The document discusses cross-cultural communications and provides examples of cultural misunderstandings that can occur. It begins by introducing a communications model and defining culture. It then describes characteristics of good cross-cultural communicators and the differences between high-context and low-context cultures. High-context cultures convey more meaning through context and nonverbal cues while low-context cultures rely more on explicit messages. The document concludes by providing scenarios exemplifying potential miscommunications between businesspeople from different cultures like Japan, China, India, and Mexico.

1. Cross-Cultural
CommuniCations
NAME : CHARADIYA HIMALAYNAME : CHARADIYA HIMALAY
ENROLL NO.: 130210125011ENROLL NO.: 130210125011
SEM : 2SEM : 2ndnd
BRANCH : PRODUCTIONBRANCH : PRODUCTION
COLLEGE : G.E.C BHAVNAGARCOLLEGE : G.E.C BHAVNAGAR

2. We’re Going To Talk
About….
 A CommunicationsA Communications
ModelModel
 What is “Culture”?What is “Culture”?
 Good Cross-CulturalGood Cross-Cultural
CommunicatorsCommunicators
 High-Context CulturesHigh-Context Cultures
 Low-Context CulturesLow-Context Cultures

3. A Communications Model
Channel
Sender Message Audience
Feedback

4. A Better Communications
Model
Context
Channel
Sender Message Audience
Feedback

5. What is Culture???
 Provides patterns ofProvides patterns of
acceptable behavior &acceptable behavior &
beliefs.beliefs.
 May be based on….May be based on….
NationalityNationality
Race and ReligionRace and Religion
Historical RootsHistorical Roots
……All of the AboveAll of the Above

6. Good Intercultural
Communicators Are….
 Aware values &Aware values &
behaviors notbehaviors not
always “right.”always “right.”
 Flexible & open toFlexible & open to
change.change.

7. And…..
 Sensitive to verbalSensitive to verbal
& nonverbal& nonverbal
behavior.behavior.
 Aware of values,Aware of values,
beliefs, practices ofbeliefs, practices of
other cultures.other cultures.
 Sensitive toSensitive to
differencesdifferences withinwithin
cultures.cultures.

8. High-Context Cultures
 Infer information fromInfer information from
messagemessage contextcontext, rather than, rather than
fromfrom contentcontent..
 Prefer indirectness,Prefer indirectness,
politeness & ambiguity.politeness & ambiguity.
 Convey little informationConvey little information
explicitly.explicitly.
 Rely heavily on nonverbalRely heavily on nonverbal
signs.signs.
 AsianAsian
 Latin AmericanLatin American
 Middle EasternMiddle Eastern

9. Low-Context Cultures
 Rely more onRely more on contentcontent
rather than onrather than on contextcontext..
 Explicitly spell outExplicitly spell out
information.information.
 Value directness.Value directness.
 See indirectness asSee indirectness as
manipulative.manipulative.
 Value written word moreValue written word more
than oral statements.than oral statements.
 EuropeanEuropean
 ScandinavianScandinavian
 North AmericanNorth American

10. Some Cultural Scenarios
Japan China
India Mexico

11. JAPAN
To help her American Company establish a
presence in Japan, Mrs. Torres wants to hire a
local interpreter who can advise her on business
customs. Ms. Tomari has superb qualifications
on paper, but when Mrs. Torres tries to probe
about her experience, Ms. Tomari just says, “I
will do my best. I will try very hard.” She
never gives details about any of the previous
positions she has held. Mrs. Torres begins to
wonder if Ms. Tamari's résumé is inflated.

12. CHINA
Stan Williams wants to negotiate a joint venture
between his American firm and a Beijing-based
company. He asks Tung-Sen Lee if the Chinese
people have enough discretionary income to afford
his product. Mr. Lee is silent for a time, and then
says, “Your product is good. People in the West
must like it.” Stan smiles, pleased that Mr. Lee
recognizes the quality of his product, and he leaves
a contract for Mr. Lee to sign. Weeks later, Stan
still hasn’t heard anything. If China is going to be
so inefficient, he wonders if his company should try
to do business there.

13. INDIA
Gloria Johnson is proud of her participatory
management style. Assigned in Bombay on
behalf of her U.S.-based company, she is careful
not to give orders but to ask for suggestions.
But the employees rarely suggest anything.
Even a formal suggestion system she established
does not work. Worse still, she doesn’t sense
the respect and camaraderie that she felt at the
plant she managed in Texas. Perhaps the people
in India just are not ready for a woman boss.

14. MEXICO
Alan Caldwell is a U.S. sales representative in
Mexico City. He makes appointments with Senõr
Lopez and is careful to be on time, but his host is
frequently late. To save time, Alan tries to get right
to business, his host wants to talk about sightseeing
and about Alan’s family. Even worse, the meetings
are interrupted constantly with phone calls, long
conversations with other people, and even
customers’ children who come into the office.
Alan’s first report to his home office is very
negative. He hasn’t yet made a sale. Perhaps
Mexico just isn’t the right place to do business.

15. THANK YOU