This document discusses effective intercultural communication strategies for international business. It outlines intercultural differences in body language like distance, eye contact and facial expressions. It provides principles for written, oral and extra efforts in intercultural communication including preparing managers travelling abroad by providing intercultural training, planning negotiations and presentations abroad, and attending to important details. The overall focus is on understanding cultural norms and adapting communication styles to be most effective when conducting business internationally.

1. Communicating Effectively in
International Business
Chapter 3 “BC, Strategies & Skills”
5th Edition, Lahiff & Penrose
Page 61 to 67

2. Layout
• Intercultural differences in body language
– Distance, eye contact, facial expression, time
• Principles of effective intercultural communication
– Written, oral, extra efforts
• Managers travelling abroad
– Preparing for travelling
– Negotiating
– Presenting KU
– Attending to detail Non-v communic. In int’l busn
Training needs in int’l busn
Criteria for communication effectively

3. Intercultural Differences in B.L.

4. Distance
• Cultural patterns of personal body space
• Contact cultures:
– Latin America, Southern Europe, Arab states
• Tapping listeners’ arm to emphasize a point, etc
– Mexicans embrace companions when meeting
– Malaysians press nose against cheek
• Difference in firmness of handshake
Businesspeople can easily violate a norm or misinterpret the behavior
of others as being distant and cold or as being overly aggressive,
depending on their point of view

5. Eye Contact
• Americans:
– direct eye contact = sign of power and honesty
– Unbroken eye contact = too aggressive
• Asians:
– Lowered eyes are thought to convey respect

6. Facial Expressions
• Cultural differences in smiling
– Southeast US vs. New England
• Raising eyebrows
– Ethiopia, Borneo:
• Raised eyebrows + head toss = yes
• = No in Greece and Turkey
– Eye opening wide for yes, condescending
expression for no

7. Principles for Effective Intercultural
Communication

8. Written Communication
• Avoid idioms, abbreviations, acronyms, jargon
• Learn the appropriate format for letters
• Be brief in words, sentences, paragraphs
• Use concrete words whenever possible
• Use visual aids
• Have a knowledgeable second party read and
evaluate the document

9. Oral Communication
• Speak slowly
• Avoid the use of slang or profanity
• Encourage feedback from the other party
• Don’t interrupt when the other person is
speaking
• Watch the other person for non-verbal cues

10. Extra Efforts that Pay Dividends
• Learn as much as possible about the other
person’s culture
• Learn the appropriate greetings and other
practical phrases
• Be willing to admit it when you do not
understand something
• Be patient

11. Managers Travelling Abroad

12. Preparing for Travel
• Intercultural training for employees
anticipating overseas transfer
– Reduce uncertainty of different environment
– Reduce culture shock
– Anticipate patterns of behavior
– Understand reasons for behavior
– Learn what sort of behavior will be expected

13. Planning Negotiations
• Discussing issues
– Agree one issue at a time, or agree after all issues

14. Presenting to Groups
• Arrange to have two overhead projectors
1. General outline, stays constant
2. Sub-outline – change as presentation progresses
• When moving from one point to the next
– Refer to general outline
– Keep listeners aware of structure of
presentation

15. Attending to Detail
• Use of interpreters
• Written summary
• Use of confirmation