6-8 page essay, please finish within 20 hours

Student Name: YuehTsung (Buzz) Chou

A00991550

COMM 7100- Final Exam Essay

Introduction

The world has become a global village, and many people are interacting at a personal level when compared to the past. People find themselves in a position where they have to learn or even work in different countries and interact with people of different nationalities and cultures. This has called for a need for global understanding where people can communicate and eliminate the language barriers that existed in the past. However, language is complex and requires a deeper understanding so that the people involved have effective communication. Language is crucial in the proper understanding of culture, thereby showing why having a deeper understanding of language would be important in this situation. Some of the factors to be considered include the components of foreign languages that determine the effectiveness of the communication. Before approaching the culture, it is also significant to learn more about its power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and linguistic prejudice. Some of the reasons why intercultural communication competency represents essential knowledge in today’s global context include serving the communicative purpose and making communication more effective. There is a need to understand the value of intercultural communication and its ability to help the company solve its current challenge of introducing the program to a new culture and creating, and the environment in which it can create and introduce such programs to different cultures in the future. The expected outcome from the use of this approach would include the success of the program and better working relations.

Differences in Framing of Language

Given the fact that language will be playing a very important role in this program, it is important to consider its framing. There is a need to know whether the culture relies on a direct or indirect communicative purpose (Yunxia 28). This information will provide a deeper understanding of how the proposal will have to be made. The cultures that have an indirectness in speech have been known to rely on politeness as a tool, whereas the ones that rely on a directness in speech are more formal. This information will be important to frame the right approach that should be used in the process. Depending on the situation, this information will also help in conflict resolution, in case there is any challenge in the process. Interacting with people of different cultures can be quite unpredictable, thereby making conflict resolution an important thing to consider. Such information will have to be considered based on areas such as the workplace environment as well as other locations in which interactions might take place.

Influence of Social Media

Cross-cultural understanding has become an important part of social interaction. This is because it involves the use of platforms such as social media, which defines some of the daily operations. When learning, the world has been brought to the learning rooms, thereby explaining some of the effects of social media. In this case, it requires that the involved people find a way of communicating effectively across different cultures. That explains why the suggestion to learn a few words would be likely to fail. Creating a common understanding is now key to understanding different situations, and it defines the role that communication plays. For instance, communicating with people on social media will require a basic understanding of culture and the language, so that common objectives are met.

In this case, learning a few words will not work since the communication process will involve the provision of responses, most of which will be analyzed by the other party. According to Mitchell, culture is an essential feature in carrying out international business and is ultimately a crucial tool that is used by many entrepreneurs. That explains why the idea to learn only a few words and phrases is likely to affect the communication process. As a long-term consideration, social media will be a platform through which the two cultures will interact, and that would require careful use of words and languages that are not offensive. In this case, the same social media platform could also provide the company with background information on the hidden assumptions that already exist in the culture so that it helps with the communication styles to be used in the process.

Business Negotiation

Business negotiation is always about making preparations, and this should be highly considered when introducing a program in a new culture. Background information will enable a person to know the right code of ethics to practice. Some of these factors might include the dress code and choice of words, some of which might be new. Provided background information has been done on the new culture; then, it should be easier to engage in business negotiation. That explains why intercultural communication is critical in determining the outcome of a business negotiation.

Intercultural Communicative Competence

When considering the role that is expected of a person learning foreign languages, the cross-section between language skills, language awareness, and cultural awareness requires that the involved persons have intercultural communicative competence. This is an approach that combines the three factors, thereby increasing the chances of success in communication. According to Chou, when dealing with different nationalities, it is important that a person is in a position to acquire knowledge constantly. This means that learning will be a continuous process so that the involved people continue to understand the new languages and culture, thereby influencing their decisions. Since the world is becoming more interactive, there are different cultural practices to be learned, and that means that the people involved will need to make decisions that respect their cultural diversity. Tolerance and willingness to communicate are also considered as a requirement in intercultural communication (Chou). Different cultures have different cultural levels, thereby making it important to consider the role that culture plays and communication in determining the ability to complete an objective. In this case, the objective involves interaction with another culture, thereby making the recommendation made by the project head to be wrong and likely to fail.

