Module 2: Communication and globalization

As discussed in the previous chapter, communication is essential for personal and professional
effectiveness. Further, it helps establish good relationships, creates a better working
environment, strengthens collaboration and cooperation, and unifies conflicting ideas.

GLOBALIZATION AND THE GLOBAL VILLAGE

The term “globalization,” is very complex to define because different scholars and
institutions view it differently. Globalization—the process of bringing people together and
making them interact and exchange ideas across traditional borders (Nowaczyk, 2017). “The
world, driven largely by advances in technology, has become inextricably interconnected across
distances and other boundaries” (Downing, 2007).
Gamble and Gamble (2013) give a more complete definition of globalization, which will
adopt for various purposes. Globalization is the “increasing economic, political, and cultural
integration and interdependence of diverse cultures.” Because of globalization, Marshall
McLuhan’s prediction in his book The Gutenberg Galaxy, published in 1962, of a global village
—one world interconnected by an electronic nervous system [media] -- has become a reality
(Stewart, 2015).
The most influential popular writer on the nature of globalization, however, is Thomas
Friedman, a New York Times foreign affairs columnist. In his book, The World Is Flat: A Brief
History of the Twenty-First Century, first published in 2005, Friedman argues that in the process
of globalization, which he calls the “flattening” of the world, a surprising and lightning-quick
convergence of technologies allows individuals (not just countries and companies) to
communicate “from anywhere to anywhere,” collaborating and competing for the first time on a
level-playing field (Downing, 2000).
According to him, “flattening” of the world economy is achieved through globalized
trade, outsourcing, supply-chaining, and political liberalization. In other words, the use of
technologies allows businesses, such as large multinational corporations, to maintain customers,
suppliers, and even competitors on a worldwide basis.
With the advent of globalization associated with advanced technologies and systems
across regions, the flow of information and communication has become smoother, faster, and
easier. Plus, business transactions and partnerships among local and international institutions
have become more efficient. One best example is the use of electronic mail (e-mail) such as
Gmail and Yahoo Mail, or social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Consequently, the context of globalization requires effective communication skills from
students and workers to cope with the demands and challenges brought about by this
phenomenon. This includes communicating effectively with people of different background, age,
culture, gender, beliefs, orientations, preferences, and status.

DEFINITION OF CULTURE

People differ primarily because of culture. Culture has been defined in a number of
ways, but most simply, as “the learned and shared behavior of a community of interacting human
beings” (Useem & Useem, 1963, p. 169) or as “a system of beliefs, assumptions, and values
shared by a group of people” (Fileding, 1996, as cited in Singh & Rampersad, 2010).
 The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) of University of
Minnesota defines it as the “shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs,
and affective understanding that are learned through a process of socialization,” and these shared
patterns identify the members of a culture group while also distinguishing those of another group
(“What is Culture?” 2017). Banks and McGee (1989) best express what culture is in these words:

Most social scientists today view culture as consisting primarily of the symbolic,
ideational, and intangible aspects of human societies. The essence of a culture is not its
artifacts, tools, or any other tangible cultural elements, but how the members of the group
interpret, use, and perceive them. It is the values, symbols, interpretations, and
perspectives that distinguish one people from another in modernized societies; it is not
material objects and other tangible aspects of human societies. People within a culture
usually interpret the meaning of symbols, artifacts, and behaviors in the same or in
similar ways.

Simply said, culture is a “learned set of shared interpretations about beliefs, values, and
norms that affect the behaviors of a relatively large group of people” (Lustig & Koester, 2003).

What those definitions really mean is we are all a part of various “groups” and
“subgroups” that can be characterized by nationality, language, gender, age or generation,
ethnicity, religion, social class, region, profession, and so on. While globalization, through
advanced technology, has made it possible for people anywhere in the world to communicate,
meet and get acquainted, and even work together and collaborate without having to leave their
respective countries, they still have to deal with cultural differences for peaceful coexistence in
this global village.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURES

1. Cultures are learned, not innate. We think and act as Filipinos because our parents
brought us up this way. We acquired complete knowledge and understanding of our
cultural norms from our parents, teachers, relatives, and friends. Our cultural norms
satisfy us, we accept them as “true,” and we follow them.

