How to Avoid Virtual Miscommunication Keith Ferrazzi APRIL 12, 12, 21! "h# is miscommunication common in the virtual wor$%lace& Lac$ o' conte(t) And it*s not +ust that emails and %hone conversations lac$ a %erson*s visual reaction to what #ou*ve said) -hin$ a.out the in'ormation #ou can /lean +ust 'rom the seatin/ arran/ement in a %h#sical con'erence room 0 who sits ne(t to whom, who*s at the head o' the ta.le, who has %ut a little e(tra distance .etween hersel' and her nei/h.or, and so on) All those cues are missin/ in a t#%ical telecon'erence) telecon'erence) As a result, even even the sim%lest sim%lest o' thin/s can can .e misinter%reted) misinter%reted) For For instance, does does the use o' o' an e(clamation mar$ in a te(t messa/e I didn*t $now that345 indicate that the writer is e(cited, sur%rised, or an/r#& 6e'ore sendin/ an im%ortant email, as$ someone else to read it +ust to ma$e sure it won*t .e misconstrued) Moreover, I stron/l# advise that virtual communications use res%ect, %ositive a''irmations, and /ratitude to set the ri/ht tone and %ro%er conte(t) "hen #ou have shared conte(t and #ou e(chan/e in'ormation, #ou*ll have a shared understandin/,4 sa#s Karen 7o.elLo+es$i, 7o.elLo+es$i , a %ro'essor at 7ton# 6roo$ 8niversit#) -o achieve that shared understandin/, I recommend the 'ollowin/ .est %ractices9 Fi/ht the illusion o' trans%arenc#)4 "e o'ten thin$ that others are more in s#nch with what we*re thin$in/ than the# reall# are) -he o.vious 'i( 'or this illusion is /reater em%ath#) Put #oursel' in the %osition o' the other %erson) Actuall# visualize that individual in his o''ice as #ou send him an email) 7ince virtual teams mi/ht lac$ the necessar# conte(t 'or em%ath#, mana/ers should encoura/e team mem.ers to share in'ormation a.out themselves, %erha%s on an intranet site) Researcher :ael 7) ;o'i r ecommends ecommends that virtual team mem.ers actuall# /ive a video tour o' their o''ices or cu.icles to %rovide a mental ima/e 'or others when communicatin/ throu/h email, %hone, or te(tin/) 7%ea$ the ri/ht lan/ua/e)4 In the .oo$ -he < Love Lan/ua/es,4 author =ar# >ha%man descri.es 'ive di''erent %re'erences %eo%le can have 'or e(%ressions o' love 0 throu/h a''irmin/ words, s%endin/ ?ualit# time, /i'ts, acts o' service, or %h#sical contact) 7imilarl#, we all tend to %re'er a certain lan/ua/e4 'or communications at wor$) 7ome %eo%le are more ?uantitative %re'errin/ raw numerical data5 while others are more visual 'avorin/ %ie charts and .ar /ra%hs5) For others, stor#tellin/ and anecdotes are .est) Mana/ers should encoura/e teams to e(%ress such %re'erences at the start o' a virtual %ro+ect) In one stud# team mem.ers shared their M#ers6ri//s -#%e Indicator to Indicator to %rovide a 'eel to cowor$ers 'or how the# %erceived the world and %rocessed in'ormation) Knowin/ communication st#le %revents misinter%retin/ someone*s curt email as anno#ance or an/er i' #ou*re aware o' his t#%ical .rus?ueness) Am%li'# the si/nal) si/nal) "e o'ten o'ten communicate communicate less in'ormation in'ormation than we we thin$ we are, are, a s#ndrome s#ndrome %s#cholo/ists call si/nal am%li'ication .ias) .ias ) Virtual teams, lac$in/ conte(tual cues that the other %erson hasn*t understood what we*re tr#in/ to sa#, o'ten hear onl# too late that I thou/ht it was o.vious that@4 or, I didn*t thin$ I needed to s%ell that out)4 How to avoid si/nal am%li'ication .ias& 7%ell thin/s out3 on*t +ust sa#, >ircle .ac$ with me)4 o #ou want 'inal in%ut to a decision or +ust want to .e in'ormed o' the decision a'ter it*s .een made& For im%ortant communications, :ael ;o'i advises her e(ecutive clients to use more than one medium) 7o, 'or e(am%le, i' #ou have a %hone conversation a.out %ossi.le dela#s in a %ro+ect, 'ollow u% with an email to minimize misunderstandin/s) Remem.er that the medium is %artl#5 the messa/e) "hen Marshall McLuhan coined the %hrase, -he medium is the messa/e,4 'ew could have ima/ined toda#*s variet# o' communications media email, IM, te(tin/, videocon'erencin/, online discussion .oards, etc)5) -he resultin/ communication issues have multi%lied as well) Here*s a classic e(am%le) An e(ecutive overhears a rumor at a con'erence and te(ts that in'ormation to someone on his sta'') Later that da#, he*s .a''led to learn that his entire team
