Thill EBC14 PPT 04 Accessible

Excellence in Business Communication
Fourteenth Edition
Chapter 4
Communication
Challenges in a Diverse,
Global Marketplace
Copyright © 2024, 2020, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Learning Objectives
4.1 Discuss the opportunities and challenges of intercultural
communication.
4.2 Define cultural competency, explain the influence of culture on
business communication, and describe five important dynamics of
cultural bias.
4.3 List four key dimensions of cultural diversity in the global
marketplace and six dimensions of diversity in the contemporary
workplace.
4.4 List four general guidelines for adapting to global business cultures.
4.5 Identify three important steps for improving intercultural
communication in the workplace.
On the Job: Communicating at AMD
Dr. Lisa Su earned a reputation as one of the best leaders in contemporary

business by transforming AMD into an industry powerhouse. One of her
current challenges is expanding opportunities for women and people of color
in the high-technology sector.
Understanding the Opportunities and Challenges
of Communication in a Diverse World
(LO 4.1) Discuss the opportunities and challenges of

intercultural communication.
Diversity includes all the characteristics that define each of
us as individuals.
Intercultural communication is the process of sending and
receiving messages between people whose cultural
backgrounds could lead them to interpret verbal and
nonverbal signs differently.
The Opportunities in a Global
Marketplace
• Chances are good that you’ll be working across
international borders sometime in your career.
• International work experience is a valuable asset on your
résumé as you look to move up the leadership ladder.
• International business can be a rewarding experience both
personally and professionally.
The Advantages of a Diverse Workforce
• The diversity of today’s workforce brings distinct
advantages to business.
– A broader range of views and ideas
– A better understanding of diverse, fragmented
markets
– A wider range of employee talents
The Challenges of Intercultural
Communication
• The way you communicate is deeply influenced by the
culture in which you were raised.
• Culture defines the:
– meaning of words
– significance of gestures
– importance of time and space
– rules of human relationships
……and many other aspects of communication.
Developing Cultural Competency
(LO 4.2) Define cultural competency, explain the influence
of culture on business communication, and describe five
important dynamics of cultural bias.
Cultural competency includes an appreciation for cultural
differences that affect communication and the ability to
adjust one’s communication style to ensure that efforts to
send and receive messages across cultural boundaries are
successful.
Understanding the Concept of Culture
• Culture is a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes,
values, expectations, and norms for behavior.
• Cultures vary in their rate of change, complexity, and
tolerance of outsiders.
• People learn culture directly or indirectly.
• Culture tends to be:
– Coherent (logical)
– Complete (able to answer all of life’s big questions)
Understanding Intersectionality
• Intersectionality: the unique forms of discrimination that
can result from belonging to more than one culture.
• Living at the intersection of multiple cultures can subject
people to unique prejudices and barriers that other people
don’t face.
Overcoming Ethnocentrism and
Stereotyping
• Ethnocentrism is the tendency to judge other groups
according to the standards, behaviors, and customs of
one’s own group.
– Xenophobia: fear of strangers and foreigners
• Stereotyping is assigning generalized attributes to an
individual on the basis of membership in a particular
group.
• Cultural pluralism is the practice of accepting multiple
cultures on their own terms.
Recognizing the Dynamics of Bias
• Confronting bias in any form can make people
uncomfortable.
• Many types of bias exist in the workplace.
• Reducing bias helps companies perform better, which
ultimately helps everyone in the company.
Code-Switching
• A practice in which people present an inauthentic or
incomplete “work version” of themselves to match the
norms of the prevailing culture.
• It can involve changes in word choices, grammar,
nonverbal mannerisms, dress, or hairstyle, for example.
• Companies can unknowingly promote this phenomenon
