Analysis of the Peculiarities of Cross-Cultural Communication - Research Paper Example

? The Importance of Understanding Culture When Communicating Cross-Culturally The Importance of Understanding Culture When Communicating Cross-Culturally Introduction Cultures, the world over, are unique. Human civilization is so beautiful because we are so different from one another. We eat different foods, speak different languages, and have different ways of life. Culture adds variety, and it is this variety that keeps life so interesting, fresh, and alive. At the same time, it is our ability to communicate across cultures, or our lack thereof, that often defines our ability to interact effectively with one another. These are all ideas that we, as individuals, understand and comprehend; yet there is still much to be learned about how people from different cultures interact with one another. Our first reaction, as humans, is to internally believe that the actions of a person from another culture are ‘strange’, or to be blunt, wrong. Those actions that are contrary to our own way of life are often seen as deviant and we spend a great deal of time and effort trying to change them, when we should be embracing the differences that make this world so fascinating to be a part of. It is certainly an interesting exercise to define and describe culture. To be sure, there are multiple ideas about what characteristics and qualities define any given people and what makes them unique. One must look beyond material and non-material culture in their efforts to truly determine a plausible way of understanding and communicating with different ethnic groups and tribes. This is essential if we want to foster a more peaceful society around us for decades to come. Successfully communication is an intercultural environment requires an understanding of the culture, an in-depth knowledge of relationship building skills, and a desire to embrace people openly in today’s global society. Content Sir Edward Tylor was perhaps the first scholar to begin modern-day cross-cultural and anthropological studies. His first such attempt at this type of research was conducted back in 1889 and was an attempt at defining and describing culture from an analytical point of view. His aim was to dissect the way that people interacted and communicated with one another in a cross-cultural setting. In order to answer the question of how understanding a culture helps a person be a successful intercultural communicator, one must first grasp the full concept and scope of culture. Tylor worked from the premise that a discussion about culture should center on the marked differences amongst different people groups. While this was a good working definition for the late 19th century, scholars since have had a problem with this definition because of its lack of specificity. Munck (2010) remarked that anthropologists and sociologists alike have had difficulty determining these marked differences that Tylor worked so hard to support. Many people within the same cultural group, for example, could be perceived as having marked differences amongst themselves. With this simple fact alone, Tylor’s definition of culture did not really serve to help one understand how to better communicate across cultures by first identifying and learning to appreciate the innate differences from one society to the next. Current literature, such as studies presented here, supports the idea that a person’s ability to effectively communicate in an intercultural setting is directly related to their understanding of where one culture ends and another one begins. Culture is more than just language. Munck points out that people can have similar social interactions with one another in a group setting, yet speak entirely different languages. Their ability, then, to communicate with one another lies in their understanding of different traditions and gestures that have been passed from one generation to another. This is commonly seen in many Islamic and African societies. Scholars point out that numerous tribes in Africa, for example, have coexisted for centuries, living alongside one another, even though they speak different languages. This would lend credence to the idea that they are effective inter-cultural communicators. In addition, the opposite effect is also true. There are many examples of societies that do not peacefully coexist with one another because of the simple fact that they do not understand one another and are not willing to embrace the differences inherent in their respective cultures (Munck, 2010, p. 282-284). Recent years have seen many innovations in such fields as transportation, computing, and telecommunications. This has made communicating across cultures not only more simplistic, but more commonplace as well. In addition, Flammia and Sadri (2011) reflect, “Developments in world politics have made the need for meaningful communication among different people a necessity for the survival of everyone on the planet” (p. 103). This particular study proposes that effective intercultural communication begins with education. In today’s modern world, global issues must be a central part of the curriculum in all educational systems, beginning at an early age. Studies have noted that part of the key to communicating effectively with people from another culture is to make the other person feel “understood, supported, and respected” (Flammia & Saddri, 2011, p. 103). A primary avenue towards accomplishing this is to first identify with the culture of the individual and their specific way of life, including their daily struggles, in an effort to empathize with them and be able to work along side them in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. Studies also mention the importance of effective intercultural communication from a business perspective. Businesses today must establish positive relationships cross culturally if they are to expand globally. Today’s work place consists not only of an increasingly diverse group of employees, but of business partners and customers/clients as well. In order to accomplish these goals, organizations worldwide are finding it necessary to revisit how their people identify other cultures and to provide their employees with tools to effectively reach out to people who have a different way of life from their own. It has been discovered that this is a difficult process, to be sure, and one that mandates executives truly understand the unique nature of global relationships and the complexity of communicating across cultures (Harvey & Griffith, 2002, pp. 457-458). Discussion Individuals need to develop a framework for building and fostering positive relationships if they wish to communicate