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PowerPoint slides by R. Dennis Middlemist, Professor of Management, Colorado State University
Communication Process and
Verbal Communication Styles
 Communication
 The process of transferring meanings from sender to
receiver
 Verbal communication styles
 Context is information that surrounds a
communication and helps convey the message
 Messages are often highly coded and implicit in
high-context societies, such as Japan and many Arab
countries
 The message is explicit and the speaker says
precisely what he or she means in low-context
societies such as the United States and Canada
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Explicit and Implicit
Communication
High-context/implicit
communication
cultures
Japanese
Arabs
Latin Americans
Italians
English
French
North Americans
Scandinavians
Germans
Swiss Germans
Low-context/explicit
communication
cultures
Adapted from Figure 7–1: Explicit/Implicit Communication: An International Comparison
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Phases of Multicultural Development
Table 7–1
Major Characteristics of Verbal Styles
Verbal Style
Major
Variation
Interaction Focus
and Content
Cultures in Which
Characteristic It
Is Found
Indirect vs.
direct
Indirect
Direct
Implicit messages
Explicit messages
Collective, high context
Individualistic, low context
Succinct vs.
elaborate
Elaborate
High quantity of talk
Exacting
Moderate amount of
talk
Low amount of talk
Moderate uncertainty
avoidance, high context
Low uncertainty avoidance,
low context
High uncertainty avoidance,
high context
Succinct
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Adapted from Table 7–1: Major Characteristics of Verbal Styles
Phases of Multicultural Development
Table 7–1
Major Characteristics of Verbal Styles
Verbal Style
Contextual vs.
personal
Affective vs.
instrumental
Major
Variation
Interaction Focus
and Content
Cultures in Which
Characteristic It
Is Found
Contextual
Focus is on the speaker
and role relationships
High power distance,
collective, high context
Personal
Focus is on the speaker
and personal
relationships
Low power distance,
individualistic, low context
Affective
Language is process
oriented and receiver
focused
Collective, high context
Instrumental
Language is goal
oriented and sender
focused
Individualistic, low context
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Adapted from Table 7–1: Major Characteristics of Verbal Styles
Communication Process and
Verbal Communication Styles
Verbal communication styles (continued)
 Indirect and direct styles



In high-context cultures, messages are implicit and
indirect
Voice intonation, timing, and facial expressions play
important roles in conveying information
In low-context cultures, people often meet only to
accomplish objectives and tend to be direct and focused
in their communications
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Communication Process and
Verbal Communication Styles
Verbal communication styles (continued)
 Elaborate and succinct styles




Three degrees of communication quantity— elaborate,
exacting, and succinct.
The elaborating style is more popular in high-context cultures
that have a moderate degree of uncertainty avoidance
The exacting style focuses on precision and the use of the right
amount of words to convey the message and is more common
in low-context, low-uncertainty-avoidance cultures
The succinct style is more common in high-context cultures
with considerable uncertainty avoidance where people tend to
say few words and allow understatements, pauses, and silence
to convey meaning.
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Communication Process and
Verbal Communication Styles
Verbal communication styles (continued)
 Contextual and personal styles




Contextual style is one that focuses on the speaker and
relationship of the parties
Contextual style is often associated with highpowerdistance, collective, high-context cultures
Personal style focuses on the speaker and the reduction
of barriers between the parties
Personal style is more popular in low-power-distance,
individualistic, low-context cultures
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Communication Process and
Verbal Communication Styles
Verbal communication styles (continued)
 Affective and instrumental styles




