Ronald AdlerSanta Barbara City College

Jeanne ElmhorstAlbuquerque TVI Community College

Communicating at Work

© Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005

Slide 2

Chapter 2Chapter 2

Communication, Culture, Communication, Culture, and Workand Work

• Cultural Diversity and CommuCultural Diversity and Communicationnication

• Organizational CultureOrganizational Culture

Chapter OutlineChapter Outline

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Slide 3

Cultural Diversity and Cultural Diversity and CommunicationCommunication

Figure 2-1: U.S. Multiethnic Workforce

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Cultural Diversity and Cultural Diversity and CommunicationCommunication

CultureCulture – A learned set of – A learned set of shared interpretations about shared interpretations about beliefs, values, and norms, beliefs, values, and norms, which affect the behaviors of a which affect the behaviors of a relatively large group of relatively large group of people.people.

© Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005

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Cultural Diversity and Cultural Diversity and CommunicationCommunication

• The Nature of CultureThe Nature of Culture– Learned, not innateLearned, not innate– Shapes our view of the worldShapes our view of the world– Determines how we interactDetermines how we interact– Formed of many dimensionsFormed of many dimensions– Is usually invisible to its Is usually invisible to its

inhabitantsinhabitants

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Cultural Diversity and Cultural Diversity and CommunicationCommunication

• Cultural Differences in International Cultural Differences in International BusinessBusiness– The internationality of business activities is The internationality of business activities is

increasing steadilyincreasing steadily– 80% of U. S. products compete internationally80% of U. S. products compete internationally– The average Fortune 500 company has The average Fortune 500 company has

operations in 17 countriesoperations in 17 countries– 40,000 U.S. firms do business with overseas 40,000 U.S. firms do business with overseas

customerscustomers– 300 Japanese companies operate in Michigan300 Japanese companies operate in Michigan

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Cultural Diversity and Cultural Diversity and CommunicationCommunication

• Cultural Differences in International Cultural Differences in International BusinessBusiness Formality Formality (e.g.: personal titles)(e.g.: personal titles)

Social Customs Social Customs (e.g.: business cards)(e.g.: business cards)

Styles of DressStyles of Dress Time Time (e.g.: monochronic vs. polychronic)(e.g.: monochronic vs. polychronic)

Tolerance for Conflict Tolerance for Conflict (e.g.: degree of directness)(e.g.: degree of directness)

Gender Roles Gender Roles (e.g.: a woman’s credibility)(e.g.: a woman’s credibility)

© Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005

Slide 8

Cultural Diversity and Cultural Diversity and CommunicationCommunication

Table 2-1: Cultural Traits Influencing Communication on the Job

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Cultural Diversity and Cultural Diversity and CommunicationCommunication

• Co-Cultural Dimensions of a Diverse Co-Cultural Dimensions of a Diverse SocietySociety– Regional DifferencesRegional Differences– EthnicityEthnicity

• Attitudes about talkAttitudes about talk• Attitudes towards conflictAttitudes towards conflict• Self-disclosure and candorSelf-disclosure and candor• Nonverbal behaviorNonverbal behavior

– DisabilitiesDisabilities• ““a club anyone can join, anytime” a club anyone can join, anytime” – Karen – Karen

StoneStone• Guidelines for interactionGuidelines for interaction

© Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005

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Cultural Diversity and Cultural Diversity and CommunicationCommunication

• Fundamental Dimensions of Cultural Fundamental Dimensions of Cultural DiversityDiversity– High- High- versus versus Low-ContextLow-Context– Individualism Individualism versus versus CollectivismCollectivism– Power DistancePower Distance– Uncertainty AvoidanceUncertainty Avoidance– Task Task versus versus Social OrientationSocial Orientation– Short-Term Short-Term versus versus Long-Term OrientationLong-Term Orientation

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Cultural Diversity and Cultural Diversity and CommunicationCommunication

• Diversity and Ethical IssuesDiversity and Ethical Issues– Cultural Differences can lead to ethical Cultural Differences can lead to ethical

dilemmasdilemmas– Caux Round Table Principles for BusinessCaux Round Table Principles for Business– A variety of responses includes: avoiding, A variety of responses includes: avoiding,

accommodating, forcing, negotiating-accommodating, forcing, negotiating-compromisingcompromising

– Evaluating significance of the situation can Evaluating significance of the situation can helphelp

© Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005

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Cultural Diversity and Cultural Diversity and CommunicationCommunication

• Communicating across DiversityCommunicating across Diversity– Knowledge can illuminate puzzling Knowledge can illuminate puzzling

situationssituations– Diversity as an opportunityDiversity as an opportunity– Don’t condescendDon’t condescend– Talk openly about differencesTalk openly about differences

© Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005

Slide 13

Organizational CultureOrganizational Culture

• Dimensions of Organizational CultureDimensions of Organizational Culture– Organizations display distinct personalitiesOrganizations display distinct personalities– ““Knowing the ropes” affects the bottom lineKnowing the ropes” affects the bottom line– Employees and organizations must match Employees and organizations must match

for good resultsfor good results– Mid-level managers best know and transmit Mid-level managers best know and transmit

company culturecompany culture

© Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005

Slide 14

Organizational CultureOrganizational Culture

• Dimensions of Organizational Dimensions of Organizational CultureCulture

SociabilitySociability Power Power distributiondistribution

Job autonomyJob autonomy Degree of Degree of structurestructure

Achievement rewardsAchievement rewards Growth Growth opportunitiesopportunities

Risk tolerance Risk tolerance Change Change tolerancetolerance

Conflict toleranceConflict tolerance Emotional Emotional supportsupport

© Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005

Slide 15

Organizational CultureOrganizational Culture

• Creating and Maintaining Creating and Maintaining Organizational CulturesOrganizational Cultures– Set from the beginningSet from the beginning– Takes a life of its ownTakes a life of its own– Reinforced by daily activitiesReinforced by daily activities– Positive traditions: pranks and no-Positive traditions: pranks and no-

layoff policieslayoff policies– Negative traditions: negativism and Negative traditions: negativism and

coercioncoercion