Non-verbal communication in an intercultural context can be the
sole reason for businesses to succeed, yet can be the sole reason for failure.
It is vital to acknowledge and interpret intercultural society, along with its
behaviours and cultures. If a business were to stack vital items on high
shelves in a community that has a low average height, the business would not
thrive due to the difficulty the customers would have to undergo in order to
achieve obtaining the items.
The first edition textbook "ITC 105 Information and
Communication Management," which was compiled by Anthony Chan, has
information that refers to the franchise 'Wal-Mart'. Wal-Mart lacked
understanding and knowledge in the field of intercultural context, which
eventually caused its demise in several countries including Korea, Germany and
Japan (page 290). The CEO of a local competitor in Germany predicted the fall
of the store, stating "the company's culture does not travel, and Wal-Mart
does not understand the German customer."
Through the globalisation of industries and businesses,
adaptations have been created to the cultures in which the stores have been
implemented. Numerous franchises adjust minor and major features of their
stores in order to please customers of the region, whether it is a modification
to a meal to suit the needs of a local religion, or variations to an item so
that it displays a local superstar in comparison to a foreign stranger.
It is important to take into account the culture's dimensions and
establish whether the region has a low context culture or a high context
culture. Low context cultures are logical and straight-forward, focusing
specifically on the words that are spoken along with the clarity of those
words. These cultures primarily use linear logic to get to the conclusion as promptly as possible. High context
cultures take into account expressions, feelings, emotions and actions of
others, while using spiral logic to direct conversation to explore multiple views.
Non-verbal communication can destroy businesses, however if used
correctly, it can aid in achieving success for businesses in a vast selection
of regions.
References:
Lehman, C. M., Dufrene, D. D., Cameron-Dow, J., Barrett, M.,
Murphy, W., Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2013) ITC105 Communication and Information Management. Melbourne,
Victoria: Cengage Learning
