The Cultural Differences and Its Impact on Intercultural Communication in the Film and Literature

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Addressing Cultural Differences

There is a lot of beauty in the diversity of culture.it brings us together when we embrace the differences in culture, which make us unique and beautiful. This essay’s aim is to try and analyze the cultural differences and its impact on intercultural communication from the film The Black Panther and the two articles of choice, I’m black.im white.im both.im neither and A Model of Culture-general Competence for education and Training. Addressing and appreciating cultural differences is important because it helps us nurture relationships and proper understanding about one another which enhance long term togetherness.

There are so many white movies which show the possibilities and opportunities the white have exploited within their society and it might not mean much to them but when it comes to black culture having a movie with a black superhero is a huge deal to their community. It gives them a sense of pride and ownership because it marks a milestone in celebrating a marginalized group. The black panther is one of the latest Marvel superhero film expressing how it is like to be a black man in the world especially both in America and Africa. Wakanda being a fictional community is derived from the real African concept, real people and ideologies. The film opens with Tchalla ascending to the throne of wakanda after his father’s death. Being a royal member the new king had been sheltered from the reality in wakanda; which was that five tribes fought over the discovery of a certain metal, the vibranium.one warrior took some herb that was affected by this metal thus becoming the first black panther and united the people that formed the Wakanda community. (Smith Jamil,2018)

With the vibranium came inventions and technology for the people.it was later discovered by Tchalla’s father that his brother Njobu had been selling the vibranium to criminals and in the midst of the confrontation, Njobu was stabbed and killed. Killmonger returns to wakanda to avenge his father’s death by challenging the new king over a fight which he won and was

enthroned after its assumed Tchalla died in the fight. After Tchalla is healed he returns home to take back the royal throne through a battle against Kilmonger and his army. After he is defeated he chooses death over being imprisoned. Tchalla is eventually reinstated as the rightful king and wakanda reunited again. (Smith Jamil,2018)

From the Black Panther the black culture was mirrored by use of African language and when the cast spoke in English they had an African accent that gave the film an African taste. This went along way to bring out the authenticity and preserve the black culture.in addition when Killmonger went to back home to Wakanda from California he prided himself by using the locals’ dialect Ebonic. this is how he connected with his people and showed his sense of pride in the community as one of them. There was also the element of using different Black community tribes. Starting from Tchalla announcement to ascend to the throne to his fight with Killmonger at the waterfall, the beautiful tribesmen of wakanda gathered at the ceremony cheering on their potential king. Basically this ideology was drawn from real life set up in the Southern African tribes. Some of this fictional tribes in the movie were part of the co cultural group that formed wakanda and were united by one ruler. (Smith Jamil,2018)

One of the articles of reference is I’m black.im white.im both.im neither by Celeste Headlee. Which highlights the authors dilemmas and struggle with trying to fit in the society. She talks about her grandfather’s struggles for being black and marrying a white woman and he couldn’t even get a hotel room in a whites or blacks neighborhood back then when intermarriages were illegal. She also talks about how part of her family was as a result of rape by slave owners. She also has a decent in south America where she was partly brought up and from that and her brown skin color, people thought of her as a Latino. She strongly identifies as a black but most African Americans see her as not black enough. in short she has no racial identity.

Regardless of her plight Celeste identifies as her race as just a brown human being. From a personal experience, I resonate with Celeste for being unappreciated for not being black in my own community. I fail to understand why my own people have put up this list of who qualifies to be called black or why it’s such a huge deal if I marry outside my own culture.

According to the findings of “A Model of Culture-general Competence for education and Training in short is a military based study meant to make certain that the US personnel are ready to work with people from different cultural backgrounds; How the staff should apply the findings of this study called Adaptive Readiness Culture (ARC) as a model to test further a set of general skills in specific areas of knowledge.ARC is comprised of twelve competences further divided into four groups namely: Diplomatic mindset,-maintain a mission orientation, understanding of self in a cultural context and manage attitudes towards culture. Cultural Learning involves developing reliable information source and learning about the new culture. Cultural reasoning, coping with cultural surprises and developing cultural explanations for their behavior and taking on a cultural perspective. Lastly, Intercultural Interaction-this involves cross cultural communications and controlling self-presentation. (Rasmussen Louise, 2015)

Essentially there is need for using a culture general competence model that provides a non-biased platform for decision making, taking action, and accomplishing a mission in different regions. A model that supports operations in any given region and culture is what is referred to as culture general. in order to put up a functional model one has to build one based on a research on those who do the job well and those who have previously engaged with different cultures. In conclusion the different competences highlighted from the military study were developed based on the analysis of the strategies culturally analyzed therefore the model is critical especially in tasks that require face to face interactions. (Rasmussen Louise, 2015).in our world today it is

significant for all of us to make it our responsibility to learn about our immediate associates so

that we can avoid conflicts in future.

