Intercultural Communication in the Global Workplace

Cover
Title
Contents
1. Culture and Communication
	The Importance of Learning about Cultures
		Making Sense of Our World
		The World Is Becoming Increasingly Diverse
		People around the World ARE Different
		Preventing Mistakes
		Responding to Different Cultures
		Hostility to Difference
		Curiosity about Difference
		Denying Difference
		Cooperating with Difference
	Understanding Culture
		Culture Is Coherent
		Culture Is Learned
		Culture Is the View of a Group of People
		Culture Ranks What Is Important
		Culture Furnishes Attitudes
		Culture Dictates How to Behave
		Onstage and Backstage Elements of Culture
		Transactional Cultures
		Adopting Another Culture’s Behavior
		Self-Knowledge and Understanding One’s Own Culture
		Cultural Intelligence
	The Question of Change in Cultures
		Are Cultures Merging into One Global Culture?
		Ever-Changing Popular Taste
		The Study of Communication across Cultures
		Three Characteristics of the Discipline of Cross-cultural Communication
		Study of the Communication of Groups versus the Study of Individuals’ Communication
		Intercultural and Cross-cultural Communication Study
		Two Broad Approaches to Communication Research in the Social Sciences
		Study of Culture and Communication: Individuals or Cultures
		Intercultural Business Communication
		Perception and Communication
		A Schemata Model for Intercultural Communication
2. The Role of Language in Intercultural Business Communication
	The Relationship between Language and Culture
		Language as a Reflection of the Environment
		Language as a Reflection of Values
		The Meaning of Words
		Changes in Language
		Acronyms
		Implications of the Language Barrier
	Selection of the Right Language
		Linguistic Considerations
		Business Considerations
		Political Considerations
		The Appropriate Level of Fluency
	The Company Language
		Choosing a Company Language
		Using Additional Foreign Language Expertise
	The Role of the Interpreter
		The Importance of Choosing a Good Interpreter
		The Effective Use of an Interpreter—Some Guidelines
	Communication with Nonnative Speakers
		Effective Face-to-Face Communication
		Effective Written Communication
	The Impact of Technology on Oral and Written Communication
		Some Guidelines for Communicating with Businesspeople from Different Cultures
		Communication with a Multicultural Workforce
3. Getting to Know Another Culture
	Ways to Study Culture
		Research Approaches to Studying Cultures
		Studying Whole Cultures
		Cultural Generalizations
		Hofstede’s Research and Other Studies
		The GLOBE Study
		Studying Individuals
		Culture as a Theoretical Construct
		Generalizations and Stereotypes
		High-context Communication and Low-context Communication
		The Cultural Dimensions Approach in This Book
		Where Can Information about Cultures Be Found?
	Category 1: Thinking and Knowing
		Does Knowing Come from Concepts or Experience?
		Does Learning Come from Asking Questions or Mastering Received Wisdom?
		Does Knowledge Have Limits?
		How Do People Reason?
	Category 2: Doing and Achieving
		Is Doing Important or Is Being Important?
		Are Tasks Done Sequentially or Simultaneously?
		Do Results or Relationships Take Priority?
		Is Uncertainty Avoided or Tolerated?
		Is Luck an Essential Factor or an Irrelevance?
		Are Rules to Be Followed or Bent?
	Category 3: The Big Picture
		Do Humans Dominate Nature or Does Nature Dominate Humans?
		Are Divine Powers or Humans at the Center of Events?
		How Is Time Understood, Measured, and Kept?
		Is Change Positive or Negative?
		Is Death the End of Life or Part of Life?
4. The Self and Groups
	Category 4: The Self and Self-identity
		Self-identity—A Social Psychology Approach
		Self-identity—A Communication Approach
		Self-identity—A Critical Approach
		Self-identity and Cultural Value Dimensions
		Self-construal: Independent and Interdependent
		The Basic Unit of Society: The Individual or the Collective?
		Obligation and Indebtedness: Burdens or Benefits?
		Age: Is Seniority Valued or Discounted?
		Gender: Are Women Equals or Subordinates?
	Category 5: Social Organization
		Group Membership: Temporary or Permanent?
		Form: Important or Untrustworthy?
		Personal Matters: Private or Public?
		Social Organizational Patterns: Horizontal or Hierarchical?
		Approach to Authority: Direct or Mediated?
