Cultural Influences on Context: The Business Setting

1. Cultural Influences on Context: The Business Setting By Amber Eldridge Megan Jelinek

2. “You will never know a man till you do business with him”Scottish Proverb

3. Culture and Context • Culture specifies the appropriate communicative behavior within a variety of social and physical contexts • Internalized cultural rules • Differences in intercultural communication

4. Communication and Context Three Basic Assumptions of Human Communication • Communication is rule governed • Context prescribes appropriate communication rules • Communication rules are culturally diverse

5. The Multinational Business Context • Business Protocol • Management • Negotiations • Decision Making • Conflict Management

6. Business Protocol Elements that help initiate business relationships • Initial Contacts • Greeting Behavior • Personal Appearance • Gift Giving • Office Spatial Design

7. China Appearance • Subtle, neutral colors should be worn in business settings for both men and women. Behavior • Do not use large hand movements • Tipping in restaurants is considered insulting • Bowing and nodding is the proper greeting • Being on time is vital • Most important person of your company should lead meeting, value rank and status

8. Russia Appearance • Businessmen wear dark suits • Do not take jackets off during negotiations Behavior • Standing with hands in pockets is considered rude • Business appointments begin one or two hours later (do not expect an apology from them) • Patience is extremely important, punctuality is not • Do not show the soles of your shoes, it is considered impolite

9. Saudi Arabia Appearance • Never show shoulders, stomach, calves and thighs • No matter the temperature, most of the body must remain covered Behavior • Men shake hands with other men • A businesswoman must wait for the man to initiate the handshake • Do not cross legs while sitting • The left hand is considered unclean and reserved for hygiene • Must shake with right hand

10. New Zealand Appearance • When conducting business, dress conservatively • Men must wear dark suits with a white shirt underneath Behavior • “Fashionably late” is not an option • Punctuality is part of their culture • Men generally wait for women to be the first to extend a handshake • At the beginning of a meeting, it is vital to greet them with “How do you do?”

11. Words of Advice • Every business has it’s own personality and culture. This, in turn, translates into unique sets of rules and norms, often unspoken and informal about how you should behave. • It is critically important that you take the time to understand the culture of a workplace • If you don’t, you are almost assured of making inappropriate and embarrassing mistakes.

12. Discussion Questions • How do communication rules differ in particular environments? (classroom, interview, house) • In a business setting have you experienced any trouble when dealing with a language barrier? • How important is power in the U.S. and is it gender based?