Intercultural Business Intercultural Business CommunicationCommunication

朱萍朱萍 : zhuping@shisu.edu.cn: zhuping@shisu.edu.cn刘颖刘颖方蔚方蔚杨静宽杨静宽陆远陆远胡洁胡洁

Course objectiveCourse objective

• The main objective of this course is to enhance your communication skills necessary for success in the global workplace.

chapter 1: Introduction to ICBCchapter 1: Introduction to ICBC

• Communication

• Intercultural Communication

• Intercultural Business Communication

Basics of CommunicationBasics of Communication

• What is communication?–交际–交流–沟通–传播–通信

Human communication is as old as Human communication is as old as mankindmankind

• Facial expressions, exclamations, noises (100,000 years ago)

• Cave paintings (30,000 years ago)

• Verbal communication (20,000)

• Symbols and scripts (5,000 years ago)

Needs and purposes for Needs and purposes for communicationcommunication

• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs– Self-actualization needs– Esteem needs– Social needs– Safety needs– Physiological needs

A list of common purposes and A list of common purposes and needs of communicatingneeds of communicating

• Survival• Co-operation• Personal needs• Relationships• Persuasion• Power• Social needs• Information• Making sense of the world• Self-expression

Definition of communicationDefinition of communication

• Communicare: to make common + to share

• Dance and Larson (1972): 126 definitions

• Communication is a form of human behaviour derived from a need to connect and interact with other human beings.

Samovar and Porter (1997)Samovar and Porter (1997)

• Communication occurs whenever meaning is attributed to behavior or the residue of behavior.– Attribution: we draw upon our past

experiences and give meaning to the behavior that we observe.

– Residue: those things that remain as a record of our action

The scope of communicationThe scope of communication

1. An actor delivers a speech to a large audience.2. You complain to your instructor about your course

credits received.3. You send an e-mail message to an American friend.4. John lies in bed reading a novel.5. Two blind people exchange ideas in braille.6. A German businessman negotiates through an

interpreter with his Chinese counterpart.7. A mother talks to her 3-month old baby.8. A farmer gives instructions to his ploughing cow.

9. A programmer issues commands to a computer.

10. A boy talks to himself while flourishing his toy gun.

11. An archaeologist is deciphering a mysterious sign on the recently unearthed pot.

12. American scientists have sent meaningful radio signals to the universe, hoping to receive a reply someday in the future.

13. An Arabic traveler talks to you in Arabic that is Greek to you.

14. A hen clucks to her chicks.15. A watching machine receives commands from

its built-in computer.

Communication occurs whenCommunication occurs when

1. There are at least two or more people.

2. There must be some contact between communicators.

3. There must be a language shared by communicators.

4. An exchange of information has taken place.

1.There are at least two or more 1.There are at least two or more people.people.

• Human communication

• Animal communication

• Human-animal communication

• Human-machine communication

• Machine-to-machine communication

• How about 4.10.11.12?

Another classificationAnother classification

• Intra-personal communication自我传播• Interpersonal communication人际传播• Organizational communication组织传播• Mass communication大众传播

Classification of communicationClassification of communication

Communication

Humancommunication

Biological/Physical

communication

Non-socialcommunication

Socialcommunication

Intra-personal Communication

Interpersonalcommunication

Masscommunication

Organizationalcommunication

2. There must be some contact 2. There must be some contact between communicators.between communicators.

• Two-way contact / direct contact: see each other and monitor each other’s behavior--1,2,6,7,8,9,10,13,14,15

• One-way contact / indirect contact: cannot see each other--3,4,5,11,12

3. There must be a language shared by 3. There must be a language shared by communicators.communicators.

• Human language: Verbal, non-verbal

• Artificial language: special purpose (braille), machine, symbolic

4. An exchange of information has taken 4. An exchange of information has taken place.place.

• Successful condition of communication, but there are various degree of success in communication, ranging from complete success, partial success to failure.

The process of communicationThe process of communication

• Components of communication– Message– Sender– Receiver– Channel– Noise– Feedback– Encoding – Decoding

Message Message

• Verbal message: oral message, written message

• Non-verbal message: gesture, facial expression, bodily move

Models of communicationModels of communication

• The Linear Model (线性交际模式 )

• The Circular Model (循环式模式 )

• The Contextualized Model (环境模式 )

Characteristics of communicationCharacteristics of communication

• Dynamic 动态的• Irreversible 不可撤消的• Symbolic 具有符号性• Systemic 系统性• Self-reflective 自我反映性• Interactive 交互性• Complex 复杂性

Intercultural communication studyIntercultural communication study

• Intercultural communication (ICC): interpersonal communication between members of different cultures. Intercultural business communication: communication within and between businesses that involve people from one than one culture.

ICC includesICC includes

• International communication: between nations and governments rather than individuals.

• Interethnic communication: between people of the same race but different ethnic background. (Tibetan vs. Han)

• Interracial communication: (Afro-American vs. white American)

• Interregional communication: (northerner vs. southerner)

ICC study started and has ICC study started and has continued to prosper in the UScontinued to prosper in the US

• Edward T. Hall (1959) : The Silent Language– The country is a land of immigrants from

many diverse cultures;– New immigrants enter the country each year;– Large numbers of foreign students and

tourists;– The American involvement in the global

economy

ICC study in ChinaICC study in China

• Started in the early 80s.– 1978—1987: emphasis on foreign lg teaching– 1988—1994: ICC introduced as an area of

interest among Chinese researchers– 1995: China Association for Intercultural

Communication established

Multidisciplinary nature of ICC Multidisciplinary nature of ICC studystudy

• L: Linguistics and Language

• A: Anthropology

• P: Psycholinguistics and Psychology

• S: Sociolinguistics and Sociology

• E: Education and English

• C: Communication studies

• C: Cultural studies, etc.

Elements of ICC studyElements of ICC study

• Barriers to communication– Physical– Cultural– Perceptual– Motivational– Experiential– Emotional– Linguistic– Nonverbal– Competition…

Intercultural Business Intercultural Business communicationcommunication

• Intercultural

• Business

• Communication

• Iris I. Varner. The Theoretical Foundation for Intercultural Business Communication: A Conceptual Model

The importance of learning ICBCThe importance of learning ICBC

• Quick problem solving

• Stronger decision-making

• Increased productivity

• Steadier work flow

• Strong business relationships

• Clearer promotional materials

• Enhanced professional image

Potential problems in intercultural Potential problems in intercultural communication:communication:

• Avoidance of the unfamiliar• Uncertainty reduction• Withdrawal• Stereotyping• Prejudice• Racism• Misuse of power• Culture shock• ethnocentrism

Questions for discussionQuestions for discussion

• What do we mean by communication?

• What are the needs and purposes for human communication?

• Why are encoding and decoding the areas where misunderstanding is most likely to occur?

• What are the potential problems of intercultural communication?

Assignment: Read the attached documents Assignment: Read the attached documents and discuss in pairs or groupsand discuss in pairs or groups

• How close are you willing to be.doc• An Exploration of Attitudes for Residents of the Global

Village.doc• A list of issues contained in the questions

– A.B—inferiority or superiority of one culture in relation to another– C.D—attitudes towards foreigners– E.F—reasons for difference in level of economic development– G.H—a measure of ‘ethnocentrism’– I.J—a measure of cultural values about individual rights and

social rights– K.L.M—attitudes toward language– N.O—attitudes toward the relative value of different types of

cultures