Intercultural Competence: A Report on Cultural Awareness in Business

This report delves into the significance of intercultural competence in the business environment, emphasizing its role in effective communication across diverse cultures. The report begins with an exploration of self-awareness, drawing upon personal experiences to illustrate the impact of cultural upbringing on individual perspectives. It then transitions to an examination of cultural awareness, using real-life examples to highlight the challenges and consequences of cultural misunderstandings, particularly in the context of domestic violence. Furthermore, the report applies Hofstede's cultural dimensions framework to compare and contrast African and Islamic cultures, analyzing differences in values, norms, and practices. The conclusion underscores the critical role of cultural understanding in fostering successful interactions and mitigating conflicts in business and beyond. The report includes a comprehensive list of references to support its findings.

INTERCULTURAL
COMPETENCE IN
BUSINESS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Intercultural competence is basically the series of cognitive and behavioural skills which
result in effective communication with individuals of another culture. The main purpose of this
study is to understand the importance of different cultures and how they influence the mind of
other individual. This report gives a brief about self awareness, awareness of different culture,
comparison of cultural aspect through cultural framework.
MAIN BODY
Self awareness
When I was a kid, I used to see people how they suffer from various problems and issues
and deal with their problems. I used to see women how they struggle with their life due to
incompetent partners ad remain under the threat of domestic violence. As a kid, it was very
difficult for me to go through the events where my mother used to be threatened by my father
every day and this impacted my brain as well as my health. I belong to the African family and
due to this I strongly believe that darker complexion of my mother was the main reason behind
this violence. I used to sit in an isolated room when my father betas my mother on her small
mistakes. This affected my whole childhood and this compelled me to think that why women
does not raise their voice and why they feel so helpless to take action against this violence. I used
to think that when I will be competent enough, I will become a social worker and thus will raise
the voice against these domestic violence that happens across the world (Elo, Benjowsky and
Nummela, 2015). The main rationale behind my dream of becoming a social worker was the
different types of violence which I used to notice even in my house. When my used to beat my
mother, me and my sister just sit aside and used to cry because we were minors and did not have
the courage to deal with the situation. This made me frightened and I began to get sacred of my
father as same could happen with me and my sister. This whole incident left a deep impression
on my mid and I began to feel lonely. Even during my school hours, I was not able to
concentrate on my studies and this affected my grades and overall learning capacity. As
compared to other students, my grades useful to be low and even I failed in my 5th grade. I
always used to sit alone at an isolated place when my school was over because I did not have the
courage to face the same situation day and night. Not only my mother, but the condition of other
women in my neighbour hood also tend to frighten me as they too were the prey of some of the
other form of domestic violence. My classmates used to mock me for my low grades and for not

supporting my mother and sister. One day when I reached my house, my mother and sister was
bleeding to the hell due to the persecution of my father. That was the day when I decided to
become a social worker who will work against domestic violence and will not let my mother and
various other women who are the prey of ill-treatment to suffer. My whole childhood inspired
me and went into my decision to become a social worker.
Awareness of different culture
The major influence which went into my decision for becoming the social worker is my
own family and the neighbourhood. There was a woman in my neighbourhood who was under
the same situation and was beaten by her husband and in-laws. She was from Islam family and
belongs to Islamic and her husband was also from Pakistan and follows the Islam religion. Due
to this, she and her daughter used to face the consequences of domestic violence each and every
day. Being from the Islamic region, her husband along with her in-laws tend to beat her due to
various reasons (Martin and Nakayama, 2015). Due to dark colour, she used the become the prey
of physical abuse as well as mental abuse. Along with the difference in cultural background, the
major reason behind this violence was that her husband used to have external affairs with other
women and thus nit just impacted the metal ability of her wide but also posed a great impact on
her daughter. Her daughter was my classmate and we used to talk to each other regarding the
same topic. Our condition was similar but the only difference was in the cultural background.
She used to tell me how her mother remain confined in an isolated room and how her in-laws
used to prosecute her for small things. This incident also shaked my mind and went into my
decision to become a social worker. We both wree4 travelling in the same ship but the only
difference was that her father used to beat her mother due to colour difference and my father
used to harass my mother when he used to be under the influence of drugs and drink. Her mother
used to tolerate each and every physical abuse and does not even speak up a word to her mother
and father (Barker and Mak, 2015). In The whole incident was due to the difference in cultural
background and this compelled me to think that culture plays an important role in leading a
successful and happier life. Sometimes when people from divergent background marry or live
with each other, then somewhere their life get distorted and at some point of the life stage,
problems and misunderstanding occurs which later on takes the form of physical abuse and
domestic violence. In case of my classmate, the major rational behind this domestic violence was
because her mother was dark in complexion and her father used to force her mother. This