References

  1. Smith Jamil, http://time.com/black-panther/ retrieved May2018

  2. Headlee, Celeste. “I’m Black. I’m White. I’m Both. I’m Neither. Georgia Public Radio. GPB Media, 20 May 2015. Retrieved, May 2018

  3. Rasmussen, Louise. “7 Habits of Cross-Cultural Experts.” A Model of Culture-general Competence for education and Training. Global Cognition. Global Cognition, 11 November 2015. Retrieved, May 2018

 

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An Analysis of the Theory of Cross-Cultural Communication That is Constituted in the Intercultural Communication

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Intercultural Communication

Intercultural communication tends to be a form of communication which its goal is sharing information across the different social groups and cultures. It is mainly used in describing the broad range of the communication problems and processes that appear naturally within an organization. The organization constitutes of the social context that is made up by the individuals who come from different social, educational, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. In general, it seeks in understanding how people from different cultures and countries usually perceive, act, and communicate within the environment surrounding them. Many of the people in the intercultural business communication hold some arguments that culture often determines how people encode messages, the way in which messages are interpreted, and the medium they select in transmitting the messages. My essay will emphasize on the theory of cross-cultural communication that is constituted in the intercultural communication.

Cross-cultural communication is very essential in the building of the cultural intelligence through training and coaching in cross-cultural communication, organizational and business communication, customer service, multicultural conflict resolution, and cross-cultural negotiation. The understanding in the cross-cultural communication is not only meant for the incoming experts (Jess K. Alberts et al., 2012). It often begins with the ones responsible for the development of the project and extends towards reaching those who deliver the content or service. Cross-cultural communication gives oneself the ability to negotiate, communicate, and effectively being able to work with people who come from other cultures which is very vital in handling the international business. Therefore, cross-cultural communication is crucial for the companies that operate internationally and even those who work locally in countries where

people of different cultures and ethnicity are present. The form of communication allows understanding among individuals as they conduct their business.

I have evidently seen the cross-cultural communication being embraced by an international company like the Coca-Cola Company. Coca-Cola Company usually trades its products worldwide and has deeply penetrated to many countries in the world. In the first case, the company was established in the United States where its products were limited only to the consumers in the same country (Jess K. Alberts et al., 2012). Due to the company embracing cross-cultural communication, it has been able to study the consumption requirements of its consumers from different countries, and it has been able to satisfy them. Currently, there is no other drink that is consumed worldwide more the sodas from the Coca-Cola Company. The company went to the consumer level to know what they really wanted so that it can produce the same products that are line with the customer requirements and, hence, giving satisfaction.

From the cross-cultural communication theory, I have come to learn that any company that wants to expand and achieve broadly must embrace and put into practice the theory. We have already seen a clear example of the Coca-Cola Company. Expanding is primarily the goal of any company that is even starting today (Jess K. Alberts et al., 2012). Therefore, it becomes crucial for the company to establish proper communication techniques that is applicable to everybody regardless of their differences in the cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Naturally there is no country that have all people who come from the same ethnicity and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, for every company to operate effectively and efficiently be it locally or internationally, it ought to embrace the theory of cross-cultural communication. Cross-cultural communication allows faster growth and expansion of the business firms.

References

  1. Jess K. Alberts, Thomas K. Nakayama, Judith N. Martin (April 13, 2012). Human

    Communication in Society (3rd Edition). ISBN-13: 978-0205029389. ISBN-10:

    0205029388.

 

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Cross-Cultural Communication Differences and Similarities

Syntax – Orderly or systematic arrangement of parts or elements; constitution (of body); a connected order or system of things; to put together in order; Connected system or order; union of things; a number of things jointed together; organism. The arrangement of words (in their appropriate forms) by which their connection and relation in a sentence are shown.

Semantics – A science dealing with the sources of and vehicles for conveying meaning between two or more human beings. Some say that words have intrinsic and universal meaning; others say they are conventional and are used loosely; that the exchange of information requires an open semantic system. Relating to signification or meaning.

