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Cross-Cultural

Communication

Parul SinghFIIB

2009

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Cultural Blunders

In Italy, a campaign for Shweppes Tonic Watertranslated the name into Shweppes Toilet Water.

When Coca Cola was first marketed in China, the nametranslated phonetically as Ke-kou-ke-la to mean

female horse stuffed with wax. It was quickly changedto sound like Happiness in the mouth.

Managers at one American company were startled whenthey discovered that the brand name of the cooking oilthey were marketing in a Latin American countrytranslated into Spanish as "Jackass Oil."

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What is Culture?

Culture is the shared ways in whichgroups of people understand and interpretthe world.

National culture - business culture -occupational culture - organisationalculture

E.g., talking on cell phones and drinkingCoca-Cola at McDonalds in America v/s in

Moscow

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Importance of Communicating Across

Cultures

Market globalisation

Advances in technology facilitates crossborder transactions

The multicultural workforce

Companys cultural diversity affects how itsmessages are conceived, composed,

delivered, received and interpreted

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Example of Indian Global Company

Small auto components company BharatForge is now the world's second largestforgings maker. Its workforce includes

Japanese, German, American andChinese people besides Indian. It has 31customers across the world and 31

percent of its turnover comes from India.

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Some Common Problems

Gender relations

Age differences

Assertiveness

Speech patterns Use of intermediaries

Egalitarian/Elite Merit/Influence

Personal/Impersonal

Negotiation styles Questions of face

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Four Patterns of Cross-Cultural

Business Behavior

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1. Deal-Focus vs. Relationship Focus

This is the Great Divide betweenbusiness cultures.

This orientation often dictates the way a

potential buyer/partner makes the firstapproach.

Deal Focused:

Fundamentally task-oriented

Relationship Focused:

More people-oriented

Must develop rapport beforetalking business

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Deal Focused Cultures:

North America

Great Britain

Australia and New Zealand

Germanic Europe

Relationship Focused:

The Arab World

Most of Africa

Asia

Moderately Deal-Focused:

Hong Kong and Singapore

Central and Eastern Europe

South Africa

Business Focus Examples

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2. Informal vs. Formal Cultures

A traveler must be wary of the formality ofthe culture.

This is a sensitive pattern of culture.

There is a tendency to offend anotherculture.

Informal:

Egalitarian culture

Formal:

Hierarchical Society

Very Informal Cultures:

Australia and New Zealand

USA and Canada

Formal Cultures:

Most of Europe and Asia

Arab World

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3. Rigid-Time vs. Fluid-Time Cultures

Rigid-Time

Worship the clock

Fluid-Time

More relaxed abouttime

Focus on the peoplearound them

Rigid-Time visitors often view their Fluid-Time counterparts as lazy,undisciplined and rude.

Fluid-Time visitors view their Rigid-Time counterparts as arrogant, andenslaved by the clock.

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Very Monochronic Cultures:

North America

Japan

Nordic and Germanic Europe

Polychronic Culture:

The Arab World

Africa

Latin America

Monochronic Culture:

Australia and New Zealand

Russia

Hong Kong, Singapore, and ChinaSouthern Europe

Time Orientation Examples

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Variably Expressive:

USA and Canada

Australia and New Zealand

Eastern Europe

South Asia and Africa

4. Emotionally Expressive vs.

Emotionally Reserved Cultures

Covers all areas of Communication:

Verbal

Paraverbal

Nonverbal

Very Expressive Cultures:

Mediterranean Region

Latin Europe

Latin America

Reserved Cultures:

East and Southeast Asia

Nordic and Germanic Europe

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The Handshake

Germans Firm, Brisk and Frequent

French Light, Quick and Frequent

British Moderate

Latin Americans Firm and Frequent

North Americans Firm and Infrequent

Arabs Gentle, Repeated and Lingering

Koreans Moderately Firm

Most Asians Very Gentle and Infrequent

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North American Space Zones

Intimate Personal

Social

Public

15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

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Visiting Card

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Visiting Card

Ti f C C l l

http://images.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://www.arc-team.com/Upload/Visitenkarte%2520Arc-Team.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.arc-team.com/html_common/Contakt.html&h=644&w=866&sz=152&hl=en&start=118&tbnid=57MH5MSYIt8FEM:&tbnh=108&tbnw=145&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvisiting%2B%2Bcard%26start%3D100%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

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Slow Down Separate Questioning Avoid Negative Questions

Take Turns Write it Down Be Supportive Check Meanings

Avoid Slang Watch the Humor Maintain Etiquette

Tips for Cross CulturalCommunication

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Last but not the least

Communicating across cultures is not justabout learning their codes, but aboutunderstanding your own.

You cant change their behavior-- you canonly change your own.

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Web Tools for CCC

http://www.xe.com/

http://www.timeticker.com/main.htm

http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/ibrd.asp http://executiveplanet.com/

http://getcustoms.com/2004GTC/quiz.html

http://www.xe.com/http://www.timeticker.com/main.htmhttp://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/ibrd.asphttp://executiveplanet.com/http://getcustoms.com/2004GTC/quiz.htmlhttp://getcustoms.com/2004GTC/quiz.htmlhttp://executiveplanet.com/http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/ibrd.asphttp://www.timeticker.com/main.htmhttp://www.xe.com/

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Thank You!