has .een scram.lin/ all mornin/ to con'irm the rumor, which he had merel# %assed alon/ as idle industr# /ossi%) -he lesson here is that certain media li$e te(tin/5 im%l# ur/enc#, so .e mind'ul and don*t let the medium color #our messa/e) Res%ond %rom%tl# i' onl# to sa# #ou*ll res%ond later5) A %erson*s res%onse time can matter as much as the medium) In /eneral, %eo%le will inter%ret the %rom%tness o' #our res%onse to an email or voice messa/e as an indication o' the ?ualit# o' #our relationshi%) "hen #our re%l# is tard#, the other %art# is le't wonderin/ whether #ou value that relationshi% or not) B' course, o'tentimes a slow res%onse sim%l# means #ou were e(traordinaril# .us#) 6ut in a virtual environment, the limited conte(tual clues li$e res%onse time tend to ta$e on /reater si/ni'icance) Avoid slo%%# emailin/) A new status s#m.ol in toda#*s /enerall# more e/alitarian .usiness environment has arisen9 slo%%# emails) Bne %rovocative stud# 'ound that man# e(ecutives have write terse emails with hal'sentences, .ad /rammar, and atrocious s%ellin/) -he underl#in/ messa/e is that those individuals are 'ar too .us# to .e .othered with writin/ %er'ectl# %olished te(t) 8n'ortunatel#, slo%%# emails at .est re?uire wastin/ time tr#in/ to deci%her them, and at worse cause wor$%lace misunderstandin/s and costl# errors) For o''enders who claim the# sim%l# don*t have time to write .etter emails, researcher Cacl#n Kostner doesn*t mince words9 I tell them #ou have to 'ind the timeD otherwise, #ou*re not 'it 'or the +o. and some.od# else should .e doin/ it) Br ma#.e #ou need to o''load some res%onsi.ilities .ecause there*s no e(cuse 'or sendin/ %eo%le cr#%tic emails)4 Finall#, encoura/e ever#one to e(%ect %ro.lems) At the start o' an# virtual %ro+ect, e(%erts recommend a meta communication4 o' .asic /uidelines, such as how ?uic$l# %eo%le should res%ond to emails and what media should .e used 'or which %ur%oses 'or instance, all team meetin/s will ta$e %lace throu/h videocon'erencin/5) A ma+or com%onent o' that document, accordin/ to Pam 6rewer , a %ro'essor at A%%alachian 7tate 8niversit#, should .e a mechanism 'or resolvin/ such communication %ro.lems as the volume o' email .ecomin/ unmana/ea.le) 7ettin/ the e(%ectation that there will inevita.l# .e %ro.lems ma$es ever#one much less hesitant to raise an issue) In 'act, the team leader could em%hasize that %oint .# ado%tin/ the attitude o', I' no one has an# communication issues, it*s a sure si/n that we reall# do have %ro.lems)4 Keith Ferrazzi is the >EB o' Ferrazzi =reenli/ht, a research.ased consultin/ and trainin/ com%an#, and the author o' "ho*s =ot :our 6ac$ 6roadwa# 6oo$s, 25)
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Issues in Cross Cultural Teams >rosscultural teams can have their 'air share o' %ro.lems once the novelt# o' interactin/ with new %eo%le 'ades) From sim%le issues li$e understandin/ lan/ua/e idioms to more com%le( wor$ culture issues, there is sco%e 'ot a lot o' %ro.lems) =lo.al or/anisations are trans'errin/ %eo%le increasin/l# to other countries which creates cultural diversit# within wor$ teams) -hou/h teams are now an acce%ted 'orm o' %lannin/, strate/izin/ and o%eration, team .ased mana/ement techni?ues are still evolvin/ world over and when #ou introduce the additional element o' cultural diversit#, it throws a whole new s%anner in the wor$s3 Potential Problems Areas in Cross Cultural Teams:
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A) Communication, Language and Expression -he ?ualit# o' communication is a $e# concern in cross cultural teams) Ever#.od# could .e s%ea$in/ En/lish, .ut certain 'orms o' slan/ or collo?uialisms ma# not .e clearl# understood leadin/ to misinter%retations) -eamwor$ is a collective e''ort and all the %la#ers have to 'ull# understand the direction that the discussion is ta$in/) Misinter%retations can .e $e%t to a minimum i' ever#.od# aims 'or clarit#, otherwise team e''ectiveness is .ound to su''er) -o %revent %ro.lems associated with miscommunication, team mem.ers have to .e encoura/ed chec$ with each other 'or clarit# either throu/h %ara%hrasin/ or .# as$in/ ?uestions) Para%hrasin/ .asicall# involves restatin/ a %oint and then as$in/ "Is that what you meant?" >ommunication %ro.lems are %articularl# si/ni'icant in cross cultural virtual* teams) Here are an e(am%le o' two $inds o' virtual teams9 -he international virtual team that t#%icall# interacts across continents and countries, to colla.orate on a common tas$) -his is almost alwa#s a cross cultural team) Virtual teams within the same countr# or cit# when a %art o' the team o%ts 'or telecommutin/ the# use email and other 'orms o' telecommunication technolo/ies to coordinate wor$) 6oth t#%es o' teams will wor$ on a %ro+ect without re/ular 'aceto'ace interaction, and there'ore have to ma$e their written email communication and tele%hone conversations as clear as %ossi.le) -he# also have to develo% a wor$ ethic o' %rom%t res%onse to ?ueries, i' this is not 'orthcomin/ it can .e a little unnervin/ and there is no chance o' #ou dro%%in/ .