Similarly, there is also a need to consider the role of being able to start a dialogue in a different tongue. The tongue, in this case, will be associated with the different cultures. Doing this will need a basic understanding of the culture and language, thereby making it important for one to practice and learn more. An understanding of some few words might work over a short period, but in the long term, it would leave the involved persons exposed so that they fail to achieve their objectives. Given the fact that this is a project, there will be a need for the person sent to initiate talks and dominate some of the conversations while steering them in a way that serves the objective of the program or trip. A limited understanding of the language would mean that the involved people fail to understand what is needed or even spend more time arguing and trying to find a common understanding, thereby reducing the chances of success of the program.

Having understood the role that foreign languages would play in the program, it is significant to understand the components that would be needed to guarantee its success. These components include the general culture, linguistic culture, social economics, and professionalism (Mukharlyamova 233). These four components would be important in communicating with the members of a different culture. While considering the role that general culture would play, it is significant to understand that all cultures are unique, and people feel most comfortable when things are done in a way they are familiar with. Given the fact that this program would involve the company sending a representative to a different culture, it would be safe to conclude that learning their general culture would be the best way to go about it. The key advantage that this component would provide is general knowledge from which background information could be obtained and used in different forms of communication, such as the formal channels and even social media.

Understanding the lexical and grammatical units of languages is also significant (Mukharlyamova 233). It is significant to understand that linguistic culture is important in defining the success of this project, and this is because the different cultures might have similar words and phrases but with different meanings. With an aim to avoid using words that might be offensive, it is important to understand their linguistic culture. Also, there is a tendency for people to feel more inclined to agree with things when they have it expressed in their own language. That means that this program would also benefit from investing in the linguistic culture so that it increases the chances of success. That also shows that learning a few phrases and hoping that it would help the program to succeed is not an effective approach and might have a negative outcome.

A consideration of the social-economic components will also influence the success rate of the program. Some of the things that are involved with the social-economic component include the worldview, ethics, and etiquette (Mukharlyamova 233). These factors will influence the manner in which people communicate during the process. For instance, some cultures might require that a person stands whenever a leader enters, while others might consider that offensive. Ethics is important in every culture, and this is with good reason since it defines factors such as punctuality, dressing, and punctuality, among many others. According to Mitchell, ethics is very important in the manner in which Italians handle their businesses, thereby showing that anyone intending to do business with the Italians would need to comply with their ethical expectations. Worldview is also important to consider when dealing with different cultures. Depending on the involved culture, it is important not to criticize them in the process. For instance, if dealing with an individualist’s culture, then it would be wrong to promote the ideals of collectivism. Instead, there will be a need to refrain from offensive comments that could make the other party abandon the program. Doing this will require an understanding of their social-economic activities and using that to influence the conversations.

An additional component is the professional aspect of the culture (Mukharlyamova 233). The approach that one uses will determine the chances of success of the program since the first impression still matters. In many cases, this is supposed to be done in a way that appeals to the other party. This would require some basic understanding of their methods of setting business agendas, the expectation on skills, and application methods (Mukharlyamova 233). When a person has such information, it becomes simpler to negotiate and even avoid common stereotypes, thereby making the process as professional as possible. A good suggestion would be the use of an appreciative inquiry for this approach so that one learns more during the process in a non-offensive manner.

Ethnicity and Education Factors

Every culture has its ethnic and educational factors that guide its decision making. The role of ethnicity is usually associated with the influence of culture. According to Fors et al. (733), culture is more than ethnicity, race, and nationality. Ethnicity is one of the factors that define culture, and, in many societies, people with specific ethnicities tend to have unique cultures. That means that a determination of the people to whom the program will be presented can provide some background information in the nature of their culture and the best approaches to present the programs. In this case, all that is needed would be a consideration of words that people with a specific ethnicity would find offensive and then eliminating the use of such words during the communication process.

