DEFINE VARIABLES. EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF INDIVIDUAL VARIABLES.
Definition. A characteristic, number, or quantity that increases or decreases over time, or takes different values in different situations. Two basic types are (1) Independent variable: that can take different values and can cause corresponding changes in other variables, and (2) Dependent variable: that can take different values only in response to an independent variable.
The Concept of Culture
Culture refers to the behavioural characteristics typical of a group. This definition implies that communications, oral and nonverbal, within a group also are typical of that group and are often unique.
There is not one aspect of human life that is not touched and altered by culture. This means personality, how people express themselves (including shows of emotion), the way they think, how they move, how problems are solved, how their cities are planned and laid out, how transportation systems function and are organized, as well as how economic and government systems are put together and function. It is the least studied aspects of culture that influence behaviour in the deepest and most subtle ways. Culture refers to the following Ways of Life, including but not limited to: a. Language: the oldest human institution and the most sophisticated medium of b. expression.
Arts & Sciences: the most advanced and refined forms of human expression. c. d. e.
Thought: the ways in which people perceive, interpret, and understand the world around them.
Spirituality: the value system transmitted through generations for the inner well-being of human beings, expressed through language and actions.
Social activity: the shared pursuits within a cultural community, demonstrated in a f. variety of festivities and life-celebrating events.
Interaction: the social aspects of human contact, including the give-and-take of socialization, negotiation, protocol, and conventions.
When we discuss communication and culture, we should be aware of the total spectrum of communication including language, non-verbal communication, customs, perceived values, and concepts of time and space. Do all tourists identify with Canadian traditions and values? Likely not. But the more interesting question is: Why not? The answer lies in the simple fact that most tourists come from different cultures: some vastly different like those from Japan and China, others less different, such as tourists from Eastern Canada or the United States. Even if tourists share the same language, they may have much different customs and values. What happens when people from different cultures interact face-to- face? One way to appreciate the impact of cultural differences is to look in the mirror. When
Americans and Canadians travel to other countries, they look for Cokes, steaks and hamburgers and the same amenities in hotels and other accommodations that they are used to at home. While the host country may offer an authentically different culture, which is one of the reasons people travel, North
Americans tourists are notorious for wanting the comforts of home wherever they may be. In many third world countries, North Americans seek out joint venture hotels to enjoy North American food and lodging and to be served by people who speak English. Strangely, what we expect for ourselves in travel is not deemed to be reasonable when we’re the hosts dealing with tourists from other countries.
Cultural Variables

The message sender and the receiver, both are affected by external and internal stimuli. When communicating with business people in a foreign country, you must realize that overall national and individual cultural differences within the cultures further affect those stimuli. An entire country may have a series of cultural norms; individual ethnic groups within that country may accept most of those norms as well as adding their own. National cultural variables are: a. b.
Education
Law and Regulations c. d.
Economics
Politics e. f. g.
Religion
Social Norms
Language
Individual Cultural Variables
All people value their individual freedom. Often this freedom is expressed in one’s own ethnic diversity.
On the micro and more personal level, are differences in verbal and nonverbal cues, expressed through varying concepts of time, individual speech, food, acceptable dress, manners at home and at work, decision making patterns and other non-verbal variations. Individual cultural variables are: a. b.
Time
Space c. d.
Food
Acceptable Dress e. f.
Manners
Decision Making g. Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
Time. Time is an important variable in communication. People of different nations have different concepts about time, for instance, people in Latin America and the Middle East treat time more casually then do the Americans, who normally prefer promptness. Germans are time-precise; rarely does one have to wait for an appointment in Germany. Similarly, in some cultures, business people take afternoon naps, close shops and postpone timings for business meetings and dinners etc. Like in Pakistan, shops and all the businesses take gap for the Jumma prayers, and in Saudi Arabia businesses are closed in all the prayers timings. One should plan the meeting according to the cultural time of others. Even when referring to seasons of a year, countries differ. Some speak of the rainy and dry season, some think of summer, winter, autumn and fall. When writing a date and time at the end or beginning of a business letter one should keep in mind the time variable- In Great Britain 9’o clock is referred as 900 hours and in Pakistan it is 9:00 am. It should not take too long to recognize which is the time-conscious culture and

