Cross-culturalCommunicationontheTelephoneCheckthatyouunderstandwhathasbeensaid.Repeatthemostimportantinformation,andlookforconfirmation.Askforrepetitionifyouthinkitisnecessary.Remembertoothatdifferentcultureshavedifferentwaysofusinglanguage.Somespeakinaveryliteralwaysoitisalwaysquiteclearwhattheymean.Othersaremoreindirect,usinghints,suggestionsandunderstatement(forexample‘notverygoodresults’=‘absolutelydisastrous’)toputovertheirmessage.NorthAmerica,Scandinavia,GermanyandFranceare‘explicit’countries,whiletheBritishmakingclearexactlywhattheymean.OnereasonforthisseemstobethattheBritishuselanguageinamoreabstractwaythanmostAmericansandcontinentalEuropeans.InBritaintherearealsoconventionsofpolitenessandatendencytoavoidshowingone’struefeelings.ForexampleifaDutchmansaysanideais‘interesting’hemeansthatitisinteresting.IfanEnglishmansaysthatanideais‘interesting’youhavetoworkoutfromthewayhesaysitwhetherhemeansitisagoodideaorabadidea.Meanwhile,forsimilarreasonsJapanese,RussiansandArabs—‘subtle’countries—sometimesseemvagueandrudetotheBritish.Iftheysayanideaisinterestingitmaybeoutofpoliteness.Theoppositeofthisisthatplainspeakerscanseemrudeanddominatingtosubtlespeakers,asAmericanscansoundtotheBritish—ortheBritishtotheJapanese.TheBritishhaveatendencytoengageinsmalltalkatthebeginningandendoftheconversation.Questionsabouttheweather,health,businessingeneralandwhatonehasbeendoingrecentlyareallpartoftelephoning,layafoundationforthetruepurposeofthecall.Attheendofacall,theremaywellbevariousrequests,Nicetalkingtoyou,Sayhellotothefamily(ifyouhavemetthem)andlookingforwardtoseeingyouagainsoon.Asharp,briefstyleoftalkingonthephonemayappearunfriendlytoaBritishpartner.NotallnationalitiesareaskeenonsmalltalkasBritish!Beingawareofthesedifferencescanhelpinunderstandinghelpwithdifferentculturaltraditions.Thedifficultyonthephoneisthatyoucannotseethebodylanguagewhichcanhelpinunderstandingpeople.Choosethebestanswerforthefollowingquestions.1)WhichofthefollowingistrueaboutBritishmakingtelephoneaccordingtothetext?
Cross-cultureUnderstandingonBusinessWeliveinaglobalvillage,buthowwelldoweknowandunderstandthecross-cultureonbusiness?MaybeweassumethatthewidespreadunderstandingofEnglishlanguagemeansacorrespondingunderstandingofEnglishcustoms.However,itmightnotbenecessarilythecase.Ifwewanttohavegoodbusiness,wemusthavethecross-cultureunderstandingonbusiness.Herearesometipsforyoutopayattentionto:1.EyeContactInmanyWesterncountries,includingtheUnitedStates,apersonwhodoesnotmaintain“goodeyecontact”isregardedasbeingslightlysuspicious.Americansunconsciouslyassociatepeoplewhoavoideyecontactasunfriendly,insecure,untrustworthy,inattentiveandimpersonal.However,incontrast,Japaneseadultslowertheireyeswhenspeakingtoasuperior,agestureofrespect.InThailandyoushouldclaspyourhandstogetherandloweryourheadandyoureyeswhenyougreetsomeone.LatinAmericanculture,aswellassomeAfricancultures,suchasNigeria,havelongerlookingtime,butprolongedeyecontactfromanindividualoflowerstatusisconsidereddisrespectful.IntheUS,itisconsideredrudetostare–regardlessofwhoislookingatwhom.Incontrast,thepoliteEnglishmanistaughttopaystrictattentiontoaspeaker,tolistencarefully,andblinkhiseyestoletspeakerknowheorshehasbeenunderstoodaswellasheard,whileinPakistanyoumustn’twinkforit’soffensive.2.TimeofArrivalImagineyouhavemadeanappointmentatthreeo’clock.Whattimeshouldyouexpectyourforeignbusinesscolleaguestoarrive?Ifthey’reGerman,they’llberightontime.Ifthey’reAmerican,they’llprobablybe15minutesearly.Ifthey’llbeBritish,they’llbe15minuteslateandyoushouldallowuptoanhourfortheItalians.3.AtMealandDrinkingTimeTheBritisharehappytohavebusinesslunchanddiscussbusinessmatterswithadrinkduringthemeal;theJapaneseprefernottoworkwhileeating.Lunchisatimetorelaxandgettoknowoneanother,andtheyrarelydrinkatlunchtime.TheGermansliketotalkbusinessbeforedinner.However,incontrast,theFrenchliketoeatfirstandtalkafterwards.Theyhavetobewellfedandwateredbeforetheydiscussanything.Andyoushouldn’tsitdowninacaféuntilyou’veshakenhandswitheveryoneyouknowinFrance.InRussiayoumustmatchyourhostsdrinkfordrink,ortheywillthinkyouareunfriendly;inAmericayoushouldeatyourhamburgerwithbothhandsandasquicklyasyoucan.Youshouldn’ttrytohaveaconversationuntilitiseaten;intheMiddleEastyoumustneverusethelefthandforeating,drinking,smokingorgreeting.Also,youshouldtakecarenottoadmireanythinginyourhost’shome.Theywillfeelthattheyhavetogiveittoyou.Thereareothersuggestionsoncross-cultureunderstandingonbusinessthatmighthelpyouwithyourbusiness.Onlyafewhavebeenmentionedhere.Beforeyougotoacountryonbusiness,youshouldhavetolearnsomethingmoreaboutherculture.WheninRome,doastheRomansdo.Choosethebestanswerforthefollowingquestions.5)Whichnationalityistheleastpunctualaccordingtothetext?
