Intercultural Communication and Interaction

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer looks at the topic of intercultural communication and discusses that this is an academic field of study that aims to look at how people from different cultures interact with each other. The writer notes that culture can simply be considered as the basic values, attitudes and behaviors of a certain group of people most of the time. The writer maintains that as there is a significant influence of the different cultures on human interaction, it is no longer affordable for the ordinary American to remain ignorant of these cultural diversities. Therefore the motivation to learn more about global cultures was never greater than it is today. The writer concludes that for this very purpose many universities in America and elsewhere are today offering inter cultural communication programs whose objective is to enable people, groups, and organizations to function effectively across borders and cultures, to respect other cultures, and to be more sensitive to the values and attitudes that they hold dear, and at the same time, to be better able to communicate with each other.

From the Paper:

"There are various examples of cultural filters in the corporate environment and beyond. Attitudes to the labor market form an important cultural filter. Some cultures prefer lower pyramids of management, where the employees are prepared to take more responsibility for their own work, and management is considered to be a facilitating, rather than imposing presence. In other cultures, relatively higher pyramids of management are acceptable, thus resulting in the employee giving less importance to self-responsibility. Taking the example of employee training, it would be essential for the trainer to be aware of the cultural leanings of the groups in question in order for the training to achieve its objectives. The trainer can elicit reactions such as unwillingness or disinterest if his training methods assume a personal responsibility towards the learning process, whereas the employee is used to being "managed". This confrontation can be avoided through better cultural understanding."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Tue Freltoft and Jorgen Kay, 1996, "The Platform Philosophy", AMU International
• Richard Nisbett, 2003, "The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently... and Why", Free Press Publishing
• David Hesselgrave, n.d., "Verbal and nonverbal communication", SNU
• Marc J. Riemer & Detlev E. Jansen, "Non-verbal intercultural communication awareness for the modern engineer", Monash University
• Encyclopedia of Small Business, 2nd ed., 2002, "Cross Cultural/International Communication"

More papers on Intercultural Communication and Interaction:

• Term Paper # 111458 : "Intercultural Communication and Business"
• Analytical Essay # 145255 : "Intercultural Communication and Business"
• Research Paper # 55355 : "The 7D Cultural Dimensions Model"

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