Due to globalistion more interaction with people of different countries and culture have become essential.There is no short and easy way to understand others culture.However general principles exists for success in communication and conducting business with people of background other than ours.

1. An Initiative of
Shivnandani Industries Pvt Ltd
&
Jagdamb Janaki Nawal Janaki Society
By
Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd),
M Tech,CE,FIE(I),FIETE,FISLE,FInstOD,AMCSI

2.  Due to globalistion More interaction with
people of different countries and culture
 No short and easy way to understand others
culture
 However general principles exists for success
in
 Communication with people of
background
other
than ours
 Conducting business

3.  Direct experience as the best way to learn
any culture
 Jump in other culture as we immerse in another
language to learn
 Take help to begin with
 Radio station
 Music
 Trips to religious org/clubs

4.  Not true but Differences may look
threatening
 Natural when faced with different culture
 Feel stranger
 Unable to communicate Hence we
feel
alone
 Unable to decipher aspects of behaviour different
from us
 We must keep feeling in perspective and remember
differences are less important than commodities

5.  Tend to overlook similarities and notice just
differences
 More true if cross cultural interaction is
infrequent
 When faced with uncertainty human mind
 Creates some order from what we observe
specially when we feel vulnerable
 Creates own set of rules or generalisation based
on surface reality & pattern which fails on real
experience /individual variation.
 Leads to prejudice as mind presumes negative
motives and draws negative inferences based on
generalisation

6.  More variation with in the group than between two
groups
 Both groups have
 Shy people Mixed stew of people with
almost same pattern in both.
 Daring people culture and history shape the
custom &rituals through
which these human aspects
are expressed.
 Honest
 Dishonest
 Bellicose
 Accommodating
 Hence cross cultural communication takes work –we
have examine our own operating system and understands
system of others to communicate between two platform
 Own cultural identities are not known until we interact
with other culture

7.  Cultures change on interaction
 With in the group
 Move & flow even if we do not
think so
 Change through time
 Change accelerated when cultures that reinforce
style of communication
 Both culture change in process
 Individuals who bridge the gap
 Pioneers
 Blazing paths
 Plausible hybrid path for others to copy &test future

9.  Different cultures have different customs
 Who addresses whom
artificial
customs
 When and how
 Who has the right or duty to speak first
 Proper way to conclude a conversation
 Which way of commencing or concluding is considered to be
rude or disrespectful
 Check
 Modes of address
 ,level of deference to age/ social position
 Acceptable ways to conclude gracefully
 Gender differences
Learn to open and close conversation
depending upon culture

10.  Some culture take turn in an interactive way
 In others important Else taken as
challenge
or
humiliation
 to listen thoroughly
 and without comment
 and without immediate response
 Depending on
 Context
 Level of personal knowledge/relationship
Decide turn based on what people expect

11.  Some cultures interruptions
 Vocal
 Emotional default communication
style specially amongst
equals/men
 Expression
 But North Europeans /Americans may
consider it argument /hostility
Interrupt rightly

12.  In some form of communication silence is
expected before response as a sign of
 Respect /deference to the speaker
 In other case may be sign of hostility
 In west 20 sec silence during meeting is extra
ordinary long time and people feel
uncomfortable
 Some one may break it before
 It is not universal
Use silence effectively like Atal Behari Vajpai
in his earlier days but not long silence of his
later phase

13.  In some places speaking openly about money
is vulgar
 Some places intimate family issues of TV
shows may be inappropriate
 As business people we must understand
customs that surround deal making
 Transaction of commerce
 Degree to which details are specified in
advance in writing
Be cautious in selecting topic of conversation
to build rapport and lasting impression

14.  In west immediate rapport is built through
humour
 Not universally appropriate in all context
 Humour may turn out to be sign of disrespect
 May at times be cause of misunderstanding
Humour is an effective tool use it
appropriately

15.  Some places less is more
 At other place small point may be wrapped
up in big preamble
 Western world value speaking directly and to
the point
 Many a times westerners say too much and
lose communication
 Age social standing may decide what is
appropriate
How much to talk and when to talk is an art
learn it

16.  At what point during conversation
/negotiation sensitive issues can be touched?
 How soon during conversation direction can
be sought?
 Depends on custom to touch sensitive issues
with respect to all concerned
 Right question asked in right way not too
soon nor too late, according to custom
Hence sequencing and timing do matter