The Cross-Cultural Communication - Essay Example

The Japanese may walk out of the negotiations because he feels the American counterpart has no manners. This might end up jeopardizing the negotiations, and this can greatly affect business and the relations between two businesses or companies.
In order to avoid such cases, it is important for one to consider the choice of words when communicating with people from other cultures. Whereas some words may be in common use in some parts of the world, the same words may have a different meaning to other people. It is necessary for one to avoid using controversial words or phrases that may be misunderstood. Secondly, it is important for people to take time and familiarize themselves with the common linguistic limitations of people from other cultures. This can be achieved through experience by interacting with persons from this culture. Thirdly, the above situation can be avoided by giving more detail or explanation. For example, in the above scenario, the American needs to explain to his Japanese counterpart what he really means. This helps remove any doubts or suspicions on the side of the other party.