Culture is learned from those around you from the moment you are born and affects the decisions you will make throughout your life. It is constantly developing and changing. It is what you are raised to believe and value, and how you are taught to act in various settings. Culture is represented in how you act, think, and dress, as well as your language and how you communicate.
People of different cultures apply different meanings to various verbal and non-verbal forms of communication. Your eye contact, how you sit, how you react to different people in different settings, and what you say and don't say all are forms of communication. If you are not aware of the standard social expectations of another culture, you can easily offend, confuse, be offended, or become confused. Because language is more than just spoken words (or signed [Deaf culture]), quality communication between cultures cannot occur without an understanding of why someone is acting they way he or she is, and how he or she expects you to act and respond.
Culture and communication go hand in hand. When communication occurs, the words, actions, and responses of the sender and receiver are all representations of their cultures. Whether or not the sender and receiver have different, similar, or identical cultural backgrounds does not matter. How you communicate is one of the primary ways you express your culture.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hi Amanda,
Reading this article, I realized there is another field you might apply your ability to understand and interact with people of other cultures.
US Companies that want to move into foreign markets have learned the hard way that they cannot take the American way and just move in. They must first undertand the culture, wants and needs of the market they are entering. Starbucks, Costco and McDonalds are examples of companies that are always moving into new markets.
In marketing classes you will most likely learn about some of the big-time failures.
There are so many differnet avenues open to you with your talent and vocation. It is exciting to watch you grow and to see and hear your passion for the path you are pursuing. Our discussion last night after Lindsey's birthday party gave us an insight into the mature and confident person you have become. You are articulate and exciting to listen to as you describe the culture of communication.
I think when cultures start to lose their communication is when they start to fall apart, and lose some of their actual culture.
Post a Comment