Intercultural business communication
p> A more practical approach may be to use an intermediary or a translator.
For example, if our company has a foreign subsidiary, we can delegate the
communication job to local nationals who are bilingual. Or we can hire
bilingual advertising consultants, distributors, lobbyists, lawyers,
translators, and other professionals to help us. Even though Vons operates
within the United States, management hires bilingual personnel to help its
Hispanic customers feel more comfortable. The option of teaching other people to speak our language doesn't appear
to be very practical at first glance; however, many multinational companies
do, in fact, have language training programs for their foreign employees.
Tenneco, for example, instituted an English-language training program for
its Spanish-speaking employees in a New Jersey plant. The classes
concentrated on practical English for use on the job. According to the
company, these classes were a success: Accidents and grievances declined,
and productivity improved. In general, the magnitude of the language barrier depends on whether you
are writing or speaking. Written communication is generally easier to
handle. Barriers to written communication One survey of 100 companies engaged in international business revealed
that between 95 and 99 percent of their business letters to other countries
are written in English. Moreover, 59 percent of the respondents reported
that the foreign letters they receive are usually written in English,
although they also receive letters written in Spanish and French. Other
languages are rare in international business correspondence. Because many international business letters are written in English,
North American firms do not always have to worry about translating their
correspondence. However, even when both parties write in English, minor
interpretation problems do exist because of different usage of technical
terms. These problems do not usually pose a major barrier to communication,
especially if correspondence between the two parties continues and each
gradually learns the terminology of the other. More significant problems arise in other forms of written communication
that require translation. Advertisements, for example, are almost always
translated into the language of the country in which the products are being
sold. Documents such as warranties, repair and maintenance manuals, and
product labels also require translation. In addition, some multinational
companies must translate policy and procedure manuals and benefit plans for
use in overseas offices. Reports from foreign subsidiaries to the home
office may also be written in one language and then translated into
another. Sometimes the translations aren't very good. For example, the well-known
slogan "Come alive with Pepsi" was translated literally for Asian markets
as "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave," with unfortunate
results. Part of the message is almost inevitably lost during any
translation process, sometimes with major consequences. Barriers to oral communication Oral communication usually presents more problems than written
communication. If you have ever studied a foreign language, you know from
personal experience that it's easier to write in a foreign language than to
conduct a conversation. Even if the other person is speaking English,
you're likely to have a hard time understanding the pronunciation if the
person is not proficient in English. For example, many foreigners notice no
difference between the English sounds v and w, they say wery for very. At
the same time, many people from North America cannot pronounce some of the
sounds that are frequently used in other parts of the world. In addition to pronouncing sounds differently, people use their voices in
different ways, a fact that often leads to misunderstanding. The Russians,
for example, speak in flat level tones in their native tongue. When they
speak English, they maintain this pattern, and Westerners may assume that
they are bored or rude. Middle Easterners tend to speak more loudly than
Westerners and may therefore mistakenly be considered more emotional. On
the other hand, the Japanese are soft-spoken, a characteristic that implies
politeness or humility to Westerners. Idiomatic expressions are another source of confusion. If you tell a
foreigner that a certain product "doesn't cut the mustard," chances are
that you will fail to communicate. Even when the words make sense, their
meanings may differ according to the situation. For example, suppose that
you are dining with a German woman who speaks English quite well. You
inquire, "More bread?" She says, "Thank you," so you pass the bread. She
looks confused, then takes the breadbasket and sets it down without taking
any. In German, thank you (danke) can also be used as a polite refusal. If
the woman had wanted more bread, she would have used the word please (bitte
in German). When speaking in English to those for whom English is a second language,
follow these simple guidelines: • Try to eliminate "noise." Pronounce words clearly, and stop at distinct
punctuation points. Make one point at a time. • Look for feedback. Be alert to glazed eyes or signs of confusion in
your listener. Realise that nods and smiles do not necessarily mean
understanding. Don't be afraid to ask, "Is that clear?" and be sure to
check the listener's comprehension through specific questions. Encourage
the listener to ask questions. • Rephrase your sentence when necessary. If someone doesn't seem to
understand what you have said, choose simpler words; don't just repeat the
sentence in a louder voice. • Don't talk down to the other person. Americans tend to overenunciate
and to "blame" the listener for lack of comprehension. It is preferable to
use phrases such as "Am I going too fast?" rather than "Is this too
difficult for you?" • Use objective, accurate language. Americans tend to throw around
adjectives such as fantastic and fabulous, which foreigners consider unreal
and overly dramatic. Calling something a "disaster" will give rise to
images of war and death; calling someone an "idiot" or a "prince" may be
taken literally. • Let other people finish what they have to say. If you interrupt, you
may miss something important. And you'll show a lack of respect. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES As we know, misunderstandings are especially likely to occur when the
people who are communicating have different backgrounds. Party A encodes a
message in one context, using assumptions common to people in his or her
culture; Party B decodes the message using a different set of assumptions.