If we were Koreans, we would behave the way Koreans would with a Korean set
of values, or as Americans with the American set of norms if we were Americans. But if
a Korean-born infant was adopted soon after birth by non-Korean parents and raised in
the United States, he will think and differently from his cousins who grew up in Seoul. Or
a Filipino-born 30-year-old chef in Rome, who left the Philippines at eight for Italy to
live with his naturalized Italian parents, may still have some Filipino traits if his parents
practice these at home but will behave more like an Italian because of his exposure to
Italian culture. In other words, cultures are not inherited; they are acquired. When we
observe cultures of any other group of people, we find them strange, we treat the people
unfavorably, and we blame them for being different from us. We seldom realize that had
 we been brought up the way these people were raised, we could have acted in exactly the
same way!
2. Cultures are shared. We act as members of our own cultural group, not as individuals,
because belonging to a culture means following the norms of the group. Fitting into the
group means acceptance and fellowship, and it provides us members with feelings of
security and love. We regard being alike with being right, and being different with being
wrong, and we separate the world into “us” and “them.”
3. Cultures are multifaceted. We are surrounded by cultural norms that affect language,
religion, basic world view, education, technology, social organization, politics, and law,
all interacting with one another. Behaviors and things common to people who live
together in social groups are considered cultural universals, but the performance of these
activities and things differs dramatically from culture to culture.
4. Cultures are dynamic. Cultures constantly change as cultural contact increases, new
technologies emerge, and economic conditions vary. Globalization has greatly changed
relationships of nations and governments. Cell phones have drastically changed
interpersonal communication, and the availability of the Internet has affected how people
of varied cultures recognize and respect their differences. Instead of having set ideas
about cultural norms, we should be sensitive, observe changes, and deal with these
changes accordingly.
5. Cultural identities are overlapping. We belong to multiple, overlapping cultures as we
interact with one another. Some of these cultures work together while others clash. We all
belong to national, regional, social class, ethnic, professional, religious, age, and gender
cultures.

Sometimes one or more of these identities become significant while others take a
back seat, but when the overlapping cultures create differences that cannot be ignored,
conflicts and problems arise. It is seldom that any two people become members of
exactly the same cultures, and none of us follow all the rules of the cultures where we are
members.
ADAPTION TO NEW CULTURES

Besides the United States, many other countries are now considered a melting pot—a
place, whether city or country, where people of various races or cultures live together and
gradually create one community. These countries are, therefore, places of coexisting cultures,
and overcoming cultural differences is difficult. Despite the difficulties, however, people learn to
adapt to one another.

People use several ways of adapting to new cultures: (a) cultural integration (b) cultural
assimilation, (c) multiculturalism, (d) cultural accommodation, and (e) separation.

1. Cultural integration is a form of cultural exchange in which one group assumes the
beliefs, practices, and rituals of another group without sacrificing the characteristics of its
own culture (“Cultures and Tradition,” 2017). This kind of adaptation is positive because
nothing is lost; cultural integration is a healthy intermingling of the beliefs and rituals of
two unique cultures.

2. Cultural assimilation occurs when members of one cultural group adopt the language,
practices, and beliefs of another group often losing aspects of their traditional culture in
the process (“Cultures and Traditions,” 2017). This happens when immigrants voluntarily
adopt their new country’s language and cultural practices primarily to integrate into
society and improve their chances of economic and social gain. More often than not,
social acceptance by the receiving new, dominant culture is often easier for migrating
groups whose culture and appearance more closely resemble those of that receiving
majority group.

For instance, although Italian and Irish immigrants to the United States were
originally belittled and snubbed by Americans of English descent, they were eventually
absorbed into the dominant white culture primarily because of the color of their skin and
their westernized looks. Second- and third- generation children of immigrants from Asian
countries, on the other hand, and “forever foreigners,” which are groups that have severe
difficulty of fully integrating into mainstream U.S. society.