Cross-cultureUnderstandingonBusinessWeliveinaglobalvillage,buthowwelldoweknowandunderstandthecross-cultureonbusiness?MaybeweassumethatthewidespreadunderstandingofEnglishlanguagemeansacorrespondingunderstandingofEnglishcustoms.However,itmightnotbenecessarilythecase.Ifwewanttohavegoodbusiness,wemusthavethecross-cultureunderstandingonbusiness.Herearesometipsforyoutopayattentionto:1.EyeContactInmanyWesterncountries,includingtheUnitedStates,apersonwhodoesnotmaintain“goodeyecontact”isregardedasbeingslightlysuspicious.Americansunconsciouslyassociatepeoplewhoavoideyecontactasunfriendly,insecure,untrustworthy,inattentiveandimpersonal.However,incontrast,Japaneseadultslowertheireyeswhenspeakingtoasuperior,agestureofrespect.InThailandyoushouldclaspyourhandstogetherandloweryourheadandyoureyeswhenyougreetsomeone.LatinAmericanculture,aswellassomeAfricancultures,suchasNigeria,havelongerlookingtime,butprolongedeyecontactfromanindividualoflowerstatusisconsidereddisrespectful.IntheUS,itisconsideredrudetostare–regardlessofwhoislookingatwhom.Incontrast,thepoliteEnglishmanistaughttopaystrictattentiontoaspeaker,tolistencarefully,andblinkhiseyestoletspeakerknowheorshehasbeenunderstoodaswellasheard,whileinPakistanyoumustn’twinkforit’soffensive.2.TimeofArrivalImagineyouhavemadeanappointmentatthreeo’clock.Whattimeshouldyouexpectyourforeignbusinesscolleaguestoarrive?Ifthey’reGerman,they’llberightontime.Ifthey’reAmerican,they’llprobablybe15minutesearly.Ifthey’llbeBritish,they’llbe15minuteslateandyoushouldallowuptoanhourfortheItalians.3.AtMealandDrinkingTimeTheBritisharehappytohavebusinesslunchanddiscussbusinessmatterswithadrinkduringthemeal;theJapaneseprefernottoworkwhileeating.Lunchisatimetorelaxandgettoknowoneanother,andtheyrarelydrinkatlunchtime.TheGermansliketotalkbusinessbeforedinner.However,incontrast,theFrenchliketoeatfirstandtalkafterwards.Theyhavetobewellfedandwateredbeforetheydiscussanything.Andyoushouldn’tsitdowninacaféuntilyou’veshakenhandswitheveryoneyouknowinFrance.InRussiayoumustmatchyourhostsdrinkfordrink,ortheywillthinkyouareunfriendly;inAmericayoushouldeatyourhamburgerwithbothhandsandasquicklyasyoucan.Youshouldn’ttrytohaveaconversationuntilitiseaten;intheMiddleEastyoumustneverusethelefthandforeating,drinking,smokingorgreeting.Also,youshouldtakecarenottoadmireanythinginyourhost’shome.Theywillfeelthattheyhavetogiveittoyou.Thereareothersuggestionsoncross-cultureunderstandingonbusinessthatmighthelpyouwithyourbusiness.Onlyafewhavebeenmentionedhere.Beforeyougotoacountryonbusiness,youshouldhavetolearnsomethingmoreaboutherculture.WheninRome,doastheRomansdo.Choosethebestanswerforthefollowingquestions.3)WhatadvicewouldyougivetosomebodygoingtoliveandworkinPakistan?