Business Communication Report: Overcoming Cultural Barriers

This report examines the challenges of cross-cultural communication in a business context, highlighting how cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings and communication breakdowns. The author recounts a personal experience involving miscommunication due to cultural barriers between Australian and Asian cultures, emphasizing the importance of understanding different communication styles. The report then delves into strategies for overcoming these barriers, stressing the need for cultural sensitivity, knowledge of cross-cultural differences, and the establishment of common ground for communication. It discusses the significance of cognitive constraints and the role of language in creating barriers. The conclusion reinforces the importance of understanding cultural mindsets to foster better relationships and avoid communication gaps in today's multicultural environments. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the issues and offers practical solutions for improving cross-cultural communication in business settings, referencing relevant academic sources.

RUNNING HEAD: BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
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BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Submitted by:
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Contents
Situation Analysis............................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Strategies to overcome barrier.........................................................................................................3
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................4
References........................................................................................................................................6

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Situation Analysis
In a well-coordinated atmosphere it is important to communicate the ideas. I felt an issue in
communication and was misunderstood due to the cultural barriers. It is difficult for an
individual to communicate with a person from a different culture. I was misunderstood in
communicating with a friend of mine from Asia. There is lot of cultural-gap in the
communication behavior. Australian culture is easy- going whereas Asian people are reserve
with the approach. He misunderstood me and found it very rude. The communication gap
eventually led to misunderstanding (Broadbent, 2013).
Introduction
Communication problems are common in an individual life hat typically causes
misunderstanding. This causes hostility in the mind of the people. Eventually it has become

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important to create a better understanding among people in order to minimize the problem.
Communication is a basic process through which people exchange their ideas and views. In order
to grow it is eventually important to understand the mindset of the other person. There are gaps
in communication when the message is not been sent effectively. In order to minimize the
consequences of an ineffective communication it is important to understand the mindset.
Communication should be based on the understanding of the other person with whom we are
communicating (Bochner, 2013).
Strategies to overcome barrier
The purpose of an effective communication is to communicate well in a cross cultural
environment. There is a necessity to understand the culture of the other person. It is significant to
communicate in order to have a better cultural difference. Knowledge of cross-culture is
important to have a better understanding. The essential information about the other individual is
important for general interaction. It is vital to firstly understand the cross-culture and to behave
according to it. In Today’s multi-cultural environment it is vital to have an understanding of
other culture. The purpose is to provide priority to cross-cultural communication on daily basis.
This will allow in building better relationship. A fruitful dialogue in between two people can be
guaranteed through it. By establishing a common ground of communication both the individual
can communicate. This is important for building effective relationship in an organization. This is
a matter of great concern that the communication barrier therefore causes gap in understanding
(Shockley-Zalabak, 2014).
According to me it is important to have a better understanding in order to be aware about the
cultural difference while communicating. There are different barriers to communication. These
barriers are caused due to difference in opinion and attitude. The basic concern regarding the

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other person will permit in making general interaction. Effective communication with people of
different cultures is very difficult. The Cultures present people with a different way of thinking
seeing, hearing, and interpreting the world. Therefore in order to gain competency it is important
for an individual to overcome the barrier by accepting the gaps and to understand the same in a
better way. Different people interact in a different manner; hence it has become important to
communicate in a better way in order to remove the barriers (Chen, 2017). When the languages
are dissimilar, it is difficult for an individual to communicate. This is eventually important for a
business organization to meet the requirements in a basic communication. One should try to
avoid the gaps in communication in order to understand the essence of the communication.
There are three different ways in which culture cause a barrier while carrying effective cross-
cultural communication. Firstly it is important to understand the "cognitive constraints." These
are the diverse frames of reference or world views providing with a backdrop needed for
communication. It is necessary activity for an individual to manage communication by initiating
further in a cross-cultural environment (Ang and Van Dyne, 2015). By removing the barriers an
individual can establish common goals. Common ground of communication for both the
individual allow in carrying out an effective communication. In this way the other person can
understand the need for communication and can present with the effectiveness. Communication
is a basic process through which people exchange their ideas and views. In order to grow it is
eventually important to understand the mindset of the other person In order to remove the
barriers it is important to meet the requirements of the communication (Bochner, 2013).
By understanding the basic of communication one can eventually remove the barriers. This is
important to understand the cultural gaps and to remove the barriers. The given situation is an
example of psychological barrier. In order to meet the end result it is important to have a better

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understanding. This will gradually allow in meeting the purpose. Communication is an important
parameter to achieve desired goals. In order to reach the end it is important to initiate in a better
way. By this one can attain desired result (Kinloch and Metge, 2014).
Conclusion
To conclude, Cultural barrier in communication creates difference in the mindset of the people.
In order to overcome such barriers it is important to understand the mindset of the other
individual. There are ample of gaps in communication due to multi-cultural environment. It is
important to have an understanding of other culture. A better understanding of the cross cultural
environment will allow in building better relationship. A productive dialogue in between the
parties can be guaranteed through. Hence in order to develop better results it is essential to
overcome the unnecessary communication barriers.

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References
Ang, S. and Van Dyne, L., 2015. Handbook of cultural intelligence. Routledge.
Asante, M.K., 2013. The global intercultural communication reader. Routledge.
Bochner, S. ed., 2013. Cultures in contact: Studies in cross-cultural interaction (Vol. 1).
Elsevier.
Broadbent, D.E., 2013. Perception and communication. Elsevier.
Chen, L. ed., 2017. Intercultural communication (Vol. 9). Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG.
Kinloch, P. and Metge, J., 2014. Talking past each other: problems of cross cultural
communication. Victoria University Press.
Shockley-Zalabak, P., 2014. Fundamentals of organizational communication. Pearson
Warren, T.L., 2017. Cross-cultural Communication: Perspectives in theory and practice.
Routledge.