The counterpart to cultural assimilation is multiculturalism, in which cultural

diversity is encourage and valued as beneficial to society. Multiculturalism is the belief
that cultures, races, and ethnicities, particularly those of minority groups, should be
accorded special acknowledgement of their differences within a dominant political
culture. The acknowledgement may be through recognition of contributions to the
cultural life of the political community as a whole, a demand for special protection under
the law, or autonomous rights of governance (Eagan, 2015). Multiculturalism, on the
whole, includes engagement with and respect toward people from distinctly different
cultures (Gamble & Gamble. 2013, p.24).

3. Cultural accommodation refers to the process by which individuals may take on values
and beliefs of the host culture and accommodate them in the public sphere while
maintaining the parent culture in the private sphere (“Cultural Accommodation and
Negotiation,” 2017). Filipinos who migrate to another country speak their native
language at home but outside, they use the language of the receiving country. Likewise,
they instill Filipino moral values in their children as their children simultaneously absorb
moral principles of the adoptive country. In other words, they try to “maintain their
cultural identity even while they strive to establish relationships with members of the
dominant culture” (Gamble & Gamble, 2013).

On the extreme end, when one cultural group refuses to interact or join the
dominant culture, this attitude is called separation; members of this group prefer to
interact with the members of their own culture, so they are often known as outsiders
(Gamble & Gamble, 2013).
THE NATURE OF COMMON CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

Diversity is a fact of life in today’s world. When you think about different cultures, you
do not anymore think of people living in faraway, even exotic places. You do not need to travel
abroad to find cultural differences. Many societies everywhere in the world (such as American,
Italian, Filipino) is a cross-section of many people and immigration, the like hood of working
with people from different parts of the world, and hence, cultural differences, is greater than
ever.

Cultural differences are apparent in four basic traits: (a) leadership, (b) work productivity,
(c) group allegiance, and (d) task commitment (Chase & Shamo, 203).
1. Leadership. The key characteristic on leadership is power or influence-the protection. In
a high-power group leadership, the few in power formulate policy and activity of the
many. These are the leaders who are often called dictator, chief, patriarch, minister, or
judge. High-and-low-power differences husband and wife, boss and employer, or group
leader and participant.
2. Work Productivity. A bipolar (marked by opposite extremes) characteristic of being
“masculine” or feminine” exists in the work force or a family organization. The labels do
not refer to gender issues at all but to the descriptive behavior of the group participants.
The masculine culture of a work environment indicates aggressive or assertive behavior
whose objective is success in competition, and winning is rewarded with high honor. The
feminine culture, on the other hand, gives primary consideration to modesty, quality of
life, and tenderness; rewards are given for work satisfaction, and salaries are determined
based on need, not on production. In a masculine work environment, unions symbolize
high salaries, large output, and major impact; in a feminine environment, compatibility
exists, unions supply needed employees, and there is less emphasis on status.
3. Group allegiance. A bipolar characteristic, likewise, of individual and group orientation
exists. In an individual orientation (individualism), an individual can change the
standards of the culture, but in a group orientation (collectivism), whose emphasis is on
the group, sacrificing everything for the sake of the group can change the culture.
Individuals who have restructured culture are Jesus Christ, Mohandas Gandhi, Martin
Luther King, Jr., Adolf Hitler, Lee Kuan Yew, Ferdinand Marcos, Benigno Simeon
(Ninoy) Aquino, Jr., Manny Pacquiao, Rodrigo Duterte, and Lea Salonga. Suicide
terrorists, on the other hand, have changed governments, societies, and even travels and
security measures. In a group orientation, the group decides the options of an individual
about things life, work, education, or marital status.

Individualism and collectivism differ on how people define their relationship with
others. Some specific details separate individualism from collectivism. For example, in
an individualistic culture it is all about one person and no one else; the “I” is the most
important thing, and the dictum is, is of importance. This culture focuses more on a group
of people conforming to fit into a diverse pool of other groups. Group goals are stressed,
and people tend to nurture group influences (Gamble & Gamble, 2013, p.34).