Affective style is common in collective, high-context cultures
and is characterized by language that requires the listener to
note what is said and to observe how the message is presented
The meaning is often nonverbal and requires the receiver to use
his or her intuitive skills to decipher the message
Instrumental style is goal oriented and focuses on the sender
who clearly lets the other party know what he or she wants the
other party to know.
The instrumental style is more commonly found in
individualistic, low-context cultures
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Summary of Verbal Styles
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Communication Flows
 Downward communication
 Transmission of information from manager to
subordinate
 Primary purpose of manager-initiated
communication is to convey orders and information
 Managers use this channel for instructions and
performance feedback
 The channel facilitates the flow of information to
those who need it for operational purposes
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Communication Epigrams
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Adapted from Figure 7–2: Communication Epigrams
Matsushita’s Philosophy
Table 7–3
Matsushita’s Philosophy
Basic Business Principles
To recognize our responsibilities as industrialists, to foster progress, to promote
the general welfare of society, and to devote ourselves to the further development
of world culture.
Employees Creed
Progress and development can be realized only through the combined efforts and
cooperation of each member of the Company. Each of us, therefore, shall keep
this idea constantly in mind as we devote ourselves to the continuous
improvement of our Company.
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Adapted from Table 7–3: Matsushita’s Philosophy
Matsushita’s Philosophy
Table 7–3
Matsushita’s Philosophy
The Seven Spiritual Values
1. National service through industry
2. Fairness
3. Harmony and cooperation
4. Struggle for betterment
5. Courtesy and humility
6. Adjustment and assimilation
7. Gratitude
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Adapted from Table 7–3: Matsushita’s Philosophy
Communication Barriers
 Language barriers
 Cultural barriers

Suggestions that can be of value to American managers
who are engaged in international communications
include:

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
Be careful not to use generalized statements about benefits,
compensation, pay cycles, holidays, or policies in your
worldwide communications.
Since most of the world uses the metric system, be sure to
include converted weights and measures in all internal and
external communications.
Keep in mind that even in English-speaking countries, words
may have different meanings. Not everyone knows what is
meant by “counterclockwise,” or “quite good.”
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Communication Barriers
 Language barriers
 Cultural barriers

Suggestions that can be of value to American managers who are
engaged in international communications include:


Remember that letterhead and paper sizes differ worldwide.
The 81⁄2 by 11-inch page is a U.S. standard, but most
countries use an A4 (81⁄4 111⁄2-inch) size for their
letterhead, with envelopes to match.
Dollars are not unique to the United States. There are
Australian, Bermudian, Canadian, Hong Kong, Taiwanese,
and New Zealand dollars, among others. So when referring
to American dollars, it is important to use “US$.”
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Nonverbal Communication
 Nonverbal communication
 The transfer of meaning through means such as
body language and use of physical space
 Kinesics
 The study of communication through body
movement and facial expression



Eye contact
Posture
Gestures
 Chromatics
 The use of color to communicate messages
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Nonverbal Communication
 Proxemics
 The study of the way that people use physical space
to convey messages

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Intimate distance is used for very confidential
communications
Personal distance is used for talking with family and
close friends
Social distance is used to handle most business
transactions
Public distance is used when calling across the room or
giving a talk to a group
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Personal Space in the U.S.
Intimate distance
Personal distance
18”
Social distance
Public distance
18” to 4’
4’ to 8’
8’ to 10’
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Adapted from Figure 7–3: Personal Space Categories for Those in the United States
Nonverbal Communication
 Chronemics
 Monochronic time schedule




Things are done in a linear fashion.
Manager addresses Issue A first and then moves on to
Issue B
Time schedules are very important and time is viewed as
something that can be controlled and should be used
wisely
Polychronic time schedules



People tend to do several things at the same time
People place higher value on personal involvement than
on getting things done on time
Schedules are subordinated to personal relationships
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Achieving Communication
Effectiveness
 Improve feedback systems
 Two basic types of feedback systems between home
office and affiliates