effectively in a cross-cultural environment. Current studies in the area of intercultural communication are certainly well intended, yet they accomplish little if they are not applied to real world situations. It serves no purpose, for example, to understand the importance of communicating effectively across cultures based on qualitative evidence if a person does not actively seek out how to truly better identify and work with people of different cultures. Grimes (2010) alludes to this when he describes his concept of the culture bump. This refers to people whose lack of understanding often results in them being culturally insensitive to others. This occurs because people tend to see the world only through their own individual lens. They do not stop and try to picture the simple reality that the world is viewed differently in distant lands. This leads to awkward moments as individuals say things and act in ways that are contrary to the host culture, leading to ineffective communication that could not only damage international relationships, but sour business deals as well. In this manner, the answer to this research question becomes even more solidified. A person’s understanding of what defines culture can truly lead them on the path towards becoming an effective cross-cultural communicator. It should be noted that, as countries become more and more interconnected, people frequently find themselves moving to another culture out of necessity. When this occurs, if there is a lack of understanding amongst the people, feelings of loneliness and isolation can quickly invade. These feelings can quickly cause frustration on the part of all parties involved. For this reason, it is more important than ever that the foundation for effective intercultural communication be drilled into every global citizen in order to make such transitions more fruitful for everyone involved in the communication process (Ringland, 2005, p. 36). Understanding, and even embracing, the differences that make us all unique can certainly help to combat these feelings of isolation. This can be accomplished by studying and understanding the ways of life of the contact people group, and by seeking out ways to think and act like them. This process can actually be quite invigorating as we learn from each other and even discover different ideas and ways of life that may be more suitable to our personalities than our own culture provides. In order to more fully understand this issue, it is helpful to examine a different culture than one typically found in North America. Thai culture, by way of example, emphasizes different components of society. Whereas North Americans may tend to navigate towards individualism, rather than collective behavior, the Thai people tend to promote social harmony and togetherness. Studies have shown this one trait alone allows the people of Thailand to communicate effectively with people of different cultures. They are, if you will, a culture that should be studied by anyone who is attempting to become a more effective communication cross-culturally (Komolseven, Knutson, & Datthuyawat, 2010, p. 91). The Thai culture is one known for its hospitality, exotic food, tradition rich culture, and genuine and friendly people. This does not by any means reflect that they are a ‘perfect’ culture, as no one people group can garner that distinction. There are components of the Thai culture, however, that reflect their innate ability to accept people of other beliefs, traditions, and cultures in a way unlike many other people groups existent in the world today. While Thailand is a predominately Buddhist country, for example, they accept people of all faiths equally and without discrimination. People with different ideals and ways of life, such as people of a different sexual orientation, are also equally welcome in Thailand. Other components of acceptance are present in the Thai people as well. These means that they are able to reach out to other people, quickly understand and accept them, and begin to communicate effectively with them almost immediately. This serves as a model for the studies reviewed in this essay as we seek to determine how people can exhibit effective intercultural communication. By learning to accept others and embracing their way of life, one can quickly identify with another way of life and begin to foster more effective communication skills in a global setting. Conclusion In summary, the ability to communicate effectively in a cross-cultural setting is dependent upon an individuals understanding of their own culture in relation to another persons way of life. This school of thought is supported by current literature that examines how certain cultures can interact well with people from other people groups, while some people have a difficult time accomplishing this task. Ringland (2005) refers to this as that ability of an individual to come to an understanding of the shared reality of the group in which they are now residing in or communicating with (p. 35). When this ‘shared reality’ occurs, effective intercultural communication becomes the norm. The importance of this topic in growing in importance as the world becomes more interconnected globally than ever before. No longer does an individual have to physically go to another culture in order to communicate. With current technology, we can communicate regularly with people around the world in a way never before thought possible. This has wide ranging implications, both personally and professionally, so it is paramount that further studies be conducted in order to determine the ‘best practices’ whereby a person can grow in their ability to communicate across cultures. This will be an ongoing process, and one that will certainly change with the times, but should be a focus nonetheless in future studies conducted in the area of intercultural communication. References Flammia, M., & Sadri, H. (2011). Intercultural communication from an interdisciplinary perspective. Us-China Education Review, 8(1), 103-109. Grimes, S. (2010). Cultural understanding. Schools: Studies in Education, 7(1), 27-40. Harvey, M., Griffith, D. (2002). Developing effective intercultural relationships: The importance of communication strategies. Thunderbird International Business Review, 44(4), 455-476. Komolsevn, R., Knutson, T., & Datthuyawat, P. (2010). Effective intercultural communication: Research contributions from Thailand. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 20(1), 90-100. Munck, V. (2010). Units for describing and analyzing culture and society. Ethnology, 39(4), 279-292. Ringland, G. (2005). Using scenarios to create common understanding different cultures. Strategy & Leadership, 33(6), 34-38. Read More