8 April 2024 5:02:21 PM

Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology

Course Title: Total Quality Management

Course Code: Amm-4221

Topic: Importance of Tutal Quality Management

Submitted To:
Farjana Mita
(Ass. Pre. & Department Head of Shanto-
Mariam University of Creative Technology) Submitted By:

Group: A (Cruise)
Department: AMMT
Semester: 11St
Batch: 35

Submission Date: 23th October 2022

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Acknowledgment

At first, we would like to thanks Allah for keep us well. Then I would like to thanks &
gratitude to our honorable teacher MD. TARIQUE MAHMOOD for give us project on
Intercultural Communication in work place. Which also helped us in doing a lot of
research and we came to know about so many new things we are really thankful to them.

Secondly, I would also like to thank my parents and friends who helped me a lot in finalizing
this project within the limited time frame.

Signature:
Faria

Introduction
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Culture
In the west, we're brought up to leave home and start a
family in the early stages of our development,
whereas in the east we're encouraged to stay in the
homes of our parents and grandparents for the
duration of our lives.
These are just a few of the differences you'll
encounter when working within a culturally diverse,
global company.

Being aware of other customs and traditions can not

only be rewarding but is essential in today's broad, often remote workplace, where communication is key to
a healthy working dynamic.

intercultural communication important in the workplace

By enhancing cultural diversity in the workplace, brands can create and enhance trust with specific target
markets. They can demonstrate an understanding of a particular culture and instill loyalty. This can make
product, service, or office rollouts in new regions or countries run smoother and be more successful.
Multicultural organizations can make a
significant improvement in workplace churn
and absenteeism; employees who feel included
in their workplace take 75% fewer sick days
than employees who feel like they do not
belong. These employees also receive twice as
many raises, and companies with employees
who feel included see 50% less staff turnover.
Product and service development also benefits
from multi-cultural input. A diverse workforce
can bring many experiences, cultural expectations,
and viewpoints to the table and can help brands to create more rounded and complete products or services.
Cultural diversity in the workplace was already a boardroom imperative before 2020, but the massive
increase in remote working since then has lit a fire under what was already a hot topic.
With remote working now a staple in most organizations, the hiring landscape has opened up dramatically.
Companies can now hire the best people for the job regardless of where they are based.
This shift will likely create even more culturally diverse work environments and will cement the need to
communicate effectively with people from many different cultures. As multicultural work environments
become more commonplace and more diverse, internal communication and communication between teams
in the workplace will need to evolve too. The key to a successful intercultural workplace is inclusivity. All
workers need to feel like they belong in the work environment and that they are valued.
In this light, communication can make the
difference. Simple things like making all
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communications more inclusive and open is a good start but often it is the little details that people notice.
Including cultural references, honoring culturally important dates, and respecting different cultural
sensibilities and beliefs in all communications whether formal or informal is good practice.

The goal of any multicultural workplace is to create a harmonious environment where workers can thrive.
The challenge is encouraging harmony between many different cultures where beliefs and habits can differ
greatly. Communication is the bridge that can unite cultures but it needs constant tweaking, buy-in, and
enthusiasm from all staff. There needs to be a willingness to learn about different cultures, to find out what
drives them and what's important to them. This enthusiasm will work best if it comes from the top down.
Inclusive messages and communications from C-suite members that remind everyone of the importance of
diversity will be a key driver in intercultural communications.

The four elements of intercultural communication

Language culture
Language is more than vocabulary and grammar. With the
term languaculture (an enhancement of the original
term language culture) anthropologist, Michael
Agar makes the point that language comprises
many elements including cultural knowledge,
historical information, habits, quirks, and behaviors
specific to a country or region where the language
is spoken. v

In today's globalized work environment where

cultures readily mix, it is not enough to speak a
language proficiently. As we try to avoid
communication failures, understanding the
languaculture will become important.

Intercultural mediation
The role of intercultural mediation would typically
be played by translators or interpreters, whose job
it is to mediate between two people who do not
speak each other's language.

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The role is an important one, as both parties are reliant on the interpretation or translation to make decisions.
And when we're dealing with languaculture, it's critical too that the translator interprets subtleties such as
body language and cultural references.

Channels of communication
There are two clear communication channels – verbal and
non-verbal. Verbal refers to direct communication either
spoken or written where the message is clearly
communicated and understood.
Non-verbal comprises all the other ways in which we
communicate – body language, facial expressions, tone of
voice, etc.

This is often subconscious communication as we may not

always be aware of the way in which we express ourselves
while we speak and how these expressions could be
interpreted.

