利用语境文化理论阐述识别文化语境差异对商务活动的重要性.docx

Use Low And High-Context Culture Model To Illustrate importance of Differences In Cultural Contexts In Business利用语境文化理论阐述识别文化语境差异对商务活动的重要性Comprehending the verbal and nonverbal meanings of a message is difficult even when communicators are from the same culture. When they come from different cultures, special sensitivity and skills are necessary. We are all human indeed, but from different cultures and different contexts. So it must affect our behaviors in some degree. The similarities and differences between cultures and usually examined in different perspectives. There are some popular theories that are introduced to highlight the underlying factors of cultural differences. And I will illustrate the importance of differences in cultural contexts in business with Hall’s high-context and low-context communication and the differences between the German and the Chinese.To begin with, I should introduce what the high-context and low-context communication is. A high-context (HC) communication or message is one in which most of the information is already in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicitly transmitted part of the message. In high-context cultures most of the information is in the physical context or is internalized in the people who are a part of the interaction. Very little information is actually coded in the verbal message. A low context (LC) communication is the just the opposite; i.e. the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code. In low-context cultures, such as German and American, however, most of the information is contained in the verbal message, and very little is embedded in the context or within the participants. In high-context cultures such as those of Japan, Korea, and China, people tend to be more aware of their surroundings and their environment and do not rely on verbal communication as their main information source. The context of the message is well understood by both sender and receiver.Now I am going to analyze the differences and the importance between the German and the Chinese. The blue ones represent the German, and the red ones stand for the Chinese.Firstly, when they want to express their attitudes or opinions or to solve the problems, they may do like these. We could see that German, who is in low-context cultures, prefer say and do things directly, which is more efficient simple and clear. On the negotiation or in the business the meaning of a sentence or even a word is undoubtfully very important. Secondly, according to a statistic-ranking of forty countries and regions from individualism to collectivism, we know that Germans love to be individual but the Chinese are not. So in business, we could see that Chinese people like to separate works to more people than the Germans, which leads to redundant personnel, crowded or something else.As the negotiating table, differences in this dimension can clearly cause serious conflict. Individual responsibility for making decisions is easy in individualistic cultures; in group-oriented cultures this can be different. Germans too often expect their Chinese counterparts to make decisions right at the negotiating table, and the Chinese are constantly surprised to find individual members of the German team promoting their own positions, decisions and ideas, sometimes openly contradicting one another.Besides business communicators in low-context cultures have little problem confronting, showing anger, or making demands. But the Biz communicators in high-context cultures will avoid confrontation, anger, and emotion in business transactions. But I think it is hard to say which one is better. Maybe the Chinese way?Finally I prefer give a conclude to the two different contexts, and point out that the importance of them in business works. In low-context cultures, relationships begin and end very quickly. People are task-centered; decisions and activities focus around what needs to be done and the division of responsibilities. Communication is seen as a way of exchanging information, ideas, and opinions. Hence people in low-context cultures are more prone to making very explicit statements and seldom express message in nonverbal forms. Contrary to people in high-context culture, silence is regarded as incomprehension.In high-context cultures, people tend to build slow but stable relationships, and how things get dome depends on relationships with people and attention to group process. People make decisions and hold activities preferably in face-to-face communication, and often rely on an authoritative figure. Verbal messages are frequently indirect , especially the ones might cause conflicts. For example, a person in high-context culture seldom expresses disagreement. Information is procided through nonverbal signs such as gestures, facial expressions, the use of space, and even silence. Information and meaning could also be gained through status and through an individual’s informal friends and associate。