Cultural Differences, Stereotypes and Communication Needs in Intercultural Communication in a Global Multicultural Environment
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"GLOBAL RESEARCH NETWORK" LLC
Abstract
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This study examines the personal opinions of Chinese employees working in a multicultural environment about the relationship between cultural diversity and their effectiveness in communicating in a multicultural environment. To better understand the link between cultural background and effective business communication, in 2020 we conducted a questionnaire survey of 20 employees of the Chinese subsidiary of a leading European manufacturing company. The analysis showed that even if the respondents expressed the negative impact of cultural differences on communication, they also showed a positive attitude towards intercultural interactions. Moreover, ignoring or even disrespect for the different cultural values of the interacting persons was considered a major barrier in intercultural communication, and such barriers can be avoided if the other cultural background is respected. Although it was believed that cultural differences hindered the work of respondents and were often a source of dissatisfaction, they did not prevent them from engaging in intercultural communication.
Keywords
intercultural communication, business communication, cultural diversity, stereotypes, managers, collectivism, psychological needs