This document provides an overview of a presentation on cross-cultural communication given by ER$ Consulting Services at NACM WRCC in Las Vegas on October 16, 2014. The presentation discusses the importance of cross-cultural competence in global business, defines culture, and examines various cultural dimensions that influence communication and business practices like time perception, individualism vs collectivism, and high vs low context communication styles. It provides strategies for effective cross-cultural communication and negotiation, and examples of cultural sayings and proverbs from different regions.

1. ER$ Consulting Services
Presents for
NACM WRCC
Cross-Cultural Communication:
A Cultural Journey
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM
Las Vegas
The Palms Hotel
October 16, 2014
Copyright: Eddy A. Sumar 2014

2. Cross-Cultural Communication
A Cultural Journey

3. http://www.international.gc.ca/cfsi-icse/cil-cai/intercultural-interculturelle-Exercise

4. A Global Village

5. The World is
Global
International trade
Trade agreements
Multinational corporations
No boundaries for business & commerce
The ability to execute financial transactions
instantaneously on a global basis
The ability to locate business, particularly
manufacturing, wherever the cost is lowest
The ability of information and
communication technology to
transcend time and distance
Business
is Global

6. Cross-cultural competence is
no longer an option
It is survival

7. Understanding Culture =
Survival Survival =
Harnessing R3
•Roots [Content & Context]
•Risks
•Rewards
R3

8. Cultural intelligence
Cultural intelligence is the capability to deal effectively
with people from different cultural backgrounds
Cultural intelligence is not difficult to understand
but it is difficult to put into practice on an ongoing basis

9. Three Components of Cultural
intelligence Knowledge of culture: [Definition]
what culture is
how culture affects human behavior
how cultures vary
Awareness:
being aware of our own assumptions, ideas, words, and behavior
being aware of other person’s assumptions, ideas, words, and behavior
using all the senses in perceiving situations
viewing situations from several perspectives
Behavioral skills: [Competence & Choice]
choosing and displaying the appropriate behavior
for each particular intercultural situation

10. Define Culture

11. Culture is……
The collective programming of the mind which distinguishes
the members of one group or category of people from another.
Geert Hofstede
Beliefs, norms, and attitudes that are used to guide our
behaviors and to solve human problems.
Guo-Ming Chen, William Starosta
The customs, beliefs, art and all other products of
human thought, made by a particular group of
people at a particular time.
Richard D. Lewis

12. Culture is:
The way we dress
The way we communicate (verbal and non-verbal)
The way we relate to others and authority
Our outlook and attitude toward life
Our perception of self and role in society
Our perception of time
Our space perception
The way we learn and study
A way of life

13. Culture is below the
surface……
Culture hides more than what it reveals, and strangely enough,
what it hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants.
Edward Hall

14. Culture is like an iceberg:
only a part of it is seen;
all the rest is hidden under the
water

15. Behaviors
Products
Values
Ancient artifacts
Buildings &
Architecture
Customs
Beliefs
Assumptions
Myths & Legends
Roots
Perceptions
Folklore & History
Outward
appearance

16. Layers of cultures
A national level
A regional level
A generation level
A social class level
A gender level
A personal level
Organizational or corporate level

17. Understanding Culture
Searching the Roots
History
Religion
Tradition
Customs
Values
Beliefs
Art
Literature (Sayings, & Proverbs)

18. Understanding Culture
Avoiding the Risks
Alienation
Culture shock
Conflict
Confrontation
Loss of face
Loss of business
Loss of credibility

19. Understanding Culture
Enjoying the Rewards
Increased market share
Higher sales and profitability
Enhanced cash flow
Diversified portfolio
Truly global presence
Ability to compete
Improved relationships
Enhanced loyalty

20. Understanding Culture
Start from the Home
Front
$ Understand the Values of your own Culture
$ Consider your assumptions

21. $ How do we conduct business?
$ How do we establish business relationships?
$ What are our expectations of the other person?
$ What does it take to establish trust and respect?
$ How do we make decisions?
$ How do we view time, power & space?
$ How do we persuade others?
$ How do we communicate?
Understanding Culture
Consider Your
Assumptions

22. Understanding Culture
Consider the other person &
Culture
$ Understand the Values of the new Culture
$ Consider their assumptions

23. $ How do they conduct business?
$ How do they establish business relationships?
$ What are their expectations of you?
$ How do they establish trust and respect?
$ How do they make decisions?
$ How do they view time, power, & space?
$ How do they persuade others?
$ How do they communicate?
Understanding Culture
Consider the other person &
Culture

24. Dimensions of Culture

25. Hofstede’s Culture Dimensions
1. Power Distance
2. Individualism vs. Collectivism
3. Masculinity vs. Femininity
4. Uncertainty Avoidance
5. Long-term Orientation
http://geert-hofstede.com/national-culture.html
http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html

26. Dimensions of National
Culture
Individual ……………Group
Direct…………………Indirect
Verbal………………..Non-verbal
Informal……………..Formal
Egalitarian…………..Hierarchical
Task………………….Relationship
Universal…………….Situational

27. Relationships Across
Cultures
A Middle-eastern Example
• Establish personal rapport
• Establish personal status/family context
• Express admiration; use flattery; be indirect
• Close distance and informal
• Long range
• Generosity and and hospitality
• Emotional support and harmony

29. Communicating Across
Cultures
Communication is the interchange of messages [verbal & non-verbal]
between people.
It is the fundamental building block of social
experience.
We always communicate whether we are selling, buying,
negotiating, leading or working with each other

