Tips on Communicating with different cultures in the Business world.

Intercultural communication is the process of sending and receiving messages between people of different cultural backgrounds. In the business world communicating with different cultures is on the rise. One needs to know how to properly communicate with others who communicate different then them. In the communication process it is difficult enough when there is no cultural differences. Some things that affect the process are stereotypes, topic, nonverbal ehavior, sytle of communication, status and power and language. Communication among those who are different races or nationalities have different values and cultural beliefs, so always be prepared to communicate with them in some way.
Also in the communication process such barriers that will exist is the tone differences, which might be formal or informal. Perceptions of individuals who speak or look different from you can cause a barrier. People who speak different languages actually view the business world in different ways. For example Asian business people rely heavily on nonverbal and sublte situational cues when communicating. For Americans we rely on words to convey meaning in our communicaton. Also in our culture a firm handshake seals the deal, but for another culture touch of any kind is not allowed.
A few things to remember when communicating with individuals who are different- always speak clearly. Don't talk down to the other person and address international correspondence properly. Learn some foreign phrases to help enhance communication. Research and be prepared for communicating with any culture that is different than yours. The business deal will go through smoothly and positively.

Business Posting - Mihran O.

I am currently employed as a tutor at the Campus Learning Center in the University College. This job has allowed me to learn some subtle lessons which can be applied to the business world. As a tutor, the product I "sell" to students is knowledge and just like any business, knowing how to package my product makes all the difference.

Students who are in need of tutoring can set up private appointments for one on one tutoring. This private tutoring is a classic example of knowing how to package my product.

The student usually comes into the tutoring room and I introduce myself as their tutor. The first thing I do is try to get an idea of how much background information they have on their topic in question. If the student has a pretty good idea of what is going on, I will answer their questions as directly as possible. If the student is not too sure of themselves, the "packaging" begins. Before answering their specific question, the student and I work backward to figure out the last pieces of information the student understood. Then from that baseline knowledge, I try to explain the answer to their question in a way that I think they will clearly understand. If that’s not possible, it becomes necessary to explain some new information that will allow the student to have the baseline knowledge to figure out the answer to their own question. Each step the student and I take towards achieving their ultimate goal of resolving their questions is another way of packaging information for their consumption. The payoff occurs when the student says something to the effect of, "That’s it? That was easy." And I say, "Yes, it was that easy."

Business Posting - Mihran O.

I learned a very valuable lesson while working at the Little Yogurt Shop in Carytown. Giving the customer what they want, even if it means bending the rules, always pays dividends. I worked at the Little Yogurt Shop part-time over the 2004 Fall Semester. My job description basically consisted of standing behind a counter and serving high quality frozen yogurt and ice cream. During my shifts I was the only individual working and it allowed me to bend some rules that benefited my employer and I.

I was instructed in the amazing difficult art of pulling down the lever of frozen yogurt machines and scooping ice cream from buckets in a large freezer. I was told to only give a specific amount of frozen yogurt or ice cream for each particular size the customer requested. However, I quickly noticed a direct relationship between how much extra frozen yogurt I gave and the amount of money I made in the form of tips. This relationship was also true for the amount of toppings I put on a customers ice cream or frozen yogurt. Now after careful consideration and knowing that I was the only person working during my shift, I decided to make the practice of giving a little extra, a staple of my serving routine. The customers literally and figuratively "ate it up." I had customers who would come during my specific shifts to get the little extra that they could not normally enjoy. They were not afraid to show me their appreciation in the form of tips. Furthermore, some customers who came in would specifically tell me that they came during the time I work, from a recommendation of their friends. Needless to say, this created a win-win situation because the amount of tips I made and the reputation of the Little Yogurt Shop for quality customer service grew with leaps and bounds.

Business Posting - Jackie I.

Though I am yet to actually have a professional career where many of the things we discussed in class occur, I have learned some valuable lessons from the couple part-time jobs I have had. Not just in these past jobs but also from experience with working in groups in many, if not all, of my classes since being here at college.
One important key element to success in any field or situation is using effective communication with those you're working with. Without good communication a lot of tasks that could have been accomplished quite easily may become complicated and time consuming. Or worse, many things may get done incorrectly or not at all. There aren't many jobs out there where some form of communication with other people isn't essential for many tasks to get accomplished.
My new store manager at my current job in a retail store provided me with a good example of ineffective communication with her new coworkers. It was one of her first official days at the store and a couple of us working with her we're unsure at times what she wanted us to do. Her thoughts that she made verbal to us were unclear and incomplete. You could tell she needed help at times but did not ask. When another assistant manager of mine came in for the day, this new store manager failed to discuss with her issues that needed to be brought up and made known.
Her ineffective communication aggravated me and shows me how important it is to always communicate with my peers, coworkers etc. When work needs to be done, questions need to be asked and issues resolved and made clear, everyone needs to speak up and talk through everything thoroughly.