conflict between them later on took the form of prosecution where her father used to sexually
abuse her along with abusing her physically.
Comparison of cultural aspect through cultural framework
Hofstedes Culture dimension
This is basically the cultural framework which explains the various cultural differences as
well as similarities which exist between people. It is a framework which explains the cross-
cultural communication (Deardorff and Arasaratnam-Smith, 2017).
Power distance index
This is basically the component of this framework which explains the degree and level to
which the power is being tolerated as well as inequality is tolerated. When this index is high
them this indicated that there is high amount of inequality as well as power differences.
Individualism and collectivism
Individualism is the dimension in which the individuals care just for themselves and their
families. While in collectivism, individuals expect from relatives to look after their family.
Uncertainty avoidance index
this is the index which shows the extents as well as level to which the uncertainty as well
as ambiguity are being tolerated. In short, it is the degree and level to which different people are
being integrated within various groups. It is the tolerance index of this theory.
Masculinity vs Femininity
This is the another dimension of this theory which mainly relates to the gender. In this the
importance is being given to the attitude towards behaviour as well as equality. In both the
profiles, men are dominating the female and thus is showing their preference within society
(Zheng, 2015).
Long-term orientation vs short-term orientation
This is the dimension which mainly associates with past and focus more on the future.
The long-term orientation mainly involves achieving the long-term success. Short-term mainly
focus on near future and thus involves short-term goals.
Indulgence vs. Restraint
It mainly emphasizes on extent as well as tendency for society to fulfil the desires. It
generally revolves around the society as how they control their desires.
African culture Islamic culture

In the first autobiography, as the women was
from Africa and use to follow African religion
thus this was the major difference which exists
between both the cultures. In the Africa
culture, the people are usually of open-mind
and does not remain conservative. They
support the modern era (Arasaratnam, 2016).
In the Islamic religion, people are generally of
conservative thinking and tend to keep their
women confined within the boundaries of
household. This eventually leads to a dispute
between men and women.
In case of African religion, wine as well as
different drinks is considered as the divine
aspect and is not against their religion. Thus, in
the first case, men drinking wine and other
beverages is acceptable by their society as this
is common in their religion.
In Islamic religion, drinks are considered as
bad omen and thus are against their religion.
According to Islam, the men who drinks are
not acceptable by the society. Thus, in second
profile, men does not drink but due to
conservative thinking is unable to treat women
satisfactorily (Zhang and Zhou, 2019).
The major similarity between both the culture is that they have a historical relation between and
thus have the common origin place which is Middle east. Besides this, both the females are being
torchered for their complexion
Another similarity between both the case is beating of women no matter what the reason
is. But in both the case, women are more likely to suffer due to domestic violence.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarized that cultural background plays an important life within the life of
an individual. It can have a positive effect on the life as well as negative effect and thus forms
the main consideration within the life. Different culture have different norms and practice which
people of that culture follows. Sometimes thee practices are often misuse to dominate women
and this promotes domestic violence.

REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Arasaratnam, L.A., 2016. Intercultural competence. In Oxford research encyclopedia of
communication.
Barker, M.C. and Mak, A.S., 2015. The business of intercultural competence development. In
Critical Perspectives on Internationalising the Curriculum in Disciplines (pp. 73-82).
SensePublishers, Rotterdam.
Deardorff, D.K. and Arasaratnam-Smith, L.A. eds., 2017. Intercultural competence in higher
education: International approaches, assessment and application. Routledge.
Elo, M., Benjowsky, C. and Nummela, N., 2015. Intercultural competences and interaction
schemes—Four forces regulating dyadic encounters in international business. Industrial
Marketing Management.48. pp.38-49.
Martin, J.N. and Nakayama, T.K., 2015. Reconsidering intercultural (communication)
competence in the workplace: A dialectical approach. Language and Intercultural
Communication.15(1). pp.13-28.
Zhang, X. and Zhou, M., 2019. Interventions to promote learners’ intercultural competence: A
meta-analysis. International Journal of Intercultural Relations.71. pp.31-47.
Zheng, M., 2015. Intercultural competence in intercultural business communication. Open
Journal of Social Sciences.3(03). p.197.