Purposive Communication

M odule 3

Local and Global Communication in Multicultural Setting

Introduction

This module will help you gain awareness of the reality of cultural diversity, deepen your
understanding of how cultural diversity affects communication, appreciate the benefits
and challenges of cross-cultural communication and adopt cultural and intercultural
awareness and sensitivity in communication of ideas.

Learning Outcome

Determine culturally appropriate terms, expressions and images

(sensitivity to gender, race, class, etc) and adopt cultural and
intercultural awareness and sensitivity in communication of ideas.
 Purposive Communication

Learning 1. Demonstrate an awareness of the reality of cultural

Objectives diversity;

2. Demonstrate an understanding of how cultural

diversity affects communication;

3. Appreciate the benefits and challenges of cross-

cultural communication.

Content Exploration

Intercultural Communication

According to science, each person is genetically unique. Except for identical twins, each
person has a unique genetic composition. This uniqueness becomes even more heightened because
o individual experiences. Humans are formed by forces other than generics. Family background,
religious affiliations, educational achievements, socio-cultural forces, economic conditions, emotional
states, and other factors shape human identities. Because of this, no two people can ever be exactly
the same.
This situation –the diversity of people and cultures—impact communication. People interacting
with those coming from unfamiliar cultures may have difficulties in communication. Most people tend
to conclude that miscommunication results from a speaker‘s lack of proficiency in a language. What
is not realized is the fact that even with excellent language skills, people may still experience
miscommunication. .
How then do we approach intercultural communication? The following reading text talks
about intercultural communication. Before reading the text, look up the meaning of the following
words and phrases that are used in the selection.
 Take for granted
 Cultural biases
 Domestic workforce
 Cultural overtones
 Durable bond
 Grossly disloyal
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Communicating Across Cultures

By Caro Kinsey Goman(2011)

(1) Communicating across cultures is challenging. Each culture

has set that its members take for granted. Few of us are aware
of our own cultural biases because cultural imprinting begun at
a very early age. And while some of a culture‘s knowledge,
rules, beliefs, values, phobias, and anxieties are taught
Explicitly, most of the information is absorbed subconsciously.

(2) The challenge for multicultural communication has never

been greater. Worldwide business organizations have
discovered that intercultural communication is a subject of
importance—not just because their domestic workforce is
growing more and more diverse, ethnically and culturally.

(3) We are all individuals, and no two people belonging to the

same culture are guaranteed to respond in exactly the same
way. However, generalizations are valid to the extent that they
provide clues on what you will most likely encounter when
dealing with members of a particular culture.

High –Context vs Low Context

(4) All international communication is influenced by cultural

differences. Even the choice of communication medium can
have cultural overtones. The determining factor may not be the
degree o industrialization, but rather whether the country falls
into a high-context or low-content culture.

(5) High-context cultures (Mediterranean, Slav, Central

European, Latin American, African, Arab, Asian, American,
Indian) leave much of the message unspecified, to be
understood through context, nonverbal cues, and between-
the-lines interpretation of what is actually said. By contrast, low-
context cultures (most Germanic and English-speaking
countries) expect message to be explicit and specific.

Sequential vs Synchronic

(6) Some cultures think of time sequentially, as a linear commodity to ‗spend,‖ ―save,‘‖ or ―waste.‖ Other
cultures view time synchronically, as a constant flow to be experienced in the moment, and as a force
that cannot be controlled.
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(7) In sequential cultures (like North America English, German, Swedish, and Dutch, business people give
attention to one agenda item after another.

(8) In synchronic cultures (including South, Southern Europe and Asia) the flow of time is viewed as a sort
of circle, with the past, present, and future of interrelated. This viewpoint influences how organizations in
those cultures approach deadlines, strategic thinking, investments, developing talent from within, and the
concept of ―long term‖ planning.

(9) Orientation to the past, present, and future is another aspect of time in which culture differ. Americans
believe that the individual can influence the future by personal effort, but since there are too many
variables in the distant future, we favor a short-term view. Synchronistic cultures context is to
understand the present and prepare for the future. Any important relationship is a durable bond that goes
back and forward in time, and it is often viewed at grossly disloyal not to favor friends and relatives in
business dealings.

Affective vs Neutral

(10) In International business practices, reason and emotion both play a role. Which of these
dominates depends upon whether we are affective (readily showing emotions) or emotionally neutral
in our approach. Members of neutral cultures do not telegraph their feelings, but keep them carefully
controlled and subdued. In cultures with high affect, people show their feelings plainly by laughing,
smiling, grimacing, scowling, and sometimes crying, shouting, or walking out of the room.

(11) This doesn‘t mean that people in neutral cultures are cold or unfeeling, but in the course of normal
business activities, neutral cultures are more careful to monitor the amount o emotion they display.
Emotional reactions were found to be least acceptable in Japan, Indonesia, the U.K., Norway, and the
Netherlands and most accepted in Italy, France, the U. S., and Singapore.(12)Reason and emotion are
part of all human communication. When expressing ourselves, we look to others confirmation of our
ideas and feelings. If our approach is is highly emotional, we are seeking a direct emotional response: ―I
feel the same way.‖ If our approach is highly neutral, we want an indirect response: ―I agree with your
thoughts on this.‖

(13) It‘s easy for people from neutral cultures to sympathize with the Dutch manager and his frustration
over trying to reason with ―that excitable Italian.‖ After all, an idea either works or it doesn‘t work, and
the way to test the validity of an idea is through trial and observation. That just makes sense—doesn‘t it?
Well, not necessarily to the Italian who felt the issue was deeply personal and who viewed any ―rational
argument‖ as totally irrelevant!

(14) When it comes to communication, what‘s proper and correct in one culture may be ineffective or
even offensive in another. In reality, no culture is right or wrong, better or worse—just different. In today‘s
global business community, there is no single best approach to communicating with one another. The
key to cross-cultural success is to develop an understanding of, and a deep respect for, the differences.
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Think and Ponder

The preceding input tackles the things to consider when communicating with people of
different cultures. Check your understanding of the reading selection by answering the
following questions:

1. How does each of the items in the following contrasting pairs differ from the other?

a. high-context vs low-context

b. sequential vs synchronic

c. affective vs neutral

2. What does the author recommend that we do to be successful in cross-cultural

communication?

Read the following statements carefully. Decide if each statement is true or false. Write T on the blank
if the statement is TRUE, and F if the statement is FALSE. If the statement is FALSE, re-write or revise it to
make it true. Use the space provided after each statement. (Point system: 5 items X 3 points each =
15 points).

1. Anyone who is a proficient speaker of a language will find communicating across cultures

easy.

2. Our emotions do not matter whenever we communicate with others.

3. There is no such thing as a right culture or a wrong culture.

4. All cultures have the same way of thinking about time.

5. Communicating across cultures happens in one‘s own country because of the diverse

domestic workforce at many companies today.

 Purposive Communication

Prepared by:

Mrs. Menchie M. Tiaga

Instructor

References

Madrunio, M. & Martin, I. .2018. Purposive Communication Using English in Multilingual

Context.Manila: C& E Publishing Company

Uychoco, M. & Santos, M. 2018. Philippines: Rex Book Store.

Ahmed, A. (November 21, 2018). The Effects of Globalization on Global

Communication.bizfluent.com
Purposive Communication