...HUE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ENGLISH DEPARTMENT .................... CROSS- CULTURAL COMMUNICATION Instructor : NGUYEN BACH NGA Group : 8 Student : HO VAN KET Class : ANHSPK10D Student code : 13F7011114 ******* Hue, 2016 ******* TOPIC FOR END-OF-COURSE ASSIGNMENT CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION When people from different cultures communicate, misunderstandings can happen. What are the possible reasons for those misunderstandings and what should people do in order to avoid them and prevent them from turning into cultural conflicts? Please limit your answer to no more than 1200 words. Misunderstanding is a communication phenomenon that we often experience in our life. Especially, when we communicate with people from different cultures, the misunderstanding is inevitable. In my opinion, the main reasons for case is owing to language differences, different verbal communication styles and non-verbal misinterpretation. The important thing here is what will we have to do in order to avoid misunderstanding, does not let it results in cultural conflicts. The first reason of misunderstanding is language differences which the most common communication barriers which cause misunderstandings and misinterpretations between people. The fact is that in the world there are many countries and many different languages. So when two people that use two own language to communicate, the communication will not be...
Words: 835 - Pages: 4
...experiences four stages, which are domestic phase, multi-domestic phase, multinational phase, and global phase. In domestic phase, corporations in one country usually neglect the need to decrease inconvenience aroused by cultural diversity, which may makes it difficult to broaden their business or win market share in other countries with different cultural contexts. In multi-domestic phase, firms begin to cater to the needs of each market segment with different cultural backgrounds since they realize that cultural diversity is a huge challenge in business expansion. Multinational phase witnesses the expansion of global market, where a large majority of multinational firms providing identical products emerge. Thus, the need to differentiate subtle cultural differences is weakened since cost control becomes an effective way to gain profits. In global phase, cultural difference is again emphasized. The way to quickly respond to customers’ needs in any market segment in a cost-efficient production mode dominates, which makes the ability to handle multicultural interaction essential for multinational firms. 2. Identify and describe Hofstede's dimensions of cultural differences. According to Hofstede, the five important dimensions of cultural differences include individualism/collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, career success/quality of life, and Confucian dynamism. Individualism, influencing individuals through external moral bounds, is contrary...
Words: 1884 - Pages: 8
...Cross-Cultural Communication Essay Nguyen Hong Minh Business Communication October 30, 2013 Douglas Foster Cross-Cultural Communication Essay Different cultures lead to different way of thinking and behaviors (Hofstede 1991). For this reason, many problems in communication across countries occur when people are unaware of culture differences, especially to high-context culture. Hall (1976) suggested that one must put great efforts to understand the message from a context-dependent communication. It is essential that business people bear in mind that learning cultures and intercultural communication are vital. In the current increasingly diverse world, intercultural communication obviously plays an important role (Germaine, 2006). As a developing country with high-context culture, Vietnamese workers should be well prepared to overcome difficulties when dealing with other cultures in global business integration process. This essay will look at specific aspects of cultural elements of communication in Viet Nam and compare barriers in Viet Nam to those in the UK. Through these boundaries, the essay suggests several intercultural competencies that Vietnamese managers should train their employees in order to work well under multi-cultural environment. Communication in Viet Nam According to Das and Kumar (2010), Viet Nam’s culture, which is among Asian countries, is classified as high-context. In this system, communication...
Words: 1899 - Pages: 8
...managing alliances is the cultural dimension. Differences in culture can cause huge issues in alliances, and also in working with foreign partners. Cultural differences can cause misinterpretation, lack of valuable communication and also confusion in the partnership. Differences in the cultural dimension have plagued alliances for years, and should be looked at carefully before a MNC ventures into one. One partner may have high uncertainty avoidance while another may have low uncertainty avoidance. This definitely impacts the way management deals with certain situations, and can become a tug-of-war. Host governments have a substantial role in how and when alliances are formed and also terminated. Many host governments require alliance, and can even affect dissolution of the alliance by making it difficult for the partner to sell their share. They can also block repatriation of the foreign partner’s investments in the alliance. This is why it is so important for MNC’s to do extensive research, and understand the risk level before joining into an alliance. Cultural differences can be a huge deal breaker. Like you said, it can cause misinterpretation. Misinterpretation can change situations quickly and make other countries think differently of the company. It can simply be a logo or slogan than is interpreted differently in the host country. Some of the challenges associated with managing alliances are fundamental challenges and differences in cultural background of partners...
