Dr.

Ilir Hajdini,
University of Vienna

4-1 This work has been done referring to the 2011 and 2014
Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall
 The Communication Process

4-2
 Cultural Noise in the
Communication Process

Behavior Attribution
American: “How long will it take American: I asked him to
to finish this report?” participate.

Greek: He is the boss. Why

doesn’t he tell me?
Greek: “I don’t know, How long American: He refuses to take
should it take?” responsibility.

Greek: I asked for an order.

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 Cultural Noise and Communication Link:
The Trust
• In Japanese there are several “I” and “you”
but their use depends on the relationship
Noise between the speaker and the other
person.

• In China and Japan, business transactions

Trust are based on networks of long-standing
relationships based on trust

• Arabs do deals with trusted people not

with companies (contracts), if you
Trust change your dealing employee you
might lose the future deals.

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 The Culture-Communication Link:
The Globe Project
High
Performance • Present objective information
Orientation: directly and specifically
United States
Low
Assertiveness: • Two-way discourse and
friendly relationship
Sweden
High Human
Orientation: • Avoid conflict, be
supportive
Ireland,Philipines
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 Cultural Variables in Communication

Attitudes Stereotyping

Social United Auto

Organization Workers (UAW)

e.g. the meaning

Thought of double lines
Patterns (Canadian in
Thailand)

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 Cultural Variables in Communication

Decision
Roles making and
Responsibility

1. Come alive with

Pepsi, literal
translation “come
Language out of the grave”
2. When “yes”
doesn’t mean “yes”
Other examples: 6000 words for
camels (Arabs), 50 words for
4-7 snow (Eskimo).
 Cultural Variables in Communication

Nonverbal Communication

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 Cultural Variables in Communication

Nonverbal Communication

 “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

 Nonverbal communication accounts for
between 65 to 93 percent of interpreted
communication.
 Minor variations in body language, speech
rhythms, and punctuality often cause mistrust
and misperception of the situation among
cross-cultural parties.

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 The Media for Nonverbal Communication

 Kinesic behavior—communication through

body movements
 Proxemics—the influence of proximity and
space on communication—both personal space
and office space or layout
 High-contact cultures: prefer to stand close and to
experience a “close” sensory involvement
 Low-contact cultures: have a “distant” style of body
language
 Paralanguage—how something is said rather
than the content

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 The Media for Nonverbal Communication

 Object language/material culture—the way we

communicate through material artifacts
 Monochronic cultures (Switzerland, Germany,
United States): time is experienced in a linear way
 Polychronic cultures (Latin Americans, Arabs):
tolerate many things happening simultaneously
and may focus on several things at once

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 Context

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 Management Focus:
Oriental Poker Face

 “Oriental poker face” and “idiotic Asian smile”

 American mask of confidence

Copyright ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as

4-13 Prentice Hall
 Comparative Management in Focus:
Communicating with Arabs
 Arabs are quick to “sound off ”
 Communication is built on friendship, honor,
hospitality
 Arabs are high-contact communicators
 Time is the key in communication process

Copyright ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as

4-14 Prentice Hall
 Communication Channels

Information systems

Speed of information
flow and use

Informal sources of
information

Example Japanese Ningensei vs.

American Adversarial
Copyright ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as
4-15 Prentice Hall
 Managing Cross-Cultural Communication

 Develop cultural sensitivity

 Anticipate the meaning the receiver will get.
 Careful encoding
 Use words, pictures, and gestures.
 Avoid slang, idioms, regional sayings.
 Selective Transmission
 Build relationships, face-to-face if possible.
 Careful decoding of feedback
 Get feedback from multiple parties.
 Improve listening and observation skills.
 Follow-up actions

Copyright ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as

4-16 Prentice Hall
 Negotiation

The process of discussion by which

two or more parties aim for mutually
acceptable agreement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=DpX2hds66gU

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 The Negotiation Process

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 Stage One: Preparation

•Develop profile of counterparts.

•Find out likely demands, team

composition, and counterpart
authority.
•Choose a negotiation site.
•British/French Chunnel
negotiations

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 Stage Two: Relationship Building

•Getting to know one’s contacts

and building mutual trust

•Non-task sounding (nemawashi)

•Use an intermediary.

•“I have come as a mediator…”

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 Stage Three: Exchanging
Task-Related Information
•Cultural differences remain an
issue.
•The French enjoy debate and conflict.
•Mexicans can be suspicious and indirect.
•The Chinese ask many questions, but
provide ambiguous information in return.

•Show understanding of the

other viewpoint.

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 Stage Four: Persuasion

•Dirty tricks are in the

eye of the beholder
•False information
•Ambiguous authority
•Uncomfortable rooms
•Rudeness, threats
•Calculated delays

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 Stage Five: Concessions
and Agreement
•Russians and the Chinese
start with extreme positions
•Swedes start with what
they will accept
•Starting with extremes may
be most effective

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 Comparison of Negotiation Styles

North Latin
Japanese
American American
Hide emotions Deal Emotionally
impersonally passionate
Subtle power Litigation, not Great power
plays conciliation plays
Step-by-step Methodological Impulsive,
approach organization spontaneous
Group good is Profit is the aim Group/individ-
the aim ual good is aim

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 Low-Context, High-Context
Sources of Conflict

Low-Context High-Context

Why Analytic Synthetic

Individualistic-oriented Group-oriented
When
violations violations
Concealment, non-
What Confrontational
confrontational
Implicit, ambiguous,
How Explicit, open, direct
indirect

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 Successful Negotiators: Indians

❑ Look for and say the truth, not afraid to speak

up.
❑ Exercise self-control.
❑ Respect other party, look for solutions
acceptable to all parties.
❑ Will change their minds, even at risk of seeming
inconsistent and unpredictable.

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 Successful Negotiators: Arabs

❑ Protect honor, self-respect, dignity, and, thus, are

trusted and respected.
❑ Avoid direct confrontation.
❑ Come up with creative, honorable solutions.
❑ Are impartial and can resist pressure.

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 Successful Negotiators: Swedes

❑ Quiet, thoughtful, polite, straightforward

❑ Overcautious, but flexible

❑ Slow to react to new proposals, but eager to be

productive and efficient

❑ Able to hide emotions, afraid of confrontation

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 Successful Negotiators: Italians

❑ Have a sense of drama, do not hide emotions

❑ Good at reading facial expressions and gestures
❑ Want to make a good impression and use flattery,
but are distrusting
❑ Handle confrontation with subtlety and tact

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 Managing Negotiation

Avoid person-related
conflicts.

Examples

Low-context Americans Americans must approach

appear impatient, cold, negotiations with Mexicans
and blunt to Mexicans. with patience; refrain from
attacking ideas.

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 Successful Negotiators: Americans

❑ Knows when to compromise, but stands firm at

the beginning. Accept compromises only when
there is a deadlock.
❑ Refuses to make concessions beforehand and
keeps his/hers cards close to chest.
❑ Keeps a maximum of options open before
negotiation, operate in good faith.
❑ States his/her position as clearly as possible,
respects the “opponents”.
❑ Is fully briefed about the negotiated issues, has
a good sense of timing and is consistent.

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 Cross-Cultural Negotiation Variables
EXHIBIT 5-5 Cross-cultural Negotiation Variables

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 Comparative Management in Focus:
Negotiating with Chinese
 Some recommendations:
 Practice patience.
 Accept prolonged stalemate.
 Refrain from exaggerated expectations.
 Expect shaming.
 Resist blaming for difficulties.
 Understand Chinese cultural traits.

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