Adapt communication to the cultural and social differences among clients

Purpose of adapting communication to a client’s cultural or social community.

What is Culture? • Provides patterns of acceptable behavior & beliefs.May be based on:• Nationality• Race and Religion• Historical Roots

Purpose of adapting communication to a client’s cultural or social community.

• The economy and the world marketplace are becoming increasingly diverse and interconnected. There are many examples of global integration. Many customer service representatives working in call centers today are located on a different continent. Companies buy raw materials from and sell finished products to customers all over the world. U.S. workers are losing their jobs as companies move their plants to other countries. Local supervisors struggle to understand the cultures of new employees in this country.

Reasons for adapting communication to the cultural or social differences among clients

• Local businesses must learn how to successfully sell their products in foreign markets. And, employers and employees must learn to respect and work with the cultural differences of diverse workers here. Employees also must learn skills that are internationally recognized, so that they can move without difficulty between today’s jobs in this country and tomorrow’s jobs in another

Skills associated with adapting communication

• To become globally competitive, workers need to develop new social skills, attitudes and behaviors, along with the flexibility necessary to communicate and work with clients and suppliers in other languages and from other cultures.• Local businesses must learn how to successfully sell their products in

foreign markets. And, employers and employees must learn to respect and work with the cultural differences of diverse workers here.• Employees also must learn skills that are internationally recognized,

so that they can move without difficulty between today’s jobs in this country and tomorrow’s jobs in another

Skills associated with adapting communication

To become globally competitive, workers need to develop new social skills, attitudes and behaviors, along with the flexibility necessary to communicate and work with clients and suppliers in other languages and from other cultures• Global education• Fluency in another language• Cultural training and language learning as an investment that very

quickly brings valuable returns.• Empathy , risk taking, problem solving

Factors that Affect Cross-cultural Interactions in the Workplace

• History and StereotypingBiases based on historical cultural experiences can explain some attitudes of both employees and employers. Stereotypes arise when people act as if all members of a culture or group share the same characteristics.

Factors that Affect Cross-cultural Interactions in the Workplace

• Generalizations of Groups and CulturesOften when talking about “Hispanics,” we refer to Mexicans. But, the term “Hispanic” includes people from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, South America and Central America. The Mexican culture is quite different from the rest of Latin America. The same is true for “Asians.” Although Asians often are viewed as a homogeneous culture, in reality, the term encompasses people from many different regions, for example, the Pacific Islands, which include Hawaii, Samoa and Guam; Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Philippines; and East Asia, including China, Japan and Korea. “Asians” from these countries all have different languages and cultures

Factors that Affect Cross-cultural Interactions in the Workplace

• LanguageLanguage and literacy are a major problem in communicating with employees from different nationalities. It is obvious that in most workplaces, linguistic assimilation enhances team functioning, effectiveness and productivity. The lack of clear communication often leads to frustration and stress on individuals, and high turnover and profit loss for the company

Factors that Affect Cross-cultural Interactions in the Workplace

• Understanding CulturesAnother important first step is to research and understand your own culture and system of values and beliefs. What are the underlying social values in the United States, and which values support the business behaviors that you exhibit in the workplace? Learn these values and teach them to your foreign employees.

Performance Activity

NEGOTIATIONS ACROSS CULTURES Projects today have dramatically increased in complexity, requiring a culturally and functionally diverse mix of individuals who must be integrated into an effective unit – a project team. Effective teamwork is the key to project success during all phases of the project life cycle.

Performance Activity

International companies have to deal with cultural differences if they want to gain a competitive advantage for their organization. You are the CEO of a newly created International company. Profits are low and you’re looking to further expand your market. You will be responsible for: • Recognizing the cultural differences exist across countries but are also

influenced by a diversity of age, gender, regions, religions and many 1 other type of social group.• Differences to expect between people from different cultures. What type of

team building exercise would you employ to make the expansion a positive experience• Discuss forms of non verbal communication used in that country when

conducting business.