Business Posting- Sylva G. 12/14/2007

I currently work for a survey lab that is constantly mailing and receiving surveys for different projects. The process to mail out the surveys is very drawn out. There is constant reviewing of every introductory letter, actual surveys, and post-survey letters. Our current project is dealing with attorneys critiquing judges all over Virginia. This is a very confidential project that took several months of planning, analyzing, and reviewing by our Project Managers. I realized that a good first impression does make a huge statement about our company. I recently have received hundreds of these surveys completed by the assigned Attorneys. However, I did notice that a majority of the Attorneys circled and left several comments about the introduction letter of the survey. They stated that sentences were not understandable and there were even misspelled words. I know that the head Managers of this project will feel humiliated considering the time and effort they “thought” they spent reviewing these letters. I really thought that maybe the Head Managers would take even more time to review these letters. In class we discussed that the first thing you should do before preparing a document for anyone is to know and connect with who is actually receiving the document. Attorneys are generally very educated people, with lots of experience in law and basic language skills, and this should have been taken into account. I remember in class that a different set of eyes could detect errors that others cannot see. Perhaps now the project managers will try to include us in the reviewing process and get our input about things. Overall, I do feel that the Attorneys will take the surveys seriously, however I know that the company I work for has lost some respect for their carelessness.

New Company Description

Thin Again Incorporated is the hottest new company in the field of weight-loss. The weight-loss world should be prepared for a revolutionary new product. This product will help countless individuals who are struggling with their weight problems. Thin Again Incorporated has patented a new weight-loss pill, Miraculum, which is ready to take the world by storm.
Thin Again Incorporated is an upstart herbal diet company with humble roots in the Swiss Alps. The story behind its establishment is one of intrigue and legend. It centers around the careers and friendship of five individuals: advertising mogul Jackie Isberner, designer extraordinaire Leslie Brady, distribution genius Kim Smith, finance guru Sylva Graves, and distinguished physician and researcher Mihran Ozbalik.
The legend begins when Mihran was hiking in the foothills of the Alps near the city of Bern, Switzerland. He was out to locate a new herb to center around his groundbreaking research in the field of weight-loss. The motivation for his search was very near and dear to his heart. Mihran had an obese cat, Snuggles. His daily hike led him to an area of the Alps unexplored in his previous journeys. After strolling around the area for some time he came upon a species of plant he had never used before in his research, Petroselinum crispum. He took samples of Petroselinum crispum back to his laboratory at the University of Bern. There he conducted several studies, in coordination with universities all over Europe, that proved Petroselinum crispum had active ingredients critical for weight-loss in humans (as well as cats). Along with Petroselinum crispum, Mihran added other herbal extracts such as calamus, clove, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and green tea to promote overall body health. After realizing the affordability of the process of bringing together these gifts of Mother Nature, he immediately called his four most trusted contacts in the business world, and the rest is history.
For Thin Again Incorporated to operate, it needs dedicated individuals who are willing to work for the consumer. Fortunately we have those individuals in Sylva Graves, Kim Smith, Leslie Brady, and Jackie Isberner.
Miss Sylva Graves heads up the finance division of Thin Again Incorporated. She has the vision and knowledge necessary to keep Thin Again Incorporated competitive and the passion to keep Miraculum affordable for everyday people.
Miss Kim Smith is in charge of distribution and takes great pride in the fact that packages of Miraculum can be shipped anywhere around the globe within several days notice. Her hard work ensures local grocery shelves from Tokyo to Houston stay stocked with Miraculum, ready and waiting for the moment consumers want to help themselves.
Miss Leslie Brady runs the public relations and design sector of Thin Again Incorporated. She checks the pulse of consumers by hosting focus groups and is not afraid of pushing the borders of design. Her creative designs of packaging are what have made Miraculum the successful and recognizable herbal weight-loss pill that it is today.
Miss Jackie Isberner manages the advertising division of Thin Again Incorporated. Whether through television, radio, newspaper, or Internet, Miss Isberner spreads the good news about Miraculum. She achieves success when her advertisements reach individuals who choose to take control of their health and buy Miraculum. Thin Again Incorporated is a new and small company based in San Francisco and employs the five aforementioned individuals