CROSS-CULTURAL

COMMUNICATION AND
NEGOTIATION
Chapter 7
The Overall Communication Process
 Verbal Communication Styles
◦ Context is information that surrounds a
communication and helps convey the message.
◦ In high-context societies, such as Japan and many
Arab countries, messages are often highly coded
and implicit.
◦ low-context societies such as the United States and
Canada, where the message is explicit and the
speaker says precisely what he or she means.
 Indirect and Direct Styles
 Elaborate to Succinct Styles

◦ There are three degrees of communication quantity

—
1. elaborate,
2. exacting, and
3. Succinct
 Contextual and Personal Styles
 Affective and Instrumental Styles
Interpretation of Communications
 The effectiveness of communication in the
international context often is determined by
how closely the sender and receiver have the
same meaning for the same message. If this
meaning is different, effective communication
will not occur.
 Table 7.2
Communication Flows
 Downward Communication
 Downward communication is the

transmission of information from manager

to subordinate.
 The primary purpose of the manager-

initiated communication flow is to convey

orders and information.
 Managers use this channel to let their

people know what is to be done and how

well they are doing.
Upward Communication
 Upward communication is the transfer of
information from subordinate to superior.
 The primary purpose of this subordinate-

initiated upward communication is to provide

feedback, ask questions, or obtain assistance
from higher-level management.

Table 7–3
Matsushita’s Philosophy
Communication Barriers
 Language Barriers
◦ Cultural Barriers in Language
 Perceptual Barriers
◦ Advertising Messages
◦ View of Others
 The Impact of Culture
◦ Cultural Values
◦ Misinterpretation

 Table 7–6
suggestions
 suggestions that can be of value to American
managers who are engaged in international
communications include
 ∙ Be careful not to use generalized

statements about benefits, compensation,

pay cycles, holidays, or policies in your
worldwide communications. Work hours,
vacation accrual, general business practices,
and human resource issues vary widely from
country to country.
 ∙ Because most of the world uses the metric
system, be sure to include converted weights and
measures in all internal and external
communications.
 ∙ Keep in mind that even in English-speaking

countries, words may have different meanings.

Not everyone knows what is meant by
“counterclockwise” or “quite good.”
 ∙ Remember that letterhead and paper sizes

differ worldwide.
 ∙ Dollars are not unique to the United States.

There are Australian, Bermudian, Canadian, Hong

Kong, Taiwanese, and New Zealand dollars,
among others. So when referring to American
dollars, it is important to use “US$.”
Nonverbal Communication
 The transfer of meaning through means such as
body language and the use of physical space.
 The general categories that are especially
important to communication in international
management are
◦ kinesics,
◦ proxemics,
◦ chronemics, and
◦ chromatics.
 Table 7–7
 Common Forms of Nonverbal Communication
Achieving Communication
Effectiveness

1. Improve Feedback Systems

2. Provide Language Training
3. Provide Cultural Training
4. Increase Flexibility and Cooperation