The result is confusion and, often, hard feelings. For example, take the
case of the computer sales representative who was calling on a client in
China. Hoping to make a good impression, the salesperson brought along a
gift to break the ice, an expensive grandfather clock. Unfortunately, the
Chinese client was deeply offended because, in China, giving clocks as
gifts is considered bad luck for the recipient. Such problems arise because of our unconscious assumptions and non-verbal
communication patterns. We ignore the fact that people from other cultures
differ from us in many ways: in their religion and values, their ideas of
status, their decision-making habits, their attitude toward time, their use
of space, their body language, and their manners. We assume, wrongly, that
other people are like us. At Vons, management has spent a great deal of
time learning about the cultural preferences of the store's Hispanic
customers. Religion and values Although North America is a melting pot of people with different
religions and values, the predominant influence in this culture is the
Puritan ethic: If you work hard and achieve success, you will find favour
in the eyes of God. They tend to assume that material comfort is a sign of
superiority, that the rich are a little bit better than the poor, that
people who work hard are better than those who don't. They believe that
money solves many problems. They assume that people from other cultures
share their view, that they dislike poverty and value hard work. In fact,
many societies condemn materialism and prize a carefree life-style. As a culture, they are goal-oriented. They want to get the work done in
the most efficient manner, and they assume that everyone else does too.
They think they are improving things if they can figure out a way for two
people using modern methods to do the same work as four people using the
"old way." But in countries like India and Pakistan, where unemployment is
extremely high, creating jobs is more important than getting the work done
efficiently. Executives in these countries would rather employ four workers
than two. Roles and status Culture dictates the roles people play, including who communicates with
whom, what they communicate, and in what way. In many countries, for
example, women still do not play a very prominent role in business. As a
result, female executives from American firms may find themselves sent off
to eat in a separate room with the wives of Arab businessmen, while the men
all eat dinner together. Concepts of status also differ, and as a consequence, people establish
their credibility in different ways. North Americans, for example, send
status signals that reflect materialistic values. The big boss has the
corner office on the top floor, deep carpets, an expensive desk, and
handsome accessories. The most successful companies are located in the most
prestigious buildings. In other countries, status is communicated in other
ways. For example, the highest-ranking executives in France sit in the
middle of an open area, surrounded by lower-level employees. In the Middle
East, fine possessions are reserved for the home, and business is conducted
in cramped and modest quarters. An American executive who assumes that
these office arrangements indicate a lack of status is making a big
mistake. Decision-making customs In North America, they try to reach decisions as quickly and efficiently
as possible. The top people focus on reaching agreement on the main points
and leave the details to be worked out later by others. In Greece, this
approach would backfire. A Greek executive assumes that anyone who ignores
the details is being evasive and untrustworthy. Spending time on every
little point is considered a mark of good faith. Similarly, Latin Americans
prefer to make their deals slowly, after a lengthy period of discussion.
They resist an authoritarian "Here's the deal, take it or leave it"
approach, preferring the more sociable method of an extended discussion. Cultures also differ in terms of who makes the decisions. In american
culture, many organisations are dominated by a single figure who says yes
or no to every deal. It is the same in Pakistan, where you can get a
decision quickly if you reach the highest-ranking executive. In other
cultures, notably China and Japan, decision making is a shared
responsibility. No individual has the authority to commit the organisation
without first consulting others. In Japan, for example, the negotiating
team arrives at a consensus through an elaborate, time-consuming process
(agreement must be complete — there is no majority rule). If the process is
not laborious enough, the Japanese feel uncomfortable. Concepts of time Differing perceptions of time are another factor that can lead to
misunderstandings. An executive from North America or Germany attaches one
meaning to time; an executive from Latin America, Ethiopia, or Japan
attaches another. Let's say that a salesperson from Chicago calls on a
client in Mexico City. After spending 30 minutes in the outer office, the
person from Chicago feels angry and insulted, assuming, "This client must
attach a very low priority to my visit to keep me waiting half an hour." In
fact, the Mexican client does not mean to imply anything at all by this
delay. To the Mexican, a wait of 30 minutes is a matter of course. Or let's say that a New Yorker is trying to negotiate a deal in Ethiopia.
