© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Communicating Interculturally

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Intercultural Communication Global marketplace Multicultural workforce

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Barriers to Going Global Accounting and taxes Labor laws Remote headquarters Business systems Cultural differences Personal behavior

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter The Global Marketplace Opportunities Growth Potential New Customers New Markets New Sources of Labor Work Opportunities Challenges Laws and Customs Volatile Currencies Ethical Standards Labor Skills Politics and Economics

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Advantages of a Multicultural Workforce Diverse markets Broader viewpoints Expanded talent pool

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Challenges of Intercultural Communication Meaning of words Significance of gestures Importance of time and space Rules of relationships

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter The Concept of Culture Shared systems –Priorities –Attitudes –Rules

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Established Cultures Automatic Coherent Complete

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Negative Cultural Attitudes Ethnocentrism Xenophobia Stereotyping

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Cultural Pluralism Accepting distinctions Avoiding assumptions

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Cultural Differences Contextual Legal and ethical Social Nonverbal Age Gender

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Cultural Context Decision-making practices Problem-solving techniques Negotiating styles

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Legal and Ethical Behavior Seek common ground Withhold judgment Send honest messages Respect differences

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Social Behavior Differences Work and success Roles and status Use of manners Concepts of time

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Nonverbal Differences Greetings and touching Personal space Facial expressions Eye contact Posture Formality

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Age Differences Youth-oriented cultures Senior-oriented cultures

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Gender Differences Influences on Communication –Workplace hierarchy –Decision-making styles –Problem-solving styles

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Improving Intercultural Communication Skills Study other cultures and languages Respect communication styles Speak and write clearly Listen carefully Use interpreters or translators Help others adapt to your culture

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Studying Other Cultures Social customs Clothing and food Political patterns Religious and folk beliefs Economics and business Ethics, values, and laws

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Learning Languages Facilitate communication Build language skills Choose words wisely

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Respecting Cultures Communication preferences –Degree of formality –Level of directness –Writing or speaking

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Writing Clearly Use plain English Strive for brevity Strive for clarity Use transitions Use proper addresses Avoid slang and idioms Cite numbers carefully Keep paragraphs short

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Speaking Clearly Speak distinctly and slowly Rephrase when necessary Seek feedback Don’t patronize Learn basic phrases Gain agreement

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Listening Carefully Vocal patterns –Pitch –Tone –Speed –Volume

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Using Interpreters or Translators Human beings –Interpretation –Cultural context –Non-verbal cues Software –Translation –Words and phrases –Gist of the message

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter Communication Challenges Speaking and listening –Conference calls –Face-to-face conversations Reading and writing –Intranet sites – and instant messaging