Similarly, the details on ethnicity will also define the likelihood of the presentation. In the event that people with different ethnicities are involved, then it would require further analysis to determine the best approach. The good thing is that with some form of research, such information can be obtained, and the best approach made to promote the success of the program. In a way, ethnicity presents a simpler way through which information on the other party can be obtained.

Educational factors are a very important aspect to consider when dealing with people from a different culture (Fors et al., 733). The levels of education and educational systems play the biggest role in determining the right approach for the program. In a culture where the educational systems are extremely high, then the best approach would be using a formal approach of presentation. However, the informal approach would be more effective when the educational systems are lower, and the communities prefer such methods. The educational levels and systems will also determine the chances of such a program succeeding since there will be a need to determine whether the company will have the representatives running the program or rely on the members of the local culture. Such factors will influence the communication process so that the presentation appears professional and well thought out.

Expected Outcome

Should this program consider the above components and recommendations, then there will be a guarantee of success. In addition, it will also involve motivation by the representative to communicate in a dialogue mode (Ponomarenko 93). This approach has been known to be very effective in negotiations while also ensuring that long term success is guaranteed. Communication in dialogue mode requires an understanding of the prevailing conditions so that the involved people know if they are supposed to communicate in high, low, or average levels. In this case, there would be an available pool of information, which would make the situation simpler. When dealing with foreign languages, there is a need to understand the real exchanges. This involves the different outcomes that might arise from a situation. For instance, some comments might be made to signify some escalating tensions, which would require a lower response so that the communication process resumes to promoting the needs of the program.

While considering the long-term outcome, considering the recommendations would provide freedom of expression and improvement in communication programs. This will be the case because the first impressions shall have been created and a common culture created between the two cultures. That would make it simpler for the future operations of the company and the new culture to interact, thereby creating room for more expansion. In this case, you can understand the role that intercultural communication plays in company operations, especially with regard to this program. Better access to knowledge and information presents future benefits that will see this program grow and perhaps even move into newer cultures.

Survival is also a key outcome of this approach and consideration of intercultural communication. An understanding of beliefs such as religion and cultural practices would mean that the program understands the parameters under which it should operate. With consideration of a country such as Italy, religion plays a role in defining its business activities, thereby making it one of the important factors to include within the communication process. The comments made during the communication process should not be provocative to religion or any other beliefs. Even though there is a freedom of worship among other forms of expression, the beliefs still have a large influence in different cultures and should not be assumed.

Conclusion

Therefore, today’s global context involves a collection of different cultures aiming to achieve specific objectives. That creates a need for the involved persons to understand the beliefs and practices of the other so that they reach a mutual understanding. In this case, background information is key, and there is also a need to understand the value of communication. Social media and basic language understanding provide a good headstart to understand the communication process. With interest in Italy, the beliefs and practices also have to be considered so that the best outcome is guaranteed. For instance, religion plays a dominant role in many businesses, and any comments or language that violates such beliefs would be likely to affect the success of the program. The First Nations also have a sensitive culture, and that requires clear background information before any proposal can be made since any miscommunication is likely to affect such a program. The social and economic practices of a country should be considered. There is a need to understand that despite the world being a global village, some cultures have never faded, such as collectivism and individualism. There is a need to restrict the language to professional status so that the involved communication focuses on the topic unless when the other culture initiatives it and the program representative provides the best answer based on the already acquired background information. Given the nature of this program, it would be unwise to venture to propose it to a different culture without considering the roles of intercultural communication and the factors to be considered to guarantee success. Most importantly, consideration of intercultural communication will ensure that the company has a long-term plan where it continuously acquires knowledge on the new culture. This will continue the aspect of the world being a global village since the two cultures will manage to co-exist. In addition, such an approach would mean that more employees in the company will learn to abut the new culture and possibly its language so that such tasks can be conducted by many people in the future without any risks of using a limited understanding of the language and culture when dealing with such a sensitive program. Given the description of the expected outcome, the learnings of COMM 7100 and apply the concepts in the presentation and implementation of the program to a different culture. Overall, it would be a good approach to employ intercultural communication approaches and concepts in this situation to ensure that the program is well introduced, locally accepted, and properly implemented with the support of relevant stakeholders.