	Conclusion
5. Organizing Messages to Other Cultures
	Review of the Communication Model
		Meaning and the Communication Model
		Why: The Purpose and Factors of Communication
		Who in Business Communication
		Where: Channels of Communication
		When: Time and Timing of Communication
	Organizing Routine Messages
		The Direct Plan
		The Indirect Plan
	Organizing Persuasive Messages and Argumentation
		Argumentation and Logic
		Persuasion Tactics
	Organizing Unwelcome Messages
		Communicating about Problems
		Saying No
	Organizing Problem-Solving Messages
		Storytelling
		Analogy
		Syllogistic and Inductive Reasoning
		Bargaining Discourse
	The Role and Force of Words
		The Relative Importance of Encoding Messages in Words
		The Role of Words in Arabic Cultures
		The Role of Words in Japanese Culture
		The Role of Words in English-Speaking Cultures
		The Effect of Language’s Structure
	Channels of Business Messages
		Internal Channels for Written Messages
		External Channels for Written Messages
		Structured Behavior Channels
		Oral Channels
	Communication Style
		Formal or Informal: Hierarchical or Horizontal
		Framed Messages
6. Nonverbal Language in Intercultural Communication
	Paralanguage
		Vocal Qualifiers
		Vocalization
	Nonverbal Business Conventions in Face-to-Face Encounters
		Eye Contact
		Facial Expressions
		Gestures
		Timing in Spoken Exchanges
		Touching
		The Language of Space
		Appearance
		Silence
7. Cultural Rules for Establishing Relationships
	Respect for Authority and the Structuring of Messages
		Signals of Respect
		Positions of Authority
		Dress as a Symbol of Authority
	Power Distance and Symbols of Power and Authority
		Tone and Behavior of Power and Authority
		Language as an Indicator of Power and Authority
		Family and Societal Structures as Indicators of Power
	Assertiveness vs. Harmony
		Standing Up for One’s Rights
		Preserving Harmony
	Recognition of Performance as a Signal of Authority
		Monetary Recognition
		Nonmonetary Rewards
	The Role of Social Contacts in Intercultural Business
		Conventions for Extending Invitations
		Mixing Social Engagements and Business
		Appropriate Behavior for Hosts and Guests
		Gift Giving
		Dealing with Controversy in Social Settings
		Holiday Greetings
	Ethical Considerations in Intercultural Engagements
8. Information, Decisions, and Solutions
	The Nature of Business Information
		The Impact of Culture on What Constitutes Information
		The Assessment of Information
		The Possession of Information
		Formal and Informal Information
		Soft vs. Hard Data
		Criteria for Business Information
	Sources of Business Information
		Formal Sources
		Informal Sources
	Information and Knowledge Management
	Decision Making
		Making Decisions Based on Ends
		Making Decisions Based on Means
	Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution
		Defining Problems and Dealing with Them
		Managing Conflicts
		Conflict Management Modes
		Conflict Communication Modes
		Communicating about Conflicts between Members of Different Cultures
9. Intercultural Negotiation Teams
	Intercultural Negotiation
		What Really Happened with Canwall in China?
		How Knowledge of Culture Can Help
	Factors in the Negotiation Task
		Expectations for Outcomes
		Orientation of the Negotiating Team
		The Physical Context of the Negotiation
		Communication and Style of Negotiating
	The Phases of Negotiation
		The Development of a Relationship
		Information Exchange about the Topic under Negotiation
		Persuasion
		Concession and Agreement
10. Legal and Governmental Considerations in Intercultural Business Communication
	Communication and Legal Messages
	Specific Legal Systems
		Code Law
		Anglo-American Common Law
		Islamic Law
		Socialist Law
	Dispute Settlement
		Direct Confrontation and Arbitration
		Communication with Agents
		Trademarks and Intellectual Property
	International Enterprise and the National Interests
	Legal Issues in Labor and Management Communication
	Labor Regulations
		Employment Communication
		Laws for Safety on the Job
		Equal Opportunity
	Legal Considerations in Marketing Communication
	Investment Attitudes and the Communication of Financial Information
11. The Influence of Business Structures and Corporate Culture on Intercultural Business Communication
	Corporate Culture and Intercultural Communication
	Stages in Internationalization
	The Import–Export Stage
		Reasons for Exporting
		Communication in the Import–Export Environment
	The Multinational Corporation
		The National Subsidiary
		The International Division
	The Global Firm
		The Structure of a Global Firm
		Communication in a Global Organization
	Implications of Cultural Aspects of Business Structures for Communication in an International Firm
		Communication in an Organization Based on Credentials
		Communication in an Organization Based on Context
		Communication in an Organization Based on Family Orientation
		Communication in an Organization Based on Political Principles
12. Intercultural Dynamics in the International Company
	Cultural Issues in the DaimlerChrysler Merger
		Preparation and Training
		Attitudes toward Management
		Attitudes toward Compensation
		Regulatory Issues
		Reports on the Merger
	Intercultural Business Communication as a Strategic Tool for Success
		The Process of Intercultural Business Communication
		Dynamics of Culturally Diverse Teams
		Culture in the Context of Corporate Strategy
	When Teams Are Not Effective
		Try to Adapt to Each Other’s Expectations
		Specific Abilities that Make up Teamwork CQ
		Subdivide the Team and Tasks
		Have a Manager Intervene
		Remove Member(s) or Disband the Team
	Applying Your Cultural Knowledge to Business Situations
Appendix
	Case 1: What Else Can Go Wrong?
		Questions for Discussion
	Case 2: Hana, a Joint Venture Between Health Snacks and Toka Foods
		Questions for Discussion
Index