This is an important deal, and the New Yorker assumes that the Ethiopians
will give the matter top priority and reach a decision quickly. Not so. In
Ethiopia, important deals take a long, long time. After all, if a deal is
important, it should be given much careful thought, shouldn't it? The Japanese, knowing that North Americans are impatient, use time to
their advantage when negotiating with us. One of them expressed it this
way: "You Americans have one terrible weakness. If we make you wait long
enough, you will agree to anything." Concepts of personal space The classic story of a conversation between a North American and a Latin
American is that the interaction may begin at one end of a hallway but end
up at the other, with neither party aware of having moved. During the
interaction, the Latin American instinctively moves closer to the North
American, who in turn instinctively steps back, resulting in an
intercultural dance across the floor. Like time, space means different
things in different cultures. North Americans stand about five feet apart
when conducting a business conversation. To an Arab or a Latin American,
this distance is uncomfortable. In meetings with North Americans, they move
a little closer. We assume they are pushy and react negatively, although we
don't know exactly why. Body language Gestures help us clarify confusing messages, so differences in body
language are a major source of misunderstanding. We may also make the
mistake of assuming that a non-American who speaks English has mastered the
body language of our culture as well. It therefore pays to learn some basic
differences in the ways people supplement their words with body movement.
Take the signal for no. North Americans shake their heads back and forth;
the Japanese move their right hands; Sicilians raise their chins. Or take
eye contact. North Americans read each other through eye contact. They may
assume that a person who won't meet our gaze is evasive and dishonest. But
in many parts of Latin America, keeping your eyes lowered is a sign of
respect. It's also a sign of respect among many black Americans, which some
schoolteachers have failed to learn. When they scold their black students,
saying "Look at me when I'm talking to you," they only create confusion for
the children. Sometimes people from different cultures misread an intentional signal,
and sometimes they overlook the signal entirely or assume that a
meaningless gesture is significant. For example, an Arab man indicates a
romantic interest in a woman by running a hand backward across his hair;
most Americans would dismiss this gesture as meaningless. On the other
hand, an Egyptian might mistakenly assume that a Westerner sitting with the
sole of his or her shoe showing is offering a grave insult. Social behaviour and manners What is polite in one country may be considered rude in another. In Arab
countries, for example, it is impolite to take gifts to a man's wife but
acceptable to take gifts to his children. In Germany, giving a woman a red
rose is considered a romantic invitation, inappropriate if you are trying
to establish a business relationship with her. In India, you might be
invited to visit someone's home "any time." Being reluctant to make an
unexpected visit, you might wait to get a more definite invitation. But
your failure to take the Indian literally is an insult, a sign that you do
not care to develop the friendship. * * * Behind The Scenes At Parker Pen Do as the Natives Do, But Should You Eat the Roast Gorilla Hand
If offered, you should eat the roast gorilla hand—so says Roger E. Axtel,
vice president of The Parker Pen Company. Axtel spent 18 years living and
travelling in the 154 countries where Parker sells pens. He learned that
communicating with foreign nationals demands more than merely learning
their language. The gorilla hand (served rising from mashed yams) was
prepared for a meal in honor of an American family-planning expert who was
visiting a newly emerged African nation, and the guest of honor was
expected to eat it, so he did. Learning the behaviour expected of you as
you do business internationally can be daunting if not intimidating. Axtel
recommends the following rules to help you get off to a good start without
embarrassment.
Basic Rule #1: What's in a Name?
The first transaction between even ordinary citizens— and the first chance
to make an impression for better or worse—is an exchange of names. In
America, there is not very much to get wrong. And even if you do, so what?
Not so elsewhere. In the Eastern Hemisphere, where name frequently denotes
social rank or family status, a mistake can be an outright insult, and so
can using someone's given name without permission. "What would you like me
to call you?" is always the opening line of one overseas deputy director
for an international telecommunications corporation. "Better to ask several
times," he advises, "than to get it wrong." Even then, "I err on the
side of formality." Another frequent traveler insists his company provide
him with a list of key people he will meet—country by country, surnames
underlined—to be memorized on the flight over.
Basic Rule #2: Eat, Drink, and Be Wary.
Away from home, eating is a language all its own. No words can match it for
saying "glad to meet you ... glad to be doing business with you . . . glad
to have-you here." Mealtime is no time for a thanks-but-no-thanks response.
Accepting what is on your plate is tantamount to accepting host, country,
and company. So no matter how tough things may be to swallow, swallow.
Often what is offered constitutes your host jj country's proudest culinary
achievements. Squeamishness comes not so much from the thing itself as
from, your unfamiliarity with it. After all, an oyster has | remarkably
the same look and consistency as a sheep’s eye (a delicacy in Saudi
Arabia).
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