Components & Representation

A large part of successful intercultural communication is in understanding that different national groups have different cultural traits which affect the way they communicate. In this globalised world where there is an unprecedented movement of labour across country borders, it is increasingly important for people to grasp the nuances of intercultural communication in order to perform optimally in business settings. The knowledge will help to prevent misunderstandings and facilitate matters amongst employees in organizations with a diverse multi-national workforce.

Take the example of an female American manager being posted to a new job position overseas in Japan. Having come from a low power distance culture where her subordinates speak freely to her as en equal, she may not be able to comprehend why her new colleagues rarely voice out their opinions if she did not understand it was because Japan has a high power distance culture. Subordinates generally do what their superiors order and seldom ask questions even if they have doubts as a form of respect. High power distance is a feature of Japan as a collectivist society while low power distance is common in the USA which is an individualist country.

The same manager would also experience a shift from a low uncertainty avoidance culture to a high uncertainty one. Therefore it is likely that her team members may be unused to her informal style of leadership and also be resistent to any changes/new ideas she propose.

Having come from a country which strives for gender equality within the workplace, the US female manager may encounter difficulties in Japan which is a highly masculine country. Males are typically accorded higher status then females. If the company that the manager is working in still holds on strong to traditional values, she may find herself having to serve tea to her male colleagues in meetings, even to her subordinates.

Having come from a low context culture, the new manager may also need to adjust to the ways of a high context culture in Japan. She is likely to find it hard to bond with her new colleagues simply due the fact that she is viewed as an outsider. She would also need to understand the concept of "face-saving" that is required in high context cultures like Japan and avoid offending her Japanese counterparts by dealing with any conflict subtly and discreetly.

As shown in the above example, there are many cultural traits to consider when one is operating in a new business environement in order to ensure successful intercultural commnication and achieve a good enviroment for business.