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Communicating Across Cultures
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
1
What is Communication?
 Communication describes the process of sharing
meaning by transmitting messages through media
such as words, behavior, or material artifacts.
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The Communication Process
(Exhibit 4-1)
Sender
Meaning Encode
Medium
Message
Receiver
Decode Meaning
Noise
Culture
Feedback
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Terms in Communication
 Intercultural communication is when a member
of one culture sends a message to a member of
another culture.
 Attribution is the process in which people look
for the explanation of another person’s behavior.
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Guidelines for Creating Trust
(as suggested by John Child)
 Mutual benefit
 Improve predictability
 Develop mutual bonding
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Cultural Variables Affecting Communication
 Attitudes:
 Social Organization:
 Thought Patterns:
 Roles:
 Language:
 Nonverbal Communication:
 Time:
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Context
 In high-context cultures, feelings and thoughts are not
explicitly expressed; instead, one has to read between the
lines and interpret meaning from one’s general
understanding.
 In low-context cultures, where personal and business
relationships are more separated, communication media
have to be more explicit. Feelings and thoughts are
expressed in words, and information is more readily
available.
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Guidelines for Effective Communication in
the Middle East
 Be patient.
 Recognize that people and relationships matter more to
Arabs than the job, company, or contract
 Avoid expressing doubts or criticism when others are
present
 Adapt to the norms of body language, flowery speech,
and circuitous verbal patterns in the Middle East, and
don’t be impatient to “get to the point.”
 Expect many interruptions in meetings, delays in
schedules, and changes in plans.
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Managing Cross-Cultural Communication
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Developing cultural sensitivity
Careful encoding
Selective transmission
Careful decoding of feedback
Follow-up actions
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Behaviors Most Important to Intercultural
Communication Effectiveness
(as reviewed by Ruben)
 Respect
 Interaction posture
 Orientation to knowledge
 Empathy
 Interaction management
 Tolerance for ambiguity
 Other-oriented role behavior
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Personality Factors For Effective
Intercultural Communication
(as reviewed by Kim)
 Openness – traits such as open-mindedness,
tolerance for ambiguity, and extrovertedness
 Resilience – traits such as having an internal
locus of control, persistence, a tolerance of
ambiguity, and resourcefulness
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