knowledge shared by their members and in respect of their linguistic forms of
symbolic behaviour.”
– Karlfried Knapp
Types of Intercultural Communication
There are basically two types of intercultural communication: Verbal communication and
non-verbal communication.
Verbal communication consists of words used to communicate messages whereas non-
verbal communication is gestures that give out messages.
Spoken and written language are parts of verbal communication which must be
considered highly while in intercultural communication. Cultural factors affect verbal
communication as people can sometimes not be able to speak or write in the language of
the receiver. Use of words, dialects, accents, slang, etc. can also be different according to
their own cultures.
Similarly, non-verbal cues consist of communication that occurs without words like facial
expressions, hand and body movements, eye contact, use of objects, clothing, etc. They
help in making message clear or can give the different message as well.

Examples of Intercultural Communication

Language difference makes international business companies difficult to adjust to local
environment and culture. For instance, Coca-Cola Company once tried to find a phonetic
equivalent of their brand to be used in China and thought of using KeKou-KeLa. But the
meaning of the terms made them change their decision as the direct translation of those
words would be “bite the wax tadpole” or “female horse stuffed with wax”.
Similarly, direct translations of one language to another can cause problems like the ad of
General Motors “Body by Fisher” could be translated into “Corpse by Fisher” in Flemish
language. Another example is an advertisement of wine translated into Swiss from
English which said “Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.”
In non-verbal communication also these kinds of problems might arise. For instance,
“thumbs up” sign is taken as a symbol to say okay in most cultures but it has offending
meanings in Iran, Latin America, and some other cultures.
Similarly, eating with hands is considered to be an accepted way to eat in Indian culture
but is taken as manner-less in many other cultures.

Importance of Intercultural Communication

Lacking in intercultural communication can lead to the insult of the culture and people
involved. Especially for business people or people providing services in the areas out of
their culture. People interpret messages based on their culture, so what you mean might
not be what the other person understands. Your intentions might not be met as their
attribution towards you might be telling them something else about you.
Intercultural differences also cause lack of trust between people as the meaning of trust
itself can be different. Non-verbal communication difference can also increase trust
issues between people.
Material culture and its use are also different between cultures like the use of spoons and
chopsticks for eating. Other things like architecture, clothing, cosmetics, etc. differ
culture-wise and if you do not have knowledge of it, your communication fails or is not
effective.

Managing Intercultural Communication

One needs to manage and prepare oneself with enough information in order to
communicate with people from different Some of the ways you can manage intercultural
communications are:
·0 Be culturally sensitive and aware
·1 Gain knowledge of the culture you have to adapt
·2 Think of what the other person will interpret before saying
·3 Be aware of non-verbal cues you are giving
·4 Listen, encode and decode carefully
·5 Use pictures if you don’t know words to describe it
·6 Avoid slang and local language
·7 Get a feedback
·8 Be observant
·9 Be open-minded and tolerant
·10 Respect others culture and people
·11 Be resourceful
·12 Don’t be ethnocentric and bigotry