Personal (e.g., face-to-face meetings, telephone
conversations and personalized e-mail)
Impersonal (e.g., reports, budgets, and plans)
 Language training
 Cultural training
 Flexibility and cooperation
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Flexibility Cooperation: Intercompany
Interaction and Negotiation
Table 7–7
Negotiation Styles from a Cross-Cultural Perspective
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Adapted from Table 7–7: Negotiation Styles from a Cross-Cultural Perspective
Flexibility Cooperation: Intercompany
Interaction and Negotiation
Table 7–7
Negotiation Styles from a Cross-Cultural Perspective
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Adapted from Table 7–7: Negotiation Styles from a Cross-Cultural Perspective
Managing Cross-Cultural
Negotiations
Negotiation: The process of bargaining with one or more parties to
arrive at a solution that is acceptable to all
Planning
1. identify the objectives negotiators would like to
attain and explore the possible options for reaching
these objectives
2. Set limits on single-point objectives
3. Divide issues into short- and long-term
considerations and decide how to handle each
4. Determine the sequence in which to discuss the
various issues
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Managing Cross-Cultural
Negotiations
Negotiation: The process of bargaining with one or more parties to
arrive at a solution that is acceptable to all
Planning
•
Get to know the people on the other side
•
“Feeling out” period is characterized by the desire
to identify those who are reasonable and those
who are not
Impersonal
Relationship Building
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Managing Cross-Cultural
Negotiations
Negotiation: The process of bargaining with one or more parties to
arrive at a solution that is acceptable to all
•
Each group sets forth its position on the critical
issues
•
These positions often change later in the
negotiations
•
Participants try to find out what the other party
wants to attain and what it is willing to give up
Planning
Impersonal
Relationship Building
Exchanging TaskRelated Information
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Managing Cross-Cultural
Negotiations
Negotiation: The process of bargaining with one or more parties to
arrive at a solution that is acceptable to all
•
Planning
Impersonal
Relationship Building
Exchanging TaskRelated Information
Success of the persuasion step depends on
•
How well the parties understand each other’s
position
•
The ability of each to identify areas of similarity
and differences
•
The ability to create new options
•
The willingness to work toward a mutually
acceptable solution
Persuasion
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Managing Cross-Cultural
Negotiations
Negotiation: The process of bargaining with one or more parties to
arrive at a solution that is acceptable to all
•
Grant concessions and hammer out a final
agreement
•
This phase may be carried out piecemeal, and
concessions and agreements may be made on
issues one at a time.
Planning
Impersonal
Relationship Building
Exchanging TaskRelated Information
Persuasion
Agreement
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Cultural Differences Affecting
Negotiations
1. Do not identify the counterpart’s home culture too quickly.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Common cues (e.g., name, physical appearance, language, accent,
location) may be unreliable.
Beware of the Western bias toward “doing.” Ways of being (e.g.,
comportment, smell), feeling, thinking, and talking can shape
relationships more powerfully than doing.
Counteract the tendency to formulate simple, consistent, stable
images.
Do not assume that all aspects of the culture are equally
significant.
Recognize that norms for interactions involving outsiders may
differ from those for interactions between compatriots.
Do not overestimate your familiarity with your counterpart’s
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culture.
Negotiation Tactics

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Location
Time limits
Buyer-seller relations
Bargaining behaviors
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Use of extreme behaviors
Promises, threats and other behaviors
Nonverbal behaviors
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Effective Negotiation
Characteristics
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Adapted from Table 7-10: Culture-Specific Characteristics Needed by International Managers for Effective Negotiations
Effective Negotiation
Characteristics
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Adapted from Table 7-10: Culture-Specific Characteristics Needed by International Managers for Effective Negotiations
Verbal Communication Styles
See Table 8-2, p. 199
Context
Indirect and Direct
High context = implicit & indirect
Low-context = objective
Elaborate and Succinct
Elaborate / exacting / succinct
Contextual and Personal
Contextual : speaker / relationship of parties
Personal: speaker / reduction of barriers
Affective and Instrumental
Affective = requires listener to listen & observe
Instrumental = goal-oriented
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Interpretation of Communications
The effectiveness of communication is determined by how
closely the sender and receiver have the same meaning for
the same message
Ex.) Using individual incentive plans in collective cultures
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Downward Flow of
Communications
The transmission of information from manager to
subordinate
CEO
V.P.
x
y
V.P.
z
x
y
z
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Upward Communication
The transmission of information from subordinates to
managers
 to provide feedback, ask questions, or obtain
assistance from higher-level management
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Communication Barriers
Language
ex.) Someone on
a foreign assignment that does not know the language that is
spoken at the headquarters of the MNC
Culture
ex.) The
differences between how a native and nonnative U.S. person
write a letter
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Communication Barriers
 Filtering

The deliberate manipulation of information to make it appear more
favorable to the receiver.
 Selective Perception

Receiving communications on the basis of what one selectively sees
and hears depending on his or her needs, motivation, experience,
background, and other personal characteristics.
 Emotions

Messages will often be interpreted differently depending on how
happy or sad one is when the message is being communicated
 Language

