| Chapter 1: | Communicating Within a Multicultural Workforce |
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in verbal and non-verbal modes. Culture determines which mode predominates.
In a communication exchange where the message sender and receiver come from the same linguistic group and social background, there is more likelihood that both would attach the same meaning to the message. In some cultures, the message is clearly articulated in words, while in other cultures meaning is derived from the context of the communication.
Cultures are categorized as either high-context or low-context. In high-context cultures, most of the information is inferred from the context of a message; little is explicitly conveyed. Japanese, Chinese, Arabic and Latin American cultures are high-context. In low-context cultures, context is less important and information is explicitly spelled out. German, Scandinavian, and North American cultures are low context (Locker, 2003). Table 1 provides a summary of the differences between high-and low-context communication styles.
Table 1 Communication in High Versus Low-Context Cultures
| High-context (Examples: Japan, United Arab Emirates) | Low-context (Examples: Germany, North America) | |
| Preferred communication strategy | Indirectness, politeness, ambiguity | Directness, confrontation, clarity |
| Reliance on Words to communicate | Low | High |
| Reliance on nonverbal signs to communicate | High | Low |
| Importance of written word | Low | High |
| Agreements made in writing | Not binding | Binding |
| Agreements made orally | Binding | Not binding |
| Attention to detail | Low | High |
Source: Adapted from Victor, D. (1992). International Business Communication: 148, 153, 160.