Cultural Variation in

Nonverbal Communication :
Business Effects
 Cultural Variation in Nonverbal Communication: Business Effects

Introduction
The influence of culture on nonverbal behaviors is undeniably large. And yet,
we cannot ignore the universal bases for many nonverbal behaviors that cut
across cultural differences. Everybody communicates on two levels, namely
verbally and non-verbally. Verbal communication, or the spoken words we
use, represents a very small portion (less than 10%) of our overall message.
People can lie, misrepresent or mislead you with their words. Non-verbal
language represents over 50% of our total message. Mastering the language
of non verbal communication becomes more and more an art and has an
impact on our outcomes. The non-verbal message will always be more a
more accurate representation of the person's feelings, attitudes or beliefs.
Non-verbal communication is the field of study where we try to understand
and response the non-verbal words comes from the other side of the
communication system. This nonverbal communication process and the
interpretation of the communication vary from man to man, country to
country, and mainly from culture to culture. Like verbal language, nonverbal
communication or languages; are specific to each culture. Every culture
shows specific and different types of nonverbal massages. In business,
nonverbal communication has a huge impact that influences the business in
a large verification. Specially, when it is a business for multi-cultural society
we have to consider these very nonverbal things very consciously. Because
cross-cultural recognized business is a successful business.

Factors Influencing Nonverbal Communication

As we know, cultural difference is very massive in every part of the world.
There are a lot of countries that shares the same or nearly same cultural. But
in some aspects their way of communicating nonverbally has a large variety.
As an example, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, these countries may share
almost similar culture but in some cases their way of communication is
totally different. Based on this researchers have examined a lot of variables
that influence nonverbal communication in the variation of culture. In case of
business, 7 variables are examined that influence business in these cross-
cultural world. These are:-

• Time

• Space

• Symbols

Page 2 of 8
 Cultural Variation in Nonverbal Communication: Business Effects

• Friendship

• Agreements

• Things

• Etiquette

Time
Time is an important variable in defining the cultural variance. Mainly it is
separated in two terms. One is Monochronic time perspective, another is
polychronic time perspective. Mainly Americans, Canadians, Western
Europeans and Australians are known as monochromic timers. They are very
punctual and tend to view time as inescapable. On the other hand Latin
Americans, Indians, Asians and Middle East culture are polychronic timers.
They tend to view time as being less discrete subject to scheduling. But
Japanese are the best suited for timing. They are the most punctual in
business in the whole world. They are bothered by even one minute more or
less. Time varies from culture to culture. FOR EXAMPLE, “ON TIME” IN LATIN
AMERICAN CAN MEAN UP TO 30 MINUTES LATE IN ARRIVING FOR A MEETING.
ON THE OTHER HAND, BEING 30 MINUTES EARLY IN EASTERN ASIA IS
CONSIDERED ON TIME. In the context of high-low cultural variance, High
context is the polychronic timers. It is thought that every- thing in life must
be dealt with in terms of its own time. But in the low context where they are
the monochromic timer, they consider time as money. So the business and
its marketing strategies must be formatted according to the concept of the
culture towards the time.

Space
Space or Proxemics explains how people use space to communicate while
territoriality describes how we stake claim to an area. Hall (1 959, 1966)
suggests that there are four zones of personal space which surround us and
have meaning in communication. Interpretations of personal space vary
across cultures. In Business Space is the most influenced cultural variable for
nonverbal communication. Americans use the concept of “Bigger is better”
for office spaces and corporate ranking. Whereas, Asians don’t care about
this space in their office infrastructure. In the US a normal business
conversation is done between 3 to 5 feet and highly personal businesses

Page 3 of 8
 Cultural Variation in Nonverbal Communication: Business Effects

from 18 inches to 3 feet. In Japan this distance starts from 5 to 6 feet. In

northern Europe the distance varies slightly more than the Americans. In
personal Space concept Arabs are most close. They actually breathe on each
other when they talk or even doing a business conversation. Japanese people
always maintain distances in every talking of daily life. It represents their
respect to the other one. E.T. Hall provided a figure of selected cultures
determining the use of personal spaces. As it follows:-

Latin American Arab French American German

Japanese

Small Space
Large Space

Symbols
Cultures are mainly differentiated by symbols and their artifacts. In Business,
Symbols and colors has an influence and meaning which directly effects.
Symbols and numbers can also have different meanings in different cultures;
shooting stars for a Chinese person symbols death and to Koreans the
butterfly symbols masculinity. The number 4 in China, Japan and Korea
represents death where as number 8 in China equals prosperity and fortune.
Scandinavians prefer a subtle color choice where as south and North
Americans like a fuller color palette. White is the color of purity and
innocence in the West, but in East it’s a sign of funerals and mourning. Owl is
thought as the sign of wisdom but in south Asian culture it is a symbol of
cruelty and bad news. A company advertised eyeglasses in Thailand by
featuring a variety of cute animals wearing glasses. The advertisement was a
poor choice since animals are considered to be a form of low life and no self
respecting Thai would wear anything worn by animals (Payne, website). So
like that company many companies can do the same thing by
underestimating the values of different culture regarding symbols and colors.
In the context of Arab world red is the color of violence or revenge and black
is the color of women. So things very much depend on symbol variances of
different cultures.