by overemphasizing “fit” when it comes to hiring
decisions.
Exclusionary Behaviors
• These can include offhand remarks, subtle insults,
inappropriate jokes that say, “you’re not one of us.”
• Even comments intended as compliments can have this
effect if they highlight how the recipient is different in
some way from the prevailing culture in a company.
Role Incredulity
• Refers to the disbelief some people encounter from
others regarding their professional status or role in an
organization.
• Centering refers to the question of who belongs where.
• Othering refers to subtle or overt behaviors that place
some people outside the center and deem them less
worthy of being there.
The Question of Privilege
• The question of privilege is a key consideration.
• Privilege can exist in two forms:
1. People outside a privileged group can encounter
obstacles that the privileged group never encounters
and may not even be aware of.
2. People who are outside the power center can face
double standards in terms of how their behavior is
assessed.
Recognizing Dimensions of Cultural
Diversity
(LO 4.3) List four key dimensions of cultural diversity in
the global marketplace and six dimensions of diversity in
the contemporary workplace.
• Global marketplace:
1. Contextual differences
2. Legal and ethical differences
3. Social norms and customs
4. Nonverbal communication
Contextual Differences
• Cultural context is the pattern of physical cues,
environmental stimuli, and implicit understanding that
conveys meaning between members of the same
culture.
– Two groups: high- and low-context culture
▪ In high-context culture, people rely more on
nonverbal actions and environmental setting to
convey meaning.
▪ In low-context culture, people rely more on explicit
verbal communication.
Legal and Ethical Differences
• Culture influences legal and ethical behavior, which can
affect communication.
– The meaning of business contracts can vary from
culture to culture.
– The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
Social Norms and Customs
• The nature of social behavior varies between cultures in
the following areas:
– Attitudes toward work and success
– Roles and status
– Use of manners
– Concepts of time
– Future orientation
– Openness and inclusiveness
Nonverbal Communication
• Cultural norms influence the use of many nonverbal
signals and behaviors.
– Greetings
– Personal space
– Touching
– Facial expressions
– Eye contact
– Formality
Diversity Considerations in the
Contemporary Workplace
• These include:
1. Race and ethnicity
2. Gender and sexual orientation
3. Physical, emotional, and cognitive traits
4. Age
5. Religion
6. Education, economics, and life experience
Race and Ethnicity
• Race is used to categorize people by apparent physical
attributes.
• Ethnicity is used to categorize people by language,
national origin, and other cultural qualities.
• These social constructs can be used to categorize and
often marginalize people on the basis of factors that have
nothing to do with qualifications or performance.
Gender and Sexual Orientation
• Gender plays a pervasive role in workplace communication.
• Key issues:
– Representation and influence: Although women make up
roughly 50 percent of the U.S. workforce at the entry level,
the proportion of women in leadership shrinks at each step
up the corporate hierarchy.
– Communication style: Men and women can have different
communication styles, which can affect how women are
acknowledged, paid, and promoted.
– LGBTQ+ representation and bias: Many people do not fit
or wish to be fit into the traditional heterosexual,
male/female binary categorization scheme.
Physical, Emotional, and Cognitive Traits
• Colleagues and customers with disabilities that affect
communication represent an important aspect of the
diversity picture.
• Neurodiversity refers to atypical thought and behavior
patterns such as autism and social anxiety disorders and
the challenges that neurodiverse employees face.
Age
• Today’s workplaces can have three, four, or even five
generations working side by side.
• Each has been shaped differently based on world events,
social trends, and technology advances.
• Ageism and generational conflict are persistent problems
in society and in the workplace.
• Resist the urge to make assumptions about any age
group.
Table 4.1
Popularly Labeled Generations in the U.S. Population
Label Birth Years

Greatest Generation 1901–1927
Silent Generation 1928–1945
Baby Boomers 1946–1964
Generation X 1965–1980
Millennials 1981–1996
Generation Z 1997–
Religion
• Religion brings potential for workplace controversy and
conflict.
• U.S. law requires employers to accommodate employees’
religious beliefs to a reasonable degree.
• Harassment that is “so frequent or severe that it creates a
hostile or offensive work environment” is against the law.
Education, Economics, and Life
Experience
• Graduates of prestigious universities can be viewed as
better qualified for certain jobs and leadership roles.
• Similarly, people with less-refined speech patterns or
different accents may be viewed as less qualified.
• Most people from lower socioeconomic brackets lack
some built-in advantages that those from higher classes
enjoy.
• The intersection of race and class is an important factor,
with race playing an increasingly significant factor lower
on the socioeconomic ladder.
Adapting to Other Business Cultures
(LO 4.4) List four general guidelines for adapting to global
business cultures.
Adapting your approach is essential to successful
communication.
Guidelines for Adapting to any Business
Culture
• Four general guidelines that can help communicators
improve their cultural competency:
– Become aware of your own biases.
– Be careful about applying the “Golden Rule.”
– Be accommodating and respectful, even if you don’t
understand or agree.
– Be patient and maintain a sense of humor.
Helping Others Adapt to Your Culture
• Everyone can contribute to successful intercultural
communication.
• Chances are that while you’re helping, you’ll learn
something about the other person’s culture and language,
too.
• You can also take steps to simplify the communication
process.
Guidelines for Adapting to U.S. Business
Culture
• Individualism: U.S. culture generally expects individuals to
succeed by their own efforts, and it rewards individual
success.
• Equality: Equality is considered a core American value.
• Privacy and personal space: Fair amount of privacy; this
applies to physical space as well
• Time and schedules: Value punctuality and the efficient use of
time.
• Religion: People are expected to respect other’s beliefs.
• Communication style: Direct and content focused
Improving Communication with Global
Audiences
• You can improve your global communication skills
throughout your career by:
– studying other cultures.
– studying other languages.
– respecting preferences for communication style.
– writing clearly.
– speaking and listening carefully.
Studying Other Cultures
• Effectively adapting your communication efforts requires
the ability to change personal habits.
• Numerous resources are available to offer advice on
other cultures.
• People respond positively to honest effort and good
intentions.
• Show an interest in learning more about cultures.
Studying Other Languages
• The demand for multilingual communicators is growing.
• Being able to communicate in more than one language
makes you a more competitive candidate and opens a
variety of career opportunities.
• Learning common phrases will help you get through
everyday business and social situations and demonstrate
your commitment to the business relationship.
Table 4.2 (1 of 3)
Preparing to Do Business in Other Countries and Cultures
Action Details to Consider

Understand social • How do people react to strangers? Are they friendly? Hostile? Reserved?
customs • How do people greet each other?
• How do you express appreciation for an invitation to lunch, dinner, or
someone’s home? Should you bring a gift? Send flowers? Write a
thank-you note?
• Are any phrases, facial expressions, or hand gestures considered rude?
• When is it rude to refuse an invitation? How do you refuse politely?
• What topics may or may not be discussed in a social setting? In a
business setting?
• How do social customs dictate interaction between men and women?
Between younger people and older people?
Learn about clothing • What occasions require special attire?
and food preferences • What colors are associated with mourning? Love? Joy?
• How are hands or utensils used when eating?
Table 4.2 (2 of 3)
Table 4.2 [Continued]

Assess political patterns • How stable is the political situation?
• Does the political situation affect businesses in and out of the
country?
• Is it appropriate to talk politics in social or business situations?
Understand religious and • To which religious groups do people belong?
social beliefs • Which places, objects, actions, and events are sacred?
• Do religious beliefs affect communication between men and women
or between any other groups?
• Is there a tolerance for minority religions?
• How do religious holidays affect business and government
activities?
• Does religion require or prohibit eating specific foods?
Table 4.2 (3 of 3)
Table 4.2 [Continued]
Learn about economic • Is the society homogeneous or heterogeneous?
and business institutions • What languages are spoken?
• What are the primary resources and principal products?
• Are businesses generally large? Family controlled? Government
controlled?
• What are the generally accepted working hours?
• Do people generally adhere to scheduled appointment times?
• Are people expected to socialize before conducting business?
Appraise the nature of • Is money or a gift expected in exchange for arranging business
ethics, values, and laws transactions?
• Do people value competitiveness or cooperation?
• What are the attitudes toward work? Toward money?
• Is politeness more important than factual honesty?
Respecting Preferences for Communication
Style
• Communication style—including the level of directness,

