1. Why is it important to understand cross-cultural communication?
Understanding cross-cultural communication for an international manager is integral in the sense that it helps him or her to create a concise and clear communication, accomplishing the communication in the context of the other culture (Bannon & Mattock, 2003). As a western manager based in the East, China in this case, it would be paramount to have adequate knowledge on the cultural and business aspects of the country so as to achieve smooth cross-cultural communication for the period of being posted there. The must-know aspects include:
i) The medium of communication of the Chinese- this entails getting versed with their way of writing, speaking, body language, tone of voice, messages presented in pictorial forms, and any combination of mediums. It calls for the manager to know about the appropriate medium to employ for different situations during the cross-cultural communication.
ii) The information intended versus information received – In cross-cultural communication, there is always the danger of the receiver understanding the sent message in a slightly or totally different manner from how it was intended by the sender. It is thus important for the sender, who is the manager in this case, to have sufficient know-how of the receiver’s cultural background and the situation at hand so as to avoid miscommunication.
iii) Time of communication – the manager has to know the time the Chinese consider appropriate to communicate given pieces of information.
iv) The right communicator – the manager will need to know the right people to communicate at different levels in the perception of the Chinese. He or she will have to know when he has to do the communication himself and when to assign his juniors.
In summary, it is important to understand cross-cultural communication so as to achieve the expectations of all parties involved in the communication. These include correct wording, timing, message sender, and place of communication (Mead Richard, 2005).
2. What are some of the protocols and etiquette issues that you must incorporate into your business behavior?
There are lots of etiquette issues that will need to be understood by a foreigner prospecting to do successful business with the Chinese. These include: gift giving, business relationship development, time perceptions, guest-host relations, how to use intermediaries, use of names, titles, and business card presentation, meeting conducts & conducts, how to establish relationships with officials from government, greeting rituals, how to display emotions, handling differences in decision making and solving of problems, and styles of negotiations, among others.
When doing business in China, one should be careful with their wardrobe, making to put on conservatively in dark or neutral colors. The apparel for women ought to be modest, meaning that they have high necklines and low-heeled shoes.
When it comes to matters meal, the host should make sure to order more than enough food for the guests. The host is always the first one to take his or her drink of the beverage before offering food to the senior-most guest present. Tipping for meals is not appreciated among the Chinese businesspeople. Business is not discussed at meal times unless it is asked for, which is unlikely.
3. Give some examples of the differences in communication between Chinese and Americans.
The American way of presenting logic is linear, meaning that there are more casual relationships and direct associations between two individuals conversing. The Chinese representation is spiral where there presentation of logic is more subtle and roundabout.
The American expression of agreement and disagreement is more argumentative and willing to project it verbally. However, the Chinese are often reluctant to say no as they express their disagreement nonverbally (Kao et al, 1998).
It is often difficult to make out the meaning of information by a Chinese because it is often implied or must be inferred. The American’s communication of information is by use of direct language. While the American expression of self is “I”-oriented, the Chinese are “We”-oriented.
4. How are you going to deal with management issues such as assertiveness, conflict resolution, and team building?
Conflict resolution is going to be done the Chinese style, which is through mediation using trusted third parties. The results of the conflict will also be those believed in by the Chinese – either Win-win, To lose is to win, or Lose in order to win.
5. What should you practice to be successful?
You should make sure that you have a thorough understanding of Chinese norms and business etiquettes which must be practiced when doing business. One should remain official and professional during meetings, observe time and give gifts when necessary in the presence of an eyewitness. One should also stay clear from political issues of the country (Ambler, 2008).
References:
Ambler, X. &. (2008). Doing business in China. London: Taylor & Francis.
Bannon & Mattock. (2003). Cross-cultural communication: the essential guide to international business. London: Kogan Page Publishers.
Kao et al. (1998). Communicating effectively with the Chinese. Carlifornia: Sage Publications.
Mead Richard. (2005). International management: cross-cultural dimensions. New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell.