Cross-cultural Communication Hartman Sloan - Characteristics of culture Culture is not inherent, but learned Cultures are rooted in deep seated beliefs Culture is the basis for self-identity and community Cultures are dynamic Culture Values and perspectives shared by people who are "conditioned by similar education and life experience" Regional: Religious: a Corporate: Other groups: a country, area, community sects, variations, etc... industry, company, department schools, clubs, etc ... VaIuesIperceptions that differ withinlacross cultures Individualism and collectivism High context and low context Perception of space Perception of time Importance of hierarchies Nature of change Perception of gender roles success Nature of authority Nature of humor Communication practices (norms) that differ withinlacross cultures Role of written communication Role of meetings Patterns of reasoning and argumentation a Level of formality in inter-personal communications a Oral presentation style a Non-verbal communication behaviors Hall: Comparing low to high context cultures High Context Low Context .Tends to prefer direct verbal interaction .Tends to prefer indirect verbal interaction .Tends to understand meaning at one level only .Tends to understand meanings embedded at many socio-cultural levels .Is generally less proficient in reading .Is generally more proficient in reading nonverbal cues non-verbal cues .Values individualism .Values group membership .Relies more on logic . . .Relies more on context and feeling .Employs linear logic . Employsspiral logic .Says no directly .Talks around point, avoids saying no Communicates in highly structured messages, provides details, stresses literal meanings, gives authority to written information Low context Cuhure 9erman North American GermanSwiss Scandinavian Communicates in simple, ambiguous, noncontexted messages; understands visual messages readily French Spanish Greek Chinese English Italian Mexican Arab Japanese High conlext Culture Culturally responsive strategies and their feasibility Knowledge of other culture High Low Allow/Induce counterpart to follow own cultural script Improvise creatively Use mediator Embrace other's cultural script Low Self High Knowledge of other culture Tips for approaching cross cultural communications Avoid ethnocentrism a Look beyond stereotypes Seek common ground Observe non-verbal cues a Study your own and other cultures