KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
Intercultural
Communication
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, PhD. Can.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
Tel: 017 56 52 87 & 070 94 38 39
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Culture: A learned system of thought and behavior
that belongs to and typifies a relatively large group
of people. The composite of their shared beliefs,
values, and practices understanding culture.
• We learn culture through communication with others.
We express our culture through communication. Your
personal worldview is the framework through which you
interpret the world and the people in it. Culture Is
Learned.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• The communication between people from
different cultures who have different
worldviews necessary in our diverse, mobile
society mediated communication gives us
regular exposure to people from other
cultures. Intercultural Communication
• Culture, consequently, is the foundation of
communication. And when cultures vary,
communication practices also vary. (Samovar et
al, 1981:24).
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
I- The Importance of Learning about
Cultures
Why learn about culture for international business?
- Understanding foreign culture is important for
business in international marketing
- Understanding culture is also important for individuals
in global workplace
The 2 important reasons for understanding culture:
• To learn how others make sense of their environment
• To prevent mistakes and to make good communication
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Make Sense of Our World
Even if you haven’t travel to other counties, you
may have met or observed people from other
cultures in your work and left baffled. You may
have been unable to figure out what their
behaviors mean or what meaning lay behind
their symbols. This is why we study culture.
Culture explains how people make sense of their
world.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• The world is Becoming Increasingly Diverse
All over the world, nations are experiencing
more and more people from other cultures
coming in to their countries, example the
united State has a long history of offering a
home to people from many other countries.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• People around the World ARE Different
– People from different culture really are different
in how they see the world.
– Culture are the amazing products of human
imagination.
– The variety of culture expresses what it means to
be a human being.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Preventing Mistakes
Today, business are looking for markets,
suppliers, associates, partners, subsidiaries,
join-venture partners, customers, employees,
and favorable image in more than one
countries. Successful business must be able to
communicate interculturally both at home and
abroad.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Responding to Different Cultures
– When member of different cultures find themselves
face to face, a number of response are possible.
– Contact and communication between people from
different cultures is as old as human existence on
earth.
• Hostility to Difference
Hostile responses to immigrants show up in the
histories for many countries.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Curiosity about Difference
Seven hundred years later, people are still curious
about personal relationships of people from other
cultures. But now, the Internet and websites like
Facebook & You Tube bring us closely together
• Denying difference
The productive way to respond to cultural
difference is not to deny it exists, but to learn
about difference and how to communication
about it.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Cooperating with Difference
– Culture differences don’t prevent us from working
together. Three necessary things in order to
minimize and prevent mistakes across culture:
• Knowledge about one’s own culture with another
culture
• Motivation - the drive to know and use the
knowledge
• Implementing knowledge to do business.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
II- Understanding Culture
• Culture is very difficult to define because it is a
large and inclusive concept. Over 500 definitions
of culture exist.
• Culture like the fish that swim
• Culture is the property of a community of
people, no a set of characteristics of individuals
• In order to understand another culture, you
need to understand your own.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Edward Tylor’s definition in
1871 (first use of this term):
“that complex whole which
includes knowledge, belief, art,
morals, law, custom, and any
other capabilities and habits
acquired by man as a member of
society”
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• For sum, culture is that complex whole
which consist of knowledge, beliefs, ideas,
habits, attitudes, skills, abilities, values,
norms, art, law, morals, customs,
traditions, feelings, and other capabilities
of man which are acquired, learned and
socially transmitted by man from one
generation to another through the
language and living together as members
of the society.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
John Bodley (1994): Diverse Definitions
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
Other definitions of Culture ……
Is Coherent :
Learned :
Is The View of
Group of People:
Ranks What is
Important
Is Furniture
Attitude
Dictates How to
Behave
Each culture, past or present is coherent and
complete with its self
Culture is not something we are born with, It is
learned.
Culture is shared by a society or groups of
people.
Cultures teach values and priorities.
Attitude are learned tendencies to respond
phenomena (events, people, experiences) in a
consistent way, and are based on beliefs as well
as on values.
Refers to actions and come directly from attitude
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Onstage and Backstage Elements of Culture
- Onstage Culture is the behavior we display,
involving action such as shaking hands, bowing, or
kissing upon meeting, and including traditional way
of celebrating with food & dances, customs and
music.
- Backstage Culture is not so visible, but is values. It
underlines what others see onstage. Backstage
cultural aspects includes the ways people make
decisions, respond to deadlines, accomplish task,
rank events by importance, and conceptualize
knowledge. If you explain the backstage behavior,
you understand the why of culture.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Transactional Culture
- The culture of a piece of business is done
between businesspeople.
- Transactional cultural behavior are transitory
and last only as long as the interactions are in
communication together.
• Adopting Another culture’s Behavior
Adopting a new culture has historical precedents.
When people adopt permanently to another
culture, they function as members of that culture.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
Tel: 017 56 52 87 & 070 94 38 39
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
Tel: 017 56 52 87 & 070 94 38 39
20014
Email: uon.sokchea14@gmail.com
KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
1. Culture is learned – It is acquired through
education, training and experience.
