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ZHANG WEIJIA
1183107
Cross-Cultural Communication
Abstract
Nowadays, many
countries
in
the
world
will
communicate with
each other
and
cross-cultural
communication
have
become
increasing
frequently.
People
who
have
different cultural background and use
different languages work in some multinational
companies play a huge role in -Cultural
communication is becoming
very
important in
modern society.
Because of the people living in
different
cultural
backgrounds,
have
different
faith
of
religion,
personal
values
and
so
on,
this
differences
will
lead
to
unnecessary
conflicts.
Even
in
the
same
country,
different
areas
of the people in
business
communication because of local
cultural
differences
which take intervene tothe
communication of people. So it is very important
for us to
have a
good
understand
of the barriers that exist
in
business
communication
and to
surmount these
barriers.
1. What are the barriers to
effective cross-cultural communication?
1.1Language Barriers
In cross-cultural communication
language diversity and complexity are the main
cause of communication barriers because
different cultures create different languages.
Languages have its own unique cultural
intensions.
I
n general, the
cooperation partners
who
have
language
barriers
will
communicate
with
each
other
through
someinterpreters.
Howeverthe interpreter in the process of
translation sometimes will
be makethe
information translated into different degrees or
even distorted, resulting in
poor
quality
of
communication
or
even
failure.
In
some
countries
people
with
high
implicit
expression
and
situational
characteristics.
On
many
occasions
is
not
used
clear
text
or
symbol
information
instead
of
use
body
language
to
communicate
a
particular scene or by context, when
the high context and low context language that
alsoeasy
to
produce
communication
barriers,
if
do
not
solve
the
organizational
communication
problems
caused
by
languages
and
different
cultural,
will
lead
to
cross-cultural adaptation ability and
operating efficiency.
Language
is
the
convey
information
and
feelings,
expression
of
ideas
and
important tools of communication, but
people from different cultural backgrounds and
the
samethe
symbolic
meanings
of
cultural
symbols
are
very
different.
In
fact
for
language
translation,
it
is
very
difficult
to
find
the
corresponding
word
perfect
and
even
if
people
use
the
same
language
because
differences
in
age,
education
and
cultural
background
will
also
affect
their
language
styles
and
the
definition
of
the
meaning
of
words,
which
are
bound
to
affect
the
accuracy
of
the
information
exchanges
between the
both, thus causing
misunderstanding. The language problem
makes business environment more
complex, market operations more difficult.
1.2Personal Values
Personal
values are a comprehensive standard for people to
distinguish between
good and evil,
mainly displays in the people to the moral, the
society, the benefit, the
religion
and
other
aspects
of
judgment
and
probably
you
have
taken
your
own
cultural
identity
and
values
when
you
was
born
in
your
in
cross-cultural communication, if we
cannot understand personal values of each other,
these will lead to a barrier to cross-
cultural ences values are the
most
difficult to grasp in different countries. As
Cassirer (1985) said, As Cahill said,
real
difference
between
languages
is
not
in
speech
or
mark
difference,
but
?world
view?
differences
should
be aware
of the
personal
values
of
cross-cultural
communication
have
an
important
impactson
cross-cultural
communication.
For examplein modern international
trade, Chinese like to discuss some business
at the dinner table, they hope to treat
business partner as a close friend because the
Chinese believe that have a good
relationship is the key to ensure the success of
the
business. Chinese always make
friends with other people in business
communication
in order tobuild a stable
relationshipwith partner. However the Westerners
believe that
business is a serious
thing, should not be subject to any can also
reflect
the two different values in
different cultural backgrounds.
1.3Different Modes of Thinking
andDifferent Communication Styles
Different countries, different cultural
have different ways of thinking, these will
lead
to
differences
in
cognitive
and
communication
the
cross-cultural
communication,
people
have
to
solve
a
lots
of
problems,
but
different
ways
of
thinking
perhaps
lead
to
different
negotiating
-communication
is
a
two-way
interactive
process,
if
the
communication
between
different
styles,
it
may
bring
communication barriers.
The
cross-cultural
communication
barriers
between
managers
and
employees
is
mostly
due
to
the
different
cognitive
level
because
the
enterprise
managers
and
employees of the
cultural backgrounds are different that the
perception of things and
modes of
thinking are different. This will lead employees
to produce negative ideas,
affecting
the development of enterprises.
2. How
might these be surmounted?
2.1 Respect
Differences and Working Together
There
is
a
certain
difference
between
different
countries
and
nationalities
in
cross-cultural communication which is
an objective fact, and it also a prerequisite for
cross
cultural
communication.
In
order
to
achieve
the
success
of
cross-cultural
communication, firstly we should be
learn to respect others and treat others
sincerely.
Before the cross-cultural
communication, the two sides should be understand
the
differences in each other culture
and their own cultural existence, make
psychological
preparation
in
differences
and
the
more
detailed
the
better.
What
is
more,
in
the
process of
communication, we can able to adopt as flexible as
possible measures for
communication to
overcome the problems. After we communication with
other people,
we
need
to
try
to
summari
ze
the
experiences
and
lessons.
What?s
morein
several
communicationthat
we
should
to
explore
the
relevant
communication
rules
from
communication.
2.2CulturalEmpathy
Cultural empathy means that a person to
get rid of their own cultural constraints
in
another
culture
mode,
according
to
the
experience,
insight
and
understanding
of
another (1969) proposed
empathy has two elements: first, the personal
feeling
of
self-
awareness:
Second,
the
recognition
of
the
process
of
communication,
the
two
sides
should
be
obtain
the
feedback
information
from
the
other
immediately,
only
through
empathy
obviously,
we
can
determine
both
the
mentality
and
knowledge
structure.
Otherwise
they
would
not
exchange
ideas.
Therefore,
the
cultural
empathy
plays
an
important
role
in
cross-cultural
order
to
ensure
the
communication
between
the
two
parties
in
different
cultural
backgrounds
can
be
achieved
successful,
it
is
necessary
to
understand
the
culture
related
to
the
language,
but
also
to
consciously
carry
out
cultural cross-cultural
communication, we should set up immerse yourself
into the experience in the cultural
atmosphere of each other, and obtain the relevant
use
of
various
forms,
through
various
channels,
to
understand
the
culture of the other people.
2.3Correct use of verbal and nonverbal
communication
A
good
language
skills
can
not
only
make
the
cross-cultural
management
successfully communicate with the local
people, but also can make the local people
treat you as your ed with use
translation to communicate with people on
cross-cultural communication, which it
is a kind of competitive gh
sometimes
we cannot familiar with each ot
her?s
language, b
ut in the communication
of
non-verbal
communication
in
the
communication
activities
accounted
for
90%,
which is
an important
factor in cross-cultural
communication effectively. Therefore,
before we communicate, we must know the
aspects oflanguage of the other country