Multicultural Business Communication
Multicultural communication, also called intercultural communication, refers to communication between individuals from different cultures. According to Rhonda J. Stanton in Society for Technical Information, multicultural communication is important for businesses because of an increase in international trade.
Concepts
An important concept of multicultural communication involves forgoing the idea that your culture is right and other cultures are wrong. For example, a businessperson shouldn't be considered inferior if she doesn't speak English.
Elements
Elements of culture that play an important role in business communication include business card etiquette, proper dress and negotiation style. Stanton advises in her Society for Technical Information article that effective intercultural communication involves knowing what your audience expects.
Significance
Neil Payne, an intercultural communications professional, says on Culturosity that demonstrating effective multicultural business communication helps to reduce the number of misunderstandings. Payne advises one way to create more effective communication is through teaching intercultural awareness.
Considerations
An important aspect of multicultural communication involves understanding the perception of nonverbal communication cues, such as tone of voice and eye contact. Different cultures perceive these communication cues differently. For instance, one culture might view a raised voice as an indicator of important information, while another views the act as a display of anger.
Tags: communication involves, business communication, Business Communication, communication cues, intercultural communication, Multicultural Business Communication, multicultural communication