2. Culture is socially transmitted through language- It
is transmitted from one generation to another through the
medium of language, verbal or non-verbal through the
gestures or signs, orally or in writing.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
3. Culture is a social product- many person interact with
one another to develop culture. Culture is a product of
social interaction through the mutual interstimulation and
response of people with one another
4.Culture is a source of gratification- It provides
satisfaction of man's varied psychology, social, emotional
and spiritual needs.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
5.Culture is adaptive
6. Culture is the distinctive way of life of a
group of people
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
7. Culture is material and non-material – material
culture, such as buildings and machines, are the products
or outputs of the application of man's knowledge and
skills, which are basically non-material.
-1916
8. Culture has sanctions and controls- these
sanctions could be formal or informal.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
9. Culture is dynamic- Culture is also changing.
Culture grows and accumulates with the passing of
time.
1896
1964
1918
1970
1924
1986
1935
1995
1955
2008
KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
10. Culture is an established pattern of behaviourmembers of the certain society act in a fairly uniform
manner because they share mutual beliefs, customs
and way of doing.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
11- Culture is Symbolic
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
Tel: 017 56 52 87 & 070 94 38 39
20014
Email: uon.sokchea14@gmail.com
KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
Culture Shock
• When immersed in an unfamiliar culture a
person may feel strangely disoriented
uncertain out of place even fearful. These are
all indications of what sociologists call
CULTURE SHOCK!!!
• Example: It was a real culture shock to find
herself in London after living on a small island.
• For example: A resident of the United States
who visits certain parts of China or Korea for a
meal may be stunned to find that the
speciality is dog meat!!
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
Culture Shock (cont.)
• Members of certain cultures might
experience culture shock by seeing
provocative dress styles or open displays of
affection such as kissing & hugging
• Until recently the Japanese viewed kissing
as acceptable only between mother and
child and had no word for it so they
borrowed from the English Language and
created KISSU
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• “Culture shock occurs when people
interact with members of a very different
culture and experience a loss of control”
Kalervo Oberg 1960
What Exactly is it?
When people move to a new culture
they take with them the values beliefs
customs and behaviors of their old
culture.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
Tips for Surviving Culture Shock
Learn the language
 Take part in activities
 Stay in touch with home
 Always maintain a sense of humor
 Take care of your health
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
Self-Knowledge and Understanding One’s Own
Culture
• Communications across cultures are openness to
be applied to oneself and one own culture
• Knowing one’s own is not simple
• Know your self; know your enemies: one
hundred battles; one hundred victories.
Sun Tzu, Chinese Philosopher said 2000 years ago
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
Cultural Intelligence (CQ)
• Cultural intelligence is the capability of an
individual to learn and understand another culture
and then act accordingly.
• Psychologists also recognize different kinds of
human intelligence
– EQ (Emotional Intelligence, the ability to read other
emotions)
– SQ (Social Intelligence, the ability to understand social
needs)
– PQ (Practical Intelligence, the ability to accomplish
daily living tasks efficiently and effectively)
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• The necessary components to have in order to
understand another’s environment and
prevent cultural mistakes:
– Cognition or thinking Processes
– Motivation or desire to adapt successfully
– Behavior, or appreciate actions
• CQ has three main components.
– Cognition involving both knowledge about a
culture and how things are done
– Motivation to adapt a new culture
– Application, ability to solve the cultural problems
into actions
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
III- The Question of Change in Culture
• Are cultures merging into one global culture?
– In the popular business press that all cultures
are becoming alike.
– Cultural priorities lead people into devastating
armed conflict because of the strength of their
allegiance to their culture.
– For examples, in the former Yugoslavia , far
ethnic group defend their cultures. Today
,Kosovo is governed by a United Nations
mission, but old cultural divisions continue to
disrupt the governance of state.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Ever-Change Popular Taste
- Global companies such as Pepsi, Sony, and
Microsoft are said to be changing cultures.
- It is true that popular changes; fads come and
go, especially in the marketplace.
- Popular culture including consumer products –
for example, music, food, hairstyle, clothing,.....
- Technology is the way human relate to their
physical environment – for example, cellphone,
e-mail,….
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• The study of Communication across Cultures
– Culture & communication are closely connected.
– Culture is learned through Communication &
Communication is based on cultural norms.
– Language is the too for communications.
• Cross - Cultural communication
Communication is cultural
•It draws on speech patterns,
language, and nonverbal messages
•It is interactive
•It operates through social
relationships
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Importance of Face
- Face is the standing
a person has in the
Eyes of others
- The importance of “face” and
face-saving varies across cultures
- Some cultures value
“face” more than their
own well-being
- Other cultures do not care
about face all that much.
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
• Nonverbal Communication
Different cultures use different
systems of understanding
nonverbal cues
•Low-context cultures -place relatively less emphasis on
nonverbal cues
•High-context cultures -place relatively more emphasis
on nonverbal cues
Facilitator: Mr. UON SOKCHEA, MA-English, MBA, and PhD Can.
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
Intercultural Business communication
• Intercultural communication occurs when two people
or more cultures interact.
• Intercultural Business communication is
communication by members of different cultures for
business or workplace purposes.
Perception and Communication
• Communication is the perception of verbal (worded)
and nonverbal (without words) behaviors.
• Perception is a process that can break down at any of
these steps. (Read more in the course book)
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KHMEARAK UNIVERSITY, KU
Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1: Culture And Communication
20014
The Course Book :
Intercultural Communication in The Global Workplace
Fifth Edition
Iris Varner & Linda Beamer
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