The Terms And Components Of Intercultural Communication

Intercultural communication takes place when at least two people from different cultural backgrounds interact. Economic globalization means that countries and communities need to rely on each other to solve global problems such as environmental damage, terrorism and international immigration. These issues now affect citizens from more than just one nation, and require collaboration to find resolution. Developments in technology have made international cooperation a reality, with the internet, digital news platforms and access to affordable travel making contact with other cultures almost inevitable. Therefore, it is more critical than ever that communication between people of different backgrounds is effective. By ensuring the parties invested in any Intercultural communication emerge from the exchange with a clear understanding of the ideas discussed, as well as the other party’s position, better decisions relating tothe health, business, education and politics of more than one community can be made. For example, the recent coronavirus outbreak has forced many countries to cooperate to put measures into place to combat the spread of the disease. The differences in how nations such as China, the USA and Italy, for example, have chosen to handle their citizens, and how they have communicated with the world, pulls into focus the need for clarity and sensitivity when engaged in Intercultural communication.

Careful perception checking

Careful perception checking is the process of carefully examining one’s perceptions for accuracy, to ensure that you are interpreting a message without bias. This ensures that the lens through which a message is communicated is not coloured by unconscious cultural prejudices or preconceptions. For example, using the first name of someone much older than you in the African context might be perceived as disrespectful in certain cultures, but if one examines their perceptions before taking offence, they could take into account that this is very common in Western cultures.

Mindful listening

Mindful listening is the practice of listening receptively, without judging, criticizing or interrupting the other person or pre-empting their answers or formulating your own response mentally while the other person is speaking. It involves being aware of internal thoughts and reactions that may impede communication, and trying to employ empathy to understand the true meaning of what is being said. For example, using mindful listening in an argument with someone from a different culture, for whom English is not a native language, would be advisable as the intense emotion and lack of vocabulary might skew the message and cause insult when none was meant. By asking for clarification and repeating back the core message, we can avoid confusion and offence.

Synergetic perception

This refers to a scenario when the best solution to a problem is sought from a multicultural group, regardless of the background of the persons involved. Each member of the group is considered equal, and no suggestion is ‘better’ or ‘worse’ due to the person’s background. Instead, a solution is judged on merit and accepted without reference to the cultural background of the suggestor. For example, Synergetic perception

Surface level culture

Surface culture refers to the superficial cultural artifacts that we observe in others of a certain culture, for example the types of clothing, art, food, dancing and music, food and drink, as well as languages and slang etc that is attributed to a certain culture or country. It is a shallow perception of what a culture embodies, informed more by popular culture and stereotypes, than a deep knowledge of what the culture entails. Because popular culture is a manufactured representation of a society or culture, created for mass-consumption and profit generation, it is an unreliable and skewed representation. For example, taking at face value the pop culture representations or generalizations of the African continent would lead other cultures to assume that many of the members of African tribes are very similar to each other, with everyone sharing a similar race, physical abilities and language. In reality, Africa is home to more than 3000 tribes, who among them speak more than 2000 languages. To avoid acting on surface level culture, we therefore need to be mindful of how we process or form perceptions of large groups of people based on “culture” and “race”. Popular culture is only one brief insight into a culture and is wholly insufficient to draw any conclusions about a culture. We should ask ourselves whether we know or have truly interacted with someone from that culture, or read pertinent and reliable sources that may inform us of the real truth behind the surface level perception. We should hope to draw from the deep/level culture instead.

Deep-level culture

Deep-level culture differences are those that represent the deeply-rooted traditions, beliefs and dvalues within us that we have been raised to belief and follow. These include myths and legends passed down from generation to generation, such as stories about the origin of the world and traditions regarding births, weddings or deaths. Deep-level culture elements range from different expectations about, for example, relationships, problem solving and communication, or relate to religion, morality and responsibility. This shared world view by members of the same cultural group is a central characteristic of that culture. Different cultures also have distinctive concepts of space, time and reality. What might seem like a long wait in one culture, could be seen as an acceptable delay in another. Deep-level values inform an awareness of what is considered “good” or “bad”, “fair” or “unfair” that influence aactions and behaviors. They can also serve as the explanatory logic that justifies verbal and nonverbal behaviour.

It is the deep-level cultural differences that tend to be the source of the most contention when interacting across cultures, as they are less evident. Although we typically notice the surface level differences when we first meet someone, we soon become aware of the deep level difference, and hopefully are able to supersede these to understand the person’s actual individual personality.

Benefits of Intercultural Communication

Introduction

It is impossible to live in the world without interacting with others and thereby communication has become an essential part in life.Intercultural communication or communication between people of distinct cultural environment has always been and will possibly remain an important prerequisite, of human co-existance on earth. the ability to successfully form, foster, and improve relationships with members of a culture different from one’s own…is based on knowledge of many factors, such as the other culture’s values, perceptions, manners, social structure, and decision-making practices, and an understanding of how members of the group communicate verbally, non-verbally, in person, in writing, and in various business and social contexts (Shum Su Kei & Rashad Yazdanifard, Jan 2015).

Here in the chapter, the author describes various opportunities and challenges of intercultural communication in a global market place and the ways to succeed in dealing the restricting attitudes like ethnocentrism and stereotyping. Also tells the need of understanding cultural differences by quoting the six groups of it. Most importantly he endorses seven points to write understandably in global business multilanguage environment. In this assignment, I will be discussing about the advantages and challenges of intercultural communication, importance of cultural pluralism to overcome the barriers, and how to improve intercultural communication skills.

Powerful intercultural communication helps to get rid of communication deterrents like language barriers and stereotypes from international business. As a consequence of the rapid development of international business, more attention is being paid to the importance of intercultural communication (Shum Su Kei & Rashad Yazdanifard, Jan 2015) intercultural communication is particularly important to avoid conflict caused by a diverse cultural working environment.

ADVANTAGES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

The most important advantage of having intercultural communication is multi viewpoint.People from different backgrounds bring their own unique cultural experiences to the real time situations in the business activities and thereby distinct and innovative ideas mix together to resolve any business conflicts amicably. Here in chapter, Gordon Nixon says” if we succeed at leveraging the current and workforce, we will have unrivalled advantage. But if we fail we will pay a heavy opportunity cost for our citizens and will face an uphill battle to maintain, let alone enhance, our quality of life”. The second advantage is immense scope for the companies with multi cultural workers since they can uplift their business to worldwide recognition,for example, the company is capable of spending more of their time and resources to engage in business instead of solving internal and external communication problems (Hilton, 2007).

CHALLENGES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Employees in firms come from various walks of life and distinct cultures thus resulting in different personalities. When such diverse individuals work in a firm to achieve a common goal, it is common that the disputes between personalities occur, causing interpersonal tension, resentment and frustration (Jia-Chi, 2010).This can lead to a decline in overall group performance.

Ethnocentrism:It is generally a disposition where a group of people believe that their values, beliefs, standards and norms are superior to that of others.(Vincent A. Onodugo1 , Bamidele S. Adeleke2 , Ruby N. Ike, Feb- 2017).Ethnocentric persons encourages in-group relationships and competes with out-group members.Although ethnocentrism is generally thought to be a negative trait, Sharma, Shimp, and Shin argue that ethnocentrism fosters in-group survival, solidarity, conformity, cooperation, loyalty, and effectiveness(S. Sharma,. Shimp, T.A. and Shin, J.1995)

Stereotyping:Stereotypes are standardized and simplified grouping conceptions based on some prior premises.For instance, African stereotype: Television, books, comic strips, and movies are all abundant sources of stereotyped characters. For much of its history, the movie industry depicted African-Americans as being unintelligent, lazy, or violence-prone and all African Americans outside of the United States are poor. As a result of watching these stereotyped pictures of African-Americans, for example, prejudice against African-Americans has been encouraged (Teacher, Law. (November 2013)

The above barriers can be tackled by avoiding assumptions, judgements and accepting the differences between cultures.

IMPROVING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

STUDYING OTHER CULTURES

It is becoming clear that for building communities that are successful at upgrading conditions and fixing problems, we must understand and appreciate many cultures, initiates relationships with people from cultures other than our own, and build strong alliances with various cultural groups. Each culture has a unique strength and outlook that the larger company can benefit from. We are in need of wide range of ideas and brilliance to sort out issues and thereby promote fresh perspectives. Since understanding different cultural aspects will help us to tackle and deter racial and ethnic divisions. In the decision making procedure, people from different culture have to be present in order for policies to be effective and fruitful.

