Skip main navigation

New offer! Get 30% off one whole year of Unlimited learning. Subscribe for just £249.99 £174.99. New subscribers only T&Cs apply

Find out more

Cross Cultural Communication

In this video, we explain what is cross-cultural communication and we discuss its pros and cons.
0
[MUSIC] As companies look to expand their business into new markets, the company must expand too. Hiring workers today means considering the diversity of employees and their working situation. With a call for more workplace diversity to improve innovation and social responsibility and the functionality of the Internet ever-increasing, cross-cultural communication is occurring more frequently. Still, it is how we benefit from cross-cultural interactions that is key to taking advantage of this new global trend in business. Let’s take a look at the pros of cross-cultural communication. [NOISE] It can be difficult to understand someone from another culture. Diction, vocal inflection, common lingo, and phrasal structuring can be wholly unique from one culture to the next. This only considers the differences in verbal communication.
52
Therefore, it’s easy to understand that complications can and will arise at times when communicating across cultures. However, cross-cultural communication doesn’t have to turn negative. In fact there are many benefits that come through cross-cultural communication that can help businesses thrive. Here are just a few of them. [NOISE] One, trying hard to understand someone produces either frustration or empathy, and possibly both. But it is empathy that can be one of the greatest benefits of cross-cultural situations. Though largely unseen and nearly impossible to measure, an empathetic workforce can quickly address problems and foresee challenges. Empathy even extends to customer relations in practical ways that build trust and positively affect corporate image.
100.5
When interacting, the added factor of miscommunication can change the way workers deal with one another. This can create a thorough and detailed orientated workforce. By double checking information and focusing on clear communication, efficiency will rise over time and a culture of organization and precision can be developed. Additionally, cross-cultural communication can broaden thinking. Workers who collaborate with diverse groups are more likely to come up with innovative solutions to complex problems. This creates productive teams and individuals who internalize these processes, and can open their minds to a variety of possibilities. Finally, constant communication between cultures can lead to entire organization shifting their mission.
146.1
By learning and growing more through continuous contact, leaders can experience a change in the way they approach business strategy. This can be through a philanthropic venture that develops corporate social responsibility or business minded tactics that seek to infiltrate new markets. Whatever the drive, businesses may see a need to re-evaluate their mission and business plan as a result of cross-cultural communication. [NOISE] Though cross-cultural communication can change procedure and policy on a day-to-day level, it can also provide some beneficial long-term modifications to existing work culture. It has the ability to produce empathy, generate precision, broaden thinking, and re-evaluate mission, all for the sake of improving an organization.
191.8
Cross-cultural communication is not simply something one has to contend with in the business world, rather, it is something that the business needs in order to contend. The key points of this session include; one, frequent cross-cultural communication can benefit companies who are looking to compete in the business sector, two, a developed empathy can generate customer trust and positively impact brand image, three, avoiding miscommunication can result in an organized and precise company that is conscious of the need to get it right, four, constant communication between cultures can broaden the thinking of individuals and groups, leading to innovative solutions and appropriate mission shifts, five, today business needs diversity in the form of cross-cultural communication to contend with increasingly intercultural competitors.

What is cross cultural communication? What are its advantages and disadvantages? Where is cross cultural communication taking place? Watch this video by the University of Law Business School in order to find out!

This article is from the free online

Influencing and Communication Skills for Managers

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now