1. Three significant trends that have
increased the importance of intercultural communication:
a. The
globalization of markets
People need to do adapt
to other culture in order to be successful because intercultural communication
absolutely happens in work environment. Therefore, it is necessary to have
intercultural communication skill.
b. Technological
advancements
In this globalization era,
the internet and the Web play a great role in changing the way people live, the
way people do business, and the way people communicate. These advancements have
made markets and jobs more accessible since the internet permits instantaneous
oral and written communication across time zone and continents. For example,
managers in Miami can use high-speed data systems to swap marketing plans
instantly with their counterparts in Milan.
c. Intercultural
workforce
Because of the
prospects of prosperity and education, people are moving to countries that can change
their life or fulfill their dream. The research showed that companies need to
work together to strengthen the development of intercultural skills in the
workplace to meet the growing globalization. Intercultural skills are important
to companies for several reasons. They not only give employees a better
understanding of their workplace and co-workers, but they also help them adapt
to new work environments and prevent culture shock, while enhancing their
cultural awareness, knowledge, and practical skills.
2.
Five
noteworthy cultural characteristics :
a. Culture is learned,
which means culture is passed down from generation to generation. For example,
in many middle Eastern and some Asian cultures, same sex-people may walk in
hand-in-hand in the street, but opposite-sex may not do so.
b. Cultures are inherently logical
since the rules in any culture originated to strengthen the culture’s value and
beliefs. For example, women in Japanese cover their mouth when they laugh
because exposing teeth gives an aggressive impression.
c. Culture
is the basis of self-identity and community, which means the
basis for how people tell the world who they are and what they believe. For
example, as people decide their education, career, and life partner, they
consider the rules, manners, beliefs, and values.
d. Culture
combines the Visible and Invisible, which means that
culture is the combination of what we see and what we do not see. Although
there are some invisible values of a culture, it still covers everything we
think and do. For example, people in India avoid stepping on ants or insects
because of their belief in reincarnation.
e. Culture is dynamic,
which means culture is changed by advancements in technology and communication,
and the progress of people’s thought.
3.
Achieving
intercultural proficiency
a. Avoiding
ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is the
belief in the superiority of one’s own race. For example, if you were raised in
North America, many of the dimensions of culture probably seem right to you.
b. Showing
tolerance, and keeping patience
Accepting cultural
differences and adapting to them with tolerance results in a harmonious
compromise
4. Apply
techniques for improving nonverbal and oral communication in intercultural
settings
a. Nonverbal
communication
Nonverbal communication
includes eye contact, facial expression, posture, and gesture. Nonverbal skills
are more difficult to learn because every culture of a country differs. For
example, in Western cultures, silence gives negative impressions, specifically shows
rejection, unhappiness, and depression. In contrast, for Japanese, silence
means respect and wisdom. Therefore, as we want to to achieve nonverbal
competence, we can become more aware of our nonverbal behaviors and their meaning.
b. Oral
communication
English is the language
used to run business when we are in intercultural environment. However, the
level of proficiency may be limited among non native speakers of English. There
is an assumption that people who speak English always understand what is being
said. This assumption is crucial because what we think can be actually the
opposite; their comprehension is superficial. Therefore, there are some
suggestions in using English as a second language. I will only discuss 4 out of
10 suggestions:
1. Learn
foreign phrases
If we learn greetings
and a few phrases, foreign nationals will appreciate it.
2. Use
simple English
Speak in short
sentences with familiar words.
For example, use “old”
instead of “obsolete”
And use “rich” instead
of “luxurious”
3. Encourage
accurate feedback
We need to encourage
the listener to paraphrase what we say. Do not assume a yes, a nod, a smile
shows comprehension.
4. Smile
when appropriate
According to Roger
Axtell, smile is the most useful form of communication. However, in some
cultures, excessive may seem insincere.
5. Techniques
for improving written messages to intercultural audiences
It is necessary to pay attention in sending letters, e-mails, and other document.
There are some suggestions that help us prepare successful written messages to
intercultural audiences. Here I choose three out of eight important points.
1. Avoid
ambiguous expression
We must avoid idioms,
slang (for example, my presentation really bombed). Then, avoid acronyms (for
example, ASAP for as soon as possible). Use specific action verbs (for example
“purchase a printer” instead of “get a printer”.
2. Strive
for clarity
We must avoid words
that have many meanings. We can replace two-word verbs with a clear single
word. For example (“return” instead of “bring back”, “delay” instead of “put
off”
3. Cite
numbers carefully
For international
trade, it is a good idea to learn and use metric system. In citing numbers, we
use (12) instead of spelling twelve. For example in North America, June 12,
2011, is written as 6/12/11. However, the same date in Europe is written as
12.6.11.
6. Workforce
diversity can provides both benefits and challenges in the aspect of consumers,
work teams, and business organizations.
1. Consumers
The challenge found in
consumers is an ability to read trends and respond to the increasingly diverse
customer in local and world markets.
The benefit of knowing
the trend is the consumers will be satisfied because
2. Work
teams
Team members with
different backgrounds may come up with more creative and effective
problem-solving techniques than homogeneous team.
3. Business
organizations
Having diversity in
business organizations may improve employee relationships and increase
productivity.
But, developing a
diverse staff that can work together cooperatively is one of the biggest
challenges in facing business organizations.
We can learn to be sensitive to
racial and gender issues by improving communication among diverse workplace
audiences, such as looking for training. We can spend time reading and learning
about workforce diversity and how it can benefit organizations. It can be
learned in diversity training programs. The second is understanding the value
of differences, which is similar to showing tolerance.
What will happen when we do not know the culture of our peers?
let's check it out!
let's check it out!
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