A lot of people think that communication isn’t more than decoding a message that an information source transmits through a channel to you- you in this case are the destination where the message arrives (see Chandler (2000) p.1). The chosen words, the accentuation and the circumstances of the talk (e.g. on the phone, private or institutional dialogue) sometimes show how something is meant by the speaker but this aren’t the only important cues during a communication process. You should also take care of the nonverbal cues everyone sends to a receiver of a message like gestures (Archer (1991)) and the culture of the specific information source.
Table of Contents
1. Preface
2. Why should you participate in this course?
3. General information about the seminar
4. Overview of the content of the seminar
4.1 Difference between informal talk and negotiations
4.2 Institutional Dialogue
4.3 Telephone conversations
4.4 Repair and complaints in Business Interaction
4.5 Sensitisation for occurring problems
4.5.1 Puns
4.5.2 Pragmatic transfer
4.5.3 Silence
4.5.4 Usage of words: “warum” and “wieso”
4.5.5 Laughter
4.5.6 The meaning of nonverbal communication: gestures
4.6 Practices of “membership categorization”
4.7 Psychological perspective: Transactional analysis
4.8 Turn- construction methods
4.9 “Weird” effects: coherent- creating groups & sense of being stared at
4.10 Useful advice: how to create better international brand names
4.11 How to detect liars- is this really possible?
5. Discussion
6. Preview
7. Sources
Objectives & Core Topics
The primary objective of this seminar is to enhance intercultural awareness among marketing professionals by analyzing the complexities of communication across cultural borders to prevent and resolve misunderstandings in global business contexts.
- Conversational analysis and institutional dialogue
- Nonverbal communication, gestures, and linguistic nuances
- Transactional analysis and personality theory
- Strategic international brand naming
- Deception detection in business and political contexts
Excerpt from the Book
4.5.4 Usage of words: “warum” and “wieso”
Imagine following scenario: you are an English citizen and negotiating in Germany with some German businessmen about a business deal. All of you are speaking German. Your ability to speak German is quiet good, you understand everything everybody else is saying and you got the impression nobody has problems to understand you. But suddenly the other businessmen react angrily when you use the word “warum” in a sentence. You can’t understand why.
This small example illustrates how small differences in the translation of a word, in this case “why” into “warum” and not “wieso”, results in an angry emotion of the negotiation partner. The reason behind this is explained by the fact that “wieso” in Germany just asks for more information and “warum” points to something wrong. It can be said that “warum” is more complaining than questioning (Egbert/ Vöge (2007)). Besides some kind of orientation to institutionality is reflected in the words; “warum” is normally used only in bottom- up conversations. This could explain why the Germany businessmen react angry when the English guy said “warum”.
To sum up, you as a foreigner should always keep in mind that you have to ask your negotiation partner if something is unclear or why he seems to be angry/ disappointed or fell something else which you can’t explain to yourself.
Summary of Chapters
1. Preface: Provides an introduction to the fundamental importance of nonverbal cues and cultural background in the communication process.
2. Why should you participate in this course?: Explains the necessity of intercultural communication skills for marketing experts to prevent conflicts arising from cultural assumptions.
3. General information about the seminar: Outlines the target audience and structural requirements for the weeklong seminar at Ford in Cologne.
4. Overview of the content of the seminar: Details the four modules, ranging from conversational analysis to deception detection and cultural theory.
5. Discussion: Introduces core anthropological theories of culture to facilitate debate on how culture is defined and analyzed.
6. Preview: Provides an outlook on future seminars concerning subconscious factors in marketing and psychoanalytic personality theory.
7. Sources: Lists the academic references and materials utilized throughout the seminar content.
Keywords
Intercultural communication, Business context, Conversational analysis, Nonverbal communication, Membership categorization, Transactional analysis, Pragmatic transfer, Branding, Deception detection, Laughter, Silence, Puns, Collective consciousness, Cultural norms, Misunderstanding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this seminar?
The seminar focuses on analyzing intercultural communication patterns within professional business environments, specifically targeting marketing experts.
What are the central themes discussed?
Key themes include conversational analysis, linguistic differences, nonverbal behavior, psychological models like transactional analysis, and the ethics of communication in business.
What is the main goal of the course?
The goal is to develop the participants' intercultural awareness to effectively solve and prevent communication breakdowns and conflicts caused by differing cultural norms.
What scientific methods are applied?
The seminar employs conversational analysis, comparative study of linguistic resources, and behavioral analysis derived from sociological and psychological research.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers modules on institutional dialogue, problem-solving in interactions (repair), the meaning of gestures and laughter, and advanced topics like detecting deception and branding strategies.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Core terms include intercultural communication, conversational analysis, transaction, membership categorization, and intercultural awareness.
How do "warum" and "wieso" impact negotiation?
The use of "warum" can imply a complaint or focus on wrongdoing, whereas "wieso" is neutral; misusing them can lead to unexpected emotional reactions from German negotiation partners.
What is the significance of the "Othello error"?
It refers to the mistake where a lie-catcher misinterprets a truthful person's emotional signs of stress as evidence of deceit, often due to preconceptions.
Can branding be influenced by linguistics?
Yes, brand names are composite signs; phonetic and semantic choices significantly impact how a brand is perceived and understood across different cultural linguistic contexts.
How does the seminar define "culture"?
It explores multiple theories, including culture as distinct from nature, culture as shared knowledge, and culture as a system of communication and participation.
- Citar trabajo
- Bachelor of Science Agnes Michniuk (Autor), 2008, Intercultural Communication in Business Contexts, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/140563