STUDYING OTHER LANGUAGES

Learning different languages creates job assurance. When the working atmosphere becomes global, It is indispensable that the employees do what it takes to stick on to their work. The individuals who can speak multiple languages are well ahead of their challenger in the workplace. The capability of speaking different languages not only creates job security but also results into career promotion. While doing a business with someone abroad over telephone, the mastery for interaction is inevitable. Learning other language is necessary for flourishing global relationships. Global relations are paramount for global recognition and universal thinking. When people learn multiple languages, their worldview changes for one step ahead

WRITING CLEARLY

The written word generally stands in place of a spoken word. The attributes of good writing are meeting reader’s expectation, clear and concise, efficient and effective. While writing, the first thing we need to consider is to place words appropriately since it has the ability to carry the meanings so far, the next recommendation is be concise, it’s better for easier understanding by keeping the words simpler. The third recommendation is using transition phrases for the readers to get the continuity of meanings. Avoid using native slangs for getting confusion among the audience is the next

CONCLUSION

In my point of view, the author is successfully executed his work by instilling the importance of intercultural communication both in the business environment and in the social structure by presenting his innovative thoughts to the readers in the simplest way. I understood that one of the most important skills that an employer seeks is the ability to communicate and is the universal talent including the ability to speak and understand other languages. In the communication process, when the reporter is well aware of the way of conduct of others, will eventually leads to high quality intercultural communication. I totally recommend this text to others to get a deep insight of intercultural communication in this competitive business environment.

REFERENCES

  1. The Significance of Intercultural Communication for Businesses and the Obstacles that Managers should Overcome in Achieving Effective Intercultural Communication jan 2015 by Shum Su Kei & Rashad Yazdanifard
  2. Ethnocentric Behaviour and Business Performance of Multinational Enterprises (MNES): Evidence From South-West Nigeria Vincent A. Onodugo1,Bamidele S. Adeleke2 , Ruby N. Ike3*[Vol-3, Issue-2, Feb- 2017]
  3. Ethno-diff approach S. Sharma,.Shimp, T.A. and Shin, J. Consumer Ethnocentrism: A Test of Antecedents and Moderators, in: Paper presented at AIB meeting, Nov., 1-51. 1995. Limk:file:///C:/Users/HP/Desktop/annie%20docs/17IJAEMS-JAN-2017-23-EthnocentricBehaviourandBusinessPerformance.pdf
  4. Stereotyping Teacher, Law. (November 2013). Discrimination and Stereotypes in the Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/employment-law/discrimination-and-stereotypes-in-the-workplace-employment-law-essay.php?vref=1 https://www.ukessays.com/essays/psychology/intercultural-communication-advantages-6849.php
  5. Essays, UK. (November 2018). Intercultural Communication Advantages and Disadvantages. Retrieved from https://www.ukessays.com/essays/psychology/intercultural-communication-advantages-6849.php?vref=1Essays, UK. (November 2018). Intercultural Communication Advantages and Disadvantages. Retrieved from https://www.ukessays.com/essays/psychology/intercultural-communication-advantages-6849.php?vref=1

The Importance And Technology Of Intercultural Communication

Globalization advancements have put intercultural correspondence at the most important places of many examine. A few people concentrating on cooperation, culture and the character of social components, morals, connection and furthermore culture obstructions. Intercultural interchanges is the verbal and non-verbal associations among people from various social foundations. It implies how culture influences correspondence. It describes a major scope of correspondence procedure and issues that normally show up in the public arena from various religious, social, ethnic, act, impart and understands the world. This essay first investigates about the intercultural communities on the world. And then factors that tells the benefits of technology and intercultural communication in the professional environment.

Firstly, Intercultural communication is the ability to think, discriminate the differences, manage the experiences and build an efficient communication with individuals who are from other cultures in the multicultural world. Lots of people show a greater capacity to get different viewpoints from other socities such as international languages. Apart from this, they can integrate with other cultures (Lustig and Koester, 2009). Each part of interactions has been influenced from another part, because the behavior of the first part is having an impact on another part. Furthermore, connections among intercultural service may establish the barrier due to some dissimilarities in behavioral norms (Lustig and Koester, 2009). Thus, individuals with high integrate shows more respect and responsive for individuals from other cultures, respond to unfamiliar behaviors in a non-judgmental way without showing visible or discomfort (Sharma et al., 2012). Moreover they use their knowledge and experience about other cultures to manage various expectations and reduce the uncertainties of intercultural service encounters during the service delivery, compared to those with lower Intercultural communication Competence (Wang and Mattila 2011; Lustig and Koester, 2009). Although, interaction comfort has significant impact on achieving, a satisfactory outcome that is particularly related customers collaboration (Sharma et al., 2012). However, expectations or perceptions and interactions of customers in the service marketing literature have been tested without intercultural communication in past decades(Wang and Mattila, 2010; Yu et al., 2001).

As indicated by the University of Southern California, culture is comprehensive. However, what is worthy for culture may not be for another. In spite of what some may trust, culture is found out and regularly ‘showed inside limits of worthy conduct’. Some social boundaries incorporate the constraints of conscious attention to social models (for example what is satisfactory in the US may be illicit or humiliating in other country).Furthermore, societies are continually subject to change, yet that does not really imply that change will happen. The most usually seen language contrast is the setting of verbal correspondence; in any case, nonverbal correspondence explicitly through innovation can affect language issues as much as, if not more than, verbal hindrances. Culture is connected to thoughts, beliefs, and traditions that can incorporate numerous variables (for example how an individual talks, conveys themselves, what they eat, the laws of their way of life, et al). Language is an expressive type of reasoning that can be an advantage or a hindrance when managing diverse societies. Moreover, when cultures or countries differ in behavior, culture may be integrated into theoretical and empirical research of diffusion models so that it can be evidenced that different cultural setting create highly conspicuous differences in customer behavior (Shekarchizadeh et al., 2011).

Technology communication is another most important factor in the modern world. The most well-known and routinely utilized innovations in current world are the internet such as e-mail, instant messaging, blogs and chat rooms. Nowadays people around the world are widely independent on the technological communication because it is more effective and easy to use that saves the time and also costs. Every individual are able to talk to each other through technologies than ever before. Instant messaging is also an increasingly popular form of communication. A study by the Pew internet and American life project found that 53 million people use instant message. Instant message is a text based form of communication in which two or more people exchange text messages in real time using the internet. Today, social anxiety, social phobia and shyness are features that seen every individuals of all ages. Auter (2007) researched that some of them related to young adults and adolescents use the cell phone differently than their parents and other older users. A recent Pew internet research study found that approximately 33% of teens have a cell phone. Moreover, communication technology is a crucial role to mitigate the solve the problems of staff services quality. It provides a better information communication system provides a good communication system and shows a good image to customer which increase the e-logistic performance. It also provides the facility to design websites. In future, these communication technologies through technological will become more scientific.

Intercultural communication and technological communication has lots of advantages but on the other hand there are lots of disadvantages as well. Increasing intercultural skills and intercultural competency can decrease the incidence of overgeneralization (Varner & Beamer 2011). Alder (2008) added specific communication-related disadvantages of cultural diversity in the workplace. The impacts of cultural diversity on problem-solving, decision-making which stands or falls on the quality of the communication process. On the other hand, in technology communication problems occur when the network goes down, the technology does not work, or the team member needs more training in how to use the electronic tools. Further, face-to-face conference are also creates many problems such as people cannot express their viewpoints confidentially.

In conclusion, this essay explored the importance of intercultural communication and also technology communication. In addition, it shows that how communication plays a vital role in every individuals life in the world. Another positive effect of the communication is that people are learning about the intercultural communication and technology communication because it . Everyone is using technology for making their life easier and better communities. Moreover, it also showed some drawbacks of these communications. Overall, this essay belief that technologies positively increase intercultural communication and act as a bridge among people who are from different cultures.

References

  1. Dodd, C.H. (1998). Dynamics of Intercultural communication (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-hill.

The Approaches Of Multiculturalism And Interculturalism In Modern Europe

Multiculturalism is a project of coexistence of different ethnic, cultural and ethnic communities with different religions, languages and races. Is multiculturalism still a useful tool when talking about European society? Why (not)? What other paradigms may be useful for discussing the changing societal and demographic dynamics in modern Europe? In this essay, I will discuss three possible approaches to this pressing yet complex issue.

