Cross-Cultural Misunderstanding in Businesses: Language Misinterpretation in Perspective Deborah Odiong Eyoma Schiller International University EN 200 : Cross-Cultural Communication Professor Xiaoyu Li 24TH March 2022 CROSS-CULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDING IN BUSINESSES: LANGUAGE MISINTERPRETATION IN PERSPECTIVE Communication is a basic part of life, which facilitates both verbal and non-verbal interactions and information exchange between humans and animals. In humans, effective communication also includes understanding the emotion and intentions behind the information. It further involves the ability to unambiguously convey or receive a message in order to gain the full meaning of the message and make the other person feel heard and understood (Robinson, Segal, & Melinda, 2020). Generally, learning and business are human endeavours that critically require effective communication. Business simply connotes an organisation or enterprise engaged in commercial, industrial or professional activities (Adam Hayes, Margaret James, 2021). Communication in business is vital to ensuring effective transfer of goods and services, particularly across different cultures. Several businesses have failed due to language-induced cross-cultural misunderstandings. A case in point is when Colgate, a toothpaste company, introduced a product called “Cue” in France but suffered backlash and eventual closure because the name of the product, at the time in France, was the name of a famous pornographic magazine (desconeguts, 2014). This article shall therefore, briefly discuss a language-induced failure that occurred in Panasonic as it attempted to introduce its product to a new market. Thereafter, the study shall identify key challenges to cross-cultural communications before proffering strategies to address them. Aim of the study The aim of this study is to draw lessons from a case study of previous failures in business occasioned by their inability to understand the language and nuances of other cultures with a view to proffering solutions to prevent the reoccurrence of such blunders. Definitions of Key Terminologies The study will first define some key terminologies, such as culture, language and communication as well as cross-cultural communication. Culture is defined as the ways of life of a people, including their arts, beliefs and institutions, passed down through generations; it further comprises of their language, religion, norms of behaviour amongst many others (LaMorte, 2016). Language and Communication are variables that are distinct but interdependent, as one aids or facilitates the other. Language is predominantly a human activity; it is a medium that aids transmission of feeling and thoughts, while communication can be described as a way of interchanging ideas which can be verbal or non-verbal. `Cross-cultural communication connotes the way interactions or transmission of information takes place across different cultures ...

1. Cross-Cultural Misunderstanding in Businesses: Language
Misinterpretation in Perspective
Deborah Odiong Eyoma
Schiller International University
EN 200 : Cross-Cultural Communication
Professor Xiaoyu Li
24TH March 2022

2. CROSS-CULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDING IN
BUSINESSES: LANGUAGE MISINTERPRETATION IN
PERSPECTIVE
Communication is a basic part of life, which facilitates both
verbal and non-verbal interactions and information exchange
between humans and animals. In humans, effective
communication also includes understanding the emotion and
intentions behind the information. It further involves the ability
to unambiguously convey or receive a message in order to gain
the full meaning of the message and make the other person feel
heard and understood (Robinson, Segal, & Melinda, 2020).
Generally, learning and business are human endeavours that
critically require effective communication. Business simply
connotes an organisation or enterprise engaged in commercial,
industrial or professional activities (Adam Hayes, Margaret
James, 2021). Communication in business is vital to ensuring
effective transfer of goods and services, particularly across
different cultures.
Several businesses have failed due to language-induced cross-
cultural misunderstandings. A case in point is when Colgate, a
toothpaste company, introduced a product called “Cue” in
France but suffered backlash and eventual closure because the
name of the product, at the time in France, was the name of a
famous pornographic magazine (desconeguts, 2014). This article
shall therefore, briefly discuss a language-induced failure that
occurred in Panasonic as it attempted to introduce its product to
a new market. Thereafter, the study shall identify key
challenges to cross-cultural communications before proffering
strategies to address them.
Aim of the study

3. The aim of this study is to draw lessons from a case study of
previous failures in business occasioned by their inability to
understand the language and nuances of other cultures with a
view to proffering solutions to prevent the reoccurrence of such
blunders.
Definitions of Key Terminologies
The study will first define some key terminologies, such as
culture, language and communication as well as cross-cultural
communication. Culture is defined as the ways of life of a
people, including their arts, beliefs and institutions, passed
down through generations; it further comprises of their
language, religion, norms of behaviour amongst many others
(LaMorte, 2016). Language and Communication are variables
that are distinct but interdependent, as one aids or facilitates the
other. Language is predominantly a human activity; it is a
medium that aids transmission of feeling and thoughts, while
communication can be described as a way of interchanging
ideas which can be verbal or non-verbal. `Cross-cultural
communication connotes the way interactions or transmission of
information takes place across different cultures.
A Case Studies of Business Communication Failures Cross-
Cultural Environments
An example of a company that failed in business as a result of
language misinterpretation in another culture was Panasonic.
The company was very successful in the late 90’s in Japan and
eager to enter the American market with the first touchscreen
computer. The company devised a genius marketing strategy;
use the popular American Cartoon Woody Woodpecker as their
mascot and marketed the computer as “Touch Woody”.
Unknown to the Company “wood” in American vocabulary
meaning, “hard penis”. This error was discovered a day before

