Intercultural Business Communication

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In an office environment, I have noticed it is easier when communicating direct and keeping it precise to the point in a meeting. People appreciate if you could communicate effectively with fewer words, whereas when in India, I have to be cautious while talking to elders and have respect tone while interacting with them.

- Power Distance Relationships: In culture, power distance dimension focuses on appropriateness or importance of status difference and social hierarchies. People from high power distance cultures accept a particular social order and believe that recognized authorities should not be challenged. In contrast, people from low power distance culture believe in equality - reducing of hierarchical structure, class inequalities and using power for legitimate purposes.

In one of class video on “Skatistan” presented Afghanistan as a country with high power distance as it was expected from girls to rather be home than to indulge in sports. Also people are more collectivist.

Examples of countries with low power distance culture are Canada, America, Ireland and United Kingdom to name a few. For high power distance culture countries like UAE, Egypt, Malaysia presumes each person has rightful and protected place in society. Though India has reduced in power distance relationship, but it still has inequality in society. Women are still expected to take care of household and men are supposed to be the bread earner of the house. While volunteering for National Social Service (NSS) in India, part of our work was to visit rural area and provide education in villages. People in village would be reluctant to send their girls to school thinking of social stigma. They would not hesitate in providing education to boys even if girls are more capable than boys.

- Proxemics and Haptic: Is one of the subcategory of non-verbal communication, which deals with person’s personal space. There are other prominent non-verbal communication subcategory includes haptic (touch) deals with when to touch, who to touch and how to touch.

In different culture the standard of proxemics and haptic communication changes. In Arab culture when you greet someone you kiss the person on cheeks twice, but in America one greets by shaking ones hand.

These were few concepts for intercultural communications, understanding these concepts has surely helped me better interact with my office colleagues and people from different culture and know my colleagues may not feel confronted if I am direct with them.

References:

Schmidt, W., Conaway, R., Easton, S., & Wardrope, W. (2007). Communicating globally: Intercultural communication and international business. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.