Cross-Cultural Communication: Concepts, Cases and Challenges By ...

Nonverbal communication is ubiquitous. For example, one’s smile or frown, who sits where at a business meeting, the size of an office, how long someone keeps a visitor waiting can communicate pleasure, anger, friendliness, distance, power or status. Most of the time, people do not consciously interpet nonverbal signals.

Nonverbal signals can be easily misinterpreted. These misunderstandings can be harder to clear up because people may not be aware of the nonverbal cues that led them to misunderstanding in the first place. For example, an Arab student felt that his U.S. roommate disrespected him because the U.S. student sat around the room with his feet up on the furniture with soles directed toward the Arab roommate. In general, Arab culture regards the foot, and the sole in particular, as unclean and the display of it an insult (Locker, 2003).

Avoid Stereotyping

Thoughts occur as people generalize about a variety of topics. A stereotype is one such generalization. Many are negative and inhibit communication because they are narrow and restrict people’s perceptions of others. When people negatively stereotype others, they tend to take a few facts about an individual and apply those facts to everyone from that culture. In other words, a negative stereotype is a way of categorizing people by taking individual characteristics observed and generalizing them to all members of a culture. In many instances, these characteristics have not been observed, but were only based on other people’s stereotypes.

When a stereotype is formed, a disservice to oneself as well as to that culture is done. In many instances, members of the stereotyped culture resent the generalization especially when the stereotypes are negative. Since prejudices are learned and developed, one must continually examine the basic assumptions about others who are different. Each individual should be considered on an individual basis and not stereotyped.

When business is conducted in other cultures, one should be aware of and examine stereotypes that may be held regarding individuals of the host country. Our goal should be to adapt to the ways of the host country and culture since we are the guests.