Subconscious elements in communicative behavior

Diving further into the subconscious side of
communication, the way in which we speak or
communicate is naturally affected by a myriad of
factors that make up a culture.
Eye contact, for example, is viewed by some cultures
as important when communicating with someone,
while other cultures think that too much eye contact
can be viewed as aggressive or rude.
These are pre-programmed subconscious elements
that we all have and if you are to communicate
effectively with someone from a different culture you should have some insight into their particular
communication behaviors or traits.

Different Country intercultural communication in the workplace

Indian intercultural communication in the workplace

The majority of businesses are growing internationally due to globalization of the

world. This means that businesses are increasingly working to enlarge their
networks across new boundaries and cultures. The first essential aspect of
doing effective business is appropriate communication. With the growth of its
economy, this makes Indian business communication the most important
thing.
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Indian communication

Indian people use every possible type of communications. They prefer face to face contacts to
telephone or written communications. As an effect of British colonial influence, Business meetings
start with a firm and friendly hand shake. Be aware, it is not always the usual thing for male and
female to shake hands with each other because of religious influence. In that case, it is polite to wait
for the hand when shaking hands with female. Shaking the hands is common for greetings upon
arrival and departure from a meeting.

Business communication

Indian people like to discuss important business issues in person rather than other means. After an
initial face-to-face meeting, it is then often followed by regular business visits and phone calls.
However, in meetings they are likely to get down to business right away and are generally
conservative and efficient in their approach. Maintaining eye contact is crucial for Indian business
communication. If you are meeting with a group of people, be certain to greet each person separately
instead of greeting them as a group.

Tips for communicating

A good starting point to start a conversation can be a comment on the variety of Indian food, the
Indian cricket team, Music or Indian history. Indians can spend hours talking about their country’s
long and rich history, food and cricket. Indian people are very expressive in their use of body
language. In fact, facial expressions and gestures are crucial to convey messages. Below are some
specifics which will be useful to know:

 Nodding the head from lifting chin up to down means positive or agreed opinion
 Shaking the head from right to left means negative or disagreed opinion
 Raising the eyebrow with a slight upward means question or confusion
 Constant touching is not common and can be seen as an inappropriate gesture

Language matters
India is a multilingual country with more than 23 languages. Hindi is the official language. It is spoken by
nearly 551 million Indian people. Moreover, English is also widely spoken in India, we learn it in schools from
the first grade of primary school through to university.

Other languages in India include Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri,
Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Marathi, Meitei, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi,
Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. The India constitution recognizes all of the previous languages. Overall,
there are more than 1500 languages spoken across the country. It would be a good decision to check
which languages are broadly spoken in the specific area that you will be residing.

Personal titles and Indian business communication

Personal titles are vital in India. The common title is ‘Sir’ for the male and ‘Madam’ or ‘Mam’ for the
female. Indians tend to use first names quite early in business relationship. So it is appropriate and
well acceptable if you call them by their first name followed by social or academic title.

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In India, we use social titles such as ‘Mr.’ or ‘Mrs.’ or ‘Miss’ for common people whereas we use
academic titles such as ‘Dr.’ or ‘Prof.’ for people who are specialized in the respected fields.

To find out how to address an associate with proper title, you need to use the email address or the
business card. If he or she has a title in front of the name, then you should address the person by their
title following by the name. Academic and hierarchy titles are highly recommended when talking
with the senior person.

Pakistani intercultural communication in the workplace

Verbal

Indirect Communication: The Pakistani communication style is generally indirect as they often
seek to avoid confrontation or offence.
Conversations are usually long and drawn out;
people tend to speak in a roundabout way that
reaches their point more delicately. This speech
style is to be taken with patience, as there might be
long pauses. The best way of reaching an
understanding is to ask open-ended questions
that allow them to reach their answer in their
own time and give agreeable and accepting
responses that do not directly disrupt the
speaker’s discussion. Avoid cross-questioning them as
this might bring about an ambiguous response.

Language Style: Pakistanis generally have exaggerated speaking expressions. They often come
across as strikingly earnest and sincere as they tend to strongly assert what they mean through large
statements.

Refusals: Giving a direct refusal is considered rude and may indicate that the person wishes to end a
relationship. It is best to go about saying ‘no’ to requests in an indirect way, such as “I’ll see what I
can do”. Often Pakistanis reply with “Inshallah” – meaning ‘if God wills it’ (i.e. perhaps, but if it
doesn’t happen, it is the fate of God).