# the o''ice o' #our team collea/ue to discuss the issue) In the international virtual team with its cross cultural mi( o' %eo%le, it should .e e(%ected that some amount o' am.i/uit# is .ound to cree% in) >are has to .e ta$en with wordin/s es%eciall# when there is disa/reement on an issue) Even mildl# sarcastic comments meant as a +o$e can .e misinter%reted .# a team mem.er in another countr# and cause a con'lict) Information gaps are another %ro.lem area 'or the virtual cross cultural team) Ever#.od# has to .e on the same wave len/th as 'ar as in'ormation and data /oes) -hese teams can /reatl# .ene'it 'rom =rou%ware* so'tware, a relativel# recent conce%t in networ$in/ usin/ multiuser technolo/#) -his $ind o' so'tware allows access to a shared data.ase, %rovides email services, allows sharin/ o' wor$ 'iles, allows online chats, schedulin/, and trac$in/ o' +oint %ro+ects) >om%anies are %a#in/ a lot o' attention to the use o' the ri/ht technolo/# to ma$e communication and colla.oration amon/ virtual teams e''ective) For instance, at Cisco their colla.oration technolo/ies are ena.lin/ their teams to share resources, in'ormation, and talent re/ardless o' time or location) A case stud# at htt%9GGwww)microso't)comGtechnetGitsolutionsGmsitGin'owor$Gs%s%ttcs)ms%( %ortra#s how Microso't develo%ed tools 'or their virtual teams in order to address colla.oration re?uirements across dis%arate locations and cultures -he other issue with international virtual teams is decision ma$in/) ecision ma$in/ is a team activit# and /iven the time zone di''erences, the team has to 'ind a mutuall# a/reea.le time .and 'or direct communication throu/h con'erence calls or video con'erencin/) I' there is a /reat deal o' diver/ence and disa/reement on the ri/ht course o' action to .e ado%ted, then a stalemate ma# .e reached) -he team ma# need to 'ollow u% with lots o' e(%lanator# emails and calls .e'ore the# reach a consensus) B) Work t!le "or$ st#les and a%%roaches ma# also var# when a team has a crosscultural mi( o' individuals) 7ome wor$ cultures 'oster individual thin$in/ and o''er rewards 'or individual contri.utions li$e the American*s 'or instance) In some wor$ cultures %eo%le are uncom'orta.le with inde%endence on the +o. and %re'er to .e tied to the a%ron strin/s o' the .oss in decision ma$in/3 "hen #our team has a mi( o' st#les, the individualistic team mem.ers ma# %rove to .e a//ressive team %la#ers while the notsoindividualistic ones ma#
mer/e into the team and outwardl# seem to contri.ute ver# little to the team %rocess) It is im%ortant to draw out and /et the .est out o' all the team mem.ers des%ite the di''erences in %ersonalit# t#%es) C) "ominating In#luences -here are concerns that a section o' the team that has a certain cultural similarit# or homo/eneit# ma# attem%t to dominate the team %rocess and overrule the rest o' the team) -he dominant /rou% within the team ma# tr# to swin/ decisions towards a direction that the# are com'orta.le with) -his can create a 'rustratin/ environment 'or the rest o' the team) ") $oti%ators and Expectations &rom t'e (ob Motivators are .asicall# the 'actors that indicate the thin/s that ma$e a %erson tic$ in a .usiness and team environment) -eam leaders who handle crosscultural teams usuall# 'ind that the 'actors that motivate each team mem.er var#) -he motivators 'or wor$in/ %ro'essionals can ran/e 'rom tan/i.le rewards such as monetary increments, incentives and career progression, to intan/i.les such as job satisfaction, praise and encouragement or recognition from top management ) It is essential to ma$e the e''ort to /au/e individual motivators in order to encoura/e and motivate each team mem.er to e(cel at their roles) In the a.sence o' the ri/ht stimulus, the individuals ma# lac$ the enthusiasm and drive necessar# to %er'orm their role within the team $aking it Work >ross cultural teamwor$ is /oin/ to increase as .usinesses e(%and on a more /lo.al scalemeanin/ that %eo%le 'rom diverse .ac$/rounds interact on a re/ular .asis as a team) Man# lar/e cor%orations have clients with whom the# wor$ across multi%le countries and these clients loo$ 'or inte/rated /lo.al solutions) In such a scenario the cross cultural team has a de'inite advanta/e in .ein/ a.le to understand the needs o' their clients .etter) -he $e# to ma$in/ the multicultural team wor$ well, is 'ocusin/ on the o.