Cultural Communication Challenges In A Globalized World

By Abraham Zavala-Quinones

In a globalized world that becomes more and more interconnected by the minute, and where international business and political agendas continue to grow in importance, it is quite important to become aware of different cultures' communication styles. Communication is both verbal and non-verbal. While some cultures depend almost entirely on the spoken words to communicate, others like in Thailand rely heavily on non-verbal cues. Understanding a culture's expectations and customs related to cultural communication styles and time orientation is crucial for establishing beneficial business relationships

Communication styles can be considered as a socially transmitted behavior which are learned and shared by the members of?group of the same nationality, ethnicity, religion, etc.

The style we communicate is affected by the culture we were brought up in. The opposite is also true for Culture is, to a large extent, determined by the way we communicate. This styles provides people with a particular way of seeing the world and interpreting life.?It is worth mentioning that within any style of communication many substyles can be found. Nowadays cultural diversity proves to be among the biggest challenges to consider when communicating, especially in business related matters and affairs.??

Communication styles shapes culture and culture shapes communication!

The following communication styles and cultural traits must be considered when creating either a business or press release:

Language and Dialects

There are billions of people in the world who do not understand English, or cannot communicate in English properly. Not speaking properly, or using a specific language dialect or sociolect, can cause various misunderstandings and be a barrier to communication. It is when people try to express in their own dialect and sociolect that many misunderstandings arise. This phenomenon becomes more profound when the involved parts speak different languages and belong to different cultures.

Direct vs. Indirect Communication Style

Cultures that value getting to the point quickly without redundancies, nor mincing word,?are direct communicators. In this type of interaction, the truth is highly valued with a concern for people's feelings taking a backseat to the conveyance of information. On the other hand indirect communicators value the idea of saving face and maintaining harmony. Indirect communicators rely on implication and suggestion to explain ideas, with an emphasis placed on saving face.?

Religious Beliefs

Religion sets a specific group of norms which guidelines of accepted behavior for its followers. Religious Beliefs influence how members of a society behave and conduct themselves according to the values of their particular faith.??

Cultural Etiquette Considerations

Factoring in personal space expectations between cultures enhances communication in any social or business setting. While Northern Europeans and European Americans feel most comfortable at an arm's length away in a social interaction, Hispanics would consider that distance unfriendly. Before meeting with a different culture, it is best to learn about these etiquette considerations.

Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism is the process of dividing cultures as “us” and “them”. The people of someone’s own culture are categorized as in-group and the other culture is out-group. There is always greater preference for the in-group regarding business related matters and affairs. Ethnocentrism thwarts communication among different cultural groups.?

Time Orientation

A culture's perspective about time can make a big difference in how its people relate to other cultures. While most Northern Europeans and Americans seem to hold to the notion that time is of the essence the same cannot be said about other cultures like Hispanics, or Middle Easterns. Hispanics and Middle Easterns view time as a more fluid element with no control over them. This type of cultural difference can make planning an event quite a challenge if there are different cultures coming together.

Signs and Symbols (Semantics)

Non-verbal communication cannot be relied upon in communication between people from different cultures as that is also different like language. Signs, symbols, body language, and gestures varies in different cultures. For example in some cultures eye contact is important whereas in some it is rude and disrespectful.

Stereotypes and Prejudices

Stereotyping is the process of creating a picture of a whole culture, overgeneralizing all people belonging to the culture in question as having similar characteristics and categorizing people accordingly. Stereotyping can be done on the basis of many things like nationality, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, age, and others. It is worth mentioning that Media is a tool of mass communication which sometimes promotes stereotypes and prejudices thereby creating more communication barriers.

Individualist or Collectivist Perspective

Cultures are categorized as having either individualist or collectivist traits. In individualist cultures individual achievement and rights are very important. In direct contrast, collectivist traits include putting the objectives of the group first and operating more as a "we" society. Many Asian cultures are considered collectivist societies.

To make communication effective we must address the aforementioned communication styles and eliminate the causes of cultural communication barriers.