Criticism: Criticism should always be approached sensitively. It can quite easily be mistaken for
mild personal offence unless presented in an indirect way. Therefore, always offer any suggestion of
improvement with praise at the same time. Direct comments should only be spoken to those you have
a longstanding relationship with and in private.

Group Discussion: Pakistanis tend to prefer

conversing in groups. One-on-one communication
between two individuals may be approached with
trepidation as the directness of it is usually
reserved for those that they have a familiar
relationship with.

Non-Verbal

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Personal Space: Pakistanis are generally not concerned with personal space and will stand closer to
their subjects than in Western culture. However, more distance is kept between those of opposite
genders.

Physical Contact: It is common for people to be physically affectionate with those of the same
gender. For example, men may put their arms on each other’s shoulders and quite comfortably touch
each other. However, public displays of affection between opposite genders are considered to be very
inappropriate.

Hands: There is a separation between the functions of the hands in Pakistani culture. This custom is
tied to Islamic principles that prescribe the left hand should be used for removal of dirt and for
cleaning. It should not be used for functions such as waving, eating or offering items. Therefore, one
should gesture, touch people or offer items using the right hand or both hands together.

Eye Contact: It is rude to look someone directly in the eye while talking to them. It signifies
arrogance and also can be perceived as seeking validation. Lowering one’s gaze is respectful and
shows that one is not yearning for attention.

Gestures: Pounding one’s fist into a hand or stroking one’s beard/moustache signals revenge.
Tapping your hand on your head (as if frustrated) can be interpreted as meaning you feel disdain for
the person you are talking to. The thumbs-up symbol and the symbol for ‘Okay’ (with the forefinger
and the top of the thumb meeting to form a circle, with the other fingers stretched out) can both be
considered lewd or rude; however, many Pakistanis have become familiar with their Western
meanings.

Ears: Holding onto one’s ear can signal remorse or repentance when feeling guilty.

Beckoning: Beckoning should be performed with the palm of the hand facing the ground and using
all fingers. To use a single forefinger is considered extremely rude.

Pointing: Pointing and gesturing at objects and people should use the whole hand or palm. A single
finger is considered rude.

Winking: Winking has sexual connotations and should be avoided altogether.

Smiling: Pakistanis tend to have quite a serious front and may not smile at strangers often. Don’t
expect to receive many smiles until you have gotten to know them.

China intercultural communication in the workplace

Intercultural communication at work in multinational companies (MNCs) is increasingly common.

Workplace communication in MNCs can be highly complex, as is the case when Polish expatriate
workers of an MNC headquartered in Western Europe are deployed in China. What are the
communication challenges they face and how do they
overcome these?
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To examine this question, my team and I conducted narrative interviews with six Polish professionals
who had just returned from a three-year international assignment in China in late 2016. They had
worked to build a Chinese subsidiary of the MNC together with 1,500 local and 150 international
employees.

The company language in the Chinese subsidiary was English (and, practically, also Chinese) while in
Poland the company language was French (and, practically, also Polish).

The findings of our research have recently been published in the journal Multilingual in an article
entitled “Intercultural communication within a Chinese subsidiary of a Western MNC: Expatriate
perspectives on language and communication issues”.

Interviewees reported a lot of miscommunication and communication problems, which they ascribed
to both language and cultural barriers. In particular, they felt under-prepared when they first arrived
and highlighted communication problems in the initial stage of their deployment:

All interviewees claimed that face-to-face

communication with locals was problematic
and that English as the company language
was part of the problem. They found it
difficult to understand the English spoken by
their Chinese colleagues and the company
jargon. They had to either translate the
previously acquired terminology from Polish or
French into English, or learn new company
jargon, for example, abbreviations of
products, company positions, or those used in
production management.

In turn, because locals often communicated in

Mandarin at work and during social events, expatriates’ lack of Mandarin proficiency prevented
them from acquiring information from local superiors, learning about problems within a team, or
from participating in decision-making processes. It also hampered integration with locals at lunchtime
and led to social isolation and a feeling of not belonging to the work group.

To overcome these barriers, expatriates devised a number of ad hoc strategies such as asking
clarifying questions, asking for confirmation, or summarizing the message by e-mail. One interviewee
recounted how he simply imitated locals.

I often nodded back and did what they did: nodded, smiled, and so on. Even when I needed something
very much, and urgently, I knew it would be difficult to get it due to all the steps you need to go
through with them. Sometimes I had to ‘walk in their shoes’ and behave like them. That let me get
many things faster.