Kinesics – The study of those body movements and gestures by which, as well as by speech, communication is made; body movements and gestures which convey meaning non-vocally.

Cross-cultural communication – Everything that occurs in communication involves the act of sharing information. Communication is not only oral it also involves body language. It is culture bound. The way an individual communicates comes from his or her culture. People with different cultural norms have the possibility of not being understood if the people they are communicating with have little knowledge, compassion or understanding of the variety of communication styles.

When you are not familiar with cultural communication differences it can lead to you to misinterpret, misunderstand and even unintentionally insult someone. Therefore to communicate better you should not only consider the differences but the similarities as well. People may also inadvertently mistake certain communication behaviors as signs of disorder. Body language can actually help or confuse the person you are trying to communicate with. Let’s consider eye contact. Children that were raised in Latin American and Asian cultures show respect by avoiding the glance of authority figures. However in the United States this is considered an act of disrespect. Culture also greatly effects a person’s perception about physical contact, whether it’s a handshake, hug, or pat on the back. In Asia, it is quite normal for female friends to often hold hands and for men to casually embrace one another as they walk down the street. Americans, however, may feel uncomfortable with such public behavior. You also need to understand that different cultures will have different meanings for words. When translating words, from one language to another, you need to take into consideration the actual meaning of the word in their culture.

In cross-cultural communications the order of the words in combination with the meaning of the words and the body gestures of the people involved all contribute to whether the communication will be successful or not. Below are some comparisons in regards to two different cultures:

Some African Americans Some Anglo Americans

Hats and sunglasses may be considered by men as adornments much like jewelry and may be worn indoors. Hats and sunglasses are considered utilitarian by men and as outwear to be removed indoors

Touching another’s hair is generally considered offensive. Touching another’s hair is a sign of affection.

Asking personal questions of a person met for the first time may be seen as improper and intrusive. Inquiring about jobs, family and so forth of someone one has met for the first time is seen as friendly.

Use of direct questions is sometimes considered harassment, e.g., asking when something will be finished is like rushing that person to finish. Use of direct questions for personal information is permissible.

“Breaking in” during conversation by participants is usually tolerated. Competition for the floor is granted to the person who is most assertive. Rules on taking turns in conversation dictate that one person has the floor at a time until all of his or her points are made.

Conversations are regarded as private between the recognized participants; “butting in” may be seen as eavesdropping and not tolerated. Adding points of information or insights to a conversation in which one is not engaged is sometimes seen as helpful.

The term “you people” is typically seen as pejorative and racist. The term “you people” is tolerated.

Listeners are expected to avert eyes to indicate respect and attention. Listeners are expected to look at a speaker directly to indicate respect and attention.

Speakers are expected to look at listeners directly in the eye. Speakers are expected to avert eyes, especially in informal speaking situations.

Confederate flags and Black lawn ornaments are considered offensive and racist. Symbols of the Old South, such as confederate flags and Black lawn ornaments, are considered acceptable by many.

Purposely including a minority person in group activities is seen as tokenism. Including a minority person in group activities is seen as democratic.

Adoption of dance patterns or music of another cultural group is suspect or considered offensive. Adoption of dance patterns or music of another cultural group is seen as a free and desirable exchange.

Talking “Black” by outsiders without authorization is an insult. Borrowing of language forms form another group is permissible and encouraged.

Showing emotions during conflict is perceived as honesty and as the first step toward the resolution of a problem. Showing emotions during conflict is perceived as the beginning of a “fight” and an interference to conflict resolution.

 

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Cross Cultural perspectives Persuasive Essay

The company decided to use was Struck Corporation. Struck has been an iconic symbol in the coffee industry here in the United States. It is a place where people go to meet, work; do school work, and many other things. Struck Corporation has created an atmosphere that makes people feel okay with spending six dollars or more on a latte. Although its great success in the United States and many other countries, Struck has really struggled to thrive in Europe. Struck CEO Howard Schultz traveled to Italy in 1983 and was really inspired by their espresso bars.

He saw the potential in the concept off coffee house thriving in Seattle. Schultz really took that idea and sculpted it into everything the American people were looking for. As the company grew and expanded into other countries, it eventually came full circle and ended up back in Europe, where the idea began. This would prove to be more off struggle than expected. You would think that Struck would thrive in a country that lives off coffee and tea. The espresso and latte experience in Europe is an everyday thing; apart of the culture.

