Business Communications - Essay Example

Running Head Business Communications Business Communications Communication is the most important process which helps human to exchange ideas andthoughts, coordinate their actions and practices. Verbal and nonverbal communication has a great impact on perception and understanding of a person and his/her messages. Verbal communication use language as the main tool of interaction. Language is used to assign meaning to things. Non-verbal communication means communication which is independent of a formal language, communication whereby ideas and concepts can be expressed without the use of coherent labels" (Khan 2001).

In other words, nonverbal communication involves indirect eye contact, closed hands, rigid posture, controlled facial expression. Nonverbally, smiles, head nods, focused eye contact, and facial expressiveness work well (Knapp and Vangelisti 2004). It is possible to say that nonverbal communication is more important to American audience because of cultural and social diversity. All cultures and nations have different behavior patterns and communication patterns which influence their perception of the information and interpretation of the environment.

Non-verbal communication can be interpreted differently by different cultural and religious groups (Gesteland, 1999). First, the vast majority of nonverbal behaviors is intuitive and is based on normative rules. Except for behaviors such as good manners or etiquette, little formal training is provided for nonverbal communication. For instance, eye contact may indicate a liking for the other person. It also serves as simultaneous communication because eye contact allows people to send and receive messages at the same time (Knapp and Vangelisti 2004).

According to cultural traditions, Muslim women avoid direct eye contact while Europeans interpret this behavior as impolite and suspicious. In Japan and China, status and power are shown by eye contact. In meetings, organizational members with the most power will be looked at more often. For an American audience, non-verbal behavior is more important because it requires deep cultural knowledge and skills. Although nonverbal communication has little or no formal structure, it does have a natural set of rules which are recognized through cultural norms (Wood, 2003).

There are nonverbal behaviors that stand by themselves, such as a hitchhiker's thumb, but most nonverbal communication occurs in conjunction with some verbal act. Nonverbal communication operates in the present and is highly dependent on the context, which provides a third distinction, and an important defining characteristic. Some type of response must occur to nonverbal behavior when it happens for the behavior to carry meaning and have an impact on the transaction. Because a great deal of communication occurs in social settings, wrong non-verbal behavior may signal that the individual lacks good manners to be granted credibility in other business dealings.

There is no clear-cut linguistic structure for nonverbal communication even though researchers have found some consistencies in how people interpret nonverbal behaviors (Wood, 2003). Training and cultural studies could help to improve non-verbal communication and behavior. Training is important because non-verbal communication is less rule-bound than verbal communication and is judged more by the situational variables than the absolute correctness of the behavior. A special attention should be paid to specific cultural characteristics such as synchrony, gestures, etiquette and eye contact.

The last two issues offer useful insights into how people evaluate body movement and gestures. "Etiquette provides a good example of the impact of gestures" (Wood 2003, p. 48). Although etiquette clearly includes verbal behaviors, such as correct introductions, titles, and addressing, good manners also demand close adherence to specific nonverbal expectations. Practice and feedback (analysis of the behavior) is another important method to improve non-verbal communication. The power of feedback lies in its capacity to validate the assumptions, constructs, and ideas we have about other people's actions.

Because making inferences is part of the transactional process, use of training and practice, coupled with a feedback and analysis, allows individuals to move toward clearer interpersonal understanding. References1. Gesteland, R. (1999). Cross-Cultural Business and Behavior 2nd edn. Copenhagen Copenhagen Business School Press.2. Khan, A.A. (2001). Non-Verbal Communication: Fact and Fiction. Retrieved 30 October 2007, from http://www.strangehorizons.com/2001/20010226/nonverbal.shtml3. Knapp, M.L. Vangelisti, A. (2004). Interpersonal Communication and Human Relationships.

London: Allyn & Bacon. 4. Wood, J.T. (2003). Interpersonal Communications. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing.