Cross Cultural Communication Paper (Final revision)- LopezB

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American Military University *

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Communications

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Apr 3, 2024

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CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 1 Cross Cultural Communication Paper Benjamin G. Lopez Texas A&M University – Central Texas

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 2 Introduction Cross-cultural communication is being familiar with other's cultural beliefs, practices, and values while understanding different communication styles. Developing cultural intelligence is a key component to having successful cross-cultural communication while having the ability to adapt cultural context and communication strategies. In the business world, having successful partnerships comes from recognizing the significance of cross-cultural communication. It is ultimately a role in building connections and effectively engaging with people from diverse backgrounds. The importance of cross-cultural communication makes an impact on myself along with other countries such as Germany and Japan. Cultural Self-Assessment My ethnicity is Hispanic, and my nationality is half Peruvian and half Mexican. The way my gender defines me is being a man and embracing masculinity, which to me means not being afraid to show who I am. I am expected to be mentally & physically strong, a good leader, take care of those who are under me, and show no fear. A particular story during my childhood that helped define me was my parents’ divorce and the obstacles that came with it. It taught me how to be independent at an early age when I was taking care of my siblings while my parents were at work. It also taught me to appreciate everything I have as well as learning how to develop myself. The rituals during my childhood that helped define me were having dinner at the table as a family, celebrating Christmas with all our family members, and eating tamales during Thanksgiving. These rituals taught me that spending time with family is important, and it is something I will continue to do for the rest of my life. The way my cultural perspective is, does not affect much with my relationship with American culture because I grew up in a military family. Therefore, it made me open to other people’s cultures. I have always been very easy to

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 3 talk to, which has made me more diverse. My cultural perspective fits well with the rituals I participate in now such as having family dinner and celebrating Christmas not only with my family, but we celebrate Christmas with my wife’s family as well. My wife has the same ritual of spending Christmas with most of her family. The only ritual that was new to me that we do now is “Posadas”. Posadas is a Catholic practice that my wife used to do, I adapted to it very easily as my cultural perspective is very diverse. The way my cultural perspective affects how I communicate at work & school is talking to people with respect and showing good manners. I was raised very disciplined, and respect is a strong value that we hold in my family. Not only do my cultural perspectives affect the way I communicate, but having a diverse skillset has helped me talk to people with different cultures. Some non-verbal communication aspects I apply when communicating with people at work & school are making eye contact, having a slight smile, showing interest, active listening, and giving responses to show engagement in the conversation. I am very distant and do not engage much during a conversation when I feel discomfort or dislike someone or something at work and school. The way my cultural perspective affects how I communicate informally such as with my friends & family, I am more relaxed, and my vocabulary changes. The way I communicate with my family is we always greet each other with a handshake or a hug. If I am saying hello to a male in my family, I greet with a handshake. If I am saying hello to a female in my family, I greet with a hug. This is the way we greet each other in my family, which is one of the ways we show respect. The main difference in how I communicate with my family compared to work or school is the topic of the conversation and my vocabulary. I can talk about any topic with my family because we are very outgoing and easy to talk to. I have been told that I am one of the

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CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 4 easiest people to talk to within our family. This is due to my personal cultural perspective of being diverse and being able to talk to them with respect at the same time. Germany 5 Cultural Aspects The five cultural aspects of Germany, there are individualistic, they are very well organized, they are conservative in the way they dress for businesses, they like to have their space & privacy, and they are very thorough in their thought process. Being organized in Germany is an unwritten rule they follow, they are very high in uncertainty avoidance because they believe order and punctuality are important (Germany, n.d.). Germans are very individualistic, this means they look after themselves and their direct family only. This means they are prone to have a child-parent relationship and nothing more. Dressing conservative is an important cultural aspect in Germany because they take business attire seriously, such as wearing dark suits and conservative ties while women wear white blouses and dark suits (Robin, 2022). Germany takes their space and privacy seriously; they often keep their information private between their work and personal life and they usually keep an arm’s length when talking to another individual (Ensign, 2023). The German thought process is very thorough, they play close attention to detail and the process can often be time intensive. This is another example of why Germany is ranked high in uncertainty avoidance. 5 Aspects of Etiquette The five aspects of etiquette in Germany are hand shaking, saying hello & goodbye, bringing a gift when visiting someone, being on time, and knocking before entering a room when the door is shut (Ensign, 2023). When joining a group, Germans like when you shake hands, and

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 5 it is common to shake the other individual’s hand as it also shows a sign of respect. Saying hello and goodbye is very common in Germany, this is when you enter a room or pass by individuals. Gift giving is common when invited to a German home, flowers and chocolates the most common gifts (Germany, n.d.). Being late when meeting someone in Germany is considered rude. When someone asks you to meet them at 5:00 pm, they really mean 5:00 pm, not 5:15 pm or 5:30 pm. If you are going to be late meeting the individual, you should contact them beforehand to show courtesy. Entering a room without knocking is considered rude and invading the individual’s privacy. Germans like to have their privacy respected and they respect others’ privacy as well (Evason, 2017). Nonverbal “Global” Communication There are a variety of ways Germans communicate non-verbally. They show that they are listening by head nodding and making eye contact (Ensign, 2023). Eye contact is one of the most common ways Germans can show another individual they are active listening. When someone does not look at the other individual in the eye, they will see the other individual as untrustworthy and having weak character. Some gestures that Germans have is pointing with their little finger (Germany, n.d). In the United States, most people point with their index finger, but Germany points with their little finger. People in Germany tend not to touch other individuals unless they are close friends. Touching other individuals may be seen as a sexual advance (Evason, 2017). Another common gesture is waving a hand over their face as a sign saying, “you got to be kidding?” or “no way, that’s insane”. Many individuals are confused by this gesture because it is uncommon for other countries but common in Germany.

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 6 Japan 5 Cultural Aspects The five cultural aspects in Japan are cherry blossom season, no tipping, women’s dress should be conservative, Kimono should be worn a certain way, and having Shinto shrines everywhere. Cherry blossom season is very famous in Japan; while some people think that it is about taking pictures of the flowers, the Japanese gather with friends and families around cherry blossoms while thinking about the beauty and value of life (Alden, 2023). Tipping is not encouraged nor required, leaving a tip may convey a message that their business needs extra money and must not be doing well. If someone leaves a tip, the Japanese will think the individual has forgotten their money. A woman’s dress should be minimal and conservative, men may find it offensive when women wear pants in a business situation or wear high heels (Japan, n.d.). Japan ranks high in masculinity which indicates the culture is driven by success and competition while the feminine culture cares more about the quality of life (Alden, 2023). It is hard for women to be successful in the work life in Japan. Kimono is a clothing that the Japanese wear while also wearing it a specific way. There are a variety of Kimonos for different occasions, and they are to be worn folded left over right. Shinto is a Japanese belief system that is focused on nature and the gods. Shinto shrines can be found in many places in Japan, people typically stop at a Shinto shrine on their way from work to pray. Shinto shrines can be found along small lanes, under mountains, inside trees, and at the bottom of skyscrapers (Alden, 2023). 5 Aspects of Etiquette The five aspects of etiquette are bowing, giving gifts, taking shoes off when entering indoors, handing out business cards properly, and using chopsticks properly. Bowing is used to greet one another in Japan, a bow can range from a deep bend at the waist to a small nod of the

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CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 7 head (Peek, n.d.). A small head nod is considered more casual and informal. Giving gifts is common in Japan, gifts are not to be given unwrapped and ensure the gift is given to the person with two hands. It is also common for friends, co-workers, and relatives to exchange gifts in the summer and in December (Peek, n.d.). Giving a gift in red is for a funeral and green symbolizes good luck. Taking off your shoes in Japan must be done in the right places. The general rule is, you should take off your shoes when going to a change of floors in a building (Cloutman, 2016). Shoe racks are a sign to take off your shoes before entering a home, hotel, temple, or museum. Business cards are to be given using both hands and a short bow, this is a viewed form of respect in Japan. Business cards should be given with a short bow as a thank you. Handing out business cards can also help individuals remember names. There are several things to consider when using chopsticks, it is considered a funeral ritual when placing chopsticks vertically in your food (Peek, n.d.). Pointing with chopsticks is considered disrespectful along with snapping them apart and rubbing them together when receiving chopsticks (Cloutman, 2016). It is okay to ask for a fork or spoon when struggling to use chopsticks, no one will be offended when you need assistance when dining. Nonverbal “Global” Communication There are a variety of ways people communicate non-verbally in Japan. While minimal physical contact is preferred when communicating, eye contact is an important aspect of non- verbal communication (Scroope, 2021). Direct eye contact may be viewed as intimidating and indirect eye contact is normal in Japan. It is important to make indirect eye contact when speaking to an elder or higher ranking, this is a symbol of respect (Scroope, 2021). Indirect eye contact can be done by looking at another part of someone’s face, such as looking at their nose or chin (Scroope, 2021). A common gesture used in Japan is raising one hand and placing it behind

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 8 the back of the head when someone is embarrassed. Placing a hand on the back of the head can be used as way to express disagreement or refusal. Expressing emotion is avoided in Japan, especially in a formal situation such as in a school or workplace. They tend to avoid intense displays by preserving facial expression, social status is an important role in how emotions are expressed. Conclusion Cross-cultural communication is important in our global society, by collaborating and understanding among diverse communities and individuals. Not only cross-cultural communication is important to me, but to other countries such as Japan and Germany. It enriches my perspective to diverse ideas and cultural values. The different cultures between Germany and Japan have shown the importance of understanding different cultures and rituals as it can also strengthen our cross-cultural communication. As the world continues to be interconnected, communicating effectively across cultural boundaries is an important skill. While cross-cultural communication helps reduce conflict and misunderstandings, it helps create inclusive environments. Not only does cross-cultural communication create successful transactions in the business industry, but it also fosters peaceful and mutual respect among people's different values and cultures.

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 9 References Alden, N. (2023). 30 Japanese culture facts that will blow your mind . The World Pursuit. Retrieved from https://theworldpursuit.com/facts-about-japanese-culture/ Cloutman, V. (2016). Japanese etiquette 101: Our top 10 tips . InsideJapan Blog. Retrieved from https://www.insidejapantours.com/blog/2015/08/18/japanese-etiquette-101-our-top-10-tips/ Ensign, A. (2023). German culture, traditions, and values . FamilySearch. Retrieved from https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/germanculture#:~:text=Order%20and %20organization%3A%20Germans%20are,their%20personal%20and%20professional %20lives. Evason, N. (2017). German culture - communication . Cultural Atlas. Retrieved from https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/german-culture/german-culture-communication Germany business etiquette, Culture, & Manners . (n.d.). Germany - German Business Etiquette, Manners, Cross Cultural Communication, and Geert Hofstede. Retrieved from http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/germany.htm Japan Business Etiquette, Culture, & Manners . (n.d.). Japan - Japanese Business Etiquette, Vital Manners, Cross Cultural Communication, and Japan’s Geert Hofstede analysis. Retrieved from http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/japan.htm Peek, S. (n.d.). International Business Etiquette Practices . business.com. Retrieved from https://www.business.com/articles/so-international-business-etiquette-from-around-the- world/

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CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 10 Robin, J. (2022). Professionalism & Communication in Business . McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from: https://www.mheducation.com/highered/custom/product/9781307829914.html Scroope, C. (2021). Japanese culture - communication . Cultural Atlas. Retrieved from https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/japanese-culture/japanese-culture-communication

Cross Cultural Communication Paper (Final revision)- LopezB

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