Another interviewee related that changing the medium of communication from oral to digital worked
for him:

One of my employees told me…, because I sent him a message via a chat program, ‘You know what?
Chatting with you is much better than talking, because I understand you better’ So, they gave me
such signals from time to time.

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These communication strategies did not always help to alleviate ambiguity or uncertainty. In fact,
they often were experienced as counterproductive, for example when their strategies threatened their
Chinese interlocutor’s face, as was the case when they asked for clarifications at team meetings. By
contrast, showing respect through simply nodding was felt to be more time-consuming but more
effective in the long run.

American intercultural communication in the workplace

Verbal

Direct Communication: Americans are very

direct communicators. They tend to convey their
entire message verbally, paying less attention to
body language. People are expected to ‘get to the
point’. This does not mean courtesy is
disregarded in communication, but it does mean
that Americans may sometimes miss nuances
(such as understatement) in conversation or some
types of humour (for example, subtle sarcasm or
ironic statements).

Language Styles: Americans are generally quite enthusiastic, assertive and persuasive in their
speech.

Modesty: Americans are not very modest (by an Australian standard) as boasting is not cut down by
tall poppy syndrome in their culture. People are
expected to speak on their own behalf instead of
waiting for someone to tell of their achievements or
success for them.

Raised Voices: Americans may speak at higher

volumes in public spaces; however, they generally do
not appreciate loud or emotional outbursts.

Silence: Americans sometimes grow uncomfortable

when social chat is punctuated with long periods of pause or silence and often try to fill the gap in
conversation.

Non-Verbal

Eye Contact: Eye contact should be maintained directly. It demonstrates warmth, openness,
honesty and approachability. If you make eye contact with a stranger in passing (on the street, at a
shop, in a hallway, etc.) give a small smile or nod to acknowledge them. Continuing on your way
without doing so means your were simply staring or unfriendly, and is considered slightly rude.

Physical Contact: Generally, Americans are not very tactile outside of their families and close
relationships. However, cities that are more internationally exposed may adopt more physical contact

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in their mannerisms. Touching someone of another gender – especially in the workplace – can be
misinterpreted as sexual harassment.

Personal Space: Americans like to be given a fair amount of personal space, so try not to encroach
on it during a conversation. If an American feels you are ‘in their face’ too much, they will probably
not mention it and simply step back.

Gestures: It is best to nod or show some kind of sign that you are listening throughout a
conversation.

Smiling: Many Americans smile when passing strangers on the street as a simple gesture of goodwill.

Australian intercultural communication in the workplace

Verbal

Direct Communication: In Australia, one’s status or

position in a conversation is not easily distinguishable by
their appearance. Therefore, communication is more direct
and functionally-purposed to convey one’s message with
clarity. Criticism can be delivered vaguely in order to
remain polite and avoid conflict, but an Australian’s
intention and meaning is usually apparent through their
precise word choice. They tend to speak very honestly, yet
with reasonable sensitivity.

Accent: Most Australians have the unique ability to swap

quite easily from a strong Aussie accent to speech that sounds
more refined. For example, foreigners may be surprised to hear
Australians talk to them in quite polished, well-pronounced speech, but fall into using a strong ocker
accent around other Australians or when drinking.

Slang: Australians speak with slang spattered throughout their speech. The relevance or
understandings of certain slang words varies between age groups and areas, but Australians
frequently shorten any words that seem overly complicated by using diminutives. Sometimes these are
spontaneous inventions that are not commonly known, but many are commonplace (e.g. “arvo” –
afternoon, “uni” – university).

Self-Deprecation: Australians are quite self-deprecating in conversation in an effort to come across

as humble, honest and relaxed about themselves. Feel free to join in with the jokes by criticising
yourself in a similar manner. That being said, avoid finding jokes too funny, adamantly agreeing to
their self-deprecating comments, as this can become insulting.

Humour: Humour is used in much Australian communication, so expect some light-hearted joking
in most conversations. Jokes about situational circumstances are often used to lighten moods or
approach difficult topics in an indirect way. Australian sarcasm can be very dry, witty and direct. It is
sometimes difficult for foreigners to detect when people are kidding as Australians do not always
break from a joke to clarify.

Swearing: Swearing is more common in Australia than

in many other cultures. Television programmes are less
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censored and mainstream society is largely desensitised to words that foreigners may find vulgar. It is
normal to hear an Australian swear at some point during a conversation. Doing so yourself is unlikely
to hurt your chances with them – the informality of it can actually make them feel more comfortable
around you.

Silence: Australians sometimes grow uncomfortable when social chat is punctuated with long periods
of pause or silence and will therefore try to fill the gap with conversation.