4. Task commitment. The focus is on elements controlling the group, such as tradition and
commitment to the group (high-context culture) versus the individual (low-context
 culture). High-context cultures resist change so few changes are made since the belief is
“What was good enough for father and grandfather is good enough for me.” Low-context
cultures work for the good of the cause, not the welfare of the group. The focus is on the
“here” and “now” and to get the job done, so change, growth, and innovation are
encouraged.

In a high-context culture, such as Middle Eastern and Asian cultures, most of the
rules for interpreting meaning are built in, so very few words need to be said to
produce a significant meaning; in a low-context one, like in American and
Western cultures, few rules for interpreting meaning are built into the people, so
things must be precisely and carefully defined or spelled out before the meaning
is made clear (Hall, 1976, as cited in Chase & Shamo, 2013).

Another way of explaining the different between high context and low context is
this—if you have been with another person for a long time, your relationship is in
a very high context so that just a simple glance or look, or very few words can
convey a lot of meaning; when you first meet a person, however, the context is
very low, and very few things can be understood unless spelled out in detail.

COMMUNICATING WITHIN AND ACROSS CULTURES

Communication between and among individuals is difficult because we use verbal and
nonverbal symbols that vary depending on cultural differences. Our family cultures teach us
through direct and first-hand experience how to interact—what words or verbal symbols to use in
which situations (that is, what are acceptable and what are unacceptable). But we learn through
imitation, not just the words of the language but also the nonverbal symbols for expressing our
emotions—facial expressions, gestures, bodily movement, tone and loudness of the voice,
intonation, and the like.

Like our families, the communities where we belong (which include our neighborhoods;
our groups of friends and relatives; our age groups; our social, professional, or business
affiliations; and so on), also have a strong influence on our communication as we grow and
develop. Similar to what we do in our family circles, we observe, listen, absorb, and copy or
mimic the sounds, feelings, images, behaviors, and words in the interaction all around us in these
communities (our subcultures) without even thinking about what we are doing.

But that is not the whole story. We cannot overlook the role of the media from which we
hear, see, and absorb the communication of others in countless situations, such as television soap
operas and variety shows, comedies, dramas, music lyrics, reality shows, and documentaries. In
these media events, we hear and see people interact, demonstrating what happens in
relationships, what the possibilities are, and by omission, what is not possible. The risk here is
that since the cited events are staged to look real even if they are not, evaluating what is
appropriate and effective to say to others in real life can become quite difficult, and what is not
said, we never hear, so we may not know what is possible.
 All these imply that we tend to interpret messages based on our past experiences and the
cultural grids passed down to us in our home cultures (the composite cultures derived from our
families, communities, and the media). If communication within our cultures is messy because
no two individuals have exactly the same cultural grids, communicating across cultures is even
more complicated.

The complication is likely to become aggravated when we are not aware of the
assumptions and beliefs involved in the communication exchange we are having with someone
from another culture. Neither are we usually familiar with the many ways that culture can affect
the way we listen to, speak to, and understand others. We base our understanding only on verbal
and nonverbal symbols available and known to us. To become meaningful, communication must
be placed into a framework of understanding.

Nobody is capable of fully understanding all languages and all cultures of the world, as
well as how they are similar and different from one another. To bridge the intercultural
communication gaps, we need to be open-minded (getting rid of prejudiced and biased beliefs),
respecting cultural differences no matter how seemingly strange or “primitive” they are or seem
to us.

Some cultural differences, however, may defy our ethical principles (or sense of what is
right or wrong), such as cheating in examinations, gender equality, bribes and payoffs in doing
business, favoritism toward friends and relatives, or profound disregard for the environment. In
case like these, we can respond in a variety of ways (Adler, Elmhorst, & Lucas, 2013):
1. Avoiding. We may refuse to comply or do business in cultures that operate according
to ethical principles that differ from ours.
2. Accommodating. We can accept the different ethical system and conform to practices
different from ours.
3. Forcing. We can insist on doing business in a way we believe is ethically proper.
4. Educating—Persuading. We can try to convince the people with whom we want to do
business why our ethical principle is more appropriate.
5. Negotiating—Compromising. We and the other party can give up something to
negotiate a settlement.
6. Collaboration—Problem Solving. We can work with the other party to face the
problem directly and reach a mutually satisfying solution.

