Cross-cultural communication at Buenaventura based in Peru

Cross-cultural communication at Buenaventura based in Peru

Introduction

It is widely accepted that language is the heart of a culture - particularly one with an oral tradition. A language provides a different way of looking at the world, a different way of understanding the universe. The objective of all communication is to transmit a message from the sender to the receiver with the minimum loss of information possible. The sender wants to convey something she/he has in her/his mind to the mind of the receiver. Once the information reaches the mind of the receiver, he or she will interpret it according to his or her cultural patterns of communication. The receiver then decodes the message analyzing the ideas and concepts transmitted by the sender. The code used may be language, but it could also be nonverbal expressions such as body language, facial expressions, etc (Thomas, 2008). This simple communication act between two individuals from the same cultural group tends to become very complex when both parties evolve in different socio-cultural environments and have their own culturally defined ways of communicating. Communication, like social life, is a dynamic, ongoing process without a beginning or an end. This process presents some major differences according to the cultural dynamics involved.

In some cultures, the primacy of words is stressed to convey meaning; but even in these cultures the total context out of which a person speaks carries another message that amplifies, changes or modifies what is actually being said. People of any culture may be equally unaware of how their attitudes and behavior are governed by their culture. Therefore, to function and communicate effectively, one must master not only a linguistic but also a cultural code. It seems that communication is, before anything else, a cultural affair. As a matter, of fact, when people communicate with each other, they do not only participate in a verbal exchange: they also create a forum for intercultural interaction and cross-cultural learning. In this paper, we are going to discuss cross cultural communication at Buenaventura based in Peru using Hofstede's Cultural Dimension Index. Opportunities and challenges will also be discussed further in the paper.

Company Overview

Buenaventura is a leading producer of precious metals mining and holder of mining rights in Peru. Since its inception in 1953, Buenaventura has focused on the exploration and exploitation, both in its own operations and through projects developed in partnership with third parties. Buenaventura also has a major stake in the ownership of Minera Yanacocha SRL, the largest gold producer in Latin America. It has the best geological information throughout Peru. Buenaventura's main objective is to expand its activities and for this reason that reinvests much of its profits, creating job opportunities. Buenaventura is aware that one of their main duties to the country's foreign exchange earnings, but think that this is not all. Buenaventura understands that the success of their operations depends largely on the efficiency of its staff. Therefore, makes every effort to implement staff training programs at ...