Question 1
Nonverbal communication refers to communication that includes the use of facial expressions, change in the pitch and tone of the voice, the use of different gestures that are displayed through the body language and the difference in the distance between the conversing parties. The mentioned nonverbal cues give the individuals communicating the additional information and cues that cannot be provided in the verbal communication. Additionally, nonverbal communication enables the individuals communicating to modify or reinforce their message especially in what they have sad in words, convey the information about their emotional state, provide feedback and regulate the flow of communication.
The integration and multiple uses of the various nonverbal communication cues may lead to miscommunication. This may lead to a modification of the message from the individual relaying the message to the intended party. For effective communication to happen both the receiver of the message and the dispatcher of the message must comprehend the signals and signs used. The nonverbal cues are sometimes different. Out of the nature and diversity of the people involved in communication, different signals may mean different things to different individuals.
Nonverbal communication can become a barrier to effective communication in that the most vital characteristic of nonverbal communication is its ability to convey emotions. Universally, there are various emotions such as happiness, sadness, fear, and brevity. The manner in which these sentiments are expressed remains different due the different cultures of the world. The effectiveness of a communication may arise when the communication is between different cultures and thus may lead to confusions. A good example is how people express sadness. In some nations such as the Arab culture, the expression of emotions is publicly accepted, , and it is the norm to express oneself publicly. In other beliefs such as Chinese and Japanese cultures, the expression of emotions is subdued.
In Thailand, there was an advertisement of shoes from an American company. The problem arose when the billboard advertising the shoes was placed near a sculpture of the Buddha. This brought about a confrontation between the two countries. This is a classic example of nonverbal communication ineffectiveness. To the Americans, showing individual wearing shoes and having their legs on the table is a sign of pride, achievement and success. To the people of Thailand, shoes represent the dirtiest body part of an individual. The Thailand authorities felt insulted in that something that represented something dirty was placed in proximity with their sacred idols.
There are ways to solve such misinterpretations. One of the best techniques to solve such misinterpretations is to ensure that individuals from both cultures are trained. Each member of the various tribes should learn and comprehend the other culture. The other way to solve the misinterpretations is to improve the feedback systems. The feedback systems can be improved by increasing the cooperation and the frequency of communications between the two countries. If the two countries, America and Thailand had exchanged correspondences among themselves frequently, then the issue could have been raised faster that it was done, and the impact would have been minimal. The other method is to improve the levels of training of languages in the different cultures. What one slang word in a particular culture means is different from the same slang word in another culture? Individuals should be taught about the different dynamics of the different languages.
Question 2(1)
Negotiation is simply the process of bargaining with another party(s) in order to attain an acceptable solution by both parties. The Mexican company should observe the following specifications in order to build a firm relationship with the US Company;
- Buyer-seller relations- the two firms ought to sign memoranda of understanding that determines the buyer and the seller in this merger. They ought to negotiate and articulate on this in order to come up with a strategic approach to this cue.
- Verbal Behaviors; this is the most important aspect for the two companies to follow when negotiating. The verbal behavior of the Mexican company will give a true depiction of the intention when they will be negotiating with the American firm. The verbal cues, therefore, have to be straight and timely.
- Focus on interest and not positions; this should be the main agenda of the Mexican Company. There negotiation process should solely dwell on formulating ideas and not discussing the positions that will be available within the organization.
Question 2(2)
The American Company can take the following options in order to facilitate fruitful negotiation among the two companies;
- Insist that the agreement be based on an objective criterion, this will favor an objective driven merger. It will allow the Mexican Company to focus more on forming concrete relations with the American Company and perhaps formulate strategies that will allow them to develop concise relations going forward.
- Non-verbal relations- other than the formal verbal relation, the American Company ought to undertake non-verbal relation. This will allow the company to find out more about the Mexican Company, hence facilitating smooth or rugged relation depending on the history of the company.
Question 3(1)
The foreign expert lacked to understand the basis of this slang because it is a new thing to her. The foreigner can be said to be more of formal language than the informal aspect of the American slang. Therefore, it was too difficult for her to understand the slang whatsoever. The words can be replaced as follows;
- He was laughing like hell- the laughter was extreme.
- Don't worry; it's a piece of cake- never, it is just a small piece, but of great significance.
- Let's throw these ideas up against the wall and see if any of them stick- lets actualize on the available ideas and embrace the feasible one.
Question 3(2)
This affects the downward chain of communication in most cases. This can be due to the simple fact that, it will be harder for the professionals on the lower level to breakdown the meaning of the words in the American slang. This is often used by senior managers when addressing their juniors.
Question 3(3)
- Blue sky thinking- it is a normal visionary idea that has no practical applicability
- The helicopter view- it is an overview of a given project or business idea
- End-user perspective- it is the ultimate view from the consumer after having used the product or a service.
- Pick the low hanging fruit- it is simply choosing the simplest option when handling a given task.
Works Cited
Young, Tony J., and Alina Schartner. "The Effects of Cross-Cultural Communication Education on International Students' Adjustment And Adaptation." Journal Of Multilingual & Multicultural Development 35.6 (2014): 547-562.