4. launch and though the product was ingenious, it was a huge
failure (desconeguts, 2014).
From the foregoing, a clear understanding of the myriad of
peculiarities in a variety of business environments is essential
to properly connecting with the needs of consumers in
furtherance of market penetration. This fosters good
relationship between the parties involved and also makes the
necessary transition very smooth, further preventing conflicts in
terms of the different expectations of each party. Universal
peculiarities in different cultures includes their religion, food,
tradition and language. Understanding these differences can
better help to facilitate business administration, especially in a
cross-cultural setting. An example of understanding cultural
differences to facilitate business is the German sports brand
“Adidas”, with clients across the world. This is due to their
adhered non-discrimination policy, especially with nationalities
and their ability to convey their phrase “Impossible is nothing”
in several languages to avoid misrepresentation.
Failure to have an inclusive, culturally-aware and non-
discriminatory organisation or business in a new cultural
environment can lead to the decline of such business venture,
loss of success streak, bad imagery and misrepresentation as
well as the ultimate loss of the enterprise. In order to
effectively communicate with other cultures, it is advisable to
understand the variations that exist in those cultures in order to
properly adapt, use precise wordings, avoid use of own means
of communication or cultural slangs, which may have another
meaning in a different culture.
Challenges to Effective Cross-Cultural Communications in
Business
There are several factors that can hinder cross-cultural
communications, some of which are: ethnocentrism, mode of
communication, stereotyping etc. However, the obvious factors
in the case study are ignorance of language nuances and
ethnocentrism. The language nuance as it relates to the subtle

5. variation of the word “wood” in Japan and America, contributed
to the decline of the business, because it connotes different
things in both countries. The ignorance of the Japanese
marketers also played a role because the marketers had failed to
properly study the criteria that would have been necessary for
its success in the market because they believed that theirs had
no fault.
Strategies for Addressing Cross-cultural Communication
Problems in Business.
There are two very efficient strategies of addressing
these issues. One way is to deliberately educate people about
the dangers of ethnocentrism and ignorance, thereby inculcating
open-mindedness in them. The Japanese for example thought
that their idea for the marketing strategy was best without at
least making enquiries about the American market. This was out
of ignorance on the diversity that exists, and people should
become educated to be more culturally sensitive.
Companies going into new markets should invest time and
money, if necessary, in properly understanding the market.
Being culturally sensitive is one thing but to a very large extent,
it is imperative that they invest the necessary resources needed
to understand the market. Be it hiring an analyst for the market,
or having their employees invest time in learning the language
nuances that exists would be of great essence.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the expansion of markets into new environments
and across borders is great for the growth of the business but
will only effectively thrive in the light of fully understanding
the cultural disparities that exists. Investing in this will
enhance success rate of such ventures, as seemingly trivial of
things such as language can sometimes determine the fate of a
business. Accordingly, the study advocates for companies to
inculcate open-mindedness in their employees by educating
against the dangers of ethnocentrism and ignorance. The study

6. further recommends companies to hire analysts for their
intended new markets or having their employees invest time in
learning the language nuances that exists therein.
References
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7. LaMorte, W. W. (2016, May 3). Cultural Awareness. Retrieved
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2
List of human service agencies in Harris County
· Harris County Social Services Department (HCSD);
https://csd.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/default.aspx

8. · Harris County Resources for Children and Adults;
https://resources.harriscountytx.gov/
· Houston Health & Human Services;
http://www.houstontx.gov/health/programs.html
Human Services Organization
Identification
Based on what you have learned through your readings and
assignments up to this point, select one agency in which you
would like to be employed. The agency you select in this
assignment will be your selected agency for the final project.
Write a paper answering the following questions:
1. What is the agency you selected, and what is your rationale
for choosing this particular agency?
2. What other agencies did you consider, and why did you not
select them?
3. Why would you like to be employed at this agency?
4. What services does the agency offer?
5. What types of professionals work at the agency?