Struck is having a difficult time bringing an American version of a coffee shop to Europe. Its reputation of having a fast food type atmosphere isn’t doing the trick. The European people need a more intimate experience. One problem that Struck is having in Europe is the way they serve the coffee. The iconic paper cup and sleeve isn’t cutting it in Europe. I feel it portrays a cheaper product. Also, Struck has a fast food type environment. When in Europe the coffee shops are sit down restaurants almost. Struck needs to learn how to adapt to the European cafe culture.

Struck very modern look and dcore have not been keeping up with the elaborate dcore of the cafeg’s in Europe. In 2012 the New York Times captured a picture of a beautifully decorated coffee shop. It had big comfortable velvet chairs that filled the room. Chandeliers line the ceilings and just a beautiful atmosphere. To my surprise it was a Struck. They were successful in creating an atmosphere that holds to European tradition. In Europe you do not go to a coffee shop to be waited on. Even though they do have servers they do not work on tips.

All of this is very different from an American coffee shop. Struck has really perfected coffee shops here in America. Instead of an elaborately decorated room, it’s more Of a modern and sleek area for enjoying your favorite cup of coffee. Also, there are no servers coming to your table, but energetic baristas brewing amazing coffee with a smile and a small conversation. Struck may be on to something in Europe trying to adapt to their way of doing things. In order to keep turning a profit out in Europe they must continue to disguise themselves as a local coffee shop.

In the New York Times article In Europe, Struck Adjusts to a Cafe Culture where they quote local coffee goers. Daphnia Monitor 19 year old Parisian said, “We see stars like Kim Sardinian in all the magazines walking around with a Struck,” and, “My friends and I come because it’s hip. ” What this tells me is that the American lifestyle is being mimicked. Especially when very famous influential people are going to Struck regularly. There are several viable solutions for Struck in Europe. The key would be to not spend extra money but to shift the money that is being spent.

When opening new stores, Struck would have to go about the dcore in a different way. Change from paper cups and sleeves to mugs and plates, and still stay true to being environmentally friendly. Last, the training and Struck team should never change. Struck can change the dcore by going from a modern look and shift it to very elaborate looking decorations. Interior decorations in Europe don’t have the same color schemes as we have here in the United States. Having big comfortable chairs of some kind of fabric instead of modern chairs and leather couches.

Incorporating chandeliers and mirrors to make the rooms kick bigger and fancier. One major misconception of Struck in Europe is the iconic coffee cups and sleeves. Unfortunately this is perceived as a lesser product, even though this is not the case. This will save money in several different types of cups, sleeves, and much more. A coffee cup that can be rewashed and reused will save a lot of money and will take very minimal water to wash. Also, adding Rupee’s favorite treats to accompany the drinks will be a great addition. If the ambiance was altered and the cups changed, the consumer will not know he difference.

They are judging the coffee before they even get a chance to taste it. Some are lured in by the fact that it is an American company enjoyed by the stars. American celebrity endorsements and maybe invitations to store openings would help raise customer interest. Customers will continue to drink it as long as it is portrayed and interpreted as cool or hip. Lastly, the employee training is key. This is something that must not be tainted no matter what changes around them. Customer involvement and connection has been and continues to be absolutely crucial part of Struck success.

This is what separates Struck from any other coffee shop American or European. Continuing to hire fun, charismatic, and hardworking people no matter what culture and nationality is essential to the company thriving anywhere. Also, putting the Correct people in management is a key part Of the team. In conclusion, there are several WAP to lure in the European people to Struck. Adapting to European culture can and will be very beneficial. SSH fitting the image slightly but keeping the priorities in tact will be essential. Changing from paper to glass mugs will help lower costs and bring people onto the stores.

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Cross Cultural Field Experience

Cross cultural experiences can be defined in many different ways. Some people view these experiences as a way to interact with individuals who are diverse, often experiencing things one would not typically experience within their own culture. A allows someone to share within another’s culture. These experiences can enrich the lives of those who participate by offering experience, knowledge, patience and an understanding into ones culture. Jesus Power Assembly of God I had the pleasure of attending a Sunday worship session on June 2, 2013 at Jesus Power Assembly of God.

This church is a bible based and primarily immigrant church located in Columbus, Ohio and founded by Pastor Bismark Osei Akomeah. Reverend Akomeah is the Senior Pastor of Jesus Power Assembly of God church. He has planted four other Assemblies of God churches in Cincinnati and Georgia. He has also created French and Swahili speaking churches. First Impressions My daughter arranged this visit for us since she has a friend that attends the church. As soon as my daughter and I pulled into the parking lot I realized that this was going to be cultural experience for us.