In the first aspect to answer this question, we begin by taking a closer look at the effects of multiculturalism in European society. There are many people who migrate to Europe because of economic reasons or civil wars etc. Multicultural societies with different forms of cultural diversity can react in different ways. We either positively influence the cultural diversity, placing ourselves into the centre of it to understand it and assert cultural respect or assimilate by blending in with the culture of the majority. The aim of multiculturalism has gained meaning on the basis of the coexistence of different religions, identities, races and all different cultures, is that all cultures live together without conflict. It is my view that immigrants can offer their knowledge and experience of their culture. The benefits being that their innovation and creativity can bring about an increase in prosperity to the country in which they live. Immigrants can enrich the cultural diversity of the area by introducing new food, music, traditions, beliefs and interests. On the other hand however, some people may not perceive it in such a positive way believing multiculturalism is not the way forward. This is on the basis of that communities naturally have different cultures and that they are being forced to coexist. The intensification of the world population from one side and the sense of sovereignty on the other hand constitute the dynamics of this process. I believe that globalisation has both positive and negative aspects. The positive being that as a result of globalization, society will have intercultural mobility and communication has become easier as a result. However with the increasing role of transnational institutions and migration, it has become impossible for there to be a pure race, nation. More so with the contribution of modernism, as this change and transformation have made it inevitable. There are some politicians in the European community who are not in favour of multiculturalism feeling cultural differences prevent adaptation and integration of ethnic groups into their local society. Immigrants who are not open to mixing with their local communities, desperate to hold on to their culture and beliefs risk excluding themselves from their community. An example of this being in 2010 German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared that integration of a multicultural society had completely failed in Germany (BBC News, 2010). According to Merkel, the notion that people from different cultures could live happily side by side was not successful given the fact that immigrants in Germany could not be integrated into German society. According to Kennan Mali’s multiculturalism criticism, Europe has allowed excessive immigration without demanding enough integration—a mismatch that has eroded social cohesion, undermined national identities, and degraded public trust. Multiculturalism’s proponents, on the other hand, counter that the problem is not too much diversity but too much racism. For example Germany’s Bielefeld University in 2005, suggested that three out of four Germans believed that Muslim culture did not fit into the Western world. Anti-Muslim groups, such as Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West are on the rise, and anti-immigration protests held in cities across the country were some of the largest in recent memory. Many German politicians, including Merkel, stood firm against the anti-Muslim movement, although they believed in multiculturalism failure. But the damage has already been done.

The second aspect in answer to the question, can we focus on alternatives outside of multiculturalism and analyse current political, social and cultural change in Europe besides multiculturalism. Multicultural relations are where people stand alongside one another, but each cultural group is isolated from the other. Interculturalism presents a new set of policies and programmes. It seeks to replace multiculturalism and provide a new paradigm for thinking about race and diversity. Multiculturalism may have had some success in the past but it has simply not adapted to the new age of globalisation and super diversity. Interculturalism offers us that relinquish the old politics of identity and that rather than constantly undermine difference, we need to value what we have in common and whilst retaining our identity. It has a number of key attributes that make it well suited to addressing not only some of the key challenges that modern Britain faces, but also some of the shortcomings of earlier multicultural and community cohesion approaches. In that initiative, inter culturalism was conceived of as ‘part of our shared vision of an intercultural Europe which values human dignity, civic participation and respect for diversity as the foundation stones for socially and economically strong communities. Interculturalism has strong policy advocates in Canada and Britain. Its strongest institutional base, however, is in continental Europe. The Council of Europe has supported the Intercultural Cities Program for more than a decade. Bypassing the unproductive debates raging at the national level in many member states, this program tackles issues of cultural diversity and migrant settlement at the city level. More than 100 cities, mostly in Europe but also in Canada and Mexico, are adopting its pioneering approach. It builds on key principles already present in Australian multicultural policy. These include public recognition of diversity and difference, protection from discrimination, and consultation across perceived cultural divides. Furthermore, the concept of interculturality generally includes transculturality; interactions between cultures generally change the cultures themselves. For example, the Egyptian Coptic community in Graz, Austria, is not the same as Coptic communities in Egypt, because the people in Graz have adapted to their situation in Graz. During that time they may not have adapted to changing social and political constraints in Egypt. So it can change with time as a function of their changing situations, aspirations, constraints and intercultural interactions. So the word integration is often used in the general sense of a solution to problems of interculturalism. According to me, this integration protect to peace and show greater development in society.

The third aspect, we will compare and contrast between interculturalism and multiculturalism in Modern Europe societies. Valuing people of mixed race, nationality on an equal basis to those who claim a single identity .I am of the view that interculturalism may be a useful paradigm for Europe. Because in multiculturalism people live alongside one another, but each cultural group does not necessarily engage not interact with each other. An example being that in a multicultural society people may frequent ethnic restaurants but they may not be interacting with their neighbours from other countries. However intercultural communication focuses on the mutual exchange of ideas and cultural norms and the development of deep relationships. Interculturalism is constructed around the multifaceted nature of difference, whereas, multiculturalism was founded and remained rooted on the outmoded concept of race. Multiculturalism generally developed throughout Europe into a policy based on ethnic difference and faith divisions, some of which were identified as “racial” groups for the purposes of public policy and essentially became viewed in much the same primordial sense. And, in terms of the “failure of multiculturalism” referred to earlier, they became understood in this way. Kymlicka shares argument that interculturalism is not sufficiently different from multiculturalism to be an advance on it (2010 and 2012) but has argued that there may still be a pragmatic case for pretending otherwise. As it is clear that as some of the advocates of broadly multiculturalist policies, especially those able to influence European governments, have given up on the term “multiculturalism” in favour of “interculturalism” progressive intellectuals should consider abandoning the term “multiculturalism”. (Kymlicka 2012). In addition, it needs to be recognised that interculturalism and multiculturalism share a number of common features, including the need for the reasonable accommodation of minority beliefs and practices, and the need to tackle deeper structural inequalities and disadvantages. However, there are also some substantive differences in points of view within this debate. Some authors such as Meer and Modood argue that all of the supposedly distinctive characteristics of interculturalism are already present within some previous formulations of multiculturalism, while other authors such as Cantle and Bouchard argue that while interculturalism builds upon some important aspects of multiculturalism, they nevertheless represent two very different approaches. While a process of comparing and contrasting formulations is one way in which to examine whether or not interculturalism and multiculturalism differ, another way is that determine to is which is useful in society. Moreover, Nasar Meer and Tariq Modood have very different perspective. They argue that interculturalism is usually contrasted positively with multiculturalism in four main ways: firstly, interculturalism is more committed to interaction and dialogue than multiculturalism; secondly, interculturalism puts less emphasis on groups and group identities than multiculturalism; thirdly, interculturalism is more committed to a sense of the whole and to societal cohesion than multiculturalism; and fourthly, interculturalism is less relativistic and less tolerant of illiberal cultural practices than multiculturalism. When look at from a wide frame, interculturalism is more dominant than multiculturalism.

In my conclusion, I considered this essay by three approaches such as failed of multiculturalism, interculturalism and compare and contrast between them. Firstly, multicultural theory is fraught with contradictions of an order that make it highly unlikely that it could ever have achieved its aims. But it is the empirical evidence on multiculturalism in practice that really highlights its inadequacies. It would appear that multiculturalism has failed the people it was meant to benefit. Multiculturalism has presented contradictions in European society. I believe that one part of society felt it was positive whilst the other side perceived it to be negative. As well as, multiculturalism has its own contradictions and approaches, such as intervening in cultural groups or advocating non-intervention. There are some politicians in the European community who are not in favour of multiculturalism feeling cultural differences prevent adaptation and integration of ethnic groups into their local society.For example Merkel and Kenen Malik mention about multiculturalism like a mismatch that has eroded social cohesion, overthrow national identities, and degraded public trust. Because some minorities want to sustain their culture in host societies. When everything is taken into consideration, the alternative interculturalism is far more appealing and has a better chance of succeeding in European society as it encourages and advises that we give up the old politics of identity and it requires us to value what we have in common. Even if some authors and politicians believe that there are no major difference between multiculturalism and interculturalism, I think there is major distinctness. Interculturalism always attempt that we need to value the common thing we need instead of underlining the difference. There are so many interculturalism policy supporters in Canada and England. The idea for interculturality for the most part incorporates transculturality; acculturation between societies always transform cultures themselves. For instance, For example, the Turkish community in Germany is not the same as Turkish community in Turkey, because the people have adapted to their situation in Germany. During that time they may not have adapted to changing social and political constraints in Turkey. So it can change with time as a function of their changing situations and intercultural interactions. This is why assimilation is an important concept for minorities to peaceful coexistence. Finally, in my writing, I evaluated the concepts of multiculturalism and interculturalism in a comparative way to understand which is more useful. In view for multiculturalism, people are living together, yet all the each social bunch doesn’t so much participate not connect for one another. An example being that in a people can be in common area but they may not be interacting with their neighbours from other countries. The reality of this of course in a multicultural society may be that people may continue their lives without interacting with their neighbours from other minority communities. But intercultural communication focuses on the coexistence of ideas and cultural paradigm and the growth of deep relationship also researched the views of some philosophers, writers, researchers about multicultural and intercultural. Some authors, for example, Meer and Modood, support that every each of the alleged features of interculturalism already exists in the multicultural’s few formulation..Also same time different writers for example, Cantle and Bouchard argue that interculturalism is based on significant form of multiculturalism. Moreover, I mentioned that there is a different point of view of Meer and Modood. They argue that interculturalism based on some main ways; interculturalism is based on communication and conversation, less attention about people’s identity, importance to social integration.

So in my opinion, ıf one of the two terms is to be retained, it should be “interculturalism”. Because interculturalism shows us that renounce the old politics of identity and that rather than constantly emphasize difference, we need to value what we have in common identity. Weighing up both sides of the argument, this theme makes me think that interculturalism is well placed to balance the normative identity claims of the majority and the minorities.