+ectives o' the team) -he o.+ective is the main out%ut that a cross cultural team can %otentiall# deliver) -eam out%ut is usuall# .etter when there is diversit# o' e(%erience amon/ the team %la#ers) -his a%%lies to an# team out%ut, whether or not multicultural) -he chances o' drawin/ out innovative thin$in/ /ets am%li'ied when there is diversit#) -his is the 'actor that wor$s in 'avour o' cross cultural teams) -he /eneral consensus amon/ e(%erts is that the multi-cultural experiences that individual team members bring to the discussion tends to lead to superior creative solutions ) -he %ro.lems and con'licts are certainl# /oin/ to .e there +ust as one would have con'licts and %ro.lems within teams who .elon/ to the same mar$et) Preem%tive measures in areas li$e communication, in'ormation sharin/, motivation drivers, and /rou% d#namics are called 'or to assist in the cross cultural team %rocess) -he /oal should .e to tr# and .uild on the stren/ths o' such cross cultural teams, minimize con'licts, and di''use the occasional miscommunication that diversit# creates) htt%9GGwww)team.uildin/%ortal)comGarticlesGteam'ailureGcrossculturalteam
Instructor9 Jennifer ombardo >rosscultural communication is im%erative 'or com%anies that have a diverse wor$'orce and %artici%ate in the /lo.al econom#) It is im%ortant 'or em%lo#ees to understand the 'actors that are %art o' an e''ective, diverse wor$'orce) >ross>ultural >ommunication >rosscultural communication has .ecome strate/icall# im%ortant to com%anies due to the /rowth o' /lo.al .usiness, technolo/# and the Internet) 8nderstandin/ crosscultural communication is im%ortant 'or an# com%an# that has a diverse wor$'orce or %lans on conductin/ /lo.al .usiness) -his t#%e o' communication involves an understandin/ o' how %eo%le 'rom di''erent cultures s%ea$, communicate and %erceive the world around them) >rosscultural communication in an or/anization deals with understandin/ di''erent .usiness customs, .elie's and communication strate/ies) Lan/ua/e di''erences, hi/hconte(t vs) low conte(t cultures, nonver.al di''erences and %ower distance are ma+or 'actors that can a''ect crosscultural communication) Lets ta$e a loo$ at how crosscultural di''erences can cause %otential issues within an or/anization) Cac$ is a mana/er at a ew Me(ico.ased retail con/lomerate) He has 'lown to Ca%an to discuss a %otential %artnershi% with a local Ca%anese com%an#) His .usiness contact, :amato, is his counter%art within the Ca%anese com%an#) Cac$ has never .een to Ca%an .e'ore, and hes not 'amiliar with their cultural norms) Lets loo$ at some o' the wa#s that a lac$ o' cultural understandin/ can create a .arrier 'or .usiness success .# e(aminin/ how Cac$ handles his meetin/ with :amato) Hi/h vs) Low>onte(t >ulture -he conce%t o' hi/h and lowconte(t culture relates to how an em%lo#ees thou/hts, o%inions, 'eelin/s and u%.rin/in/ a''ect how the# act within a /iven culture) orth America and "estern Euro%e are /enerall# considered to have lowconte(t cultures) -his means that .usinesses in these %laces have direct, individualistic em%lo#ees who tend to .ase decisions on 'acts) -his t#%e o' .usiness%erson wants s%eci'ics noted in contracts and ma# have issues with trust) Hi/hconte(t cultures are the o%%osite in that trust is the most im%ortant %art o' .usiness dealin/s) -here are areas in the Middle East, Asia and A'rica that can .e considered hi/h conte(t) Br/anizations that have hi/hconte(t cultures are collectivist and 'ocus on inter%ersonal relationshi%s) Individuals 'rom hi/hconte(t cultures mi/ht .e interested in /ettin/ to $now the %erson the# are conductin/ .usiness with in order to /et a /ut 'eelin/ on decision ma$in/) -he# ma# also .e more concerned a.out .usiness teams and /rou% success rather than individual achievement) Cac$ and :amato ran into some di''iculties durin/ their .usiness ne/otiations) Cac$ s%o$e ?uic$l# and %ro'usel# .ecause he wanted to seal the deal as soon as %ossi.le) However, :amato wanted to /et to $now Cac$, and he 'elt that Cac$ s%o$e too much) :amato also 'elt that Cac$ was onl# concerned with com%letin/ the deal 'or his own sel'interest and