30. Body language
Up to 90 % of our communication is non-verbal
Supportive body language Non-supportive body language

31. Introductions
Forms of address (names)
Exchange of business cards
Handshake
Eye contact

32. Personal space
The American bubble
Extends about 12-15 inches
(combined 24-30 inches)
Asian, especially the
Japanese, stand even further
apart
Latin Americans, Mexicans, Mediterranean people stand much closer

33. Touch
Touch
•Spain and Portugal
•Some Asian cultures
•Middle Eastern countries
•Latin Americans
(only the same gender)
Don’t touch
•United States and Canada
•England
•Northern European countries
•Japan
•Australia

34. Gestures
http://www.slideshare.net/NirmalaPadmavat/hand-gesture-of-differents-cultures
http://travel.ca.msn.com/international/photogallery.aspx?cp-documentid=22585990

35. Communication styles
In direct convention of communication most of the
message is placed in the content of the communication –
the actual words that are used
In indirect convention the context is more important, such
elements as the previous history of relations between the
participants, power distance, the physical setting, nonverbal
clues and others
http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/countryinsights-apercuspays-eng.asp

36. Cultures
High context cultures Japanese
Chinese
Arab
Greek
Spanish
Italian
English
French
American
Scandinavian
German
German-Swiss
Low context cultures
Indirect
Direct

37. Perception of Time
Monochronic people
• Do one thing at a time
• Concentrate on the job
• Take time commitments
(deadlines, schedules)
seriously
• Are committed to the job
• Adhere religiously to plans
• Are accustomed to short-term
relationships
Polychronic people
• Do many things at once
• Are highly distractible and
subject to interruptions
• Consider time commitments
an objective to be achieved if
possible
• Are committed to people and
human relationship
• Change plans often and easily
• Have strong tendency to build
lifetime relationships

38. Individualism
Individualism stands for a society
in which the ties between
individuals are loose:everyone is
expected to look after himself or
herself and his or her immediate
family only
• Individual is treated as the most
important element in any societal
setting
• Self-esteem, self-identity, self-image
and self-expression are
emphasized
• Personal goals supersede group
goals
• Individuals are task-oriented and
seek individual reward and
appraisal
• Competition is encouraged

39. Collectivism
Collectivism stands for a society in
which people from birth onwards
are integrated into strong ,
cohesive ingroups, which
throughout people’s lifetime
continue to protect them in
exchange for unquestioning
loyalty
• Individual is interdependent and
shows conformity to the group’s
norms
• Self-concept plays a less
significant role in social
interaction, people are emotionally
dependent on the success of the
group
• Only ingroup views and needs are
emphasized
• Cooperation is encouraged

40. Second language strategies
• Be patient
• Speak distinctly, enunciate the words
• Use short, simple sentences
• Use action words – verbs etc.
• Pause frequently, allow time for the person to formulate responses
• Provide feedback and encouragement
• Avoid idioms, slang, acronyms and sports terminology
• Paraphrase if not understood instead of repeating the whole statement
louder and slower
• Be careful with numbers, write them down or repeat if necessary
• Never assume that people around you do not understand your language
• Use gestures, actions, visual aids to help understanding

41. Cross-cultural
negotiation
Phases of negotiation
Building a relationship
Exchanging information
Trying to persuade each other
Making concessions and reaching agreements

42. Western culture mainly take a “transactional”
approach: they focus mainly on the last two stages
Many other cultures pay more attention
to creating a background relationship:
they emphasize the social side of the
situation over the task side

43. Strategies For Cross-Cultural
Communication
• Understand your own culture as the point of reference
[Self]
• Develop an international cultural perspective and
global mind-set [Self]
• Gather culture-specific information about the countries
you are doing business with [Others]
• Appreciate the complexities of cultures and individuals
– avoid mindless stereotyping [Others]
• Be aware of on-going cultural changes [Self & others]

44. Final Thoughts
• Think beyond local perceptions
• Prepare for new mindset
• Adapt to new realities and ways
• Be open and flexible
• Welcome new experiences
• Show appreciation for other cultures
• Observe behavior; suspend judgment, seek rationale
• Never ignore local sayings and proverbs
• Negotiate differences: I adjust, you adjust, we look for
a third way

45. American Proverbs
Good fences make good neighbors.
 In God we trust; all others pay cash.
Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

46. American Sayings
One today is worth two tomorrows; what I am to be, I am now becoming.
 Time is Money.
Where sense is wanting, everything is wanting.
There’s danger in delay.

47. Middle East in Perspective
Sayings to be guided
by
“One step at a time” (literally, "Grapes are eaten one by one")
A foolish man may be known by six things: Anger without cause, speech without profit, change without progress, inquiry without object, putting trust in a stranger, and
mistaking foes for friends.
Arrogance diminishes wisdom.

48. Middle East in Perspective
An Arab Proverb
♞Eat whatever you like, but dress as others do.
♞No cure, no pay.
♞What is learnt in the cradle lasts to the grave.

49. China in Perspective
Sayings to be guided by
 No friends, no business
 A drop of water in time of need will be reciprocated forever
 A man without a smile should not open a shop
 A sweet temper and friendliness produce money
 If you pull out one hair, you must rebalance the whole body
 The divine dragon exhibits its head but never its tail

50. India in Perspective
Proverbs to be guided by
1. Unity is strength.
2. One Who could not dance said that the ground was uneven.
3. One's mother and homeland are greater than even heaven.
4. A scalded cat dreads cold water.
5. To lose is to learn.
6. Don’t bargain for fish which are still in the water.

51. Become a Global Citizen. A global citizen is able to
work effectively together with other people of any
culture, personality, or profession.
Become a cultural commuter, one who can cross
from culture to culture with ease and naturalness.
www.international.gc.ca
http://ediplomat.com/

52. Thank You!