National cultural variables in business communication

Business Communication

1. NATIONAL CULTURAL VARIABLES in communication Zill-e-Huma Ikram

2. Culture: Concept of Culture: Culture is the behavioral characteristics of a group. An entire country may have a series of cultural norms, individual ethnic groups within that country may accept most of those norms as well as adding their own. Knowing core characteristics of a country are basic to better international communication.

3. Barriers and their control: Barriers to Intercultural Communication Ethnocentrism: It is a belief in the superiority of one’s culture over the others. Stereotype: It is an over-simplified behavioral pattern applied to entire group. Control of barriers to Intercultural Communication Tolerance: Developing intercultural tolerance means appreciating beliefs and practices of others. Empathy: Trying to see the world through another’s eyes.

4. National Cultural variables are the following: 1. Education 2. Law and Regulations 3. Economics 4. Politics 5. Religion 6. Social Norms 7. Language

5. Education: The conclusions which people draw from visiting companies in other countries is that many managers in foreign factories are not very well educated or way too much educated. We should be aware of the fact about the education level of the person which we are speaking to, because communication a lot depends on education .

6. Con’t … The following charts shows the education levels of Chinese, Asian and U.S Managers

7. Law and Regulations : In both the developed and developing nations, various government regulations affect business communications and the sale of products. Making mistakes in communication is easy in a foreign country.

8. Con’t … Few examples: 1. advertising directed at children is restricted in the US, Canada and Scandinavia. 2. Advertisement on cigarettes is restricted in Europe. 3. France, Mexico and Province of Quebec lied restrictions on advertisement with foreign languages.

9. Economics: Availability of capital and transportation and the standard of living per capita vary from nation to nation . The opportunity to borrow money, the rate of inflation (price raise), and the exchange rates influence business and a country’s ability to communicate concerning that business.

10. Con’t … For example: I n Pakistan the competitors usually set their own prices . In contrast IEEE set their own standard for different computer equipment. Israeli agricultural competitors mutually agree on price. Some Japanese businesses check with the government before initiating major production and trading changes.

11. Politics: Politics also effect our communication when we are doing business with our company can result even in personal harm . Concepts of democracy will vary as interpreted in Korea, the Philippines , or Great Britain . The sweeping political changes in Eastern Europe and its altered concepts of government will effect future business WORLD WIDE. For the measurement of potential political instability, there are classic indices and research studies that monitor the events---such as antigovernment demonstrations, arrests, assassinations, elections, exile, general strikes, guerrilla warfare, government crises, purges, revolutions and riots, which, determines the stability of a country.

12. Con’t … For example: The events Tiananmen square affected individual and business contacts with china; more changes will certainly occur in the future . All such events affect communication, understanding of a country, and a company’s willingness to do business in an unclear political environment.

13. Religion: Be especially careful of religious belief within foreign countries. Although some basic beliefs overlap, there are major differences that if not understood can result even in personal harm. Religious holidays affect international communication, interrupting work schedules or delaying responses to requests

14. For example: The International Herald Tribune is the excellent international newspaper that lists the current and upcoming holidays around the world.

15. Language: Every body knows that knowing the language of a country is the most significant contribute to improved communication, on personal and business level. Your communication is good when both sender and receiver have same language. An important constraint that under girds all the preceding is language.

16. Cont. English is a world language and to a major extent the language of business. But, you should know some basic vocabulary of your host country. Each language has it is own sentence patterns and vocabulary. Thus, writing and speaking in a second language are more prone to errors. It is an easy take to find support for this assertion: language problems are often core to communication misunderstandings.

17. Social Norms:  In various ways any national environment constraints-education law and regulations economics , Politics, religion- affect a nation’s social Norms .   In many countries a male line of the family profoundly influences some business decisions. Then the family and how its members relate to one another-decisions, buying patterns, pooling of resources, special interests-affect behavior and business communication.