Intercultural Communication: Elements And Effectiveness

INTRODUCTION

The term “intercultural communique” changed into finished in Edward T. Hall’s (1959) influential ebook, The Silent Language, and Hall is usually referred to to be the founding father of the field (Leeds-Hurwitz, 1990; Rogers and Steinfatt, 1999). Hall emerge as born in St. Louis, but grew up in particular within the American Southwest.

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Intercultural verbal exchange (or pass-cultural conversation) is a area that studies communique in the course of amazing cultures and social organizations, or how lifestyle influences communication. It describes the good sized shape of communication techniques and issues that without a doubt seem interior an company or social context crafted from humans from specific religious, social, ethnic, and educational backgrounds. In this experience it seeks to understand how humans from splendid worldwide locations and cultures act, communicate and apprehend the vicinity spherical them. Many human beings in intercultural enterprise communication argue that way of life determines how humans encode messages, what medium they pick out out out out out for transmitting them, and the way messages are interpreted

Elements of intercultural communication

Intercultural communication is a completely precise region of have a check with a focal point on communication and cultural data and identification. People from wonderful races and cultures have a great deal to provide. By interacting with them in a powerful manner, and searching out to apprehend them, you can discover approximately notable international locations and customs, growth your personal outlook on lifestyles and increase your database of understanding.

These cultural versions can extend themselves to:

  • the way wherein humans of various cultures deal with every brilliant
  • what stage of formality or informality makes humans secure
  • non-verbal behaviour, in terms of eye touch, hand gestures, physical proximity and so forth
  • non-public grooming along issue dress code and hygiene problems.

Three cultural factors have the capability to have an impact on situations wherein humans from splendid backgrounds come collectively: They are:

  • notion
  • verbal strategies
  • non-verbal techniques.

Global interconnectivity has made intercultural communique essential for any company. Intercultural communication takes area with people of severa cultures discussing and speakme. Businesses proceeding to perform globally have to put money into intercultural education for their frame of personnel to experience the massive benefits. Effective intercultural communication produces advantages together with worker productivity and teamwork.

Global interconnectivity has made intercultural conversation critical for any organisation. Intercultural conversation takes area with human beings of severa cultures discussing and speakme. Businesses proceeding to perform globally need to spend money on intercultural education for his or her employees to experience the massive advantages. Effective intercultural communique produces benefits collectively with employee productiveness and teamwork.

Productivity and Proficiency

Intercultural communique allows employees from excellent ethnic backgrounds to talk efficiently with each exquisite. It moreover courses the manipulate competencies to layout guidelines that embody the variety inside the employer corporation, allowing every member to be inexperienced and gifted of their duties. Since personnel are well professional in intercultural communication, it gets rid of false impression and dissatisfaction which can rise up if personnel’ desires are not located into hobby at the equal time as growing pointers, making plans for conferences, and designing incentive schemes. Satisfied employees are able to hobby on their responsibilities, thereby developing productivity.

Teamwork

Intercultural communication fosters teamwork in an employer. It allows personnel to understand every particular’s cultural versions, and to speak correctly with out misconception. With a achievement intercultural verbal exchange, personnel recognize the have an effect on of way of existence on peoples’ conduct and communique dispositions. This enhances teamwork, as colleagues apprehend each one-of-a-kind’s cultural facts, specific skills and abilities, that is high to the easy taking walks of company company. Since personnel are aware about their colleagues’ cultural impacts, intercultural verbal exchange gets rid of stereotyping — a risk to powerful conversation and corporation artwork

Global Business Edge

Successful intercultural communication offers an corporation organization employer a global commercial organization employer issue. Training employees in intercultural communication offers an commercial employer organization a success negotiation competencies in the global market of numerous cultures. A corporation company commercial enterprise corporation venturing its employer in Africa also can moreover have a receptive welcome if it’s miles acquainted with important cultural factors vital to business enterprise organization transactions. Some cultural dispositions crucial to transacting industrial enterprise enterprise in Africa are time, religion, handshakes, conversation techniques and apprehend towards seniors. A enterprise organization this is aware the significance of bypass-cultural communique has benefits in launching its corporation globally over a organization company that has no longer invested in it.

Effective Leadership

Intercultural communication moreover fosters effective control in an commercial company company. Modern agencies are composed of numerous humans, and managers are predicted to guide their organizations thru developing know-how of the organisation’s recommendations at the equal time as accommodating the severa perspectives of his agency. A organization that equips its control institution in intercultural schooling lets in them to encourage their groups, irrespective of their cultural facts. Intercultural schooling builds effective communication, that may be a step inside the path of effective leadership.

Conditions for effective, intercultural communique are the subsequent:

  • recognize for unique cultures
  • reputation of numerous cultures and absolutely very very private culture
  • records of various cultural codes
  • social abilties to bridge versions
  • Make touch amongst men and women; met human beings, no longer a manner of lifestyles

References

  1. Allwood, J.(2003).Intercultural Communication. Retrieved from: http://www.Immi.Se/intercultural/
  2. Applegate, James & Sypher, Howard. (1988).A Constructivist Theory of Communication and Culture”, in Kim, Young Y & Gudykunst, William B. (eds.): Theories in Intercultural Communication.
  3. Intercultural Communication: Globalization and Social Justice(1 ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. 2013. ISBN 978-1412927444.
  4. Arizaga, M., Bauman,S.,Waldo,M.,and Castellanos,L.P.(2005).Multicultural Sensitivity and Interpersonal abilties schooling for pre employer instructors. Journal of humanities counseling, training and development forty 4(1), 198-208.

Importance Of Intercultural And Technological Communications In Professional Environments

Introduction

The communications form the base of the meaning of sharing ideas, issues and thoughts to others where the global businesses have made the inter-cultural communications as the chief of the process adopted. Hence communication stands as the pillar for the business interactions and its growth and development in the days of competitions and interchange of ideas which is based on the established norms and ways which makes it understood by all. The entire idea of communications is to make the people aware of the needs and get the same which makes the communication complete and effective forming a relationship which makes the issues important for the business in the long term. Hence the inter-cultural communication is much more complex than any ordinary communications where communication is the basis of existence for all business works and processes (Canals, 2016). The case of Samsung, the largest mobile phone technology provider and manufacturer is one example. The business is based out of South Korea and is expanded all across the globe where the Android application is used and well received.

Importance of intercultural and technological communications in professional environments

The use of communication is to get two or more people together for the long term where the shared beliefs, cultural norms, cultural perspectives are of utmost importance to manage for the best of business gains when the business is multinational and multicultural. In the case of Samsung, the intercultural communication is widely used as the tool of multiple group communication which is diverse and so the cultural norms and shared values are considered for the specific market for the communication language and styles. Samsung is north Korean but is the largest mobile phone seller of Android platform where it has made a good multicultural business model where all cultures are given special interest and care to make the product promotions and business communications with the stakeholders there outside South Korea possible to make the business rank number 1 in mobile phone markets. However, since communication happens between two or more groups it makes the views of the world more extensive and thus absorbs the needful aspects of the global business doing projects where it is very much involved in (Lie and Shrikant, 2019). For example, South Korea has made an outlet for assembly and program installation in India which has given the business a great boost in its intercultural communication excellence.

India is a nation of good professionals of technology and promotion managers who are well versed in the most spoken languages like English or Hindi its local langrage to suite the South Korean business to have a more dominant role in other language and cultural sphere to be more competitive. The professionals are good in English so the designs of the logo, material for Europe or US promotions are made here along with the needful changes for the language options and various other multicultural aspects are been added to the phone so that it is well adjusted for the days ahead (News.samsung.com, 2019). The communication for the business too is developed in a way that it has an idea from the very early stages what the demand is going to be so that they may make the phones and its areas accordingly for the sales in the various markets that it is in. This makes the business do the survey in various markets where the intercultural communication plays a big role and the business of Samsung has outsourced it to the local players in survey doing to make the needful predictions with hard facts and figures. It’s very evident for the business of Samsung to see how it has incorporated the various cultures and ethnicities into the business in its large global expanse to be valid and competitive in such markets where they have a presence. The use of local knowledge and cultural aspects and communication ways are important to be understood. The precision of the information can be translated into various written form with the modern-day technology like Google Translate which makes the written or spoken communication as good as real-life communication if done well with subtitles or with efficient use of its cultural diversity to send messages to the stakeholders in all corners of the globe (Ladegaard and Jenks, 2015).

The aspects of intercultural communications are regarded as the key to Samsung’s business model in the global dominance with its mobile phones. It is important for the business to have good communication to make all its employees all across the globe about the recent developments, features of the new product, sales promotion ideas, pricing and various aspects of the product which is given by the business to its global stakeholders. In such a case the communication effectiveness plays an important role where the cultural norms and shared perspectives have its ways to share the needful among the people with stakes with the business. The intercultural communications are much more challenging as it occurs between various groups of people with diverse identity and demographics. In here it is to signify that Samsung has developed a good inter-business communication with various aspects in mind to as to make the communications successful all across its business levels in various economies. The settings of communication in real-time too is achieved which is pan-global and with various techniques which makes the stakeholders or the business leaders of the brand from those nations understand the needful and execute them.

Conclusion

The scope that the business has generated with the intercultural communication is huge and very distinct from various other businesses like the competitors of those local markets, thus maintaining the trading partners and cultural communications are vital for the businesses which make the communications with trading partners and stakeholders of various regions across the globe possible with efficiency for the needful outcomes as desired by the business leaders (Kolinko, 2019).

References

  1. Canals, E. (2016). Intercultural Communication: A Critical Introduction. Language and Intercultural Communication, 12(2), pp.167-169.
  2. Kolinko, M. (2019). Intercultural Communication: from Distinction to Inclusion. Intercultural Communication, 1(6), pp.189-212.
  3. Ladegaard, H. and Jenks, C. (2015). Language and intercultural communication in the workplace: critical approaches to theory and practice. Language and Intercultural Communication, 15(1), pp.1-12.
  4. Lie, S. and Shrikant, N. (2019). Stretching the boundaries of international and intercultural communication research. Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, 12(2), pp.105-110.
  5. News.samsung.com. (2019). Samsung Global Newsroom – All the latest news, key facts and inspiring stories about Samsung Electronics.. [online] Available at: https://news.samsung.com/global/ [Accessed 28 Aug. 2019].

Personal Experiences Of Intercultural Communication: Opinion Essay

Introduction:

In this essay, I will demonstrate my understanding of intercultural communication by describing three experiences of intercultural communication. The main viewpoints discussed in the three different communication experiences are the diversity of language and culture, cultural beliefs, and the values formed by collectivism and individualism. These viewpoints not only help me to have new understanding and views on intercultural communication but also help me to strengthen my communication with others. Culture is not a fixed but a dynamic existence. Because of the intersection of race, nationality, language, belief, and so on, different cultural identities are produced (Xu 2006, p. 114). Different intercultural communication processes help me to improve my cultural identity.

Body:

Experience 1:

Language difference is the first experience of intercultural communication in my life. A nation’s social culture has been influenced by lifestyle, values, and psychological characteristics for a long time. The cultural differences in language reflect the huge differences between Chinese and western social cultures (Hou 2011, P. 186). When I first came to Adelaide, I often made mistakes in language communication and understanding because of the grammatical differences between Chinese and Western languages. One of my most memorable experiences was that I lost my mobile phone while shopping in the rundle mall and then finally I found it. My friend said ‘Luck Dog’ to me when she knew the thing. I was angry at the moment because I thought she was abusing me. I didn’t know until later that ‘Luck Dog’ has the same meaning as ‘Fortune’ and It is a commendatory word. People from different cultural backgrounds tend to take their own country’s culture as their background. Influenced by culture, people from different ways of thinking, values, and language understanding (Hou 2011, p. 186). People know that ‘dog’ is a derogatory and abusive word in China. For example, ‘A cornered dog will lead over a wall’, ‘To rally others because of one’s master’s power and position’ and other words are ironic. My Indian classmate told me that the status of ‘dog’ in India is the same as that in China. Indians think it’s one of the most unlucky animals in the world, so people keep dogs away from weddings, altars, and sacred places. But my Australian classmates told me that dog is more commendatory in the West. Because of being in a multicultural environment, students often have differences in language communication. Language is not only a carrier of culture but also a form of intercultural communication. Different languages are derived from different cultural backgrounds of different countries, and cultural diversity leads to differences in language in intercultural communication (Pu 2012, P. 187).

In the process of intercultural communication, if language leaves the connotation of culture, it will become different (Kemmerer 2019, P. 5). When I came to Adelaide, I found that the first sentence that people usually say when they meet is ‘Hi, how are you?’ On the same occasion, Chinese people usually say, ‘Have you eaten yet’? Or ask, ‘Where are you going? ‘,’ Have you eaten? ‘. In western countries, if you use this kind of greeting, most Westerners will think that you are a violation of their private life. These greetings don’t need people to really answer in Chinese culture. People don’t want to know what you ate or where you went in the morning. It’s just a greeting. What Westerners hold is an independent self-concept, which is relatively independent. What Westerners hold is an independent self-view, which is relatively independent. Therefore, Westerners pay attention to personal privacy and independence in communication, always starting from the standpoint of individualism and emphasizing individuality (Pu 2012, P. 188). However, Chinese people’s dependent self-concept lacks relative stability and independence. This kind of self-concept thinks that life will be meaningful only if we put ourselves in the proper social relationship. Therefore, Chinese people like to disclose their private affairs without reservation when they communicate with others. It seems that only in this way can they show sincerity in communication with others (Pu 2012, P. 188).

Language reflects the characteristics of a nation, and it contains the nation’s attitude towards outlook on life, way of life, and way of thinking. With the development of globalization and the increase of cross-cultural communication activities, the encounter of different cultures will inevitably lead to conflicts. Culture and language are inseparable. When we understand language, we must understand its corresponding culture, and when we understand a culture, we must understand the corresponding language. To avoid unnecessary misunderstanding in intercultural communication, we should not only master pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary but also understand the real meaning of language in different contexts and environments to avoid causing cultural conflicts. At the same time, we will learn to respect cultural differences and embrace cultural diversity.

Experience 2:

The second experience of cross-cultural communication is the difference between Chinese and Western students’ classroom models. The education model in China is different from that in the West. In China, students have to raise their hands and stand up to answer questions in class. The most important thing is that students must abide by the discipline in class and not violate anything the teacher says. When I came to Australia, I found that in class we can discuss problems as we like, and teachers also encourage students to speak actively in class discussions. Different cultural backgrounds lead to the differences between Chinese and western education models. In terms of cultural development background, the Chinese nation has been deeply influenced by Confucian culture for thousands of years and has always followed the principle of ‘Honour the teacher and respect his teaching’. This idea is not only a cultural belief of most Chinese people but also a reverence for Confucian culture for thousands of years (Shao & Li 2005, P. 26). The traditional Chinese culture, with Confucianism as its core, holds that there are differences in dignity and inferiority. This strong sense of hierarchy is also reflected in China’s educational ideology, in which teachers are shaped like objects that students worship and cannot be looked down upon (Shao & Li 2005, P. 27). The concept of hierarchy and authority in Chinese education has led to the gradual erosion of students’ unique and critical thinking and has become rigid and blind. It can be said that Confucianism has influenced the national character, social psychology, and value orientation of China for thousands of years (Shao & Li 2005, P. 27). But it is this cultural belief that leads to the backward teaching mode in China. It imprisons students’ thinking ability and hinders the development of students’ personality. On the contrary, what is different from China is that what the West pursues is the educational idea of humanism. In the process of education, teachers play the role of equal communication with students (Power 1991, P. 12). This humanistic education concept mainly emphasizes the education process itself, focuses on the cultivation of students’ independent learning ability, gives them freedom, and stimulates their innovation ability (Power 1991, P. 12).

Historical background and national economy are also the reasons for this difference. The highly centralized feudal society occupies the main position in China’s five thousand-year histories. This ideology directly leads to the fact that the old habit of modern Chinese people’s obedience to authority and blind obedience to elders still exists , and the long-term autocracy of imperial power led to the unification of the teaching content of exam-oriented education in China, and the evaluation standard was the score(Yang 2012, P. 166). Coupled with China’s long-term self-sufficient small-scale peasant economy, the Chinese people’s laziness is intensified. In the process of learning, teachers tend to instill it unilaterally (Yang 2012, P. 166). However, economic activities in western countries are mainly commercial activities. Coupled with historical events such as the Renaissance, the Independence Movement, and the Industrial Revolution, freedom, democracy, and human rights have received further attention. (Power 1991, P. 10).

The historical and cultural background of the country and the historical development of the economy affect the formation and development process of the education model. In the process of this cultural exchange experience, I think intercultural is a multi-faceted exchange. In the process of communication, we can see the advantages and disadvantages of Chinese and western educational models. For different educational models, the Chinese and western should take the essence of each other and remove its dross.

Experience 3:

‘Go Dutch’ is my third experience with intercultural communication. Once when I was checking out with my friend at Chinatown, I told her that it was my treat, but she does not like this and must insist on following ‘Go Dutch’ with me, which made me very embarrassed. At first, I was not used to ‘Go Dutch’, but after living in Australia for a long time, I think ‘Go Dutch’ is a good way to pay. But compared with the west, ‘go Dutch’ is not popular in China. Different values lead to different attitudes towards ‘Go Dutch’ between Chinese and western people. As a Chinese, we all know that very few people will pay their bills when they check out with their friends when they go out for dinner, which will embarrass both sides. China as a ceremonial state, the concept of face is the main body of social communication culture in China (Kinnison 2017, P. 33). There is an old Chinese saying: ‘a man lives a face; a tree lives a skin.’ A good face is closely related to personal identity and social status. It can make people feel a good sense of social self-worth (Croucher & Sommier & Rahmani 2015, P. 73). As a collectivist group, Chinese people pay attention to the harmony of interpersonal relationships and the role of groups in communication. A good face reflects the values characterized by group dependence. On the contrary, western culture pursues more individual independence, mainly emphasizing individual rights and values, and forming the ‘individualism’ values with ‘individual freedom’ as the core. In terms of economy, western countries advocate that individuals should enjoy the greatest opportunity to obtain legal wealth, and private ownership (Triandis 1988,p. 61).

