CROSS CULTURAL

BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION &
BEHAVIOUR

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 What is Business Communication?
ƥ Unlike social / personal communications,
Business Communication implies formal
and precise communication.
ƥ What is Business behavior?
ƥ It refers to normal and formal interactions
between 2 business partners.

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BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Factors affecting business communication ƛ

ƥ Nature of Industry
ƥ Cultural Influences
ƥ Status of the Industry and Economy
ƥ Nature of Mutual Relationship

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ContdƦ

Precautions to be taken ƛ
ƥ Understand the cultural nuances
ƥ Respect the local customs
ƥ Extra familiarity to be avoided
ƥ Clarify all details such as commercial
terms, technical terms, monitoring
mechanism etc.

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ContdƦ
Types of Business Communication
[Cross cultural] ƛ

Deal Focused vs Relationship Focus

ƥ Deal Focused is task oriented and open to do
business with strangers
strangers.. While Relationship
Focused Cultures are people oriented and prefer
to evaluate the business partners before getting
down to business
business..

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ContdƦ

ƥ DF prefers direct, frank, straight forward

language while RF prefers indirect, subtle
round about style. They prefer avoiding
saying NO.

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ContdƦ

Rigid time vs Fluid Time

ƥ While punctuality is critical and schedules
are seriously taken, business meetings not
interrupted in Rigid Time Cultures.
ƥ In fluid time Cultures less emphasis is on
punctuality and deadlines are not an
obsession.


ContdƦ

Cross Cultural Communication

ƥ Special focus on greetings, non verbal
communication and respect to hierarchy.

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ContdƦ

Distance Behaviour
ƥ Personal space is important and varies
from one culture to another ƛ
ƥ Physical distance

Ë
ContdƦ

Eye contact ƛ Firm - Europeans

ƥ Intense; Arabs & Mediateraman; Moderate
ƛ Korea, Thailand & Africa,
ƥ Indirect most of Asia.

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BUSINESS BEHAVIOUR

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Protocol ƛ

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ƥ Latin countries ƛ Style and Quality of cloths and
accessories are important
ƥ Middle East ƛ Quality and Price of Brief case,
Watch, Pen & Jewellery are important.
ƥ Germans ƛ Rate high persons whose shoes are
well polished.
ƥ Asia ƛ slip-
slip-on shoes, since it is customary to
remove shoes in many places.

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Bu
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ƥ Exchange of cards very crucial in business.

ƥ In Japan & Korea, cards given to the most
important member of the team first, at the
beginning of the meeting and then to others. No
person should be given a card again unless
there is a change in the position as otherwise it
is taken as an insult. There are protocols for
giving and receiving cards.

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 Contd..
ƥ Cards are presented face upwards and in
bilingual and the person receiving the card is
expected to read the name and place it before
him or her through are the meeting.

ƥ Europeans are less formal and exchange of

cards only at the end of the meeting. Germans
include the full academics and professional titles
and expect to be address by them.

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A

ƥ RF cultures value exchange gifts more than DF

cultures. Gifts include quality pens, branded
cultures.
liquor [not in Muslim countries] , home country
products.. Gifts are exchanged after the
products
agreement is signed in Europe and in Japan and
Asia after the meeting.
meeting. America does not have a
gift giving culture and professionals are
debarred from accepting or giving gifts
gifts..

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ContdƦ
ƥ Japan ƛ even gift rapping is important and
the gift is received in both the hands.
While in Japan, like in Europe, the gift is
opened in the presence of the giver,
elsewhere it is opened later.
_o  o add

ƥ Is culture specific and enough care should
be taken to avoid an embarrassment.

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Pitfalls

ƥ Inadequate cultural knowledge

ƥ Dis
Dis--respect to local customs
ƥ Extra politeness and familiarity

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Precautions

ƥ Use knowledgeable interpreter where

required
ƥ Avoid short cuts and maintain steady
schedule
ƥ Dress code, opening remarks, closing
remarks should be rehearsed before actual
meetings.

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