the degree of formality, media preferences, and other
factors—varies widely from culture to culture.
• In general, communication in many other cultures is more
formal and less direct than it is in the United States, and
politeness is valued highly.
Figure 4.1a
Intercultural Business Letter: Ineffective Original Draft
Writing Clearly
• Writing clearly is important. Follow these recommendation to
make sure your message can be understood:
– Choose words carefully.
– Avoid words with multiple meanings.
– Write short and clear sentences.
– Keep paragraphs short.
– Use transitions generously.
– Address international correspondences properly.
– Cite numbers and dates in local formats.
– Avoid slang and idiomatic phrases.
– Avoid humor and references to popular culture.
Figure 4.1b
Intercultural Business Letter: First Revision
Speaking and Listening Carefully
• Languages vary in the significance of tone, pitch, speed,
and volume, which can create challenges.
• Tips:
– Speak slowly and clearly.
– Don’t rephrase until obvious.
– Look and ask for feedback.
– Don’t talk down to others.
– Double check to make sure you and the other party
agree.
Figure 4.2
Writing for Multilingual Audiences
Improving Intercultural Communication
in the Workplace
(LO 4.5) Identify three important steps for improving
intercultural communication in the workplace.
You can improve by:
• Practicing inclusive leadership.
• Being a strong ally.
• Developing inclusive communication habits.
Practicing Inclusive Leadership
• Evaluate the hiring process from start to finish.
• Assess retention policies and career-growth programs.
• Find and fix the “leaks” in the career pipeline.
• Don’t put the burden of fixing problems on those affected by them.
• Give all employees a safe way to express their feelings,
experiences.
• Address implicit bias with effective training methods.
• Set up and support employee resource groups.
• Above all, leaders need to lead by example.
Being a Strong Ally
• Educate yourself.
• Recognize the privileges that have helped you succeed.
• Put your privilege to positive use.
• Don’t tolerate exclusionary behavior from others.
• Become aware of your implicit biases and work to
eliminate them.
• Establish genuine relationships with people outside your
demographic cohort.
• Practice servant leadership.
Developing Inclusive Communication
Habits
• Observe the effects of verbal and nonverbal communication.
• Separate content from presentation.
• Practice empathic listening.
• Avoid assumptions.
• Avoid judgments.
• Moderate meetings and discussions to ensure equal participation.
• Use the language and labels that others use to describe themselves.
• When you make a mistake that offends or marginalizes someone,
own it, apologize for it, and learn from it.
Checklist: Developing Inclusive
Communication Habits
Checklist Developing Inclusive Communication Habits
• Observe the effects of verbal and nonverbal communication.
• Separate content from presentation.
• Practice empathic listening.
• Avoid assumptions.
• Avoid judgments.
• Moderate meetings and discussions to ensure equal opportunities for

participation.
• Use the language and labels that others use to describe themselves.
• When you make a mistake that offends or marginalizes someone, own it,
apologize for it, and learn from it.
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Excellence in Business Communication

Dr. Lisa Su earned a reputation as one of the best leaders in contemporary

(LO 4.1) Discuss the opportunities and challenges of

Label Birth Years

Action Details to Consider

Action Details to Consider

• Communication style—including the level of directness,

• Observe the effects of verbal and nonverbal communication.

• Separate content from presentation.

• Practice empathic listening.

• Moderate meetings and discussions to ensure equal opportunities for

This work is protected by United States copyright laws and is

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