was not concerned with the overall /ood o' the com%an#) Cac$s nonver.al cues did not hel% the ne/otiations either) onver.al i''erences =estures and e#e contact are two areas o' nonver.al communication that are utilized di''erentl# across cultures) >om%anies must train em%lo#ees in the correct wa# to handle nonver.al communication as to not o''end other cultures) For e(am%le, American wor$ers tend to wave their hand and use a 'in/er to %oint when /ivin/ nonver.al direction) E(treme /esturin/ is considered rude in some cultures) "hile %ointin/ ma# .e considered a%%ro%riate in some conte(ts in the 8nited 7tates, :amato would never use a 'in/er to %oint towards another %erson .ecause that /esture is considered rude in Ca%an) Instead, he mi/ht /esture with an o%en hand, with his %alm 'acin/ u%, toward the %erson) E#e contact is another 'orm o' nonver.al communication) In the 8)7), e#e contact is a /ood thin/ and is seen as a re'lection o' honest# and strai/ht'orwardness) However, in some Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, %rolon/ed e#e contact can .e seen as rude or a//ressive in man# situations) "omen ma# need to avoid it alto/ether .ecause lin/erin/ e#e contact can .e viewed as a si/n o' se(ual interest) urin/ their meetin/, Cac$ 'elt that :amato was not listenin/ to his tal$in/ %oints .ecause :amato was not loo$in/ Cac$ in the e#es) However, :amato did not want Cac$ to thin$ he was rude, so he avoided loo$in/ directl# into Cac$s e#es durin/ his s%eech) Lan/ua/e i''erences -he .i//est issue dealin/ with crosscultural communication is the di''icult# created .# lan/ua/e .arriers) For e(am%le, Cac$ does not s%ea$ Ca%anese, so he is concerned with his
a.ilit# to communicate e''ectivel# with :amato) -here are some strate/ies that Cac$ can use to hel% esta.lish a ra%%ort with :amato) Cac$ can e(%lain himsel' without words .# usin/ emotions, 'acial e(%ressions and other nonver.al cues) He can also use drawin/s and as$ 'or an inter%reter) Additionall#, com%anies that have to deal with crosscultural communication can hire em%lo#ees with %ro'icienc# in other lan/ua/es) Fortunatel# 'or Cac$ and :amato, the# .oth had e(cellent translators who communicated their words) -he ne(t crosscultural issue re/ards how individuals deal with %ower distance) Power istance Power distance relates to how %ower is distri.uted within an or/anization) -#%icall#, American com%anies utilize a low %ower distance and have more in'ormal hierarchies that allow 'or interaction .etween e(ecutives and their su.ordinates) Mana/ers as$ 'or 'eed.ac$ 'rom em%lo#ees and will even socialize with su.ordinates) >om%anies with hi/h %ower distance are t#%icall# ver# hierarchical in nature and have severe di''erences in authorit#) 7ome Ca%anese com%anies ma# utilize this %ower structure)
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>ross>ulturalGInternational >ommunication
Related -erms9 Alien Em%lo#eesD >ommunication 7#stemsD =lo.alization 6usiness is not conducted in an identical 'ashion 'rom culture to culture) >onse?uentl#, .usiness relations are enhanced when mana/erial, sales, and technical %ersonnel are trained to .e aware o' areas li$el# to create communication di''iculties and con'lict across cultures) 7imilarl#, international communication is stren/thened when .usiness%eo%le can antici%ate areas o' commonalit#) Finall#, .usiness in /eneral is enhanced when %eo%le 'rom di''erent cultures 'ind new a%%roaches to old %ro.lems, creatin/ solutions .# com.inin/ cultural %ers%ectives and learnin/ to see issues 'rom the view%oint o' others) E-HB>E-RI7M Pro.lems in .usiness communication conducted across cultures o'ten arise when %artici%ants 'rom one culture are una.le to understand culturall# determined di''erences in communication %ractices, traditions, and thou/ht %rocessin/) At the most 'undamental level, %ro.lems ma# occur when one or more o' the %eo%le involved clin/s to an ethnocentric view o' how to conduct .usiness) Ethnocentrism is the .elie' that ones own cultural /rou% is somehow innatel# su%erior to others) It is eas# to sa# that ethnocentrism onl# a''ects the .i/oted or those i/norant o' other cultures, and so is unli$el# to .e a ma+or 'actor in ones own .usiness communication) :et di''iculties due to a misunderstandin/ o' elements in crosscultural communication ma# a''ect even enli/htened %eo%le) Ethnocentrism is dece%tive %recisel# .ecause mem.ers o' an# culture %erceive their own .ehavior as lo/ical, since that .ehavior wor$s 'or them) Peo%le tend to acce%t the values o' the culture around them as a.solute values) 7ince each culture has its own set o' values, o'ten ?uite diver/ent 'rom those values held in other cultures, the conce%t o' %ro%er and im%ro%er, 'oolish and wise, and even ri/ht and wron/ .ecome .lurred) In international .usiness, ?uestions arise re/ardin/ what is %ro%er .