Communication Style and Cultural Features in High/Low...

Communication Style and Cultural Features in High/Low Context Communication Cultures: A Case Study of Finland, Japan and India Shoji Nishimura1, Anne Nevgi2 and Seppo Tella3 1 Waseda University, Japan 2 Department of Education, University of Helsinki 3 Department of Applied Sciences of Education, University of Helsinki Abstract People from different countries communicate in ways that often lead to misunder-standings. Our argument, based on Hall’s theory of high/low context cultures (1959, 1966, 1976, 1983), is that these differences are related to different communication cultures. We argue that Japan and Finland belong to high context cultures, while In-dia is closer to a low context culture with certain high context cultural features.†¦show more content†¦Cultural issues mean certain societal factors, such as the country’s status, history, religion and traditions. Cultural issues also include Hofstede’s (2008) individualism vs. collectivism dimension. Communication style in a high vs. low context culture In HC cultures, communication style is influenced by the closeness of human rela-tionships, well-structured social hierarchy, and strong behavioural norms (Kim et al., 1998, p. 512). In a high context (HC) culture, internal meaning is usually embedded deep in the information, so not everything is explicitly stated in writing or when spo-ken. In an HC culture, the listener is expected to be able to read â€Å"between the lines†, to understand the unsaid, thanks to his or her background knowledge. Hall (1976, p. 91) emphasised that â€Å"a high-context communication or message is one in which most of the information is either in the physical context or internalised in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicit, or transmitted part of the message†. In an HC culture, people tend to speak one after another in a linear way, so the speaker is seldom interrupted. Communication is, according to Gudykunst and Ting-Toomey (1988), indirect, ambiguous, harmonious, reserved and understated. In an HC culture, communication involves more of the information in the physical context or internalised in the person; greater confidence is placed in the non-verbal aspects of communication than the verbal aspects (Hall,Show MoreRelatedInfluence of Culture in Marketing7448 Words   |  30 PagesI. Culture I.1 How to define culture? Culture is a system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors and artifacts that the members of society use to interact with their world and with one another. It is a combination of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, values, and behavior pattern that are shared by racial, religious, ethnic or social group of people. Anthropologist James Spradley believes culture to be :†the acquired knowledge people use to interpret experience and generate behavior†Read MoreAn Introduction to Intercultural Communication29172 Words   |  117 PagesIntercultural Communication Intercultural communication is of importance to international businesses as it examines how people from different cultures, beliefs and religions come together to work and communicate with each other. Demands for intercultural communication skills are increasing as more and more businesses go global or international. They realize that there are barriers and limitations when entering a foreign territory. Without the help of intercultural communication they can unknowinglyRead MoreGoogle Organizational Culture9872 Words   |  40 Pages 2010 ISSN 1549-3652  © 2010 Science Publications Cultural Issues in the Business World: An Anthropological Perspective Michael P. Lillis and Robert Guang Tian Department of Business, Medaille College, New York Abstract: The significance of cultural influence on business has been widely recognized in both academic and business circles. A number of authors suggest that an anthropological approach is the most appropriate way to study cultural factors and assess their impact on an organizationalRead MoreReed Supermarket Case32354 Words   |  130 PagesCompanion Website at www.pearsoned.co.uk/hollensen to find valuable student learning material including: Full versions of the video case studies Multiple choice questions to test your learning Annotated links to relevant sites on the web An online glossary to explain key terms Flashcards to test your knowledge of key terms and definitions Classic extra case studies that help take your learning further We work with leading authors to develop the strongest educational materials in marketing, bringingRead MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 PagesThis page intentionally left blank International Management Culture, Strategy, and Behavior Eighth Edition Fred Luthans University of Nebraska–Lincoln Jonathan P. Doh Villanova University INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: CULTURE, STRATEGY, AND BEHAVIOR, EIGHTH EDITION Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright  © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Previous editions  © 2009Read MoreBohlander/Snell-Managing Hr24425 Words   |  98 Pagestypes of organizational forms used for competing internationally. objective 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Identify the unique training needs for international assignees and their employees. objective Explain the economic, politicallegal, and cultural factors in different countries that HR managers need to consider. objective Identify the characteristics of a good international compensation plan. objective Explain how domestic and international HRM differ. objective ReconcileRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesPublic Memories Tiffany Ruby Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A PoliticalRead Morepaul hoang answers72561 Words   |  291 Pagesfinal installment, I have put together answers/solutions to all 217 case studies. I hope you will find these solutions as a useful starting point. As with all BM mark schemes, the solutions in this Answer Book should be used with caution and flexibility. Students who take an alternative approach to the suggested solutions should still be credited where appropriate; teachers should use their professional judgment in such cases. Since the Answer Book is 178 pages long, colleagues may find theRead MoreCeramics: Pottery and Clay17443 Words   |  70 PagesAuthor TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE. â€Å"CERAMICS† DEDICATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CONTENT/BODY a. What is Ceramics? b. The History of Ceramics †¢ Asia †¢Persia and the ancient middle east. †¢Classical Greek and Roman †¢Africa †¢India †¢European †¢The Americas †¢Modern American Ceramics c. TYPES OF CERAMICS †¢Earthenware †¢Stoneware †¢Examples of whiteware ceramics †¢Porcelain †¢Classification of technical ceramics d. TYPES OF CERAMIC MATERIALS †¢Crystalline ceramics †¢Other applicationsRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesFoundations of Group Behavior 271 Understanding Work Teams 307 Communication 335 Leadership 367 Power and Politics 411 Conflict and Negotiation 445 Foundations of Organization Structure 479 v vi BRIEF CONTENTS 4 The Organization System 16 Organizational Culture 511 17 Human Resource Policies and Practices 543 18 Organizational Change and Stress Management 577 Appendix A Research in Organizational Behavior Comprehensive Cases Indexes Glindex 637 663 616 623 Contents Preface