Chapter 9 is on the topic of intercultural communication ethics, and I found this chapter to be particularly interesting being that it am writing my final paper on this topic and tying it into the topic of business ethics. The four main topics of this chapter were 1) intercultural communication, 2) culture, 3) culture shock, and 4) the inarticulate. "Intercultural communication is the study of differences and similarities of cultural content and its influence on persons within and across different cultures," (p. 156). With the world becoming a smaller place, due to travel time being much faster and all of the technology advances, understanding Intercultural communication ethics is more important than ever before. Like we have read in previous chapters, learning should come first and foremost when communicating cross-culturally. "Kwame Anthony Appiah (2006) encourages learning from difference in a world in which we encounter inevitable Otherness," (p. 158).
The other two topics I found interesting in this chapter were culture and culture shock. Culture is, "The communicative practice, traditions, and stories that give identity to a group of people," (p. 156). Because the world is getting smaller, it is important to have a general knowledge of another's culture for many different reasons, one example being, international business. For example, if you were to travel to China, and you're originally from the U.S., you can assume that the culture will be different. After all, if there wasn't diversity or difference, life would be very boring and it wouldn't be as interesting to have a dialogue. Culture shock on the other hand is, "A feeling of disorientation experienced when encountering communicative events disruptive of one's expected routine," (p. 156). We experience culture shock because we often don't think about our culture unless we go somewhere else or are comparing it to another's culture. People can learn a lot about intercultural communication ethics if they just remain open to learning and difference.
I like what you said a lot Kathryn. Your senior project sounds really interesting, especially your incorporation of the intercultural perspective in business. Have you ever come across any research for your project that discusses intercultural communication happening within a larger culture? For example, an individual could be practicing business in the United States, but meeting with a group who comes from Japan or Pakistan. Have there been any studies or research done about how people communicate within a large culture (the United States), when presented with people from another culture? I am sorry I'm stating this in a confusing way. I am curious what people in the business and professional world would do in such a situation. Obviously each group has probably done a bit of research about the culture or protocols of the other group, but which cultural practices are utilized during a meeting?
ReplyDeleteThe reason this interests me is because my godmother and her family immigrated to Minnesota from South Korea. Although they are familiar with U.S. culture, I interact differently with them then I do with people who were born and raised here. This is because I know there are different cultural expectations. For example, older people are the most highly valued in Korean culture. I have to keep their cultural values in mind when I communicate with them in order to preserve our relationship and demonstrate my knowledge and respect for their culture, despite the fact that they live in here now, where the dominant culture is quite different. When I communicate with them, I realize there are different sets of expectations.
Even the world is getting smaller, the cultural difficulties which come from cultural differences are really difficult to narrow the distance. When I was in elementary school, I was in Dallas Texas for a year, and I was in Utah for 2 years before I transfer to this University. Every time when I think I am familiar with American culture, every states had a different culture and even people had different conception, so I was really confused whenever I move the state.
ReplyDeleteWhen you wrote that "people can learn a lot about intercultural communication ethics if they just remain open to learning and differences," I kind of disagreed because learning and adjusting in a different culture does not happen easily even though people remain open. There are so many things that cannot easily explainable to other cultures even they are so open to learning.