Hurdles to Cross Cultural Business Communication
The international business is facing new challenges to their internal communication structures through important reforms brought about through internationalization, downsizing, mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.
Lack of investment in cross-cultural training and language tuition often leads to lack of internal cohesion. The loss of clients / customers, poor staff retention, lack of competitiveness, internal conflicts / power struggles, poor working conditions, relationships, misunderstandings, stress, poor productivity and lack of cooperation of all by-products of poor cross-cultural communication.
Cross-cultural communications consultant working with international companies to minimize the consequences of poor cross-cultural awareness. Through this co-advisor Kwintessential as common barriers to effective intercultural communication are recognized within the company.
Here we describe some examples of these obstacles to cooperation between cultures:
Lack of communication
It may seem obvious to say that non-communication is probably the biggest contributor to poor communication. But continues to prove itself as a major problem in most companies.
Lack of communication with staff is not only because of the lack of spoken dialogue. Rather refers to access to information.
For example, do not give feedback (negative or positive), informing staff of decisions and actions of their roles or the failure to communicate, correct expectations of all kinds, in which information can be withheld from the employee to influence. This will eventually split into an alienated staff, management and supervisors feel led.
If managers are too selective in providing information that can lead to suspicion and jealousy among the staff and will eventually lead to civil unrest rather than cohesion.
A management that does not and will not communicate and interact physically with staff showed a lack of interest, trust and respect.
In the West it is often the case that the vertical lines of communication. Employee reports to directors and executives to higher levels and so on. Ideally lines of communication must go both ways. Those children with a place in the communication feel estranged, indifferent and perhaps even war.
Lack of communication in all its forms is unhealthy. Companies and managers must be aware of how, what and whom they communicate.
Language
Communication difficulties through language in two forms:
The use of inappropriate language
Language brings with it subliminal meanings and messages through vocabulary, stress and sound broadcasts. Wrong use of words or emotions hidden behind phrases can send messages that influence employees to self-perception, beliefs and attitudes. Critical language causes poor interpersonal relationships and low self-confidence, while supportive language and tones has the opposite effect.
Foreign Language
In those days the office to have more native speakers of 50 languages under one roof. It is important that the primary language of this office is established, whether English, French or Spanish. Once that all employees should speak only in the primary language. This avoids exclusion of staff who do not understand you, other languages. In addition, companies need to ensure that all staff are fully fluent in major languages. Language education should not be a luxury than a necessity to be seen.
Culture
International companies with a very diverse workforce with regard to the challenges of nation and cultural background of differences in language, values, beliefs, business ethics, business practices, behavior, ethics and expectations.
Cross-cultural differences can have a negative impact on the business in different ways, whether in team cohesion and productivity of employees. As we have seen above, various methods of communication that only one area in which cultural differences manifest.
In these multicultural societies can help end through intercultural consultant, teams and individuals how to manage the communication and cooperation more coherent and productive show required.
Corporate Culture
Corporate culture on the internal corporate culture in terms of how it’s done related. For example, when companies see the different departments such as sales, production management and HR as closed or open system? Closed system is a situation where there total lack of synergy between sales and production due to the structure and communication channels between the two. One consequence of such a foreclosure is that the department heads have a tendency to be territorial. It is important that team work, team building and team spirit are encouraged in order to create an open system.
The action was mainly in joint ventures and mergers, where the cooperation between two or more companies require full commitment to open systems.
Understandably, many companies are focused primarily on financial and strategic side of business activity. International companies are now recognize that many of their business problems have roots in man-management and communication.
In short, we can conclude that the biggest barrier to effective communication between the cultures of a restraint in know-how and resources to invest the problem, as described above address. Cross-cultural obstacles easily negotiable with some objective and qualified help.