# which cultures values, what is wise .# which cultures view o' the world, and what is ri/ht .# whose standards) 7ince no one individual is li$el# to reco/nize the su.tle 'orms o' ethnocentrism that sha%e who he or she is, international .usiness %ractitioners must .e es%eciall# care'ul in conductin/ .usiness communication across cultures) It is necessar# to tr# to rise a.ove culturall# im.ued wa#s o' viewin/ the world) -o do this, one needs to understand how the %erce%tion o' a /iven messa/e chan/es de%endin/ on the culturall# determined view%oint o' those communicatin/) FA>-BR7 AFFE>-I= >RB77>8L-8RAL 687IE77 >BMM8I>A-IB -he communication %rocess in international .usiness settin/s is 'iltered throu/h a ran/e o' varia.les, each o' which can color %erce%tions on the %art o' .oth %arties) -hese include lan/ua/e, environment, technolo/#, social or/anization, social histor# and mores, conce%tions o' authorit#, and nonver.al communication .ehavior) 6# assessin/ in advance the roles these varia.les %la# in .usiness communication, one can im%rove ones a.ilit# to conve# messa/es and conduct .usiness with individuals in a wide ran/e o' cultures) Lan/ua/e Amon/ the most o'ten cited .arriers to con'lict'ree crosscultural .usiness communication is the use o' di''erent lan/ua/es) It is di''icult to underestimate the im%ortance that an understandin/ o' lin/uistic di''erences %la#s in international .usiness communication) =iven this realit#, .usiness consultants counsel clients to ta$e the necessar# ste%s to enlist the services o' a /ood translator) Lan/ua/e 'ailures .etween cultures t#%icall# 'all into three cate/ories9 15 /ross translation %ro.lemsD 25 su.tle distinctions 'rom lan/ua/e to lan/ua/eD and !5 culturall#.ased variations amon/ s%ea$ers o' the same lan/ua/e) =ross translation errors, thou/h 're?uent, ma# .e less li$el# to cause con'lict .etween %arties than other lan/ua/e di''iculties 'or two reasons) Indeed, the nonsensical nature o' man# /ross translation errors o'ten raise warnin/ 'la/s that are hard to miss) -he %arties can then .ac$trac$ and revisit the communication area that %rom%ted the error) Even i' the# are easil# detected in most cases, however, /ross translation errors waste time and wear on the %atience o' the %arties involved) Additionall#, 'or some, such errors im%l# a 'orm o' disres%ect 'or the %art# into whose lan/ua/e the messa/e is translated) -he su.tle shadin/s that are o'ten crucial to .usiness ne/otiations are also wea$ened when the %arties do not share a similar control o' the same lan/ua/e) Indeed, misunderstandin/s ma# arise .ecause o' dialectical di''erences within the same lan/ua/e) "hen other %arties
with 'ull control over the lan/ua/e with whom the nonnative s%ea$er communicates assume that $nowled/e o' this distinction e(ists, con'lict derivin/ 'rom misunderstandin/ is li$el#) Attitudes toward accents and dialects also create .arriers in international .usiness communication) -he view that a %articular accent su//ests lo#alt# or 'amiliarit# to a nation or re/ion is wides%read in man# lan/ua/es) -he use o' Parisian French in ue.ec, o' Me(ican 7%anish in 7%ain, or su.continental Indian En/lish in the 8nited 7tates are all noticea.le, and ma# su//est a lac$ o' 'amiliarit#, even i' the user is 'luent) More im%ortantl#, re/ional ties or tensions in such nations as Ital#, France, or =erman# amon/ others can .e su//ested .# the dialect a native s%ea$er uses) Finall#, national %re+udices and class distinctions are o'ten rein'orced throu/h sociolin/uistics 0the social %atternin/ o' lan/ua/e) For e(am%le, due to re/ional %re+udice and racism certain accents in the 8nited 7tates associated with ur.an areas, rural re/ions, or minorities ma# rein'orce ne/ative stereot#%es in areas li$e .usiness a.ilit#, education level, or intelli/ence) 7imilarl#, some cultures use sociolin/uistics to di''erentiate one economic class 'rom another) -hus, in En/land, distinct accents are associated with the aristocrac# and the middle and lower classes) -hese distinctions are o'ten un$nown .