To help us make the best possible decision on what to do, we ask ourselves the following
questions:
1. How morally significant is the situation?
2. Is there home-culture consensus regarding the issue?

Communication across cultures or intercultural communication takes place when individuals

influenced by different cultural communities negotiate shared meanings in interaction (Ting-
Toomey, 1999, as cited in CommGap, 2017). Individuals who participate in intercultural
interactions get benefits from these exchanges. Besides being able to gain access to the
experiences of other human beings, they improve their communication skills, they develop
empathy toward others and openness to new ideas (Geelhoed, Abe, & Talbot, 2003), and they
increase their likelihood to challenge personal beliefs and embrace new perspectives (Luo &
Jameson-Drake, 2013).

GUIDELINES ON DEVELOPING INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE

Here are some suggestions on how you can become open minded—devoid of any
prejudices and biases against people from another culture (Chase & Shamo, 2013; Singh &
Rampersad, 2010).
1. Widen your field of experience by making new contacts . Getting to know people
coming from your targeted group whose culture differs from yours makes you
understand the group and their culture better.
2. Learn about history and the experiences and aspirations of people from different
cultures. Taking a course or reading books about people of diverse cultures makes
you experience their cultures vicariously, allowing you to understand and appreciate
them more.
3. Examine yourself for possible stereotypes. Stereotypes and biases result from
ignorance about the targeted group. Being fair-minded and unprejudiced makes you
realize the possibility that some of your judgments are unfair and wrong.
4. Look at the world from someone else’s way of looking at and thinking about
something, not just yours. Be empathic; try to understand others’ perspective--how
they make sense of their world--and try to experience what and how they feel.
5. Work on becoming more self-confident . The better we feel about ourselves, the
more likely we are to feel good about others, too, and the more able we are not only
to understand them but also to learn from them.
6. Appreciate cultural similarities and differences . Use cultural resources to do this.
It allows you to understand the members of different cultural groups and helps you
establish better intercultural relationships and interactions.
7. Acknowledge the essential equality and value of all cultures . Never feel superior
to people belonging to any other cultural group, even a minority one.
8. Be sensitive and interpret cultural styles of communication . Develop the ability to
understand the communication symbols of the target culture—its verbal language,
signs, gestures, body language, and customs.

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION

1. Ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism refers to the belief that a person’s culture (his “in-group”
culture) is much better than any other group’s culture (an “out-group” culture), and the
tendency is for that person to judge any “out-group” culture by using the norms of his
“in-group” culture. All of us are, to some extent, ethnocentric, whose ethnocentricity falls
somewhere on a scale between “low” and “high”. Our level of ethnocentricity affects our
ability to successfully communicate cross culturally.

If our ethnocentricity level is high, the effect is negative. We experience the largest
communication barriers, so we are less likely to attempt to interact with those whose
 cultures differ from ours. We can possibly feel “suspicious”, defensive, and hostile”
toward them because they have different social and cultural norms from the in-group in
which we belong.

With a low ethnocentricity level, however, the effect is positive. We can become
“curious, interested, and inspired” to interact with those belonging to the out-group, so
we become more inclined to deal with them, enjoy their company, and experience the
benefits of our increased intercultural communication.
2. Stereotypes and prejudices. Stereotyping and being prejudiced against cultural groups
are the main barriers to intercultural communication. The negative characteristics
attributed to one group can cause beliefs and feelings that lead to biases and
discrimination against that group. The discriminated group often suffers from being
rejected and avoided in cross-cultural interactions.
3. Stereotypes. Are often generalized negative traits assigned to a group of people (e.g.,
race, nationality, religion, social class, sexual orientation, age, gender) even if these traits
may only reflect a selected few of the group. Simply said, a stereotype is a generalization
of a group of people based on a small sample of these people. Stereotyping or classifying
an entire group of people or culture with defining characteristics, which are usually unfair
and untrue, is much easier than explaining the complexities of the uniqueness of specific
situations and the individual differences essential in each event.

