INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

 Intercultural Communication HIGH CONTEXT VS LOW CONTEXT

According to science, each person is High context cultures- leave much of the message
genetically unique. Except for identical unspecified, to be understood through context,
twins, each person has a unique genetic nonverbal cues, and between the two lines
composition. This uniqueness becomes interpretation of what is actual said.
even more heightened because of Low-context cultures ( most Germanic and English-
individual experiences. Humans are speaking countries ) expect messages to be explicit and
formed by forces other that genetics. specific.
◦ FAMILY BACKGROUND
◦ RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS SEQUENTIAL VS. SYCHRONIC
◦ EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS Some cultures think of time sequentially as a linear
◦ SOCIO-CULTURAL FORCES commodity to ‘spend’ ‘save’ or ‘waste’ other cultures
◦ ECONOMIC CONDITIONS view time synchronically, as a constant flow to be
◦ EMOTIONAL STATES AND OTHERS…. experienced in the moment, and as a force that cannot
 THIS SITUATION be contained or controlled.
the diversity of people and cultures- In sequential cultures- business people give full
impacts communication. People interacting with those attention to the agenda item after another
coming from unfamiliar cultures have difficulties in In synchronic cultures- this influences how
communication. More people tend to conclude that organizations in those cultures approach deadlines,
miscommunication results from speaker’s lack of strategic thinking, investments, developing talent
proficiency in a language. What is not realized is the fact within, and the concept of “ long term” planning.
that even with excellent language skills, people may still
experience miscommunication. AFFECTIVE VS. NEUTRAL
 The following reading text talks about
intercultural communication. Before reading In international business practices, reason and emotion
the text: both play a role. Which dominates depends upon
 TAKE FOR GRANTED whether we are
 CULTURAL BIASES affective readily showing emotions
 DOMESTIC WORKFORCE Emotionally neutral in our approach.
 CULTURAL OVERSTONE Members of neutral cultures do not
 DURABLE BOND telegraph their feelings but keep them carefully
 GROSSLY DISLOYAL controlled and subdued . In cultures with high effect,
people show their feelings plainly by laughing, smiling,
COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES grimacing, and sometimes crying, shouting, or walking
 Communicating across cultures is challenging. out of the room.
Each culture has set rules that its members take
for granted. Few of us are aware of our own
cultural biases because cultural imprinting is
begun at a very early age. And while some of a
culture’s
 Knowledge
 Rules
 Beliefs
 Values
 Phobias
 And anxieties are taught explicitly, most of the
information is absorbed subconciously.
We are all individuals, and no two people belonging to
the same culture are guaranteed to respond in exactly
the same way. However, generalizations arte valid to
the extent that they provide clues on what you will
most likely encounter when dealing with members of a
particular culture.