I find that collectivism and individualism are also reflected in happiness values in cross-cultural communication. The happiness values of contemporary Chinese people usually connect the material with family. Most Chinese parents, even in my parents’ cognition, think that happiness is to earn enough money and their children study hard to get into famous universities. Obviously, the traditional concept of human relations in China leads to people’s happiness values based on blood and kinship. And inevitably linked with others, families, and collectives (Lu 2016, P. 200). To be honest, I don’t quite agree with this nepotism. I think personal happiness should belong to myself. Chinese parents have always held the concept of raising children and protecting the aged. In the cognition of Chinese parents, children are the guarantee of their later life. Parents place us at the commanding height of filial piety, which is one of the reasons that many Chinese young people are under great pressure. I think everyone is an independent individual, our happiness should not be bound by any form. On the contrary, western happiness values are more focused on the spiritual level. In the west, parents don’t interfere with their children too much. They will tell children to do what they want to do is happiness. From different values of happiness, we can see that Chinese people attach importance to family and collective, while Westerners attach importance to individual development and individual freedom; therefore, we should break our inherent values and not focus on ourselves in cross-cultural communication. In western culture, especially in Britain and the United States, people advocate the supremacy of human nature and personality; people always believe that ‘Life is dear, love is dearer. Both can be given up for freedom.’. Therefore, the values of people-oriented, emphasizing individual rights, values, and freedom occupy a dominant position in culture (Triandis 1988, P. 62). I think individualism is like an inexhaustible river running through the blood of western national culture, edifying generations of Westerners imperceptibly.

In the process of communication, we should fully consider and understand the values of the exchange objects, to avoid unnecessary disputes and communication barriers in the process of communication Obstruction.

Conclusion:

In this essay, I describe my three cross-cultural communication experiences: language differences, differences between Chinese and Western teaching models, and values. Different communication experiences make me have a different understanding of intercultural communication. The first experience of language differences made me realize that every country has a different language system. As the main tool of cultural expression, communication, and adaptation, a language is a form of expression, which is used to maintain their local culture and acquire a new culture. Because of cultural differences, when we communicate with people from different countries, we should first understand each other’s national culture and learn to understand it in combination with context and environment. The second experience made me understand that intercultural is multi-faceted communication. In the process of communication, we learn to extract the essence from each other and to remove the dross. My third experience of intercultural communication is the difference between Chinese and Western attitudes towards ‘go Dutch’ and happiness values. To avoid unnecessary misunderstanding in intercultural communication, we should fully consider and understand the values of the exchange objects. Each of us is not only the carrier of national culture but also the disseminator of national culture. Therefore, in intercultural communication, both sides should understand each other’s national characteristics, cultural background, life customs, and other related knowledge, and treat different cultures with an objective and inclusive attitude.

References:

  1. Gutek, GL 1994, A History of the Western Educational Experience: Second Edition, Waveland Press.
  2. Hou, BH 2011, ‘Cultural Conflicts in Verbal Communication Between China and the West’, Young litterateur, vol. 10, pp. 185-186.
  3. Kao, SF & Gilmour, R & Lu, L 2001, ‘Cultural Values and Happiness: An East-West Dialogue’, Taylor & Francis Online, vol. 141, no. 4, pp. 477-493.
  4. Kinnison, QL 2017, ‘Power, integrity, and mask – An attempt to disentangle the Chinese face concept’, ScienceDirect, vol. 114, pp. 32-48.
  5. Lu, SX 2016, The comparison of Chinese and Western values under the new visual threshold of historical materialism, Beijing Book Co. Inc.
  6. Pu, J 2012, ‘The influence of the differences between Chinese and Western polite expressions on daily communication’, The literary world, vol. 1, pp.187-188.
  7. Shao, LB & Li, XF 2005, ‘The influence of Confucian ethics on Chinese people’, Journal Literature History and Philosophy, vol.4, no. 6, pp. 25-32.
  8. Triandis, H 1988, Collectivism v. Individualism: A Reconceptualisation of a Basis Concept in Cross-cultural Social Psychology. Palgrave Macmillan, London.
  9. Xu, M 2006, ‘The difference of color words in Chinese and Western culture’, Journal of Hetao University, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 113-115.
  10. Yang, YB 2012, ‘Confucianism, socialism, and capitalism: A comparison of cultural ideologies and implied managerial philosophies and practices in the P. R. China’, ScienceDirect, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 165-178.
  11. Zhang, W & Wang, Z 2007, ‘Confucian educational thought and its influence on modern social education’, Journal of Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 59-62.

Essay on Intercultural Communication in International Relations

The move from generalization to specialization abounds in all academic fields. Generally this transition leads to a better understanding of one or more phenomenon by granting us the ability to focus on specific features in a more analytical manner. This is but one advantage of specialization. The liability of limiting our focus to specific points of interest via specialization, however, is that we often narrow the scope of inquiry to such an extent that we overlook parallel research that is simultaneously occurring outside the dimensions of our specialization. In some cases, specialized knowledge can be gained at a loss of collective understanding in the form of shared of shared knowledge. Minus the given advantage of shared knowledge, we may find ourselves repeating processes that may already have been researched, developed and implemented.

Perhaps there is no other place where the potential of shared information exchanges and lost opinions, more evident than in the field of communication. Since its conception, the multi-disciplinary nature of communication has given it a natural advantage for use across multiple specializations. Although the total number of specializations with given use cases for communication is nothing new, the rate of development and diversity are quite noteworthy, especially given the continuous development in these communication-specific disciplines. Increasingly, they appear to be more and more isolated from each other. Two examples of such fields that on the surface may appear to have little in common are intercultural communication and international relations. Intercultural communication had its initial birthing pains in the fifties and progressed through a series of self-definitions, theoretical platforms, and methodological debates. Its research focuses on exploring culture’s impact on communication behavior at the individual or interpersonal level. International public relations, on the other hand, has only recently emerged as the ‘hot topic'(Culbertson, 1996, p. 2).

Debates and definitions are still forming. Its research focuses more on culture’s impact on public communication vehicles, i.e., the mass media. Finally, while intercultural communication has its roots in the academic field of anthropology, international public relations is very much a product of a practicing profession. On the surface, the two appear very different, however heir degrees of separation are pronounced. One is more theoretical and focused at the interpersonal level; the other is more applied and focused at the public communication level. Yet beneath the surface, both are intensely concerned with how culture influences communication.

They share a pronounced communication-culture link that opens up the possibility of shared research experience and knowledge. This paper explores the development of these two fields, intercultural communication and international public relations, in a search for parallels. In that both share a communication-culture link, there is also the possibility of shared experience and knowledge. Because intercultural communication is the older of the two in terms of academic age, salient trends are highlighted first within intercultural communication and are immediately followed by corresponding ones that are taking shape in international public relations.

This paper concludes with an analysis of a shared research experience of studying culture, its relevance in the understanding of intercultural communication and its direct ties as well as implications on international relations theory and activity .

Essay:

The modern term ‘culture’ is based on a term used by the Ancient Roman orator Cicero in his Tusculanae Disputationes, where he wrote of a cultivation of the soul or ‘cultura animi,’ using an agricultural metaphor for the development of a philosophical soul, understood teleologically as the highest possible ideal for human development. Samuel Pufendorf took over this metaphor in a modern context, meaning something similar, but no longer assuming that philosophy was man’s natural perfection. His use, and that of many writers after him, ‘refers to all the ways in which human beings overcome their original barbarism, and through artifice, become fully human.’

In 1986, philosopher Edward S. Casey wrote, ‘The very word culture meant ‘place tilled’ in Middle English, and the same word goes back to Latin colere, ‘to inhabit, care for, till, worship’ and cultus, ‘A cult, especially a religious one.’ To be cultural, to have a culture, is to inhabit a place sufficiently intensive to cultivate it, to be responsible for it, to respond to it, to attend to it caringly.

Culture according to the Merriam Webster dictionary, Culture can be defined as:

  1. “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group”
  2. “the characteristic features of everyday existence (such as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time”
  3. “the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization”
  4. “the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic”
  5. “ the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations”
  6. “enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training”
  7. “acquaintance with and taste in fine arts, humanities, and broad aspects of science as distinguished from vocational and technical skills”

Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London, defined culture as something that “encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones, and a million other things,’. I’d like to think of this as a contemporary perspective how one can define culture, although A.L. Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn, In Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions (1952), cited 164 definitions of culture, ranging from “learned behavior” to “ideas in the mind,” “a logical construct,” “a statistical fiction,” “a psychic defense mechanism,” and so on. The definition—or the conception—of culture that is preferred by Kroeber and Kluckhohn and also by a great many other anthropologists is that culture is an abstraction or, more specifically, “an abstraction from behaviour.”

