Amity International Business School

Communication and
International Negotiation
Major Obstacles to Intercultural
Communication




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Today's competitive global economy results in frequent cross-border
movements of staff that results in a growing diversity at the workplace.

As the inevitable happens between cultures, breakdowns in
communication are a common occurrence.

Three main obstacles to intercultural communication are identified

1. Language

* Slang, Jargon

* Dialects, Pidgin

* Accents



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2. Modern Technology

* E-mail

* SMS Text Messaging

* Video Conferencing / Teleconferencing



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3. Behaviourial and Mindset

* Anxiety

* Discomfort

* Fear of the "Unknown"

* Prejudice and Stereotyping

* Perceived Cultural Superiority or Ethnocentrism

* Discrimination = Racial, Sexual, Educational

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Barriers to Intercultural Communication

Linguistic
Cultural
Physical
Perceptual


Nonverbal
Emotional
Experiential
Bell (1992)
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Unexpected Barrier to Effective Communication # 1:
FEAR
For example, a person might be afraid of how a fellow employee would
react to certain information or to a certain request. In such cases,
honest communication and well thought-out wording are especially
needed. Verbal assurances of continuing concern would communicate
a personal interest that would help to promote good relations.

How to Overcome Fear
Mentally evaluate the situation very carefully.
Ask yourself if you would like someone to tell you what is happening if
you were in his position: "Would I appreciate it if someone told me?"
If the answer is yes, think about what you will need to say.
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Unexpected Barrier to Effective Communication # 2:
RESENTMENT
It has fittingly been said that a happy marriage is the union of two
good forgivers.

Instead of nursing anger or resentment certainly calls for carefully
word choice and clear communication. Besides choosing the right
words, it is also very important to choose the right time to talk in order
to clear up the situation that lead to resentment. It is counter
productive to act like the proverbial "bull in a china shop". Instead,
waiting for a few minutes or perhaps a few hours can make a major
difference.
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Communication Barriers
Language Barriers
Knowledge of the home countrys language is important for
personnel placed in a foreign assignment
Poor writing is a greater barrier than poor talking
Problems occur frequently when translating a message from
one language to another
Cultural Barriers
Approaches to writing letters differ both across and within
cultures
Americans communicate more bluntly than the English and
Japanese
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Communication Barriers (cont.)
Perceptual Barriers
Perception
A persons view of reality
How people see reality varies and influences their
judgment and decision making
Advertising Messages
Messages frequently misinterpreted
View of Others
Perception influences communication when it deals
with how individuals see others
Perception of women differs across countries
Problems occur when international managers
perceive their subordinates
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Communication Barriers (cont.)
Impact of Culture
Cultural Values
Values directly and indirectly affect communication
between people from different cultures
Use of time
Misinterpretation
Can affect the way we perceive others and themselves
Can affect day-to-day communications
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Communication Barriers (cont.)
Impact of Culture (cont.)
Nonverbal Communication
Transfer of meaning through means such as body language
and the use of physical space
Kinesics
Study of communication through body movement and
facial expressions
Oculesics
Deals with conveying messages through the use of eye
contact and gaze
Haptics
Communicating through the use of bodily contact
Proxemics
Use of physical space to convey messages
Four distances people use in face-to-face
communication
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Communication Barriers (cont.)
Impact of Culture (cont.)
Nonverbal Communication (cont.)
Chronemics
Way in which time used in a culture
Monochronic time scedule - things are done in a
linear fashion
Polychronic time schedule - people tend to do
several things at the same time and place higher
value on personal involvement than on getting
things done on time
Chromatics
Use of colors to communicate messages
Many colors have different meanings in different
cultures