Cultural Dimensions Of Intercultural Communication

Understanding the differences and similarities inherent in other cultures may provide opportunities when working with individuals (or groups) who may have different cultural values, beliefs, and/or norms. There are multiple ways to explore different cultures. One way is through Hofstede’s (2017) cultural dimension; which are currently made up of six broad categories, including high-low power distance, individualism-collectivism, masculinity-femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-short term orientation, and indulgence-restraint. It is beyond the scope of this paper to explore all these cultural dimensions in great detail; however, it is important to understand some of the implications of these scores. The scores for both the US and China can be seen in Table 1, along with the differences between each score.

This text is a good reference point. This text is used to understanding communication within culture. This source also gave a better understanding

You know that feeling of home whether it’s with family members or even your loved ones? I don’t think that home is something that is automatically there, I believe that it is something that’s created. I learned that lesson through the eyes of one of my older friends who came from India with his brother when he was 16 in order to make a living. My friend Vikas, told me everything he had to do and the struggles he conquered in order to make his own successful business here in the U.S. Some things he told be reminded me of interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, and intracultural communication. He had to have a lot of communication with his friend who also happened to be from India and some new friends and colleagues he met through his journey. Of course there was homesickness and the occasional depression, but that didn’t stop him from creating his now successful business.

Today, we live in a culturally diverse society due to globalization. As our world grows, expands and become increasingly more interconnected, the need for effective interpersonal communication among differing cultures has become apparent. When people from different cultures interact with one another there is intercultural communication because different cultures create different interpretation and expectations about what is seen as competent behaviors that will enable the construction of shared meanings.

To better understand the differences as well as the similarities in cultural value orientations, Geert Hofstede’s Values Dimensions have broken down the concept of diverse cultural patterns that explains perceptual and communication differences using 6 categories: individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance, masculinity/ femininity, long-term/short-term orientation, and indulgence/ restraint. The purpose of this analysis is to compare the affect on intercultural communications using the cultural value orientations of New Zealanders and the culture that I identify with, the U.S. American culture.

Geert Hofstede once said, “Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster.” This quote means that no culture is alike or completely cohesive and that the differences between cultures are often incompatible and combative. This quote also ties directly into what will be discussed in this research paper. An analysis of the similarities and differences between the United States and India through Hofstede’s cultural dimensions of individualism, collectivism, low uncertainty avoidance, high uncertainty avoidance, power distance, masculinity, femininity, short-term oriented culture, and long-term oriented culture.

Previous researchers have found that for a person to achieve better and more effective communication competence, it is necessary to develop skills that allow an appropriate participation in specific situations. The ability to listen, ask questions, and express concepts or ideas effectively is an important part of communication competence. Intercultural communication presents an unexplored and challenging field that needs to be understood for a better development in communication. (Dillon and McKenzie, 1998). The variables of listening depend on the different perceptions that a person obtains through their cultural background. Furthermore, culture often affects the structure of consciousness in the act of listening. When a person seeks to

This paper is about comparing and contrasting the American style of communication and that of Bahrain. Different countries have their own interpretation for every single issue based on their culture background and their way of thinking. The most significant characteristics of American culture are: individualism, equality, competition, freedom and privacy, action orientation, directness, particularity, and a problem solving orientation. In Bahrain is somewhat the same as other Arab countries, religion faith and local traditions play a large role in the people’s lives, although Bahrain constitution is more liberal compared with other

Intercultural communication competence refers to the ability of an individual to adapt and communicate appropriately and effectively across a wide array of cultural contexts. That is to say, for an individual to be considered an intercultural communicator they must understand other’s cultures as well as they understand their own, and apply this understanding to communication (Chen 1-2). With the increasing diversity at the workplace, school and other social settings, it has become increasingly important to learn how to communicate with people from a diverse array of cultures. More importantly, adapting to a more effective intercultural communication competence model provides us with learning opportunities occasioned by the interaction with people from other backgrounds. The intercultural communication competence model comes with some key components including tolerance for uncertainty, self-knowledge, and motivation. The greatest and most important of these aspects is motivation. An individual must be willing to foster relationships with people from a different cultural background. If an individual lacks the willingness to promote intercultural relationships, then other aspects of the intercultural communication model become moot.

When a business decides to venture internationally into different countries with its products, services, and operations, it is very important that the company gains an understanding of how the culture of the different societies affects the values found in those societies. Geert Hofstede conducted one of the most famous and most used studies on how culture relates to values. Hofstede study enabled him to compare dimensions of culture across 40 countries. He originally isolated four dimensions of what he claimed summarized different cultures — power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism versus collectivism, and masculinity versus femininity (Hill, 2013, p.110). To cover aspects of values not discussed in the original paradigm Hofstede has since added two more dimensions — Confucianism or long-term orientation and indulgence versus self-restraint (Hofstede, n.d.). Because of the way Hofstede’s cultural dimensions are given an index score from 0-100, it is easy for a company to get a general comparison between the cultures they are expanding into and the culture they are already in.

Intercultural communication is understanding the effective way in communicating between people with different cultural background. Factors such as business etiquettes and cultural differences are critical to be able to achieve a positive outcome in a negotiation. Knowing how to negotiate with the Japanese is essential especially when the person comes from a different background. In this essay, Emily, an australian entrepreneur who wish to expand her business venture in Japan will be advised on gaining a good impression with meeting Mr. Hamasaki, a manager of a popular store.

"We didn 't all come over on the same ship, but we 're all in the same boat."- Bernard Baruch

From the theory adaptation is perceived as the process of dynamic unfolding of the natural tendency of human strive for an internal equilibrium in face of often adversarial conditions of the environment (Jackson, 2008). The theory of adaptation tries to create and enhance an understanding of the process of intercultural adaptation. However it has special focus on the effects of micro and macro levels factors on cultural adaption process. This refers to cultural and institutional patterns of host culture and individual background and psychological characteristic respectively. It has also focused on understanding of cross cultural adoption in the context of new learning and psychological growth so as to form more complete understanding of the cross cultural adaption process, organizational and consolidation of factors that influence cross cultural adoption process has also been focused and finally inclusion of assimilation of ideological points of view.

The topic we have discussed on this subject that I found most interesting is Intercultural communication. The topic shows us a better understanding what culture is and how to navigate between different cultures. The importance of understanding diversity in cultures is not only essential when negotiating with business partners from different cultures or when going on vacation. Furthermore, everyone is immigrants like us (most of the students) are, expatriates or even people living in their country of birth has to deal with many different cultures on the daily basis. We meet people from diverse cultural backgrounds when we are shopping, at school, at work, when we go to a night out and so on. The study of intercultural communication gives us the tools to manage the cultural differences and to become more sensitive in intercultural meetings and/or situations.

Communication can be performed using different means, including languages such as English, where it has become preferable and prominent for both local and global interaction among people of different cultural backgrounds. The high demand in acquiring English for international politics, science and technology has led to the global spread of the language. Consequently, English is recognised as an international language, and its ownership is considered to be denationalised and renationalised. The understanding of this ownership status is crucial in establishing an effective practice of intercultural communication, by acknowledging the variations of English, as well as cultural differences in communication styles within classroom and business