Yeah/Nah: When responding to a basic question (such as “How are you?”), Australians sometimes
give multiple answers with immediately conflicting meanings. If this happens, take the last word they
answered with as what they mean. For example, “Yeah, nah” means “no”, “Nah, yeah” means “yes”
and “Yeah, nah, good” means “good”.

Non-Verbal

Eye Contact: Eye contact should be maintained directly as it translates sincerity, trustworthiness
and approachability. However, it is important to break eye contact intermittently as holding it for
prolonged periods can make Australians feel uncomfortable. When talking to a group, be sure to
make equal eye contact with all people present. Conversely, Aboriginal Australians are more likely to
divert their eyes during communication. Direct eye contact can be interpreted as disrespectful or
confrontational in Indigenous cultures, especially when it is made to someone older than one’s self.
This may also apply to Australian residents from cultures in which direct eye contact is similarly
perceived.

Personal Space: Australians usually keep about an arm’s length distance between one another
when talking, and sometimes a little extra between men and women depending on how well they know
each other.

Physical Contact: People tend not to touch one another much during communication unless they
are close friends. Touching someone on the shoulder or arm to emphasise a point is generally
acceptable, but can otherwise be seen as a sexual advance. Women tend to be more phsyically
affectionate with one another than men.

Pointing: Australians point with their index finger, however it is considered rude to point directly at
someone. Instead, they should be indicated to verbally.

Obscene Gestures: Raising one’s middle finger or making the ‘V’ sign with one’s palm facing
oneself is considered very rude in Australia.

Beckoning: Australians beckon people by waving them over with their palm facing up.

Discussion
Communication is a critical factor of a company’s competitiveness which cannot be ignored. This is because
employees need to be able to cooperate with each other in order to achieve the company's goal (Erez, 1992;
Bennis & Nanus, 1985; as cited in He& Liu,2010). With the rapidly advancement of technology and the
advent of globalization, people begin to have more contact with others who adopt other cultures, either
voluntarily or involuntarily. Having the ability to communicate effectively with others who possess slightly
or definitely different cultures, is at once an advantage and a necessity; thus, the important relationship
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between the intercultural communication and businesses, both internal and external, is. Above all, as
communication skills area competitive advantage for companies, skill at effective intercultural
communication is doubly important for a company that wishes to be a major player on the international
market. Effective intercultural communication enables customers to have clear information and
understanding of a company, for instance, the difference and superiority of the company’s products and
services in contrast to that of their competitors, because the messages are able to be conveyed accurately and
effectively. In addition, effective intercultural communication becomes a competitive advantage of the
company, especially in the international market, as it prevents the company from wasting time and resources
on solving communication problems; thus enabling the company to spend their time more wisely and
effectively in conducting business. Secondly, having effective intercultural communication skills helps to
avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and thereby eliminating conflict in the workplace. As different
patterns of thinking, feeling and behavior are the results of different cultural backgrounds, each employee
will possess different ways of dealing with their tasks. Therefore, disputes will commonly arise when
employees from cultures with vastly different approaches are required to work together to implement a
common goal, and eventually the performance of company will be affected as the previous studies have
demonstrated. Hence, effective intercultural communication is the timeliest, forefront and practical way to
correct the misunderstandings and solve the conflicts before they even happen. Apart from those, effective
intercultural communication is significant to build a positive working atmosphere in the diverse working
environment, i.e., by using cultural-related motivational languages. As a negative working atmosphere will
have a direct negative impact to the company, for example, high employee turnover and retention, it should
be prevented. The main factors resulting in a negative working atmosphere are misapprehension and
incomprehension, therefore having effective intercultural communication skills are one of the fundamental
solving approaches needed to solve these issues.

Conclusion
In the modern era of easy international migration and social media, intercultural communication is now a
necessity that cannot be excluded from our life. Effective intercultural communication skills can not only
assist us to eliminate many problems such as conflicts and misunderstanding, but also to promote good
relationships with each other. Additionally, it is able to strengthen the performance of employees and
enhance the development of the company. Thus, it is essential to the development and competitiveness of
the business. However, achieving effective intercultural communication is not easy. Therefore, managers
should be able to identify the obstacles that stand in the way of achieving effective intercultural
communication and put more effort into overcoming these obstacles. In a nutshell, effective intercultural
communication skills area competitive advantage and a necessity required by us to succeed in life or
business.

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279203580_The_Significance_of_Intercultural_Communication_for_Businesses_and_the_Obstacles_that_
Managers_should_Overcome_in_Achieving_Effective_Intercultural_Communication

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