We were the only people in the whole church that were not dark skinned. We were starred at. There were whispers behind our backs. We were approached almost immediately by Pastor Bismark Osei Akomeah with welcome arms. I am sure he was wondering how we ended up finding our way into his church as the first thing he asked was if we were invited by a member. Hailey and I found our way into the sanctuary and took a seat in the back. Truthfully I wanted to make sure I could make a break if we needed to. The music and the singing were phenomenal!

There was a choir and a band and there wasn’t anyone sitting in their seats. All were up and praising the word of God. The singing went on for a good amount of time before we actually started the sermon. The people were friendly and welcoming. We were approached several times and encouraged to move up closer to the front of the church. Many people came by and shook our hands and spoke to us. In fact, I actually felt more important and “loved” at this particular church than I have ever felt at any other church I have attended. The Sermon The sermon itself was given in both English and Swahili.

The church has large screens in which the words to the sermon were put on so that people could follow along. It was an active service. I was especially surprised at the events for the day. The service started at 10 am with an opening prayer. There was praise and worship for 45 minutes which consisted of a combination of singing and talking. For about 10 minutes following the initial sermon there was time set aside for the welcoming of visitors. Each person took the microphone and said their names and identified how they came into the church.

Hailey and I declined to take the microphone and all were understanding and sympathetic. Following the introductions of visitors, there were announcements for the church, more songs and music. The Pastor took the stage at about 11:15 with the sermon for the day. The sermon lasted for about an hour and a half. This was an extremely long service compared to what I am used to at a typical church service. When the sermon was completed there was an additional hour of praying, singing and the passing of the offering plate.

The entire service from start to finish was 3 hours long! The one thing that was surprising to me was the difference in the length of the service compared to what I have experienced in the past. The longest service I have ever been a part of was an hour, at the most. These people spent almost the entire day together. Once the service was completed they went into another room in the basement and had a huge spread of food they shared. Church to this group of people was a family event. They prayed together, sang together and broke bread together.

There is a clear difference between a Swahili service and a Lutheran or Christian service. Conclusion This experience was an emotional and eye opening event for me. I was able to share in another cultures religious experience and the group welcomed me with open arms. Sharing this experience with my teenage daughter was a valuable lesson for her as well. Although I have always raised my daughter to be accepting of all people regardless of color, religion or culture, she was able to immerse herself in another’s culture and see what it was like.

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Cross-Cultural Understanding

The headline of the article is “Cross Cultural Understanding as a Basis for Lasting Business Relationship”. It is the article published in June 2009 by the author Anna Shevchenko, who is the senior consultant at Farham Castle International Briefing Center. The article originally appeared in the printed version of the RBCC Bulletin (Russo-British Chamber of Commerce-the monthly magazine for Chamber members) ???????? ??????. It is addressed to the readership of this periodical publication, primary for businessmen. It is based on the needs of businessmen to connect each other even if they are from different cultural environments.

The author focuses on differences between British people and Russians. The article begins with a major issue of the loss business due to misunderstandings between people and the importance of discovering other cultural to do successful business. The article includes a large amount of examples of cultural differences between involved citizens. The author gives a detail description of cultural peculiarities of Russians and characterizes them as superstitious and truly people, but at the same time they are lazy, unpunctual and need to be controlled.

Compare this to the British preference for statements “maybe” or “perhaps”, prefer to be punctual and to examine business in details. Further, the author admits that it will never be possible to fully comprehend another culture, as those values, beliefs, attitudes and assumptions are usually a set of unwritten rules formed for centuries. But also, the author states that understanding the culture will make work more enjoyable and less frustrating. In conclusion she suggests solution for the problem, offering services of Farham Castle International Briefing Center, which specializes in cross cultural management.

I suppose this article is richly informative, but the author doesn’t mention the price of such services. Also, I doubt about a necessity of using it. I mean, understanding other culture, to my mind, scarcely ever comes in handy. I consider, prosperous businessmen are alike. Businessman should be punctual, as he values his time. He tries to study a work in details. He is assertive and hardworking. He likes controlling everything and doesn’t give a hoot about any signs (superstitious beliefs) in spite of his nationality.

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Cross Cultural Interactions with Others

Social workers, psychologists and educators alike, have a responsibility to develop cultural competencies. This implies a commitment to creating an environment of mutual understanding. “Cultural competence refers to the process by which individuals and systems respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and other diversity factors in […]

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