Non-Verbal Communication in Intercultural

• This age of globalization and information technology has entirely changed the face of governments, businesses, and organizations. People are not confined to the geographical walls of their own nations anymore, but have become part of an international network.
• Communication being the backbone of inter- and intra- organizational coordination, it is essential for people to comprehend the linguistic and cultural differences among organizations to get the desired results at the workplace.
• Culture


  A group or community with which we share common experiences that shape the way we understand the world
• Elements of culture


  • Language
  • Religion
  • Politics
  • etc.
• Language


  Includes spoken, written, and body language
• We are no longer restricted to one state or country during the course of our profession, relations, etc. As such, we often have to deal with people who speak different languages.
• Religion and beliefs


  An individual's religious beliefs and norms, sacred objects, philosophical systems, prayers, and rituals are all parts of culture
• Religion and belief affect the communication process.
• Religious rites in India


  • Following certain religious rites and offering prayers before starting any important project
  • Prayers and lamps lit before starting deliberations in conferences
• Values and attitudes


  Different values and attitudes of individuals towards time management, decision-making, achievement, work, change, etc, are also important parts of culture
• These attributes affect communication between people with differing values to a great extent. It is important for people of different cultures to respect and appreciate each other's values to be able to communicate effectively.
• Values and attitudes in Indian culture

  • Little importance attached to personal space and privacy of an individual
  • Asking questions about marital status, work, or residence when meeting someone
• Politics and law


  The political system of a nation consists of national intents, power, ideologies, political risks, sovereignty, law of the country in which the organization works, rules and regulations imposed by the government, etc.
• Social organization


  It consists of social institutions, the authority structure, interest groups, and status systems, etc.
• Social organization in India

  • Maintaining eye contact with a senior during conversation was considered disrespectful until a few years ago
  • Addressing one's senior with their first name is okay in most multinational companies
• There are different cultural groups in the world with different patterns of behaviour, religions, languages, politics, values and norms, etc. Thus, the same action is interpreted differently in different nations.
• However, when we cross cultural boundaries, we carry our own culture with us. We must understand that our own cultural context cannot be used to judge the standards of another.
• Meaning of 'thumbs up'

  • Means approval in America, but is considered vulgar in Iran and Ghana
• High-context cultures


  Rely heavily on nonverbal communication, using elements such as the closeness of their relationships, strict social hierarchies and deep cultural knowledge to convey meaning
• Low-context cultures


  Depend largely on words themselves. Communication tends to be more direct, relationships tend to begin and end quickly, and hierarchies are more relaxed
• While "high" and "low" context are examples of opposing cultures, it is also true that many cultures fall in between these two extremes called "multi-active," these cultures might include those of Spain, Italy or Latin America.
• Forms of nonverbal communication

  • Eye contact
  • Touch
  • Gestures
  • Physical space
  • Facial expressions
  • Posture
  • Paralanguage
• Eye contact


  Whether or not eye contact is made, who makes it and how long it lasts vary tremendously in meaning
• Eye contact in different cultures

  • Avoiding eye contact is seen as a sign of respect in many Asian cultures
  • Eye contact is important for conveying equality among individuals in Latin and North America
  • A young child looking an adult in the eye is considered an act of defiance in Ghana
• Touch


  A great number of cultural expressions are achieved through touch
• Touch in different cultures

  • Firm handshake is considered appropriate to greet a stranger or another business professional in America
  • Kissing someone you greet on both cheeks is common in France
  • Touching children on the head is fine in North America but highly inappropriate in Asia as the head is considered a sacred part of the body (Thailand - disrespect)
• Gestures


  Gestures can convey wildly different meanings
• Meaning of gestures in different cultures

  • The "OK" sign means "money" in Japan, "zero" or "nothing" in Argentina, Belgium, France and Portugal, and an offensive swear in eastern Europe
  • The same hand symbol means "acceptable" in the United States
• Physical space


  Countries that are densely populated generally have much less need for personal space than those that are not
• Personal space in different cultures

  • The Japanese are less likely to react strongly to an accidental touch by a stranger than Americans
  • Less personal space is needed in areas such as Latin America and the Middle East
• Facial expressions


  Winking is a facial expression particularly varied in meaning
• Meaning of winking in different cultures

  • In Latin America, the gesture is often considered a romantic or sexual invitation
  • Europeans, especially in France, wink frequently in communication often without any romantic intention
  • The Yoruba people in Nigeria wink at their children if they want them to leave the room
  • The Chinese consider the gesture rude
• Posture


  Posture can convey power structures, attitudes and levels of civility
• Meaning of posture in different cultures

  • Standing with hands on the hips may suggest power or pride in America, but anger or a challenge in Argentina
  • Sitting with the foot resting on the opposite knee is strongly discouraged in many Arab countries as it is considered dirty to show the bottom of the shoe
• Paralanguage


  "Paralanguage" refers to factors of speech such as accent, pitch range, volume or articulation
• Paralanguage in different cultures

  • In Britain, people use volume to convey anger, while in India, they use it to command attention
  • The Greeks use silence as a way to refuse things, while Egyptians use it to consent
• When international business professionals take the time to learn nonverbal communication in different cultural contexts, everyone benefits.
• Not only will their efforts decrease the likelihood of misunderstandings, they will improve their abilities to negotiate, solve problems effectively, create good working relationships and become better global citizens.