# 'orei/ners) Environment and -echnolo/# -he wa#s in which %eo%le use the resources availa.le to them ma# var# considera.l# 'rom culture to culture) >ulturall#in/rained .iases re/ardin/ the natural and technolo/ical environment can create communication .arriers) Man# environmental 'actors can have a heav# in'luence on the develo%ment and character o' cultures) Indeed, climate, to%o/ra%h#, %o%ulation size and densit#, and the relative availa.ilit# o' natural resources all contri.ute to the histor# and current conditions o' individual nations or re/ions) A'ter all, notions o' trans%ortation and lo/istics, settlement, and territorial or/anization are a''ected .# to%o/ra%h# and climate) For e(am%le, a mountainous countr# with an a.undance o' natural waterwa#s will almost certainl# develo% di''erent dominant modes o' trans%ortation than a dr#, landloc$ed re/ion mar$ed .# relativel# 'lat terrain) "hereas the 'irst nation would undou.tedl# develo% shi%%in/oriented trans%ortation methods, the latter would concentrate on roadwa#s, railroads, and other sur'aceoriented o%tions) Po%ulation size and densit# and the availa.ilit# o' natural resources in'luence each nations view toward e(%ort or domestic mar$ets as well) ations with lar/e domestic mar$ets and %lenti'ul natural resources, 'or e(am%le, are li$el# to view some industries ?uite di''erentl# than re/ions that have onl# one or none5 o' those characteristics) 7ome .usiness%eo%le 'ail to modi'# their crosscultural communications to accommodate environmental di''erences .ecause o' in'le(i.ilit# toward culturall# learned views o' technolo/#) Indeed, cultures have widel# diver/ent views o' technolo/# and its role in the world) In control cultures, such as those in much o' Euro%e and orth America, technolo/# is customaril# viewed as an innatel# %ositive means 'or controllin/ the environment) In subjugation cultures, such as those o' central A'rica and southwestern Asia, the e(istin/ environment is viewed as innatel# %ositive, and technolo/# is viewed with some s$e%ticism) In harmoni!ation cultures, such as those common in man# ative American cultures and some East Asian nations, a .alance is attem%ted .etween the use o' technolo/# and the e(istin/ environment) In these cultures, neither technolo/# nor the environment are innatel# /ood and mem.ers o' such cultures see themselves as %art o' the environment in which the# live, .ein/ neither su.+ect to it nor master o' it) B' course, it is dan/erous to over/eneralize a.out the /uidin/ %hiloso%hies o' societies as well) For e(am%le, while the 8nited 7tates ma# historicall# .e viewed as a control culture that holds that technolo/# is a %ositive that im%roves societ#, there are certainl# a siza.le num.er o' voices within that culture that do not su.scri.e to that %oint o' view) 7ocial Br/anization and Histor# 7ocial or/anization, as it a''ects the wor$%lace, is o'ten culturall# determined) Bne must ta$e care not to assume that the view held in ones own culture is universal on such issues as ne%otism and $inshi% ties, educational values, class structure and social mo.ilit#, +o. status and economic strati'ication, reli/ious ties, %olitical a''iliation, /ender di''erences, racism and other %re+udices, attitudes toward wor$, and recreational or wor$ institutions) All o' these areas have 'arreachin/ im%lications 'or .usiness %ractice) >hoosin/ em%lo#ees .ased on rQsumQs, 'or e(am%le, is considered a %rimar# means o' selection in the 8nited 7tates, >anada, and much o' northern Euro%e0all nations with com%arativel# wea$ conce%ts o' 'amilial relationshi%s and $inshi% ties) In these cultures, ne%otism is seen as su.+ective and li$el# to %rotect less ?uali'ied wor$ers throu/h 'amilial intervention) 6# contrast, it would seem
an#where 'rom mildl# to hi/hl# ina%%ro%riate to su//est to mem.ers o' man# Ara.ic, central A'rican, Latin American, or southern Euro%ean cultures to s$i% over hirin/ relatives to hire a stran/er) For %eo%le in these cultures, ne%otism .oth 'ul'ills %ersonal o.li/ations and ensures a %redicta.le level o' trust and accounta.ilit#) -he 'act that a stran/er a%%ears to .e .etter ?uali'ied .ased on a su%erior rQsumQs and a relativel# .rie' interview would not necessaril# a''ect that .elie') 7imilarl#, the nature o' %raise and em%lo#ee motivation can .e sociall# determined, 'or di''erent cultures have settled u%on a wide arra# o' em%lo#ee reward s#stems, each o' which re'lect the social histories and values o' those cultures) Finall#, it is o'ten di''icult