English
Intercultural Communication
Culture refers to a particular society present at a particular place at a specific time. Culture can never be wrong, it is only different. With increasing globalization, people from around the world are constantly finding a continuous need to learn and utilize effective skills in communication. Moreover, diversity in workplaces, institutions, and other public places has led to an influx in the number of cross-cultural interactions between people from diverse backgrounds. However, without a clear understanding of cultural aspects of other people, communication can become a challenge. Learning about a new culture and the application of communication concepts in that culture can become a difficult and demanding task. While considering the difficulties of intercultural communication and its importance in the modern world, this paper deals with the different aspects of intercultural communication and their application to the modern society.
Intercultural Communication
Intercultural communication may refer to a discipline of study that takes into account how societies, communities, and individuals from different cultures or countries communicate, behave or perceive their surroundings (Cai 14). Intercultural communication is actually developed as a result of interconnection of psychology, communication, anthropology, and cultural studies. With the help of the study of this discipline, we can understand the real world, and help people in applying strategies of better communication to real life situations. For instance, it could help in creating a cultural synergy for people in different countries. Intercultural communication highlights its importance when it comes to international business as it helps in bringing out the beauty in different cultures, religions, and even beliefs.
With increased level of globalization, formerly closed borders have been opened. It can more clearly be seen in the European Union’s ease in cross border travel, i.e. limitations and road blocks have now been replaced with a smooth acceptance of different cultures, and this is due to the effective interpersonal communications (Fuld 3). This has brought harmony amongst different cultures.
Effective connections amongst the people from different parts of the world result into effective intercultural communications, thereby taking the cultural limitations into oblivion. In this situation, respect for different cultures has been realized while increasing the cross cultural harmony and eliminating the ridicule or disrespect of other cultures. Here, cross cultural harmony refers to the capability of people within the business world to identify, understand, and correctly give a positive reaction to people or situations that are prone to conflict due to differences in cultures.
Intercultural Communication Studies
Intercultural communications have seen a growing number of international students, especially in the West, India, China, and Africa. Upon completion of their studies, these students find employment in the countries in which they were studying, hence promoting the economies of those countries. On the other hand, students, who come back to their own countries, have a good level of knowledge and understanding of the cultures of the countries in which they had studied. This knowledge and experience help them in setting up cultural centers, which in turn attract members of various cultures from different parts of the world.
In order to improve the intercultural communication, services of cross cultural consultants can be used. Usually, cross-cultural consultants have knowledge and experience in two or more than two different cultures. They use this knowledge to help companies and individuals to overcome challenges that may come as a result of differences across cultures. Having the knowledge and experience in different fields give them the ability to identify and work on cross-cultural problems. Usually, companies and individuals need help of those consultants in briefings, management, or conferences.
The following aspects greatly contribute to the appreciation of different cultures and cross-cultural consultants:
Academic Knowledge. Ample knowledge, obtained both from formal academic study as well as first-hand living experience (Ferraro, and Brody 265), about cross cultural initiatives or psychology takes a person a long way, globally, in resolving differences experienced in trade, values, and/or opinions.
Business Know-how. Business experience is an important additional advantage for a consultant. It can help in breaking the different business barriers in terms of beliefs and religion. With the help of a business knowledge and experience, a consultant can make it easier for a foreigner to employ the people from a local community.
Training Experience. Academic knowledge and business know-how are unable to help a cross-cultural consultant without a proper training experience (Ferraro, and Brody 265). Appropriate training experience could help the consultants in training and equipping the staff with the relevant information that is required for them to perform in certain areas of the organization, in addition to utilizing communication equipments, most importantly in the information technology sector (McKeiver 3).
Culture and Gender
Culture and gender have the most important relation since time immemorial. Gender related cross-cultural differences are commonly found in different parts of the world including Africa China, Southern Europe, the Middle East, and Parts of Asia and the Far East. For instance, when a female executive from the Western World goes to secure a major business deal in the Middle East, which is a Muslim part of the world, she would face some unpleasant gestures as, for example, males are not allowed to greet women. She would be seen as a sign of respect to men, but she would face some sort of negative reception from her female colleagues from that part of the world (Browne 1). It is due to the reason that she comes from a society where from childhood she has been taught about equal rights between sexes. It is important to consider that in the male dominated fields, there has to be a formula on how to handle assertive and dynamic female colleagues.
Cross-cultural mixing of lifestyles
With increase in business between the more affluent free developed West and the less developed rather conservative Third World countries, intercultural communications has broken the barrier that comes with modes of dressing, consumption of different kinds of drinks, eating of foods that were once seen as taboo by members of other cultures (Najar 116). The conservative societies are now accepting indulgences such as wine and buffets that are predominantly Western, and the free world are accepting the conservative way of life in regards to foods, dress and several other related aspects.
There is a great increase of consumption of goods and services amongst cultures. Societies that once abhorred certain foods or services are now at home with them. For example, massage was mostly associated with the Orient, but now in the Western World, massage parlors are gaining attraction. In the same way, vegetarians were mostly found in the Buddhist community, but now vegetarianism has been embraced as a healthy way of eating by predominantly meat eating communities.
Intercultural communication and business
The need to learn one or more languages is on the rise within the tourism industry. On a further note, employees from different cultural backgrounds are able to communicate with ease amongst them. This increased level of communication helps in eliminating misunderstanding or misinterpretations in the workplaces, thereby increasing productivity. Teamwork is fostered with intercultural communication helping them in understanding the influence of culture in different areas of life.
Vices such as racism have been eliminated in many parts of the world as a result of effective intercultural communication. A member of one culture, who embraces another culture, language, or beliefs, also embraces the person of that culture as “one of their own” resulting in a great level of reduction in discrimination. High level of employments is realized as a result of intercultural communication. Multinational companies are employing people from across the continents, who in turn bring motivation and cross-cultural relationships with them. All of these things are showing the harmony that is created as a result of cross-culture influence and that has made businesses flourish all over the world.
Concluding Remarks
Intercultural communications could help in appreciating the diversity that the world has in terms of culture, religion, and beliefs. Although the distinction between various cultures is a daunting concept to grasp, learning intercultural communication could help in creating a sense of confidence to associate with others in various situations of life. Intercultural communication helps in interpreting positively the signs or body language portrayed by one giving a talk or lecture on certain fields such as business, thereby developing a sense of togetherness that the world needs in order to foster a good harmonious relationship among the people in the world.
Conclusively, it can be said that big steps have been taken in regards to effective intercultural communications. These communications have helped in bringing every man and woman together in learning to understand and accept the diversity in culture and working as a single entity.
Works Cited
Ferraro, G., and E.K. Brody. Cultural Dimension of Global Business. Taylor & Francis, 2015. Print.