Friendship

Page 4 of 8
 Cultural Variation in Nonverbal Communication: Business Effects

A good friendly relationship is very significant for business. Cultural variation

also presents variety in maintaining friendly relationship. Difference in
culture means difference in attitudes towards their friends even business
partners. Americans are basically very much friendly. They are actually Core
to someone. The most important external influence for an American is their
friends. Even in business, Americans firstly become friendly then do their
business. Japanese are totally different in this context. They very strictly
maintain their relationship. To them friends are only friends, business
partners are only matter of business. They are straight talkers in this aspect.
Arabs are friendly, they are actually periphery in business relations, but very
much courteous. Scandinavians, they are very practical in business relations.
They actually behave as the partner wants. So things are very different from
one culture to other culture. South Asians are mostly trying to behave as
loyal and polite to their business prospects.

Agreements
In every business there are agreements. In the basic idea agreements are
enforced in a legal way in a written form. Americans have generally, highly
efficient legal system for ensuring the business obligations are honored and
for resolving disagreements. But in other cultures like Arab, Latin America,
south Asian agreements are less rigid. Arabs haven’t developed such a
system and rely on instead on friendship and kinship. In some region of Arab
people even these days lend money or do business contracts based on the
word of mouth. Relationship is everything in China. Even they want to know
the seller before buying something from him/her. Doing business contract on
the basis of the word of mouth is very much seen in also Bangladesh. People
of old Dhaka town all of them does business in this way. But things are
changing and the differences in doing business agreement are becoming
more less than previous times.

Page 5 of 8
 Cultural Variation in Nonverbal Communication: Business Effects

Things
The Cultural Meaning of things lead to purchase patterns and usage patterns
that one would not otherwise predict. In business, as things, gifts or
presents to partners carries a deep understanding and friendly relationship
meaning. But in here culture of things varies hugely. In the U.S gifts are not
allowed in business relationship. Thus it is given after building a very
personal relationship. As for making a good relationship taking out for dinner
or launch is a common way of approach. In China the common gift, table
clock is not appropriate to give as a business gift. Because the word for clock
is similar to the funereal to Chinese. Arabs are less rigid in gifts in business
relationship. They prefer gifts from people after doing any business contracts
in front of others. But in this case Chinese prefer privacy. Russians and
Europeans always prefer highly expensive and rare things as gifts. But
French are very emotional about gifts; they accept any gifts very cordially in
every steps of life. So it seems the perspective about things or shall we say
gifts, differs from culture to culture in a wide range.

Etiquette
Etiquette generally means courtesy, standard way of behavior. Etiquette
leads to good relationship and good relationship is the key to good business.
Courtesy or etiquette varies in a variety among societies and cultures. It
represents also from which social class one has come from. Exchanging
business cards is a very common thing in America. But this is a very
significant etiquette in Japan. It’s thought a man without Meishi (business
identity) has no identity in Japan. In Arab shaking hands is very blissful for
man. But shaking hands or even touching a woman is prohibited. In Arab
countries people expect you to keep eye contact, by not doing so you could
be regarded as a having a lack of respect of the other person. However eye
contact between men and women can be seen as flirtatious or threatening.
In South Asia eye contact is considered rude. In Sweden direct eye contact is
important. Not doing so will be interpreted as you are not interested in

Page 6 of 8
 Cultural Variation in Nonverbal Communication: Business Effects

having contact with the person. Touch is also important, in US handshake is

important; but too long holding hands make them uncomfortable. Hugging is
very much common in Europe and Scandinavians gently hit their opposite
shoulders in meeting, as it is considered as threatening in US. But Arabs do
the most uncomfortable thing. They actually kiss their business partners on
their chick which is not accepted by the most cultures. Arabs speak loudly;
this is an indication of strength and sincerity. People of the Philippines and
Thailand speak softly; it indicates breeding and education. Jordanians are
like to be treated as a respectful person in business aspects. So it is clear
that, in business relationship, maintaining etiquette is very much important.
In doing business it also need be considered in a standard level.

Conclusion
We are living in a multi-dimensional cultural world. Here every culture is
mixed up and sharing their continent, values, thoughts and beliefs with each
other. Even though culture differs from one to another. So in doing business
and cultural variation is needed to be recognized very carefully. Verbal
difference is easily identified, but nonverbal communications in different
cultures are difficult to find out. Nonverbal communication affects mainly the
business and its relationships. Much business has made a huge profit by
capitalizing nonverbal variables in different countries and many business
falls because of their less concern about this cultural variance. For less
understanding of nonverbal language we actually misinterpret what is being
said if it is English, Russian, Spanish or else. Thus it is clear that cultural
variation in nonverbal communication significantly influences modern
business.

References
• Hawkins, Del I., Best, Roger J., Coney, Kenneth A. (2005). Consumer
Behavior, Building Marketing Strategy.
Ninth edition, Cross-Cultural Variation in Consumer Behavior:
Cultural Variations in Nonverbal communications (pp. 55-63).
New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited.

• ARAB CULTURAL AWARENESS: 58 FACTSHEETS, OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY

CHIEF OF STAFF FOR

Page 7 of 8
 Cultural Variation in Nonverbal Communication: Business Effects

INTELLIGENCE US ARMY TRAINING AND DOCTRINE COMMAND FT.

LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS JANUARY 2006

• E.T. Hall. The Silent Language, Greenwich, CT: Fawcett, 1959

• Vintean, Adriana, Non Verbal Communication in Business Life, UNSPECIFIED

19. November 2007

Online at http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/6732/ MPRA Paper No. 6732,

posted 14.

January 2008 / 07:15

• Maxibit Worldwide AB(2010)

http/: info@maxibit.se

Page 8 of 8