to rid .usiness communication o' a +ud/mental .ias when social or/anization varies mar$edl#) For e(am%le, those 'rom the 8nited 7tates ma# 'ind it di''icult to remain neutral on cultural class structures that do not re'lect American values o' e?ualit#) For instance, the sociall# determined in'erior role o' women in much o' the Islamic world, or o' lower castes in India0to name +ust two0ma# %uzzle or an/er "estern citizens) evertheless, i' the "estern .usiness%erson cannot eliminate the attendant condemnation 'rom his or her .usiness communication, then he or she cannot e(%ect to 'unction e''ectivel# in that societ#) An individual ma# %ersonall# .elieve that a countr#s social s#stem is ine''icient or incorrect) evertheless, in the wa# that individual conducts .usiness on a dail# .asis, it is necessar# to wor$ within the restraints o' that culture to succeed) Bne ma# choose not to do .usiness with %eo%le 'rom such a culture, .ut one cannot easil# im%ose ones own values on them and e(%ect to succeed in the .usiness arena) >once%tions o' Authorit# i''erent cultures o'ten view the distri.ution o' authorit# in their societ# di''erentl#) Views o' authorit# in a /iven societ# a''ect communication in the .usiness environment si/ni'icantl#, since the# sha%e the view o' how a messa/e will .e received .ased on the relative status or ran$ o' the messa/es sender to its receiver) In other words, conce%tions o' authorit# in'luence the 'orms that mana/erial and other .usiness communications ta$e) In wor$in/ with cultures such as Israel and 7weden, which have a relativel# decentralized authorit# conce%tion or small %ower distance, one mi/ht antici%ate /reater acce%tance o' a %artici%ative communication mana/ement model than in cultures such as France and 6el/ium, which /enerall# ma$e less use o' %artici%ative mana/ement models, rel#in/ instead on authorit# .ased decision ma$in/) onver.al >ommunication Amon/ the most mar$edl# var#in/ dimensions o' intercultural communication is nonver.al .ehavior) Knowled/e o' a culture conve#ed throu/h what a %erson sa#s re%resents onl# a %ortion o' what that %erson has communicated) Indeed, .od# lan/ua/e, clothin/ choices, e#e contact, touchin/ .ehavior, and conce%tions o' %ersonal s%ace all communicate in'ormation, no matter what the culture) A %rudent .usiness %erson will ta$e the time to learn what the %revailin/ attitudes are in such areas .e'ore conductin/ .usinesses in an un'amiliar culture or with a re%resentative o' that culture5) 7MALL 687IE77 A I-ERA-IBAL >BMM8I>A-IB As .usiness has turned more and more to an inte/rated world mar$et to meet its needs, the di''iculties o' communicatin/ at a /lo.al level have .ecome increasin/l# wides%read) Lac$ o' understandin/ derivin/ 'rom ethnocentrism or i/norance o' culturall# .ased assum%tions erroneousl# .elieved to .e universal can readil# escalate to un%roductive con'lict amon/ %eo%le o' di''erin/ cultural orientation) -his ma# occur on the domestic 'ront as well) "ith the increasin/ num.ers o' immi/rants to the 8)7) our meltin/ %ot societ# leads to cultural diversit# in the wor$%lace) In com.ination with a /rowin/ em%hasis on /lo.al mar$ets and an interde%endent and internationalized econom#, the need 'or dealin/ with intercultural di''erences and crosscultural communication .arriers has /rown) 7mall .usiness owners and re%resentatives 'ace a sometimes dizz#in/ arra# o' communication considerations when the# decide to move into the international arena, .ut most issues can .e satis'actoril# addressed .# 15 res%ect'ulness toward all %eo%le #ou meetD 25 thin$in/ .e'ore s%ea$in/D and !5 research on current .usiness eti?uette, cultural and customer sensitivities, current events, and relevant histor#) 6I6LIB=RAPH: >ross >ultural -rainin/ 7een as Essential 'or Forei/n B%erations) sia frica Intellegence #ire) O Au/ust 2<) =ardenswartz, Lee, and Anita Rowe) >ross>ultural Awareness) $%&aga!ine) March 21) Candt, Fred E) Intercultural Communications) 7a/e Pu.lications, Inc), 2!)
Lie.erman, 7imma, Kate 6erardo, and =eor/e F) 7imons) 'utting (iversity to #or) ) -homson >ris% Learnin/, 2!) Moon, >hris C), and Peter "ooliams) Mana/in/ >ross>ultural 6usiness Ethics) Journal of *usiness +thics) 7e%tem.er 2) ;a$aria, orha#ati) -he E''ects o' >ross>ultural -rainin/ on the Acculturation Process o' the =lo.al "or$'orce) International Journal of &anpower ) Cune 2) close )s%litArticle8%%er>ontainer
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