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Cross-Cultural
Communication
Parul SinghFIIB
2009
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Parul Singh, FIIB, 2009
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%3DN8/4/2019 cross cultural comm
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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/8/4/2019 cross cultural comm
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Thank You!