Cultural Differences in Communication Essay - 1402 Words

The term â€Å"culture† refers to the complex accumulation of knowledge, folklore, language, rules, rituals, habits, lifestyles, attitudes, beliefs, and customs that link and provide a general identity to a group of people. Cultures take a long time to develop. There are many things that establish identity give meaning to life, define what one becomes, and how one should behave. Distribution and exercise of power shape attitudes towards authority. How people sustain themselves economically, and how they manage to obtain the necessities of life, determines assigned roles of individuals and the relationships among them. Physical surroundings of people help define the nature, intensity, and longevity of their values. A wealth of resources†¦show more content†¦It can be terrifying to deal with other people if one does not know what to expect. There is often fear surrounding different cultures, we wonder what manners are acceptable. Is there something that will offend ano ther from a decidedly different culture? The way people communicate varies considerably between, and within, cultures and different norms regarding the appropriate level of assertiveness in communicating can add to cultural misunderstandings. One aspect of communication style is language usage, across cultures, some phrases and words are used in different ways. Additionally, body language or nonverbal communication is an essential part of how people communicate, and there are differences from culture to culture. Hand and arm gestures, touch, and eye contact or lack thereof, are a few of the aspects of nonverbal communication. Another aspect of communication style is the amount of importance given to non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions and gestures, personal distance, and sense of time. It is no surprise that people have difficulties understanding and communicating with one another due to different cultural customs and experiences, and these differences cause miscommunication. Communication is a complex system of comprehensive interaction where meaning isShow MoreRelatedCross Cultural Communication And Cultural Differences967 Words   |  4 PagesWhen people think of business, rarely do we associate culture with the concept. This leads to an issue in cross-cultural communication. By analyzing cross-cultural communication, and its miscommunication in cultural differences, it is clear that employees should know more of a country’s defining culture. Only recently have we seen an emphasis in understanding other country’s cultures. In doing so, some businesses have prospered, while others have suffered after a terrible miscommunication. When dealingRead MoreOvercoming Cross Cultural Differences Of Communication1595 Words   |  7 PagesOvercoming cross cultural differences in communication at Tearroir Ã¥ â€¢Ã¤ ¸ Ã¤ ¸ Ã¦Ë† Ã§ º ¿Ã¯ ¼Å'ç‹ ¬Ã¦Å" ¨Ã¤ ¸ Ã¦Ë† Ã¦Å¾â€" A single thread cannot become a cord, and a single tree does not make a forest. This Cheng Yu is about cooperation and being part of a larger whole. Its roots stem from Confucian beliefs of organized society through togetherness. This is in stark contrast to the emphasis placed on individualism in some Western countries. Introducton Tearroir is a global tea brand that sources premium loose leaf tea from 7 countries.Read MoreCultural Differences And The Impact On The Communication Process1322 Words   |  6 Pages Cultural Differences and The Impact On The Communication Process Alberts, Martin and Nakayama (2011) describe communication as â€Å" a transactional process in which people generate meaning through the exchange of verbal and nonverbal messages in in specific contexts, influenced by individual and societal forces and embedded in culture.†(p.7) They then go on to state that intercultural communication â€Å"occurs in interactions between people who are culturally different.†(p.122) Cultural differences thusRead More Cultural Differences in Nonverbal Communication Essay1612 Words   |  7 Pagesthe exchange is verbal. The larger part of the message is made up of body language or movements, known as nonverbal communication. The reason for people using nonverbal communication is to enhance the message they are sending to the receiver. One way nonverbal communication differs is through cultural differences. Cultural differences have a significant impact on nonverbal communication as cultures differ greatly in their nonverbal interpretat ions and responses. Firstly, this essay will prove howRead MoreEssay on Nonverbal Communication and Cultural Differences1649 Words   |  7 PagesNonverbal communication has always played an important role in the entire communication process. It may include gestures, kinesics, haptics and other means, which a person incorporates into the communication process. These acts make the communication process more effective and meaningful. However, nonverbal communication is highly influenced by cultural differences as the context of the culture defines how the message is interpreted. This essay will analyse several types of nonverbal communication suchRead MoreUnderstanding The Cultural Difference Of Business Communication1444 Words   |  6 Pagesbusiness frequently fails to keep up the importance of cultural understating in the business itself. Further, it is often leads to the lack of understanding and decreasing of performance to achieve its goals. In this essay, the writer will describe the importance of understanding the cultural difference in business communication. Further, the writer also emphasizes on the three major issues that is commonly forgotten, such as Cross cultural communication issues, workplace etiquette issues, and organizationalRead MoreCross Cultural Differences Nonverbal Communication Essay919 Words   |  4 Pages Gestures provide one of the most obvious cases of cross-cultural differences in nonverbal communication. In South Italy gesture use is prominent and many gestures are conventional. These include ‘pragmatic’ gestures that indicate type of speech act or aspects of discourse structure and ‘substantive’ gestures that express utterance content (Kendon, n.d.). The examples of conventional ‘pragmatic’ gestures are the Mano a borsa(‘purse hand’) and the Mani giunte (‘praying hands’) are well known andRead MoreCultural Differences and Intercultural Communication Challe nges1780 Words   |  8 PagesWhen examining my own cultural identity it has occurred to me that many of the things that define my own cultural identity are that of Majority groups, however it would seem that I have just as many if not more Minority group identity factors shaping me ever so slightly within the majority boundaries. For example at first look I am a Married male with a predominantly Anglo-Saxon heritage. However upon close inspection one can begin to notice the red hues within my complexion these are subtle hintsRead MoreA Brief Note On Cross Cultural Communication And Understanding Cultural Differences1625 Words   |  7 Pages Cross-Culture Communication Competence in Global Business Celeste Aisien Lo COMS 2331 Dr. Richard Bello April 29th 2015â€Æ' Competence in cross-cultural communication and understanding cultural differences is becoming more crucial in today’s society. Technology is advancing in a rapid pace and is allowing more opportunities in migration therefore existing countries has never had so much to do with each other until today. As a result of becoming inter-connected, global business is progressingRead MoreCultural Differences That Inhibit Effective Intercultural Communication879 Words   |  4 Pagesshrinking borders of the international business landscape demand keen interpretation of the unique cultural expectations of organizational partners. Guffey Loewy (2015) note that there are five distinct dimensions of cultural difference that inhibit effective intercultural communication. Barron (2013) states that it is imperative for North American organizations in particular to actively increase the cultural awareness of employees conducting international business. International negotiators can improve