The Quintessence of Intercultural Business Communication (Quintessence Series)

Successful business communication is more than simply speaking your client’s language. At the heart of all effective communication lies a fundamental understanding of human behavior. The natural result of globalization is a level of behaviors that we all share and expect. However, underneath this level are many other influencing factors. We tend to view the situation around us according to our own expectations which are often shaped by our cultural backgrounds. What happens, though, when our cultures are so different that the expectations collide? This book combines theory and practice in a way that helps you as a busy intercultural manager understand what others are communicating to you and those around you. We take apart real examples of intercultural business interaction and show you how deeply embedded cultural norms are found within a simple conversation. Then we offer you important tools and principles that you can use to improve your own intercultural business communication. After reading this book, you should have a good understanding of the basic culture types, and be able to identify most cultures based on the principles described here. Additionally, you will know which social issues, attitudes, and values appear even in the most rational business negotiation. Most importantly, your cultural awareness will help you build successful and lasting relationships with your clients across regional and global boundaries. Contents 4 Chapter-1 7 Introduction 7 1.1 An Open Conversation 7 1.2 Setting Our Definitions 9 1.2.1 Defining Culture 9 1.2.2 Defining Communication 10 1.3 Models of Culture 11 1.4 Purpose of Our Approach 14 1.5 Difficulties in Understanding Culture 14 1.6 Dynamics of Intercultural Communication 15 1.7 Chapter Contents 17 1.8 Goals for this Book 18 Chapter-2 20 The Metaculture: Our Global Culture 20 2.1 Introduction 20 2.2 Our Objectives in this Chapter 24 2.3 Technology: We are Connected! 24 2.3.1 Our Wireless World 25 2.3.2 Dynamic Nature of the Metaculture 28 2.4 Migration: Spreading Behaviors 29 2.4.1 Politics 29 2.4.2 Economy 30 2.4.3 Growing Communities 31 2.5 Sharing A Code: Our Lingua Franca 32 2.5.1 Internet English 33 2.5.2 Shared Symbols and Signs 34 2.5.3 The Effects of Sharing A Code of Meaning 35 2.6 Raising Multicultural Generations 36 2.6.1 Third Culture Kids (TCKs) 37 2.6.2 Effects of TCKs on the Metaculture 37 2.7 Summary 38 Chapter-3 39 Com municating Meaning 39 3.1 Introduction 39 3.2 Our Objectives in This Chapter 40 3.3 Language as Organized Interaction 41 3.3.1 Turntaking 41 3.3.2 Face to Face Interaction 43 3.4 Communicative Competence 44 3.5 Cultural Patterns 47 3.5.1 High and Low Context Cultures 50 3.5.2 Collaborative and Individual Cultures 51 3.5.3 Polychronic and Monochronic Cultures 54 3.6 Summary 57 Chapter-4 59 Verbal Communication in Action 59 4.1 Introduction 59 4.2 Our Objectives in This Chapter 60 4.3 Cultural Constructs 60 4.3.1 Time 60 4.3.2 Time and Decision-making 62 4.3.3 Time and Turntaking 64 4.3.4 Space 66 4.3.5 Value Orientations 71 4.3.6 Truth Orientations 73 4.3.7 Agency: Using Language to Determine Responsibility 74 4.3.8 The Gender Factor 79 4.3.9 Assumptions of Religion 82 4.4 Summary 83 Chapter-5 84 Non-Verbal Communication in Action 84 5.1 Introduction 84 5.2 Defining Non-Verbal Communication 85 5.2.1 Non-Verbal Communication Is as Meaningful as Verbal Communication 85 5.2.2 Non-Verbal Communication Is Organized 86 5.3 Communicative Competence and Non-Verbal Interaction 87 5.4 Non-Verbal Communication and Cultural Patterns 88 5.4.1 High and Low Context Cultures 88 5.4.2 Individual and Collective Cultures 91 5.4.3 Polychronic and Monochronic Cultures 94 5.5 Understanding Cultural Values 95 5.5.1 Perceptions of Social Relationships 96 5.5.2 Business Friendships 99 5.5.3 Stranger to Stranger Contact 100 5.5.4 Power 100 5.5.5 Social Relationships and the Metaculture 101 5.5.6 A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words 102 5.5.7 Cultural Perceptions of Wealth 105 5.6 Summary 106 Chapter-6 108 Conclusion: Your Successful Intercultural Business Interaction 108 Glossary 110 References 113 About the Author 118 About the Series Editor 119 Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Introduction....Pages 1-13 The Metaculture: Our Global Culture....Pages 15-33 Communicating Meaning....Pages 35-54 Verbal Communication in Action....Pages 55-79 Non-verbal Communication in Action....Pages 81-104 Conclusion: Your Successful Intercultural Business Interaction....Pages 105-106 Back Matter....Pages 8-8