The Concept of Culture

There are many different definitions of the word "culture." People often speak of English,
Chinese, American-Indian, African-American, or other cultures, and they also sometimes
use the world “culture” to suggest a level of sophistication. Additionally, they speak of
“high culture,” “low culture,” “popular culture,” and “folk culture.” Moreover, there
seems to be a wide range of “cultural politics” associated with these definitions as well.
So, how should we define culture? Many are content to think of “culture” as the total way
of life of a people including language, dress, food, music, religion, family structures,
attitudes, values, and beliefs. Others, however, consider “culture” to be products
(artifacts) such as paintings, architectural structures, musical works, etc. To them, one can
find culture at a concert, a museum, or perhaps a tour of a village, city, or stately home.
According to cultural geographer, Don Mitchell (in Cultural Geography: A Critical
Introduction, Blackwell Publishers, 2000) however, “…culture is a nebulous structure of
feelings that define the life of a people, and a set of productions [art, etc.] that reflect
upon, speak to, or mold that structure of feeling through various strategies of
representation.”
Mitchell also notes that economics, politics, and society are all intricately tied to culture.
“Perhaps,” he suggests, “…culture, is that which is not nature.” Mitchell is right.
“Culture” is an intellectual quagmire; both a way-of-life, and a range of practices. Culture
is:
 the opposite of nature – it makes humans, human,
the actual, but sometimes unexamined, patterns and differentiations of a people (way-
of-life),
the processes by which patterns develop “culture” thereby making “culture,”
“culture,”
a set of markers that set one people off from another (so that we can identify our
group),
the way that all these patterns, processes, and markers are represented, thereby
producing meaning, and,
an indication of a hierarchical ordering of all these processes.
After considering these definitions, one could not be blamed for concluding that culture is
everything, or perhaps, nothing (or at least nothing that is analytically useful).
Why is it difficult to precisely define the concept of “culture?” Partly, it is the result of
the continuously changing meaning of the word “culture” over time. With each new
definition, the meaning of “culture” has become more complex, and this is not an entirely
innocent phenomenon. To the contrary, the concept - the word, is a product of a long
developmental process greatly influenced by power relationships through which people
have sought to make “culture” work to their advantage. Culture is a politically-charged,
and sometimes politically-powerful, tool that people often manipulate to gain the upper
hand (power).
At one point, “culture” was used to differentiate between the “good” and the “bad,” or the
“cultivated” and the “primitive.” To be “cultured” was to be “civilized” or “refined,”
whereas, to be “uncultured” was to be “unruly” or “uncivilized.” By the end of the
nineteenth century, Europeans, Americans, and others, generally used the term “culture”
to distinguish between “refined people” and “savages.” In fact, European culture was
held up by many (at least in the Western World) as the epitome of all that is good and
refined in the world (an idea that is now much maligned).
In the last half of the twentieth century, it became increasingly improper for people to
describe “culture” in hierarchical terms. Now, many lean toward the notion that different
cultures are of equal value, and therefore, should not be subjected to criticism or ridicule
(although “scholarly criticism” of traditional European culture is often considered
appropriate and deserved). This romanticized concept of “culture” (that cultural practices
in general should not be criticized) rests on the belief that “civilization” is material,
whereas “culture” is spiritual and symbolic. This way of viewing culture has created
many complications for scholars, academics, religious leaders, politicians, and ordinary
people. For example, a few years ago, a teacher asked a group of teenage students
whether or not the Aztec practice of human sacrifice could be justified because it was an
integral part of Aztec culture. A surprising number of students took the position that the
Aztec should not be condemned for their cruel, bloody sacrifices, because they truly
believed that such behavior was proper. Therefore, “culture” has become an increasingly
“relative” concept.
Culture in Business Communication
Responding effectively to different cultures when preparing for business communication
is a key business survival strategy in a global economy, and permeates nearly all aspects
of business afterward. Culture affects all areas of business communications, including
contract negotiations, production operations, product sourcing, marketing campaigns and
human resources decisions.

Definition of Culture
Culture is a set of attitudes, beliefs, behaviors and customs. Members of a community
teach one another these learned cultural cues so that it becomes an ingrained, accepted
part of their society. Common cultural elements include social structure, language,
religion and communication. Beliefs about the role of business and how business
activities should be carried out fall into this understanding of culture, since business
partners interact within their own cultural context. Examples of cultural preferences in
business might include the pacing of negotiations, level of formality between business
partners and subtle versus direct conversation about money.

Smaller World
Modern technology, including the Internet, telephones, fax machines and cell phones, has
facilitated more rapid communication between businesses around the world. While this
greatly expands a business’s opportunity for growth and profitability, it does increase the
chance that a communication misstep can result in an offended client or business partner.
Such miscommunications can lead to the loss of partnerships and millions, if not billions,
of dollars.

Culture in Business
Culture affects the way people think about business in their own society. An awareness of
cultural attitudes toward business will help you communicate efficiently and effectively
when working with people from other cultures. For example, Asian cultures, including
Japan and China, promote teamwork and cooperation in business environments while
Western businesses promote individual action and responsibility. Understanding these
values will help you to create an effective communication strategy with partners from
these regions.

Effects on Communication
Culture directly affects business communication, both verbal and nonverbal. Some
cultures, including Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany, place high significance
to the words actually spoken. Other cultures, including Japan and Arab cultures, still
place significance on the spoken word, but also place great significance on the context of
the conversation. Silence carries significance in all cultures, and this might be interpreted
in different ways during cross-cultural business meetings.

Communication Breakdown
Ignoring culture in business communication can lead to problems and communication
disruptions. Internal business communication can be disrupted or misinterpreted if
workers don’t share the same understanding of goals, expectations and processes.
Understanding a culture can help businesses anticipate potential challenges or barriers in
the adoption of new policies or processes before efforts break down. For example, some
business cultures may thrive in an exchange and dialogue-based communication system
while other cultures (for example, Japanese and Arab cultures) rely more heavily on
subtext. If new information or ideas are suddenly imposed on employees accustomed to a
more collaborative work culture, there may be a lack of buy-in and the project will fail.

Training
Some businesses may choose to pursue professional training in business communication
with an emphasis on cultural understanding. For example, the Global Business
Communication training program offered by the University of Colorado includes training
on cross-cultural awareness for international business settings. Participants dissect
cultural case studies, learn communication skills and practice sustainable business
communication skills.