Kroeber and Kluckhohn were led to their conclusion that culture is an abstraction by reasoning that if culture is behaviour it, ipso facto, becomes the subject matter of psychology; therefore, they concluded that culture “is an abstraction from concrete behavior but is not itself behavior.” But what, one might ask, is an abstraction of a marriage ceremony or a pottery bowl, to use Kroeber and Kluckhohn’s examples? This question poses difficulties that were not adequately met by these authors.

Culture is considered a central concept in anthropology, encompassing the range of phenomena that are transmitted through social learning in human societies. Cultural universals are found in all human societies; these include expressive forms like art, music, dance, ritual, religion, and technologies like tool usage, cooking, shelter, and clothing. The concept of material culture covers the physical expressions of culture, such as technology, architecture and art, whereas the immaterial aspects of culture such as principles of social organization (including practices of political organization and social institutions), mythology, philosophy, literature (both written and oral), and science comprise the intangible cultural heritage of a society.

Before we can establish a link between culture and intercultural communication, one must clearly distinguish the two, and thus clearly define Intercultural Communication as well.

Intercultural communication (or cross-cultural communication) is a discipline that studies communication across different cultures and social groups, or how culture affects communication. It describes the wide range of communication processes and problems that naturally appear within an organization or social context made up of individuals from different religious, social, ethnic, and educational backgrounds. In this sense it seeks to understand how people from different countries and cultures act, communicate and perceive the world around them. Many people in intercultural business communication argue that culture determines how individuals encode messages, what medium they choose for transmitting them, and the way messages are interpreted.”

With regard to the focus of intercultural communication, the scope of intercultural communication is international relations. Herein, one studies situations where people from different cultural backgrounds interact. Aside from language, intercultural communication focuses on social attributes, thought patterns, and the cultures of different groups of people. It also involves understanding the different cultures, languages and customs of people from other countries. Intercultural communication plays a role in social sciences such as anthropology, cultural studies, linguistics, psychology and communication studies. Intercultural communication is also referred to as the base for international businesses. Several cross-cultural service providers assist with the development of intercultural communication skills. Research is a major part of the development of intercultural communication skills.

We’re in an era of globalization, which can be defined as “ the process by which the world is becoming increasingly interconnected as a result of massively increased trade and cultural exchange.” Globalization has increased the production of goods and services. The biggest companies are no longer national firms but multinational corporations with subsidiaries in many countries. This can be considered an important and complicated period for all mankind. For the first time ever cooperation of civilizations and cultures is extremely massive and intense, expressing the main tendency of social progress. However, it is clear that intercourse between countries includes not only collaboration, but also various in itself conflicts. The necessity of international, interethnic, interreligious dialogue is becoming obvious under these conditions. It can take any form, but the actual objective is creating a new culture of interpersonal communication based on the standards of international law, moral principles of humanism and social justice.

The problem of intercultural communication takes on independent significance in terms of international relations, which in their turn, on the one hand, represent a bright example of social development on different stages, but at the same time reflect numerous peculiarities of intercultural phenomenon. History of cross-cultural communication proves that it is directly connected with the development of political, commercial and cultural relations.

In the history of international relations, we can trace the establishment of various approaches and forms of intercultural communication, which appeared under the influence of numerous factors. First of all, we should recall such a branch of cross-cultural communication as trading, which is considered to be a founder of diplomacy. Middle Ages was the time of mending of diplomatic and trading fences and history of Venice, Rome, Florence can be a spectacular example of it. Development of trading relations fostered dynamic, extensive exchange. People got acquainted with cultural achievements of other nations, which encouraged cross-cultural communication both on transnational and non-state levels. Cultural ties played an important role in the development of political dialogue and later on often contributed to changes in political climate.

Thus, for instance, fence mending between the USA and PRC started with “ping-pong diplomacy” and relations between the USSR and military regimes of Latin American countries were more or less stable mainly due to road tours of Soviet performers. Nevertheless, it is necessary to mention that despite all the economic and political interests, cultural ties have been never regarded independently from international relations until recently. During the long period of time they were complicated by peculiarities of ethnic, spiritual traditions and religion. Sometimes cultural differences became an obstacle on the way to successful diplomacy. It turned out to be difficult to overcome these contradictions because of deeply-rooted beliefs in superiority of one or another culture. The nineteenth century was a turning point in the development of international relations because in that time some traditions of diplomatic protocol were formed.

Intercultural communications in the field of international relations is also directly linked to the acute problems, which arise in terms of culture and international humanitarian relations. The problem of cultural expansion can be considered as one of them.

We cannot but mention that American culture is the leading one nowadays: movie industry, music industry, products, cafes, devices, software and so on and so forth. American popular culture remains pre-eminent nowadays and it leads to commercialization of spiritual life. The immense influence of American culture disrupts morality and dissolves unique ethnic identities of other countries.

Because of it other nations are forced to sideline their care about spiritual life of people in preference to solve economic, financial, scientific and technical and other problems triggered by globalization at first. Another aspect of intercultural communication which is associated with international relations is issues of political communications and development of country’s positive image. Such a phenomenon is brightly manifested in geopolitical strategy of the United States. To have a closer look at it, we should mention the theory of American political scientist – Joseph Nye.

He offers two kinds of powers, which contribute to the supremacy of any country, including the USA. The first one – “soft power” rests on the ability to shape the preferences of others. He supposes that it implies the capacity of striving others to have the same results, which are beneficial for us “Soft power” is a way to achieve something through voluntary participation of partners, without any kind of enforcement, relying on shared with another subject values.

It is opposed to “hard power” which denotes a set of political pressure means for a definite mode of behavior on the world stage (including military, economic, diplomatic ones). This kind of power is based on threats, intimidation and inducement. Hard and soft powers are related because they are both aspects of the ability to achieve one’s purpose by affecting the behavior of others.

From the give examples, the definition of culture I find most applicable to intercultural communication would be “an integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations”. Though “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group” is a more transparent interpretation of culture, the one chosen emphasizes on the on the transfer of human knowledge from one generation to another, and intercultural communication as the exchange of this knowledge amongst individuals from various human cultural collectives. Building on this definition, a closer investigation into the relationship between activity in the international arena, revealed that it is directly tied to the intercultural communication. And that intercultural is not only a sisterly academic disciple to IR, but also a necessary requirement in every diplomats toolkit.

Conclusion

In this essay I covered the origins of the term culture, broke down several interpretations of what culture is, defined intercultural communication and established a link between one culture and intercultural communication, as well discussed the symbiotic relationship between international relations and intercultural communication. In my opinion, the information shared during intercultural exchanges is at the center of the human evolutionary process, and for that exchange to take place, we are heavily reliant on intercultural communication. Without establishing the mutual basis ofor interaction to take place, no international activity can take place, or atleast not without being limited to primitive biased mediums of exchange. And as the world becomes more globalized and integrated, so too will the need to foster deeper ties and an understanding of one another’s cultural orientation and perspectives.

Effective Intercultural Communication: Types And Conditions

Introduction

The term intercultural communiqué modified into completed in Edward t. Corridor’s 1959 influential eBook the silent language and corridor is commonly referred to be the founder of the sphere Leeds-Hurwitz 1990; Rogers and Steinfatt 1999 hall grow to be born in St. Louis, however, grew up particularly inside the American southwest.

Intercultural Communication

Intercultural communication or pass-cultural communique is a region that studies communiqué in the course of high-quality cultures and social corporations or how life-style impacts communique. It describes the massive shape of verbal exchange strategies and troubles that certainly seem interior and company or social context made from humans from specific nonsecular social ethnic and educational backgrounds. In this enjoy it seeks to apprehend how people from extremely good international places and cultures act speak and apprehend the location spherical them. Any human beings in an intercultural organisation communique argue that way of life determines how human beings encode messages what medium they pick out for transmitting them and the manner messages are interpreted factors of intercultural conversation.

Intercultural communique is a very specific place of have a test with a focal point on conversation and cultural records and identity. People from notable races and cultures have an exquisite deal to provide. By interacting with them in a powerful way and looking for to recognize them you may find out approximately superb global places and customs increase your private outlook on lifestyles and growth your database of those cultural variations can increase themselves to; the manner in which people of diverse cultures deal with each first-rate what diploma of formality or informality makes humans comfortable non-verbal conduct in terms of eye touch hand gestures physical proximity and so forth personal grooming alongside problem get dressed code and hygiene troubles.

Types Of Intercultural Communication

Three cultural factors have the capability to have an effect on situations in which humans from remarkable backgrounds come collectively: they will be:

  • Notion
  • verbal strategies
  • Non-verbal techniques.

Global interconnectivity has made intercultural communiqué critical for any commercial enterprise corporation. Intercultural communique takes vicinity with human beings of numerous cultures discussing and talk me. Businesses intending to carry out globally want to put money into intercultural schooling for his or her body of personnel to revel in the large advantages.

Effective Intercultural Communication

Effective intercultural verbal exchange produces advantages together with worker productivity and teamwork.

