intercultural and international business communication

Intercultural

ANDInternational

Business Communication

Importance of Business WritingDirect influence of on-the-job writing:your performance evaluationsyour professional reputationyour companys productivity & success in the marketplace21st-Century Marketplace = GLOBALGlobal Business Ethics

*CORPORATECULTURE

*I. CORPORATE CULTUREA) DEFINITION:

personality of the companymain features of life at a companyquality of life at a company

*I. CORPORATE CULTUREB) INFLUENCES on CORPORATE CULTURE:

Company Historyaccumulated traditionsspirit of the foundersfacts of originsmythology of originspictures on the wallsWhen ol CW started this place.

*I. CORPORATE CULTUREB) INFLUENCES on CORPORATE CULTURE:

Type of Business = Type of Culturenontraditional culture: flexible, chaotic, innovativeupstart computer co.traditional culture: inflexible, formal, custom-ladendecades-old publishing co.

*I. CORPORATE CULTUREB) INFLUENCES on CORPORATE CULTURE:

Management StyleWhos making the decisions?Rigid hierarchy?Open decision-making process?

*I. CORPORATE CULTUREB) INFLUENCES on CORPORATE CULTURE:

Other Influencesits valuesits attitude toward its customersits attitude toward its employees

*I. CORPORATE CULTUREC) INFLUENCES of CORPORATE CULTURE:

The hiring or promoting processThe decision-making processThe policies regarding company documents: how they are writtenhow they are reviewedAttitudes concerning Quality

*I. CORPORATE CULTURED) QUALITY:

An Aspect of Corporate Culture

Quality AssuranceTotal Quality ManagementContinuous ImprovementThe effort to give customers better goods, better servicesPermeates the entire organizationespecially company writing

*I. CORPORATE CULTURED) QUALITY:

How to develop or extend Quality?

1) Customer Comes 1st:Reader Analysis:before writingstrive to understand the readers needsBoth internal & external readers = customers

*I. CORPORATE CULTURED) QUALITY:

How to develop or extend Quality?

2) Teamwork:Teamwork vs. internal competitionCompany goals vs. individual achievementsGroup writingcollaborative projectsbolsters employee cooperation & interactionwriters, tech. experts, editors, graphic artists work together for common goal

*I. CORPORATE CULTURED) QUALITY: How to develop or extend Quality?

3) Employee Involvement:open to suggestions for improvementemployee opinions = important, valuedpromotes motivation ex: suggest changes in document style, format

4) Long-Term Investments:employee trainingat all levelswriting, speaking, presentingupdate writing manuals (format & style)

*GLOBALWORKPLACE

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEA) Strategies for Understanding Cultures:

Understand that Global Workplace = diversity of employeesdiversity of customersintercultural communicationinternational communication

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEA) Strategies for Understanding Cultures:

Dont only emphasize the differencescan lead to inaccurate stereotypesDont only emphasize the similaritiescan ignore significant cultural differences

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEA) Strategies for Understanding Cultures:

Understand what people do AND why they do themRealize linguistic fluency does not = cultural fluency

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEA) Strategies for Understanding Cultures:

Understand that different cultures =different ways of thinkingdifferent ways of actingdifferent expectations in communication

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEA) Strategies for Understanding Cultures:

Foster Interculturalism

Develop Intercultural Business Communication Skills (IBCS)

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEB) 5 Strategies for IBCS:

1. Train employees at all levels in intercultural business communication skills

2. Train employees at all levels in intercultural business communication skills early in their careers

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEB) 5 Strategies for IBCS:

3. Allow foreign travel for more than top executives

4. Encourage a climate of excitement & adventure

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEB) 5 Strategies for IBCS:

5. Hire people with related IBC skills:interpersonal skillslanguage abilitysense of adventureopen attitudemore than specific technical skills(Varmer & Beamer)

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEC) 10 Questions in IBC: (reader analysis)

1. WORK: What are their views on work & work rules?

2. TIME: What is their approach to time appointments, deadlines response time expectationswork-day hours or hours of operation

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEC) 10 Questions in IBC:

3. BELIEFS: What are the dominant religious & philosophical belief systems of their culture AND how do such systems affect business?

