INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION great extent by opening the
Communication and Globalization world market allowing local
companies expand
Learning Objectives Internationally
● Explain the impact of global ● Globalization has offered a lot
and cultural issues to of benefits and has impacted
communication and vice versa the lives of many people. The
● Employ strategies to improve ability to communicate
intercultural communication effectively in a diversified
skills. setting is a huge challenge to
● Demonstrate respect and many, especially among
courtesy when communicating workers and students who are
● exposed to the global
Communication and Globalization environment. Therefore, to
● Communication skills are very avoid conflict and
essential in one's life. It helps communication breakdown, a
build good relationships, need to accelerate the level of
provides bigger opportunities, understanding and knowledge
creates a more productive of diverse social culture and
working environment and language background is
strengthens one's confidence in required since many people
facing challenges in a global perceive that culture spurs
context. communication challenges.
● Globalization, on the other Culture and Intercultural
hand, is a term that Communication
predominates economic and ● Culture is the system of shared
societal interactions today. It values, beliefs, attitudes, and
refers to the norms that guide what is
interconnectedness and considered appropriate
interdependence of business, among an identifiable group of
industry, education and people people. (Samovar, Porter, &
around the world. With McDaniel,2009).
globalization, the window of ● Intercultural Communication
communication has become refers to the interactions that
faster and easier through the occur between people whose
aid of modern communication cultures are so different from
technology such as Facebook, one another, and finally
Twitter, Skype among others. realizing how those differences
Tourism and travel has become influence communication.
a luxurious but affordable Culture Shock
means to exchange and ● Culture shock is a
integrate culture between and psychological discomfort when
among countries in the global engaging in a new cultural
landscape. Business and situation.
industry has flourished to a Other Key Terms to Remember
● Acculturation the process of 4. Remember, we all share the same
adjustment to the dominant world. To be tolerant is to welcome
culture Enculturation the those differences and even to delight
gradual acquisition of the in them.
characteristics and norms of a
culture or group by a person, Basic Elements of Culture
another culture, etc. ● Language
● Assimilation is the process of is a key symbol of any culture. It can
giving up cultural traditions be spoken or written
and adopting the social ● VALUES
customs of the dominant commonly accepted standards of
culture of a place. what is considered right and wrong,
● Taboo Restrictions on behavior good and evil, fair and unfair, etc.
imposed by social customs ● Ideal Values
Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity values members profess to hold
● Cultural Awareness ● Real Values
General term used to indicate that a values that guide actual behavior
person is conscious of the similarities Effects of globalization to
and differences within, between, and communication by Anam Ahmed
among cultures ● Increased Business
● Cultural Sensitivity Opportunities
Indicates that a person not only has ● Fewer Cultural Barriers
been an awareness of the nuances of ● Creation of a Global Village
one's own culture as well as those of
other cultures, but also that he or How to become an effective global
she does not assign a negative or communicator
positive value to the differences 1. Express your ideas effectively in
within, between, and among cultures verbal, non-verbal and written forms.
accepts cultural differences non- 2. Respect cultural diversity.
judgmentally." 3.Consider language barriers.
4. Learn how to localize.
Tolerance 5. Embrace modern technology and
Is the recognition of the use social media responsibly.
universal human rights and 6. Analyze messages received and
freedoms of others , and is not pay attention to body language.
a passive concept.
Tips for fostering Tolerance
1. Live by the “golden rule”: Do unto
others as you would have them do
unto you.
2. View differences as positive.
3. Don’t blame all people in a
particular ethnic group, religion,etc.
for the cruel actions of a few who
happen to be from the same group.
○ Ex. U.S., Canada,
Australia and Eastern
European
○ Value personal rights,
privacy, responsibility,
freedom, personal
achievement and self
expression
○ Competition is desirable
and useful
● Highly Collectivist Culture
○ Ex. South and Central
America, East and
Southeast Asia, and
Africa
○ Value group interest and
harmony, collaboration
and public good
Power Distance ○ Strive for consensus and
extent to which members of a culture avoid embarrassment
expect and accept that power will be Masculinity and Femininity
equally or unequally shared ● Masculine Culture
● High Power Distance Culture ○ Men and women are
○ Ex. Middle East, expected to adhere to
Malaysia, Guatemala traditional gender roles
Venezuela, and and behaviors
Singapore ○ Highly masculine culture
○ Students or employees expect men to act in
under this culture do not assertive and dominant
argue with teachers and ways and to expect
supervisors. women to be nurturing
○ They do what is ordered ○ Ex. Mexico, Italy, Japan
without question. ● Feminine Culture
● Low Power Distance Culture ○ Highly feminine culture
○ Ex. Australia, Finland, both men and women
Denmark, and United are accustomed to being
States nurturing, caring, and
○ More comfortable service oriented.
questioning or even ○ Ex. Sweden, Norway, and
arguing with those in Denmark
authority. Long and Short Term Orientation
● Long Term Orientation
Individualism and Collectivism
○ Emphasizes potential
Culture
future rewards that will
● Highly Individualistic Culture
eventually be relized
after slow and steady ○ Ex. United States,
perseverance toward Sweden, and Denmark
achieving a mutually Remember…
acceptable result. ● To become effective
○ Leisure time is not intercultural communicators,
expected to be separate we must begin by
from working time. understanding what a culture
○ Ex. China, Japan, HK and is, then identifying how
Taiwan cultures differfrom on another,
● Short Term Orientation and finally realizing how those
○ Emphasizes quick differences influence
results and values communication.
rewards. ● Culture is both transmitted
○ Leisure time is distinctly and modified through
separated from working communication ( Verderver, K.S.,
time. Verderver, R.F. &
○ Ex. US, Pakistan, Russia, Sellnow,D.D.2014).
Canada, and UK
Uncertainty Avoidance
● High Uncertainty Culture
○ They tend to be more
certain of what a
person’s message
means.
○ Students from this
culture would probably
ask a lot of questions
about a particular task/
project.
○ Feels anxious when
confronted with
unpredictable people,
situations,
relationships(Samovar,
Porter, & Mc Daniel,2009).
○ Ex. Germany, Portugal,
Greece and Belgium
● Low Uncertainty Culture
○ They tend to accept
unpredictability, tolerate
the unusual, prize
creative initiative, take
risk and consider few
rules as possible.