Your generalizations are the results of your own experiences; situations you see in
videos, movies, and television; things you read about from newspapers, magazines, and
book; and experiences you hear from your family, relatives, and friends.
4. Prejudice. An offshoot of stereotypes, is an unfair thought, belief, or feeling of dislike
for a person or group because of race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, age,
religion, and so on. It is a negative preconceived opinion held by one group toward
members of another group that biases perception and provides a reason for
discrimination. When someone is prejudiced, it is usually refers to his thoughts, feelings,
and beliefs about a certain group of people, which he learns only from his “in-group,” not
from any first-hand, direct contact with “out-group” members, and he seldom attempts to
check the validity of this bias, or if ever he proves its being unsubstantiated, he often
ultimately ignores the truth.
5. Assumed similarities. An assumption of similarity is a baseless, unreasonable refusal
to see cultural differences where they exist. This happens when members of one group
assume that all groups behave the same way they do, that what is true to their culture is
also true to all other cultures. This results in insensitivity to cultural differences.
6. Anxiety. Intercultural communication anxiety is the fear or apprehension associated with
either real or anticipated communication with people from another cultural group. The
fear is often caused by differences in language ability, verbal and nonverbal
communication styles, and expression of emotions. Both “in-group” and “out-group”
cultures may experience feelings of impatience, frustration, and suspicion while
communicating or even in anticipation of the interaction, which can then increase anxiety
in both parties.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON COMMUNICATION

1. Technology provides us with unlimited information. What used to take someone hours
of searching through a library can now be done within a matter of seconds on the
Internet. Whatever questions you have you can generally get an instant answer on the
computer. One word of caution though: make sure that the website you visit and/or the
source of the information is credible!
2. It creates opportunities for meeting new people. Many applications online are
currently available for meeting new people anytime anywhere in the world. The
applications vary-- from posting photos and videos like Instagram, to social networking
like Twitter, games like Game of War, or entertainment like textPlus Communities. You
should, however, be careful about things that you post on the Internet or about getting too
close with an online acquaintance whom you have neither met nor known much more
before or else you may eventually find yourself in some kind of predicament.
3. It helps us keep in touch with family and friends anywhere in the world. Our being in
the 21st century is great; many incredible communication tools have been developed. The
tools allow us to get in touch with family and friends, even strangers, anytime anywhere.
Computers, smart phones, iPads, and email, besides the dependable SMS (text message),
allow us to communicate quickly and easily.
4. It brings new diversity to our culture and our lives. The pace of change caused by
technology is blinding. Google recipes, and anyone, like you and your classmate, can put
sumptuous meals on the dining table. Your cell phone, with its digital camera, has
replaced the film camera, and you yourself can print your own pictures without any help
from the almost-extinct film developer.

Before going to your doctor, google your symptoms, and you can confidently
discuss your aliment with him. Anytime anywhere you can access your bank online to
check your account balance, transfer funds, pay your bills, or verify your transaction
details without going to the bank yourself.
5. It fosters better cooperation among different cultural groups. New technologies help
companies extend participation on a project to an ever greater number of people, allowing
firms to tap into a wide body of knowledge and expertise.
6. It isolates us. Mobile communication is so powerful that it changes not only what we do
but also what we are. Wherever we are, our mobile phones are also there—we are
inseparable. At the dinner table with our families, in a meeting at work, during
interactions in the classroom, while shopping in malls, in conversations with friends,
while listening to presentations in lectures—everywhere, even at the most unlikely places
like funerals—the cell phone takes us away from the people around us. It literally isolates
us from the rest of the world… from humanity.
7. It can make us create second lives. (Gamble & Gamble, 2013), Millions of people find
solace in virtual communities where they have found a second life. You might have heard
of Sim City, Farmville, and Cities Skylines. In these social networking sites, users or
players create or choose avatars to interact with other users anywhere in the world. An
avatar is an image that represents the player in online games, chat rooms, and so on,
which moves on screen. Video game avatars are physical entities (the users) that become
abstract (as video game guys). People who have second lives seek new people to meet in
hopes of experiencing a meaningful relationship. The virtual community might be
providing the players the person-to-person contact they are seeking, which could be
absent in the neighborhoods where they live.