4. GENDER: What are their views of gender equality in the workplace AND how do such views affect their actions?

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEC) 10 Questions in IBC:

5. PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: What degree of value is placed on close personal relationships among people doing business with each other?

6. TEAMS: What part does teamwork play in their business AND how is individual initiative perceived?

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEC) 10 Questions in IBC:

7. COMMUNICATION PREFERENCES: What types of business communication are most valued formal or informal writing, presentations, meetings; email or telephone conversations (other)?

8. NEGOTIATING: What are their expectations for the negotiation process AND how do they convey negative information?

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEC) 10 Questions in IBC:

9. BODY LANGUAGE: What types of body language are most common in their culture AND how do they differ from your own?

10. WRITING OPTIONS: What writing conventions are most important to them style, organization AND how important is design in relationship to content & organization?

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACE

Intercultural Knowledge = POWER in the International Workplace

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACEAllows you to be preparedAllows you to adjust communication strategies for successDemonstrates your levels ofDiversityRespect OpennessPreparedness

Respect begets RespectRespect begets Business

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACED) Strategies for Communicating with Cultures

(1) Guidelines for Cross-Cultural Fluency:

Be flexiblebusiness 1st vs. friendship 1st?

Be respectfulsincerely approach business dealingsinter-business = inter-personal relationships

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACED) Strategies for Communicating with Cultures

(1) Guidelines for Cross-Cultural Fluency:Be nonjudgmental @ the business at handlisten 1st vs. debate, opinions

Be nonjudgmental @ personal beliefsunderstand that other political, religious, personal ideas existother than our own

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACED) Strategies for Communicating with Cultures

(1) Guidelines for Cross-Cultural Fluency:

Be tolerant of ambiguitypatiently assess the rules of engagement when unsure, w/o visible frustrationBe empatheticunderstand their needs & perspectiveBe able to take turnsbalanced exchange of informationdont dominatedont wallflower

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACED) Strategies for Communicating with Cultures

(2) Guidelines for Writing:

Remove the ambiguityKISSsimple syntax & short sentencesto avoid misunderstandings

Define technical termswell-defined terminologyinclude a glossary for international projects

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACED) Strategies for Communicating with Cultures

(2) Guidelines for Writing:

Use many headings & subheadingsto help find information quickly & easily

Use much white spaceto make the document easier to readto make the document easier to translate

*II. GLOBAL WORKPLACED) Strategies for Communicating with Cultures

(2) Guidelines for Writing:

Include visualsgraphics = universal languagepictures give clues to the meaning of the text

Avoid slang terms & idiomsuse phrasing that requires little cultural contextavoid sports metaphors & pop culture references

GLOBAL BUSINESS ETHICS

*III. ETHICS on the JOBETHICS:

the understanding of right & wrong

Ethical beliefs vary by personnelcompanyindustryprofession

*III. ETHICS on the JOBETHICS:

Ideal CORE values for employees at international companies:Should transcend national identitycultural backgroundfamily beliefsShould guide the decision-making process

*III. ETHICS on the JOBA) ECI Principle:

Principle of Equal Consideration of Interests (Singer)

Make judgments & act in ways that treat the interests and well-being of others as no less important than your own.

*III. ETHICS on the JOBA) ECI Principle:

Treat others as you would have done to you. (Golden Rule)

This principle = similar principles espoused by worldwide religions & philosophies easily acceptable internationally

*III. ETHICS on the JOBB) ETHICS Guidelines:

Be Honestreport information accurately & promptlywithout deception, purposeful ambiguity or oversightgive to others what youd want others to give to youno card stacking

*III. ETHICS on the JOBB) ETHICS Guidelines:

Do No Harmavoid rumors, gossip, back-stabbing, & negative conversationsthese hurt feelings, spread unsupported information, & waste timeLeave the world at least as good as we found it.If you dont have something nice to say, say nothing at all.

*III. ETHICS on the JOBB) ETHICS Guidelines: