Business

Communication Challenges in Business Contexts

When you are dealing with people from another culture, you may find their language, communication styles, and work-related values are different than which you are accustomed. Below you will find five communication challenges common to the intercultural business environment.

Language Issues

In a global economy where we are more comfortable communicating with those who are more similar to us than different, people are often unaware of language misunderstandings that occur when working with people from different cultures. Effective communication across cultural and linguistic boundaries is difficult, but not impossible. Martin & Nakayama offer some behaviors that can help.

• Don't assume that people speaking a language other than your own are speaking about you.
• Speak simply, but not simple-mindedly.
• Avoid using slang or jargon.
• Try not to crowd too much into one sentence.
• Pause between thoughts.
• Pronounce words clearly and speak slowly.
• Don't be condescending and don't raise your voice.

Communication Styles

Several fundamental communication styles were already introduced in the verbal communication chapter so we will briefly review these styles along with some specific aspects pertaining to a business context. We will also introduce the idea of honest versus harmony.

Direct and Indirect

A common communication style is direct versus indirect communication. Cultures with direct styles ask for more information whereas cultures with indirect styles may not feel comfortable either giving or asking for information. If a manager from a verbally direct culture receives a poorly written report, they might say, "you have made many errors in this report. Go back and proof-read this report to check for errors". A verbally indirect manager who receives a poorly written report, might say, "readers may have questions about this report. Can you check this over one more time?"

Good intercultural business communication involves slowing down. You should listen and observe how others get information from one another. Remember to watch for variations impacted by status and relationship.

High and Low Context

Another common communication style is high versus low context communication. High context communicators place great importance on the context or nonverbal aspects of communication. For them words don't matter nearly as much as the context in which they exist. Low context communicators prefer to be very explicit and express everything in words. For them context is ambiguous, so they want to hear verbal thoughts and ideas to be sure of what is being communicated.

Honesty and Harmony

The communication style of honesty versus harmony is tied to the previously discussed notions of face and facework. In many cultures saving face is a strategy to avoid humiliation or embarrassment and to maintain dignity or reputation. Faces can be threatened, honored, or maintained. The concept of face is often associated with collectivistic cultures and is a consequence of people living in close-knit societies where social context is important. Avoiding conflict is a way to show honor and respect to another person. Giving negative feedback may cause a loss of face.

Harmony includes the notion of preserving or saving one's face. For Asians, the concept of saving face is more about achieving mutual honor and respect for the larger group, the business, or the family. In the US, the concept of saving face is more about maintaining self-pride, reputation, and credibility. In the business context, harmony may mean allowing other people room to maneuver, and the ability to understand when a "yes" really means "no".

Cultures that value honesty over harmony are often associated with individualistic cultures. They are concerned with the ethics of individual trustworthiness and respect. It's acknowledged that the truth might hurt, but sincerely believed that it will also set you free.

Please be aware that there are BIG cultural variations in how honesty and truth are defined, and practiced, within cultural norms.

How Cultures View the Idea of Work

Cultures have different value orientations for the idea of work. The first way looks at the purpose of work, and the second way considers the importance of work. Both of these value orientations are rooted in the cultural dimensions discussed at the beginning of the chapter.

Virtue or Necessary Evil

What does a culture view as the purpose of work? Work is generally known as an effort directed to produce or accomplish something but does a culture view work as a virtue or a necessary evil?

If work is seen as a virtue, it will pay off. Over the course of time, hard work can change a character deficiency into a strength. Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Simba in The Lion King are all characters who never gave up. Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, and Michael Phelps put hours into honing their skills and learning from others. Tech CEOs Marissa Mayer and Sheryl Sandberg arrived early and left late. In these cultures, hard work leads to material gain therefore, people who have a lot of material goods, are thought to have been hard workers. Conversely, for those who see work as a virtue, poor people are seen as lazy.

Sometimes work is viewed as a necessary burden or evil. Necessary in the fact that there will be some greater good that happens because work occurs. The benefit of work has value. Bills can be paid with the money earned from working. Food can be bought. Communities need medical care, education, and functioning infrastructure. Work can be a catalyst of good, but also provide a mild amount of harm. Parents who work leave their children in the care of others and that might cause a certain amount of guilt. Working late at the hospital night-after-night might ruin a marriage. Even fastidious street maintenance can't prevent automobile accidents from happening. Cultures that identify and articulate the benefits and challenges of working feel that they provide a realistic framework in which to manage life-altering choices.

Relationship or Task

Cultural values surrounding the importance of task and relationship dimensions are also strongly tied to how business is conducted. In relationship cultures, people are valued for who they are. Their personality, character, appearance, behavior, and family ties are all part of the picture. Social relationships take priority over work relationships. Family commitments take precedence over work commitments. Achievement is measured by friendships, peer recognition, and respect. Criticism is rare and usually interpreted as negative.

Cultures with a strong task orientation want to get the job done quickly and right the first time. Tasks are more important than social relationships and family commitments. Achievement is measured by accomplishment, possessions, and power. Professional recognition is determined by expertise. Constructive criticism is welcomed.

Business Etiquette

Business etiquette is about building relationships with other people and organizations. Business etiquette is not about rigid rules and regulations but rather creating an environment through communication where others feel comfortable and secure. Basic business etiquette may vary from culture to culture. Juggling business etiquette and business activities can be incredibly complicated, but success can mean the difference between securing the deal and failure.

Many cultures tend to conduct business much more formally than the US therefore it is preferable to avoid excessive informality especially at the beginning. Many cultures also emphasize the importance of relationship building for business success. Nelson offers some general rules for international business success.

1. Remembering and pronouncing people's names correctly.
2. Using appropriate rank and titles when required.
3. Knowing the local variables of time and punctuality.
4. Creating the right impression with suitable dress.
5. Practicing behavior that demonstrates concern for others, tact and discretion, and knowledge of what constitutes good manners and ethics locally.
6. Communicating with intercultural sensitivity, verbally and nonverbally, whether in person, electronically, or in writing or printing.
7. Giving and receiving gifts and favors appropriate to local traditions.
8. Enjoying social events while conscious of local customs relative to food and drink such as the use of utensils, dining out, and entertaining, and seating arrangements.

Virtual Communication

In today's challenging world of economic restrictions and pandemics, it is not unusual to have important meetings of team members in virtual space. If you are working on an international team, just setting up a meeting is a major task because of the time zone differences. This often means that someone must get up really early or work really late into the evening. In customer interactions, sometimes employees must make or take calls from home which means taking time away from families and being conscious of what background will appear on a screen.

Often small things go a long way towards success. Helpful tips include putting your time zone in the signature of your email or on the biographical section of your social media profile, getting team members to use 24 hour UTC/GMT time, and using time management apps such as Boomerang.

Other issues to consider are language and translation concerns, internet access issues, and the unique impact of cultural values place on a virtual message. In high context cultures when relationships are valued, face-to-face interaction is frequently a must. And sometimes, people are just reluctant to reply to messages from people they don't know.