Introduction to Intercultural
Competence
John R. Baldwin
Department of Communication
Illinois State University
jrbaldw@ilstu.edu
Brief overview of chapter
What is it about (title)?
Define “competence”?
What are key “chunks” of chapter?
Rationale (“imperatives” for studying ICC)
Aspects/nature of communication
Why Study ICC?A letter to the editor
Is knowledge about world diversity useful for today’s
American, as well as specifically for today’s business
professional?
Should courses in diversity be required?
Do “global studies” requirements or college
requirements focused on world diversity meet the
needs for diversity awareness that will help make us
better citizens or better professionals?
Mr. Whitman wrote this letter in 1991—do the same
issues and opinions still prevail today? Is it likely that
Mr. Whitman holds the same attitude now, 15 years
later?
Should universities incorporate civic engagement into
cultural discussions/classes?
Why Study Intercultural Comm?
Demographic imperative
Technological imperative
Economic imperative
Peace imperative
Interpersonal imperative
Are there others? Should any of these
be broader or narrower?
Why Intercultural Communication
 Internet traffic doubles: ____________
 50/50 year in the workplace: ________
 Largest minorities in the U.S., B/N?
 Haves & have nots: Ave U.S. CEO makes ___x what
average employee makes
 In late 1990s, # of Japanese banks in top 10: ___
 # of U.S. manufacturing jobs related to export: ___
 # of U.S. Americans working for foreign boss: ____
 # of armed conflicts at any point in time: ____
 Cost to send an employee and family abroad: ___K
http://www.theladders.com/career-advice/why-men-stronger-professional-networks-than-women
http://www.boston.com/jobs/diversity/032004/moreinfo.shtml
http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/2008/11/
http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/notitas-de-noticias/2011/03/15/
http://www.npg.org/facts/us_imm_decade.htm
http://www.technovator.com.sg/ezcms/ezcms/company/news/newson250708
http://www.austinaacc.org/images/demographics/race.jpg
http://www.20plus30.com/blog/labels/Social%20networking.html
http://www.sifry.com/alerts/archives/000432.html
http://www.fred.net/tds/enrollment/USenrollment-crop.gif
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12671198
http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/images_lessons/196_chart21.gif
http://www.gold-speculator.com/casey-research/8564-foreign-investment-u-s-going-down-down-down.html
http://actrav.itcilo.org/actravenglish/telearn/global/ilo/multinat/multinat.htm
http://www.riazhaq.com/2011/11/us-firms-add-jobs-in-india-china-cut-at.html
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/93/224010687_8b34f40212_o.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/i3zIM.jpg
http://www.allcountries.org/maps/world_poverty_maps.html
War
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:War_world_map_-_DALY_-_WHO2004.svg
All Causes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:All_Causes_world_map_-_DALY_-_WHO2004.svg
http://rt.com/news/africa-s-forgotten-wars-shame-the-media/
http://www.monitor.upeace.org/archive.cfm?id_article=731
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/interactive/2011/jun/20/refugeestatistics-mapped
http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/stats-on-human-rights/statistics-on-war-conflict/statistics-on-childsoldiers/
Communication
Symbolic
Meaning, message
Interpretive
Understanding, agreement
Transactional
Contextual
Physical, Social, Interpersonal
Process
Involves shared meanings
Communication:
A Transactional Model
(model from
Rickheit &
Strohner,
Handbook of
Communication
Competence,
2008, p. 21,
based on
Strohner, 2001)
An Application