CHAPTER 4

COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES

CHAPTER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How does culture affect the process of attribution in communication?

Cultural differences induce additional noise into the communication process. A sender’s
message contains the meaning intended by the encoder. When the message reaches the
receiver, it undergoes a transformation which is influenced by the receiver’s culture.
2. What is stereotyping? Give some examples. How might people stereotype you? How does a
sociotype differ from a stereotype?

Stereotyping occurs when a person assumes that every member of a society or subculture has
the characteristics or traits. Students might be stereotyped based on their race, gender,
appearance, affiliations (Greek, jock), major area of study (accountant, techno-geek), ethnic
heritage, religion or other attribute. A sociotype is a means of accurately describing members
of a group by their traits—which is useful to provide some initial basis for understanding
people in a new encounter.
3. What is the relationship of language and culture? How is it that people from the same
language may still mis-communicate?
Language conveys culture, technologies and priorities. Language is inseparable from culture;
language cannot be interpreted without an understanding of culture. Within a given language
group are many sub-cultures that have their own interpretations of certain words or phrases, or
who may have their own idioms or regional expressions.

4. Give some examples of cultural differences in the interpretation of body language. What is
the role of such non-verbal communication in business relationships?

Americans look straight at you when communicating, whereas the British keep your attention
by looking away. Arabs prefer to touch and stand very close when communicating. Koreans
speak more loudly to emphasize a point; Americans speak loudly when they are angry.
Improper non-verbal communication can add a significant level of noise to the
communication process. The listener may attribute meaning to the noise that might damage
the business relationship.

5. Explain the differences between monochronic and polychronic time systems. Use some
examples to illustrate their differences and the role of time in intercultural communication.

Monochronic time systems have a linear system of time with a past, present and future.
People in monochronic systems generally concentrate on one thing at a time. Polychronic
time systems are a non-linear system of time where people tolerate the simultaneous
 occurrence of many events.

6. Explain the differences between high and low-context cultures, giving some examples. What
are the differential effects on the communication process?

In high-context cultures, the context in which the communication takes place is vital to the
communication of the message—the message is implicit. In low-context cultures, the context
in which the communication takes place is secondary to the communication—the message is
explicit.

7. Discuss the role of information systems in a company, how and why it varies from country to
country and the effects of these variations.
Communication in organizations varies according to where and how information originates
and the channels and speed at which information flows internally and externally. One
example of how cultures vary is on the importance of the source of information. Some
cultures prefer important information to originate only from the top of the hierarchy.

END-OF-CHAPTER CASE

ELIZABETH VISITS GPC’S FRENCH SUBSIDIARY

Discussion Questions

1. What can Elizabeth Moreno do to establish a position of power in front of French managers to
help her accomplish her assignment in five days? Explain.

The French tend to regard authority as residing in the role and not the person; Elizabeth will
need to find subtle ways to accentuate her expertise, her advanced degree in Chemistry, and
her role as Vice President. Further, she will need to demonstrate an intellectual flexibility
while allowing the French to show their ability to grasp complex issues and evaluate
solutions.

2. What should Elizabeth know about “high-context” vs. “low-context” cultures in Europe?
Explain.

Countries in Europe do not share the same cultural context; France is more high-context than
Germany. As a result, Elizabeth should pay especially close attention to the cultural context
of the communication including: the medium, the source, the setting, proxemics, paralanguage
and object language.

3. What should Elizabeth include in her report so that future executives and scientists avoid
communication pitfalls?

Elizabeth could help her peers by noting communications processes that worked and noting
 which processes failed. She should provide as much information about the communication
context as possible.

4. How can technical language differ from everyday language in corporate communications?

Technical language is often shared across cultures (the Arabic word for computer is
“computer”). Technical language is communicated through its own communication channels
—papers, proceedings and journals. These journals are often, though not always, prepared in
English. While technical jargon creates a common or shared language on some levels, it does
not eliminate the problems associated with cross-cultural communication.