Intercultural Communication: Elements, Analysis, and Implications

This report provides an analysis of the elements of intercultural communication, focusing on the differences between monochronic and polychronic orientations, high and low context communication styles, and the impact of these differences on business and leadership. The report highlights how different cultures prioritize time, communication, and relationships, and how these differences can affect interactions. The report includes examples from American, European, Latin American, and Asian cultures. It also discusses how individualistic and collectivistic cultures influence communication styles and how personal beliefs shape leadership approaches. The report emphasizes the importance of respecting cultural differences and understanding how these differences influence communication and management styles.

Elements of Intercultural Communication

Answers
Monochronic orientation emphasize on linear sequencing while polychronic orientation typically
prefer doing multiple things at a time. Monochronic people value orderliness and like to
concentrate on the job at hand. For example, American or European businessmen do not like a
person who is always interrupted by phone calls. On the other hand, Latin American or Asian
managers typically shows polychronic culture who have an open door, where a ringing phone
and a meeting all may go on at the same time (Medeiros, 2019).
Beliefs are faiths of people that hold to be true in a specific society who typically share collective
values. For example, Americans believe that anyone who works hard will be wealthy and
successful. The basic of this belief is the American value of giving importance to wealth
(Bénabou & Tirole, 2016).
Individualistic cultures have a low-context communication style which is precise and direct
unlike collectivistic cultures where reading between the line is necessary. Individualistic cultures
emphasize more on the informational function of communication, whereas relational function is
given more importance in collectivistic cultures (Merkin, 2018). Another key difference between
the two is collectivist cultures tend to be less direct in conflict situations, whereas Individualistic
are relatively tolerant of conflicts and go for solution-oriented approach.
My strongly beliefs are showing respect to others, learning from mistakes and Contributing
through fairness which all are important for contemporary leadership.
High-context implies to implicitly transfer more the unspoken information during
communication, whereas information is exchanged explicitly through the message itself in low-
context. High context people such as Asians give importance to long-term relationships and
loyalty and have fewer structures. People of low-context cultures such as the British have short-
term relationships, closely follow rules and are task-oriented.

References
Medeiros, R. P. R. D. (2019). The impact of cultural time perception In economic behavior: a
reinforcement of Max Weber's thesis (Doctoral dissertation).
Bénabou, R., & Tirole, J. (2016). Mindful economics: The production, consumption, and value
of beliefs. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 30(3), 141-64.
Merkin, R. S. (2018). Individualism-Collectivism and Saving Face. In Saving Face in
Business (pp. 81-117). Palgrave Macmillan, New York.