Cross Cultural Communication: Islamic Countries and India
Cross Cultural Communication: Islamic Countries and India
Cross Cultural Communication: Islamic Countries and India
Quick Analysis
Was Communication verbal or non-verbal ? Non verbal How Karamvati succeeded? Symbol used was very popular and powerful (Rakhi) Receiver was carefully selected Humayun had great India mission and was keen to learn Indian culture and building lasting relationship
Context
Stimuli
Sender-Encoder
Sender-Encoder (Hinduism) (experiences, attitudes, skills) Perception idea encoding Symbol decisions Sending mechanisms
Message
Receiver-Encoder (Islam) (Experiences, attitudes, skills)Receptor mechanisms Perception Decoding Idea Interpretation
FEED BACK
Verbal, nonverbal
Challenge
Sender and receiver belongs to different culture. Perception, idea, experience and skill differ Indians have a silver lining
Birth of Urdu
Urdu emerged as a medium of interaction between Islamic people from different region and Hindus India has 51 million speakers 5 states have it as official language Over 3000 publications 405 daily news paper.
Islam
Z Islam literally means submission to God Z The five pillars of Islam are obligatory acts of worship and govern the social and personal interactions Z Islamic law touches on virtually every aspect of life
Society Banking Welfare Environment Warfare
Islam- Appearance
Z Do not adopt native clothing. Z Traditional clothes on foreigners may be offensive. Z Despite the heat, most of the body must always remain covered Z Men should also avoid wearing visible jewelry Z Women should always wear modest clothing Z A jacket and tie are usually required for men at business meetings
Islam- Appearance
Z Men shake hands, Women generally hug and kiss close friends. Z Businesswoman wait for a man to offer his hand Z For businessmen it is advisable to wait and see if a hand is extended Z Men and women do not greet each other in public from outside the family
Islam- Behavior
Z It is best to wait for your counterpart to initiate the greeting Z Not to cross your legs when sitting Z Never show the bottom of your feet Z Handshakes are always used and can last a long time Z The "thumbs up" gesture is offensive Z Avoid gestures with the right hand Z Do not discuss the subject of women
Richly diverse and complex country Different states ,different languages. Indian society operates within a framework of strict hierarchy. Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad are major business centres.
Many major minor languages spoken. The official languages are English and Hindi. English is widely used in business Direct NO is not considered as good, evasive refusals are more common. Titles are very important. Always use professional titles.
Business
Men are generally expected to wear a suit and tie for business. Jacket may be removed in summer. Women should wear conservative dresses or pantsuits for business.
Casual
Short-sleeved shirts and long pants are preferred for men. Shorts for men are acceptable only when exercising. Women must keep their upper arms, chest, back, and legs covered. Women should wear long pants when exercising.
Beckoning someone with the palm up is construed as insult. Wagging one finger can be treated as insult. Standing with hands on hips is interpreted as an angry, aggressive posture. Whistling is impolite.
Winking may be interpreted as either an insult or a sexual proposition. If your shoes or feet touch another person, apologize! Gifts are not opened in the presence of the giver. Business lunches are preferred to dinners
Indians entertain in their homes, restaurants, private clubs. Politely turn down the first offer of tea, coffee, or snacks. Take off your shoes before meal. Hindus and Sikhs do not eat beef and many are vegetarians.
Make appointments by letter. Confirm appointment as they do get cancelled at short notice. The best time for a meeting is late morning or early afternoon. Last minute flexible schedule.
Indians are impressed with punctuality. Meetings will start with a great deal of getting-to- know-you talk. Always send a detailed agenda in advance. Follow up a meeting with an overview.
Decisions are reached by the person with the most authority. Decision making is a slow process Never appear overly legalistic during negotiations. Do not disagree publicly with members of your negotiating team. Successful negotiations are often celebrated by a meal.
Business cards are exchanged after the initial handshake and greeting. Business cards need not be translated into Hindi. Always present your business card so the recipient may read the card as it is handed to them.
Indians prefer to do business with those they know. Relationships are built upon mutual trust and respect. Indians prefer to have long-standing personal relationships prior to doing business. Go through a third party introduction. This gives you immediate credibility.
HYDERABAD
Bibliography
www.google.com
www.wikipedia.com
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/etiquette/doingbusiness-india.html www.internationaltrade.co.uk/articles.php?CID=1& AID=274&Title=India+Business+Culture+And+Etiqu ette