which is the one less concerned with precision in time. Knowing cultural perceptions of time helps you understand why some responses are slow-by your standards.
Space. Space and environment is another very important factor that can greatly affect the communication. Americans demand more room-buffer space- between themselves and others when speaking. To some cultures, Americans who do not stand close seem cold and aloof. Conversely, some cultures consider those who stand close to you as intrusive, rude, pushy and overbearing. In some cultures, like the one of Germans, meetings are held in closed doors where as some cultures prefer out door, i.e, meetings at restaurant etc. Some cultures prefer round table, some prefer rectangle and some like to sit in groups. Therefore, while communicating, the space should be kept in mind.
Food. It may be a good idea prior to visiting your host country to visit various ethnic restaurants in your home country. Then you’ll have an initial idea as to the kinds of foods available: how they are served, fixed, or eaten. For instance, Pork is forbidden in the Middle Eastern countries but is a part of
Asian diet and that of many other countries; beef is hard to find in India, veal is plentiful in Europe and rice is ever present in Hong Kong and China. In Asia, dark and light teas are national drinks. Buddhism,
Hinduism and Muslim religions are found in many parts of the world and they forbid consumption of alcohol; thus no liquor is served at business meetings/affairs.
Acceptable Dress. It is better to ask about the mode of dress for an occasion in your law host country, than to risk making an embarrassing mistake. In America business males wear the business suit whereas women wear dresses or tailored suits. And in great measure that “uniform” is common throughout the world, even in Eastern Europe as it adopts more capitalistic methods. Some British fellows wear the bowler along with a dark suit and carry with a tie. In Islamic countries, women wear modest clothes and cover their heads with head scarves.
Manners. Some cultural anthropologists suggest that you observe children in foreign cultures, because by watching them you learn the behavioral habits of elders. Children shake your hand in
Germany, hug you in Italy, and often stay in the background in India. Infact, the ritual of the greeting and the farewell is more formal overseas with children and adults. You bring a gift when visiting most homes in Europe. If you bring flowers you avoid gifts of red roses in Germany, or white chrysanthemums in
France, Belgium, and Japan. Adopting the manners of a country may mean a 2-3 hours lunch in Europe is acceptable, if you can call up your patience. Be prepared to sit close together in Asia: twelve people at a whether small round table, eating chopsticks, is not unusual.
Decision Making. Patience above all is needed in intercultural communication, in doing business with other countries are typecast as moving too quickly in asking for a decision. Give more thought to inductive communication. Americans get to the point quickly, i.e. take decisions and make plans quickly unlike the Germans who take time and do group consensus and then moves towards a decision.
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication. Verbal Communication: Regardless of culture, a kind of verbal sparring occurs when strangers meet, each seeking to determine which topics are acceptable and non controversial. Additionally, the tone of voice of one’s initial words can influence your initial perception of whether the meeting is positive or negative. Even the oral phrase “How would you like to” can have either a direct or an indirect meaning; it could be a command or a question. In Australia it is taken as a request and not a question, in US it’s a question. We judge people to a great extent by their voice. Some people native languages demand many tonal variations, giving the impression to a nonnative of loudness even arrogance. Nonverbal Communication: A handshake is a traditional form of

greeting in West. Facial expressions vary across cultures. You could get the wrong impression when some Filipinos smile and laugh when underneath this behavior they are angry. Or, the inscrutable facial expression of the Japanese does not suggest disinterest, whether an unwillingness to make public one’s inner thoughts. A myriad of nonverbal symbols exists for every culture, even in sub cultures. Knowing the major desirable and undesirable cues helps knowing both intended and unintended communication errors.