CROSS-CULTURAL

COMMUNICATION

ANUJA K
NIDHISH SIMON
PRIYA P.U
PRIYANKA P.S
SHERIN ANNA THOMAS
 CULTURE
• Group which shapes a persons values and
identity.
• Culture is formed
 Race
 Ethnicity
 Gender
 Class & Religion
 Country of origin
 Geographic region
6 FUNDAMENTAL PATTERNS
OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
• Different Communication Styles
• Different Attitude towards Conflicts
• Different Approaches in Completing Tasks
• Different Decision Making Styles
• Different Attitudes towards Disclosure
• Different Approaches to Knowing
 COMMUNICATION
• Draws on speech patterns, language and non-
verbal messages.
• Interactive.
 CROSS-CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
• Cross-cultural communication is a field of
study that looks at how people from
differing cultural backgrounds communicate,
in similar and different ways among
themselves, and how they endeavour
to communicate across cultures.
• Important to companies due to the growth of
global business, technology, and the Internet.
• Understanding of how people from different
cultures speak, communicate, and perceive the
world around them.
• Language differences, High-Context vs. Low-
Context cultures, Non-Verbal differences, and
power distance are major factors affect cross-
cultural communication.
 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
• Business Opportunities
• Job Opportunities
• Globalization
• Sharing of views and ideas
• Talent Improvisation
• Understanding of Diverse Market
 High Vs Low-Context Cultures
High-Context Cultures : Cultures that rely
heavily on non-verbal & subtle situational cues
in communication.
Ex: North America, Western Europe.
Low-Context Cultures : Cultures that rely
heavily on words to convey meaning in
communication.
Ex: Middle East.
 VERBAL COMMUNICATION
• Use of sounds and words to express yourself.
• Includes
 Face-Face Communication
 Telephone Communication
 Radio / TV
 NON-VERBAL
COMMUNICATION
• Communication through sending and receiving
wordless clues.
• Includes
 Eye-contact
 Gestures
 Touch
 Voice (paralanguage)
 EYE-CONTACT
• Some cultures, looking people in the eyes is
honesty and straight forwardness & in others it
is seen as challenging and rude.
• In US, if you have good eye contact with a
person, it generally signifies that you are
interested in the person.
• In Middle East, eye contact is much less
common and considered less appropriate.
• In many Asian, African and Latin American
cultures, extended eye contact can be taken as
an affront or a challenge of authority.
• In Western Europe, it is considered proper and
polite to maintain almost constant eye contact
with another person.
 GESTURES
• A movement of part of the body, especially a
hand or the head, to express an idea or
meaning.
 TOUCH
• Islam & Hinduism : Touching with left hand is
insulting.
 COLOURS
• A single color can have many different
meanings in different cultures.
• In Asia orange is a positive, spiritually
enlightened, and life-affirming color.
• In US it is a color of road hazards, traffic
delays, and fast-food restaurants.
• Green is considered the traditional colour of
Islam. It is also the national colour of Egypt.
• Green is a symbol of Ireland; green is a strong
trend in the Irish holiday St. Patrick’s Day.

• White is the traditional colour of bridal dresses

in Western cultures. 
• China: blue-coloured gifts are associated with
death.
 CLOTHING
• Traditional clothing is an important part of a
region’s history and identity.
• Men tend not to wear suit jackets and ties in
Colombia and the Middle East.
• The traditional dress for an Indian woman is a
Sari.
• Gulf countries women's have to wear Pardha
& compulsory for every women who visits
Saudi.
• Western Countries, the women's can wear
• Maasai BeadWork, Kenya
 greeting
• Bow is the customary greeting in Japan.
• Westerner’s always start with a handshake.
• Most Latinos are more accustomed to physical
contact. Even people who know each other
only slightly may embrace when greeting.
• People from France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal
greet friends by kissing on both cheeks.
• Indian’s usually collide their hands for
greeting others.
CULTURAL CONFLICTS IN
WORK PLACE
• It arises because of the difference in value
and norms of behaviour from different
cultures.
• So this situation create misunderstanding
and lead to conflict.
 Different situations
• Misunderstanding or conflict between
different nationalities, religious or ethnic
groups.
• Cultural ignorance and insensitivity.
• Lack of awareness of social life style
practises.
• Miscommunication and misinterpretation.
• Perception of illness and treatment.
 BLOCKS TO CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
1. Ethnocentrism : Inability to accept another
cultures world view. Ex: “ my way is the best
way”
2. Discrimination : Treatment to an individual
due to minority status, actual & perceived.
Ex: “we just aren't equipped to serve people
like that.”
3. Stereotyping: Generalizing about a person.
Ex: “she’s like that …because she is Asian”
4. Cultural Blindness: Differences are ignored &
ne proceeds though differences did not exist.
Ex: ‘there is no need to worry about a persons
culture”
5. Cultural Imposition: Belief that everyone
should conform to majority. Ex: “we know
what's best for you, if you don’t like it you can
go elsewhere”
6. Tone Difference: Formal tone change
becomes embarrassing & off-putting in some
culture.
 IMPROVING CROSS-
CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
• Overcome Ethnocentrism
• Recognize Cultural Variation
• Learn about Cultures
• Remove Language Barrier
• Help others adapt to our culture
• Write & speak clearly
• Improve Communication Skill
• Listen Carefully
• Respect Style Preferences
 TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE CROSS-
CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
1. Slow Down
2. Avoid Negative Questions
3. Separate Questions
4. Take Turns
5. Write it Down
6. Be Supportive
7. Check Meanings
8. Avoid Slang
9. Maintain Etiquette
10. Watch the Humor