COMMUNICATION

Communication is an inherent part of a manager's role, taking up the majority of the manager's time on the job. Effective intercultural communication largely determines the success of international transactions or the output of a culturally diverse workforce

Communication is an inherent part of a manager's role, taking up the majority of the manager's time on the job. Effective intercultural communication largely determines the success of international transactions or the output of a culturally diverse workforce. (Deresky, P. 145)

Introduction

This study critically discusses the statement that "communication is an inherent part of a manager's role, taking up the majority of the manager's time on the job. Effective intercultural communication largely determines the success of international transactions or the output of a culturally diverse workforce." (Deresky, P. 145)

According to Deresky, intercultural communication is communication among people from two or more cultures. It exists in contexts such as traveling, immigration, business transactions, diplomatic negotiations, and multicultural or multinational corporations. The increased diversity in the United States and globalisation in the world has made intercultural communication an indispensable part of everyday life. On a daily basis, people may meet and need to communicate with someone from a different race, ethnic group, or nation, someone who may have a different set of values, beliefs, norms, habits, and practices. When these differences are not accepted, tolerated, and appreciated, culture shock and cultural clash often take place, causing misunderstandings, stereotypes, prejudice, and even conflict and violence. Thus, many scholars agree that it is imperative to learn about other cultures, for the self-benefits and for world peace.

Communication is the act or process of imparting or exchanging meanings, such as information, opinions, thoughts, and feelings. According to Deresky's statement, intercultural communication is the act or process of imparting or exchanging meanings across cultural boundaries. Anything that humans seek to transmit from one individual or group to another within a specific culture (intracultural communication) may also be transmitted between different cultures (intercultural communication).

Cultural Dimensions

Scholars in various disciplines have developed schemas shown to be relatively effectual in comparing culture (i.e., Hofstede's (1980, p.7) dimensions of cultural variability; Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's (1961, pp.22-26) value orientations; Parsons and Shils's (1951, pp.5-8) pattern variables). These schemas can be referred to as dimensions of sociocultural variability that affect the specific values and norms predominant in different cultures. Although there are many dimensions along which cultures differ, Hofstede's dimensions of cultural variability and Hall's high-low context communication have proven most useful: Hofstede empirically derived five dimensions of sociocultural variability:

Individualism versus collectivism regarding the relationship between the individual and the group

Power distance addressing social inequality

Uncertainty avoidance related to the expression of emotions

Femininity versus masculinity

Long-term (future) versus short-term (associated with the past and present) orientation

Individualism/collectivism is the major dimension of cultural variability used to explain similarities and differences in cross-cultural behaviors. Individual goals are emphasised in individualistic cultures, while group goals take precedence over individual goals in collectivistic cultures. Individualistic societies focus on individual initiative and achievement, while emphasis is placed on belonging to groups in collectivistic ...