Group 8 presented on cultural issues in business communication. They discussed that culture is the distinctive way of life united by common language and rules that shape beliefs and behaviors. Communication across cultural lines can be challenging when interacting outside one's comfort zone. There are six fundamental patterns of cultural difference including communication styles, conflict approaches, and decision making styles. Factors like language, environment, social organization, and nonverbal communication influence cross-cultural exchanges. The presentation provided a model for developing cultural competency and outlined ways to facilitate communication across cultural boundaries such as recognizing differences, building self-awareness, and maintaining proper etiquette. Key differences between Japanese and American business cultures were also highlighted.

1. Group 8 Cultural Issues In Business Communication Presented by : SachinGawade-14 AshishLakhani-23 VivekBhandari-04 DineshPoojari -38 Ritesh Joshi -20 AlokSingh -48 MukeshShetty-45

2. What is Culture? Culture is the distinctive way of lifeof people united by a common language and governed by rules and models for their beliefs and behavior. In layman’s terms, culture is what we live everyday and what we bring with us to the workplace.

3. Communicating Across Cultural Lines Communication is one of the most basic means of getting your idea across, but when it comes down to communicating with someone outside your comfort zone things can become a little unnerving.

4. Six Fundamental Patterns of Cultural Difference Different Communications Styles Different ApproachesTowardConflict Different Approaches to Completing Tasks Different Decision-Making Styles Different Attitudes Toward Disclosure Different Approaches to Knowing

5. Factors Affecting Cross-Cultural Communication Language : Language failures usually fall into three categories: Gross translation problems, subtle distinctions from language to language, and culturally-based variations among speakers of the same language. Environment and Technology: Every culture has different surroundings resources that may be abundant in one place can be limited in another. Social Organization and History: Cultural perspectives can differ on many aspects. Therefore, it is necessary to work within the restraints of a culture to succeed because one will have trouble doing so if they try to impose their own values. Conceptions of Authority: Shapes the view of how the message will be received based on the relative status or rank of the person delivering the message. Influences the forms that managerial and other business communications take. Nonverbal Communication : Learn the prevailing attitudes in different areas before conducting business with businesses or people of other cultures since nonverbal communication varies among cultures. Be aware of body language, clothing choices, eye contact, touching behavior, and conceptions of personal space.

6. Cross-Cultural Communication

7. Cross-Cultural Communication

8. Learning is like a journey, in that, it is a path that we follow to enlightenment. A model developed by David Hoopes, gives us a model to cultural competency. His outline illustrates the development of cultural competency in every one of us. Competency implies having the capacity to function effectively. Individual’s Path to Cultural Competency

9. Path To Intercultural Learning Multiculturation Selective Adoption Appreciation/Valuing Acceptance/Respect Understanding Awareness Ethnocentricity

10. Continium Of Cultural Comptancy Cultural Proficiency Cultural Competence Cultural Pre-Competence Cultural Blindness Cultural Incapacity Cultural Destructiveness

11. Ways to Facilitate Communication Across Cultural Boundaries Recognize differences Build Your Self-Awareness Describe and Identify, then Interpret Don’t assume your interpretation is correct Verbalize your own non-verbal signs Share your experience honestly Acknowledge any discomfort, hesitation, or concern Practice politically correct communication Give your time and attention when communicating Don’t evaluate or judge. Be Cautious of cultural Jargon. Maintain etiquettes

12. Cultural Differences between Japanese and American Business Japanese Business American Business Heavy dependence on human resources bottom-up management and teamwork Top down management Low mutual dependence between employers and employees High mutual dependence between employers and employees Control of business by stockholders and the management Joint management of business by Employers and Employees Management by “force” Management by “motivation” Heavy dependence on machinery and technology, vs. Light dependence on human resources Heavy dependence on human resources Limited loyalty and incentive-oriented work ethics Strong loyalty and fewer incentives Excellent software-based technology development Inadequate software development ability SOURCE : Norihiko Shimizu, “Today’s Taboos may be gone tomorrow,’ Tokyo Business, February 1995, p.51.

13. Cultural Differences between Japanese and American Business Japanese Business American Business Game concept: Business is a game in pursuit of profits under the rules of laws and contracts Mutual trust-oriented business: business is based on trusting relationship among people rather than the rules of game Highly precision-oriented and perfectionism-high dependency on human awareness Efficiency-oriented and approximate accuracy simplicity, clarity, and quickness Quantity-oriented Quality-oriented Short-term performance evaluation Mid-to-long term evaluations Easy layoffs, dismissals of employees, and selling of businesses Job security SOURCE : Norihiko Shimizu, “Today’s Taboos may be gone tomorrow,’ Tokyo Business, February 1995, p.51.