Cultural Differences In Business Communication

Cultural Differences in Business Communication
John Hooker Tepper work of Business Carnegie Mellon University john@hooker.tepper.cmu.edu December 2008

T here(predicate) is no wear pop out arna for observing a culture in march than line of crease. Cultures tend to reveal themselves in situations where much is as stake, because it is here that their resources atomic number 18 nigh needed. Marriage, family obligations, and such stressful experiences as illness and the death of a loved one bring out much of what is distinctive and radical in a culture. The corresponding is true of business, because economic survival is at stake. Business practices are shaped by deeply-held cultural attitudes toward work, power, trust, wealthâ€"and communication. Communication is primal in business, because business is a collaborative activity. Goods and services are created and exchanged through the close coordination of many persons, sometimes inside a single village, and sometimes across global distances. Coordination of this pleasant requires intense communication. Complex product specifications and production schedules must be mutually understood, and intricate deals between trading partners must be negotiated. Communication styles vary enormously around the world, and these contribute to a staggering variety of business styles.



Probably the single most useful concept for understanding cultural differences in business communication is Edward T. Halls (1976) distinction of low-context and high-context cultures. It explains much just about how negotiation proceeds, how agreements are specified, and how workers are managed. Yet this distinction, insightful as it is, is derivative. It is best understood as reflecting a more fundamental distinction between rule-based and relationship-based cultures, which is in turn grounded in contrasting conceptions of human nature. The discussion here begins by showing how business practices reflect low-context and high-context characteristics, but it subsequently moves to the deeper levels...If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: Orderessay



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