Global interconnectivity has made intercultural communique important for any commercial enterprise organization. Intercultural verbal exchange takes vicinity with humans of numerous cultures discussing and speak me. Businesses proceeding to carry out globally want to invest in intercultural schooling for his or her employees to experience the big advantages.

Effective intercultural communiqué produces advantages collectively with employee productiveness and teamwork.

  • Productivity and talent intercultural communiqué allows employees from terrific ethnic backgrounds to talk successfully with every extraordinary. It moreover courses the manage skills to layout guidelines that encompass the range in the agency employer permitting every member to be inexperienced and talented in their duties. Since employees are well expert in intercultural verbal exchange it gets rid of false impression and dissatisfaction that would rise up if personnel desires are not placed into hobby at the equal time as growing hints planning for meetings and designing incentive schemes. Satisfied personnel are capable of hobby on their obligations thereby developing productiveness.
  • Teamwork intercultural communique fosters teamwork in an employer. It allows personnel to apprehend each details cultural model and to talk efficiently without misconception. With an success intercultural communique employees recognize the have an impact on of way of existence on peoples’ conduct and communiqué inclinations. This complements teamwork as colleagues understand every one-of-a-types cultural facts precise abilties and abilities this is high to the easy taking walks of business enterprise. Since personnel are aware of their colleagues cultural affects intercultural conversation receives rid of stereotyping a risk to powerful communique and employer artwork.
  • Global commercial employer part a success intercultural communique gives a business enterprise corporation employer a international commercial enterprise company enterprise employer problem. Training personnel in intercultural verbal exchange offers enterprise business agency organization success negotiation capabilities in the worldwide market of severa cultures. A company employer commercial enterprise corporation organization venturing its employer in Africa also can moreover have a receptive welcome if its miles familiar with crucial cultural factors important to employer business enterprise employer transactions. Some cultural inclinations important to transacting business agency in Africa are time faith handshakes conversation strategies and recognize closer to seniors. An corporation corporation this is conscious the significance of skip-cultural communiqué has advantages in launching its organisation globally over a business enterprise business enterprise that has now not invested in it.
  • Effective leadership intercultural communique moreover fosters effective manage in a industrial organisation. Modern agencies are composed of numerous human beings and managers are anticipated to manual their organizations thru developing information of the businesses hints at the identical time as accommodating the severa views of his company. An employer that equips its control organization in intercultural schooling lets in them to inspire their groups regardless of their cultural facts. Intercultural education builds powerful communication that is a step inside the course of effective management.

Conditions Of Effective Intercultural Communication

Conditions for effective intercultural communiqué are the subsequent:

  • Recognize for specific cultures recognition of numerous cultures and
  • Absolutely very private tradition information of severa cultural codes social abilties to bridge variations make touch among women and men; met humans not a manner of life

Conclusion

References

  1. Allwood j. 2003 .Intercultural conversation. Retrieved from: http://www.Immi.Se/intercultural/ Applegate James syphers Howard. 1988 .A constructivist concept of conversation and lifestyle in Kim more youthful y gudykunst William b. Eds. Theories in intercultural verbal exchange.
  2. Intercultural communication: globalization and social justice 1 ed. Sage courses Inc. 2013. Isbn 978-1412927444. Arizona m. Bauman s. Waldo m. And castellans l.P. 2005 .

What Can I Say about Cross-Cultural Misunderstanding: Narrative Essay

Miscommunication means failure to communicate ideas or intentions successfully (Dictionary.Cambridge.org, 2019). It was an interesting topic that can involve lots of perspectives in our daily lives. It can be a common affair and happened without any sense when we get in touch with the new language environment. Misunderstanding has a high frequency appeared in school life, and can be a common issue for most overseas students. As a second-year international student in Australia, there are lots of stories that happened at the beginning of my life in Australia.

At the beginning of my life in Australia, I felt quite different from life in my hometown. When I am the first time going to shops buying something. The boss said “Ga-day bro!” after a while, I was confused by his enthusiastic attitude and started thinking about why he called me ‘bro’, and I am confused about why he said good day to me, curiousing about that’s a question or just pray to me. I asked my parents do I have brothers-in-law in Australia and they said sure not. After a whole year of life here when I recall the memories before, it was really a ridiculous boy one year ago. I realized this is a very normal sentence for Australian Aussies to have friendly and welcoming words. Now it has become one of the most frequent mantras in my daily talking, and I realized that the best way to grow and improve is trying to understand with an acceptable attitude to the new knowledge in a fresh and strange environment. This is an actual misunderstanding for the wrong communication that happened to me because I did not understand the cultural background at that time and it caused the miscommunication from the different language background cultures. Therefore, it is necessary to build up a general understanding of different languages to avoid embarrassment occurred (von Wendorff, 2019).

Generally, different countries have different language backgrounds. However, the same country also has many dialects in different areas. This is a common affair in China. The official language of China is Mandarin, however, sometimes we have misunderstandings when we talk with friends from Hong Kong. Cantonese as a part of the dialects of Chinese and the official language in Hong Kong, the pronunciation and word sequence were a little bit different from Mandarin. But most of the alphabet was quite the same, so when some Hong Kong friends does not fully understand what we are talking about, they can definitely make a guess about what we are talking about from the similar grammar order and comparable pronunciation, most of the situations it is completely correct. Therefore, from a cross-cultural communication perspective, it is a misunderstanding under the two different languages background in the same country. Cantonese is a part of the dialects of Chinese, Hong Kong has the same cultural background and same historical ancestor as mainland China. Moreover, there are more than 70% of Hong Kong’s primary schools use Mandarin as their main language structure teaching (Coca 2018). Hence, although it has some discrepancies between Cantonese and Mandarin within misunderstanding, it is not difficult to understand the general meanings of these two languages.

It is not challenging to exist several types of languages in one country. In Australia, there are around one in five Australians speaking a language other than English at home (Language Professionals Australia Translation and Interpreting, 2019). Australia is a multicultural country that included plenty of nationalities in one country. As the migrations gradually increase every year, the most spoken language is also having a variety of changes during the expansion of the population from different nationalities. There are around 76.8% of Australians speak English at home (Sawe, 2019). There are around 300 individual languages spoken in Australia’s various homes. And the most spoken language except English is Mandarin, which has 596711 people from the investigation in the 2016 Census. And it does not have an official language in the whole country (Language Professionals Australia Translation and Interpreting, 2019). In Australia, we speak a variety of languages at home, but we have English which is a common language outside of the home. We possibly have misunderstandings for the different languages with diverse cultural backgrounds, but we have an open mind to accept the distinction and revel in the prosperity of these cultures. Once upon a time, I have been communicated with my neighbor, an old Aussie couple. At that time, immigration was a sensitive topic, as well as politics or religious beliefs, especially for two cultural ground people. But their open vision honestly motivated me. They are welcoming immigrants to Australia because they are truly relished in this multicultural society, for instance, they can taste a variety of foods from different countries and appreciate the distinct life habits of different cultures. Therefore, although we will have misunderstandings from different cultures, it is significant for us to keep an open mind to confront cross-cultural nationality in our current atmosphere.

In conclusion, miscommunication formed the failure sense to communicate ideas and meanings successfully. And it is a common issue for the newest overseas international students. Most of the time it is an embarrassing experience within the misunderstanding of communication. It is quite important to build up a basic understanding of the variety of languages in order to avoid awkward communication. There are thousands of types of languages in the world and some of those may have the same origins, especially in Asia countries they have lots of common history as well as language recognition. So, some of the dialects have misunderstandings though, but it is clear to identify and combine understanding just like Cantonese and Mandarin. It is also important to have an open vision to realize our current multicultural society, we may have misunderstandings about unfamiliar countries, but it is also important for us to keep an open mind to face and understand cross-culture misunderstandings.

References

  1. Coca, N. (2019). Hong Kong Is Fighting Back against a Mandarin Language Invasion. [online] OZY. Available at: https://www.ozy.com/fast-forward/hong-kong-is-fighting-back-against-a-mandarin-language-invasion/87198 [Accessed 18 Sep. 2019].
  2. Dictionary.Cambridge.org. (2019). MISCOMMUNICATION| Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/miscommunication [Accessed 19 Sep. 2019].
  3. Language Professionals Australia Translation and Interpreting. (2019). What Are the Most Common Languages Spoken in Australia? – Language Professionals Australia Translation and Interpreting. [online] Available at: https://www.langpro.com.au/knowledge-base/what-are-the-most-common-languages-spoken-in-australia/ [Accessed 17 Sep. 2019].
  4. Sawe, B. (2019). What Languages Are Spoken In Australia? [online] WorldAtlas. Available at: https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-languages-are-spoken-in-australia.html [Accessed 19 Sep. 2019].
  5. Von Wendorff, F. (2019). Top 5 Challenges of Studying Abroad. [online] Top Universities. Available at: https://www.topuniversities.com/blog/top-5-challenges-studying-abroad [Accessed 19 Sep. 2019].