Words have different meanings to different people. Receivers will
use their definition of words communicated, which may be
different from what the sender intended.
 Nonverbal Cues

Body language or intonation that sends the receiver another
message. When the two are not aligned, communication is
distorted.
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Communication Barriers
Perceptual
Using words that are misinterpreted by others
ex.) Ford released a truck called “Fiera” into Spanish-speaking countries...it meant “ugly old
woman” in Spanish!
View of Others
ex.) Some U.S .
managers view their foreign subordinates as being less qualified than their US peers.
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The Impact of Culture
Cultural Values
ex.) People in the Middle Eastern countries do not relate to and
communicate with one another in a loose, general way as do those in the
U.S.
Misinterpretation
ex.) U.S. managers doing business in Austria often misinterpret the fact
that local business people always address them in formal terms...Sir, Mr.,
Mrs., Miss...
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U.S. Proverbial / Cultural Values
Proverb
Cultural Value
Time is money
Don’t cry over spilt milk
Waste not, want not
Early to bed, early to rise, makes-
one healthy, wealthy, and wise
A stitch in time saves nine
If at first you don’t succeed,
Take care of today, and
try, try again
tomorrow will take care of its
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U.S. Proverbial / Cultural Values
Proverb
Cultural Value
Time is money
Time Thriftiness
Don’t cry over spilt milk
Practicality
Waste not, want not
Frugality
Early to bed, early to rise, makeswealthy, and wise
Diligence; work ethic
A stitch in time saves nine
Timeliness
If at first you don’t succeed,
Persistence; work ethic
Take care of today, and
tomorrow will take care of itself
Preparation for the future
one healthy,
try, try a
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Non-Verbal Communication
See Table 7-6, p. 194
 Rich in meaning / complex
 Dress (clothing, physical appearance)
 Proxemics (use of physical space)
 Paralinguistics (language forms; qualities, volume, pitch,
hesitations)

Kinesics / body language (gestures, expressions, body
movements, posture)
 Haptics: (touching; pat, handshake, arm around the shoulder)
Chronemics: (use of time)
Chronomics (use of colors)
 Iconics: (use of physical objects:


e.g. trophies, decorating style)
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Achieving Communication
Effectiveness
NEED TO:
Improve Feedback Systems
Provide Language Training
Provide Cultural Training
Increase Flexibility and Co-operation
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It is not the degree of difference between
groups that causes harm. Rather, it is the
lack of skill in identifying breaches of trust
based on ethnic differences and the lack
of skill in restoring trust once it is broken.
http://www.awesomelibrary.org/multiculturaltoolkit-use.html
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Intercultural Sensitivity Stages
http://www.awesomelibrary.org/multiculturaltoolkit-stages.html
1. Denial
•
Does not recognize cultural differences
2. Defense
•
Recognizes some differences, but sees them as negative
3. Minimization
•
Unaware of projection of own cultural values; sees own values as
superior
4. Acceptance
•
Shifts perspectives to understand that the same "ordinary"
behavior can have different meanings in different cultures
5. Adaptation
•
Can evaluate other’s behavior from their frame of reference and
can adapt behavior to fit the norms of a different culture
6. Integration
•
Can shift frame of reference and also deal with resulting identity
issues
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Key Points of Intercultural
Communication
http://www.jobweb.com/resources/library/Workplace_Culture/Key_points_of_13_01.htm
 When communications cause conflict, be aware that problems might
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have more to do with style or process than with content or motives.
Learn to understand different communication styles—you could even
benefit through expanding your repertoire.
Communicating across cultures requires extra effort. Good
communication requires commitment and concentration.
Although culture affects differences in communication patterns, there
are many exceptions within each group depending on class, age,
education, experience, and personality.
Remember that communication is a process and that the process
varies among cultures. Look at what might be getting in the way of
understanding. Constantly ask “What’s going on here?” and check
your assumptions.
Avoid jokes, words, or expressions that are hot buttons, such as those
that are based on ethnicity, race, or gender.
Use language that fosters trust and alliance.
Respect differences; don’t judge people because of the way they
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speak.
Footware International
 Contentious society

Extremists?
 John Carlson
One of only 4 foreigners working for company
 Mgr. of Production, marketing, and sales
 All employees in Development and marketing department
were Moslem

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