Words: 596 - Pages: 3
...marked by the impact of cultural differences on communication, commonly resulting in miscommunication or misunderstanding. This paper examines the challenges influencing intercultural communications between the Japanese and the Americans. In its conclusion, it emphasizes on the sensitivity to the mentioned cultural differences in order to create harmony and understanding amongst people with different ethnic backgrounds. Intercultural Communications between the United States and Japan Introduction According to Dima (1990), intercultural communication refers to the exchange of ideas between people belonging to different cultures, in spite of them using the same language. Intercultural communication plays an important role, in that cultural differences can often lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding. This is increasingly becoming important in today’s multicultural society such as in the US (Inoue, 2007). What are the common challenges of intercultural communications between America and Japan? How do cultural differences play part in shaping the Japan-American intercultural communication? As defined by Peace (2002), culture is a "system of beliefs, values, and assumptions about life that guides behavior and is shared by a group of people; and these are transmitted from generation to generation, rarely with explicit instructions," (p.14). There are a variety of cultures that can result in misunderstanding and tension. For instance...
Words: 1437 - Pages: 6
...James Rogers From: Eunika Phlegm To: Company Department Leaders Subject Line: Skills Summary on Cross Cultural Communication June, 13, 2016 at 8:50 am Cross-cultural communication has become strategically important to companies due to the growth of global business, technology and the Internet. Understanding cross-cultural communication is important for any company that has a diverse workforce or plans on conducting global business. This type of communication involves an understanding of how people from different cultures speak, communicate and perceive the world around them. Cross-cultural communication in an organization deals with understanding different business customs, beliefs and communication strategies. Language differences, high-context vs. low-context cultures, nonverbal differences and power distance are major factors that can affect cross-cultural communication. Cross-cultural communication is imperative for companies that have a diverse workforce and participate in the global economy. It is important for employees to understand the factors that are part of an effective, diverse workforce. With cross-cultural communication you have to remember the six principles. The first principle is the similarities or the common ground, the next one is differences or the perspective, judgment, or choice. The third principle is diversity or valuing the difference, the fourth one is respect or the basic human need. The fifth one is acknowledgment which is the recognition...
Words: 909 - Pages: 4
...Co-Cultures in a Multicultural Society Paper The movie Fools Rush In is a great example of how gender as well as cultural differences can hinder communication in a multicultural society. Fools Rush In is about two people, Alex and Isabel, who come from two different cultural backgrounds who after a one night stand become pregnant and decide to get married. However, along with the marriage come compromises that include cultural traditions and personal sacrifices. The movie is a comedy but can also be viewed as romantic and shows how two people who love each other can resolve the issues of cultural and gender differences. Male and female differ in their use of communication because their reasons for communicating are different. Men generally communicate to transmit information and solve specific problems, while women usually use communication to express feelings and achieve emotional intimacy (Dunn, 2009). Women use nonverbal communication more than men, because they feel a closer connection to the opposite sex when communicating. Research has shown girls display more nurturance communication behavior than boys and this would account for a higher sensitivity to nonverbal cues (Dunn, 2009). Women can pick up on any nonverbal cue that is given and know if the person is being genuine or if a person is upset, men on the other hand have a hard time picking up on these cues. This can be seen in the movie where Alex does not understand how Isabel truly feels by her nonverbal cues...
