Cross-Cultural Organizational CommunicationSharon Glazer, Ph.D.San Jose State University

Intercultural Communication

Interaction, communication, and other processes which involve

people or entities from two or more different cultures

Communication Competence

Unconscious Incompetence

Conscious Incompetence

Conscious Competence

Unconscious Competence

High Context Cultures

Emotional expressionsTouching (or not)Distance between bodies; Body orientationLevel of voiceEye contact (or lack thereof)Saving Face; maintaining harmonyImplicitIndirect; arguments presented climacticallyEmphasis on “how” something is said

Toyota ad in Japan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ2yGIYMWwo

Low Context Cultures

Distrust what is not clearCredibility; Intelligence; Expert knowledge“I”Explicit logic, proof, linear organizationSilence = disagreement, rejection, hostility, weakness, unwillingness to communicate, shynessEmphasis on “what” is said, specificity

Toyota ad in USA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obNm1g85y5I

Communication/Writing Styles

English Semitic Oriental Romance Slavic

Linear Parallel Circular Digressions Unclear Center

What’s being said in these High Context Cultures?

The wind blows, but the mountain is unmoved.What she/he says doesn’t affect me at all.“Maybe” or “Perhaps”No.(no words, but exudes cold silence)I don’t like this.

Don’t you feel like eating some apples?Please buy some apples from the market.(no words, but shows unusual consideration, or gives a gift)I’m sorry.You’re a lion whose mouth is wide open.You’re charging too much money for this.May fate bring us together again.See you later.

Non-Verbal Communication

Emblems, Illustrators, Regulators

Multi-Cultural Virtual TeamA temporary work group composed of people who coordinate and execute a work project across “time, space, and cultures” through use of information and communication technology. VTs form rapidly, reorganize, and dissolve according to the organization’s needs.Members are usually accountable to different individuals.

Rationale for Virtual Teams

Companies are faced with increasing time compression in development and production.

Multinational firms need to utilize their best (based on knowledge) human capital to maintain competitive advantage.

Effective Work Groups3 Functions

ProductionMember SupportGroup Well-Being

1.Inception and acceptance

of a project2.Problem-solving 3.Conflict resolution4.Project execution

Teams carry out the 3 functions through four modes

Time, Interaction, and Performance (TIP) Theory

Technological and environmental uncertainty

require groups to engage in all four of these functions to avoid

poor performance

Problems with Virtual TeamsLow commitmentRole stressorsAbsenteeismSocial loafing

Can multi-cultural VTs function effectively without frequent face-to-face interaction?Can a multi-cultural VT project foster intercultural learning?

How to reduce misperceptions, misinterpretations, & misevaluations

1. Assume differences until similarity is proven.

2. Emphasize description rather than interpretation.

3. Practice empathy.

4. Treat your interpretations as a working hypotheses.

Implications for PracticeClarification of Role/ResponsibilitiesProvision of guidelinesDevelop predictable pattern of communicationEnsuring complementary objectivesRecognition and handling of potential conflictChoose individuals who are responsible, dependable, independent, and self-sufficientTimely and detailed accounts of contribution and immediate feedbackAlternatives for electronic communication failure