Words: 1303 - Pages: 6
...mounts and communication becomes harder. Now, take that same scenario when someone in the ER does not speak the language or know the culture of the patient. It not only severely complicates the process, but endangers the person needing the care. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman is the tragedy about three-month-old Lia Lee, from Laos, who unfortunately was one of these cultural misunderstandings. This book had a significant impact on educational and healthcare concerns regarding the need for cultural understanding in medical care. Whether the changes will be enough remain open to question. Anne Fadiman, a freelance writer, was introduced by chance to the Hmong community through a friend working at a California hospital. It took her several months to be accepted enough to talk with the Hmong leaders, where she heard Lia Lee’s tragic story. She felt it was necessary to show the point of view of both the patient (and family) and the doctor, since cultural medicine is such a complicated issue. Fadiman succeeds in showing the challenges, frustrations and misunderstandings from these two perspectives. That is what has made her book so well received by educators, literary critics and the medical field: Although becoming emotionally involved with the Lia Lee’ family, she is able to remain an objective writer. In addition, she is an excellent writer, and this nonfiction book is often as descriptive and literary as a novel. Since the book was published in 1998 (she...
Words: 2005 - Pages: 9
...as far as we can,in that particular historical and cultural background. and It is not easy for a person of one country to enter into the background of another country. So it make (someone) annoyed or a little angry beacause it is so difficult for someone to immediately accepted by the other party. But that extreme irritation will go when we think ... that he is just differently conditioned and simple words mean he can't get out of that condition. One has to recognize that whatever the future may hold, countries and people differ .in their approach to life and how they live in this beautiful words and how they thing about this wonder world.so in order to understand them (other people) it is very important to understand their way of life and approach. and finally we want to convince them, we need touse their language as far as we can, not language in the narrow sense or limit of the word, but the language of the mind. because that is one necessity....
Words: 1699 - Pages: 7
... other time in human history. New technology has brought us a truly global economy with participants from all over the world. One key to being a good communicator today is an understanding of your audience. Cultural understanding is an absolute requirement for any business leader today. Failing to understand the culture of the people you are communicating with can lead to some spectacular communication blunders. For example, in my workplace the phrase “killing the sacred cow” is often used as a business term to indicate a radical change in thinking about a longstanding process. When we were a small company located in the wild west populated mostly with Americans this wasn’t a big deal. We now have a staff augmentation workforce from India. As you can imagine, the phrase “killing the sacred cow” is no longer appropriate. Our cultural insensitivity reached an all time low when the Director of Information Services decided to take his new Indian workforce out to a special celebration dinner. He took them to a traditional southwest steakhouse. Coming from a culture that reveres cows, they found a restaurant dedicated to the slaughter and eating of cows to be an abomination. This was not good for team morale. Cultural insensitivity has produced some major slipups over the years. The alcoholic beverage Irish Mist had abysmal sales in Germany, where the word mist translates to manure. The Japanese sports beverage Pocari Sweat doesn’t sound very appealing to english speakers...
Words: 916 - Pages: 4
...of the paper 4 Chapter 2 5 Theory and Discusion 5 2.1 Notion and Principle of Intercultural Communication 5 2.2 Misinterpretation Intercultural Communication in the Lecture 7 2.3 Obstacle in Intercultural Communication 9 Chapter 3 12 Conclusion 12 Bibliography 13 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Issue background The world today is filled by an ever growing number of contacts resulting in communication between people with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Not just happen out of the country, Indonesian society has always been known to be very heterogeneous in many aspects, such as the diversity of ethnicity, religion, language, etc. Is common as an Indonesian citizen with the differences in culture in our society, because of the breadth of Indonesian region. Culture is a lifestyle that developed and shared by a group of people and passed down from generation to generation. When someone tried to communicate with people of different cultures and adjust differences, proved that the actual culture is also studied. In fact, we often can’t accept or have...
Words: 2535 - Pages: 11
...communication: * Language Barriers: Language is a very complex thing, and communication between people speaking different languages is difficult. Language is a way of looking at the world, and even skilled translators can find it tricky to convey complex emotions and concepts, which can lead to misunderstandings. For example when you think about how often you misunderstand someone speaking your language, you can imagine how hard it is to get the full meaning from something a person with a different cultural background is saying to you. * Behavior Differences: Behavior difference between employees of different cultures can cause misunderstandings. Every culture has guidelines about what is considered appropriate behavior. In some cultures, looking someone in the eye when they are talking to you is considered rude, while in other cultures refraining from doing so is considered disrespectful. Getting right to the point at a business meeting may be considered impolite by some, who expect to have “small talk” before the business discussion. Likewise, in some cultures, people talking to each other give each other space, while in other cultures, they stand close. These differences can be barriers to effective communication if they are not...
Words: 462 - Pages: 2
...Nonverbal Behaviours Cultural Differences in International Business Negotiations Nonverbal Behaviours Cultural Differences in International Business Negotiations Globalization embraces the free-market system which is driven by policies to allow the integration of markets in the global economy. By reducing trade barriers, it has promoted free trade - encouraging competition to spread globally. As a consequence, the global environment of business has become exceedingly challenging as the number of corporations competing in the world marketplace rise. The unprecedented growth of international business has become increasingly dependent on effective face-to-face negotiations between business partners from different countries which often have unique cultural nuances. Culture influences how people think, communicate and behave, which ultimately affects the way they negotiate. For example, many countries which utilize northern European, German, English, and Scandinavian languages are categorized as low context cultures, and rely on spoken words in order to communicate. Conversely, high context cultures, often pertaining to Asian and Arabic languages, are heavily dependent on nonverbal and situational cues. These differences in culture can lead to misunderstandings during international business negotiations, so it is imperative that all members involved are familiar and sensitive to the culture of the other party. A key component of successful international negotiation is...
Words: 1155 - Pages: 5
..." What does she mean by this statement? Why is it important to approach communication among people as an exercise in understanding possible cross-cultural differences among them? Illustrate your points with examples. Tannen states in her book, page 14, “all communication is more or less cross-cultural:” What she means is that the culture in which a person grew up has a great influence on how this person will behave among others. Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music, arts, it serves as the patterns of behaviors and interactions among people in the same culture, it is also how people interact and understand what are learned by socialization. Communicate with others encounters many barriers implemented by the family and society, i.e. culture which we grew up. As mentioned by Tannen “We learn to use language as we grow up, and growing up in different parts of the country, having different ethnic, religious, or class backgrounds, even just being male or female— all result in different ways of talking, all due to the culture each person absorbed growing up. And diverse in culture causes differences in conversational style which might result in individually minor but cumulatively overwhelming misunderstandings and disappointments. Despite good intentions and good character all around— our own (which we take for granted) and others’ (which we easily doubt)...
Words: 3634 - Pages: 15
...and children, management and employees, employee and employee or even husband and wife. The characteristics of those involved in the process of communication can therefore affect communication. The differences in the diversity and characteristics of employees can also lead to conflicts in communication or miscommunication. The gender differences in conveying messages are as a result of biological, psychological, religious and cultural differences among men and women (Tannen, 1993). Keywords: communication, gender differences Conflicts at the office might be due to the long hours the employees or workers spend together, the differences in the positions of the administration and the problems that arise from change of place of work. Since gender is a culture, it has norms and standards which lead to misunderstandings between people of different sex. The differences can be in the nature of attitudes towards work and their relationships. Women like building interactions so as to achieve different responsibilities. They find it comfortable to be assisted as long as it would lead to realization of a particular objective that was set out at the commencement. This is contrary to men who are task leaning and put up relations in the line of the project. The differences in the manner the different employees belonging to different sex, leads to lack of co-operation among the employees giving rise to miscommunication at the workplace. (Suresh, 2010) explains...
Words: 1041 - Pages: 5
