INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGE

Intercultural Exchange



Intercultural Exchange

Introduction

The field of intercultural communication is usually seen as an area of specialisation within the domain of communication studies. It is an area in which anthropologists on account of their concern with the cultural diversity of humankind should be seriously interested. It is therefore rather difficult to explain why anthropologists have not as yet made any notable contribution to the study of intercultural communication in United States. The aim of this paper is therefore, in the first instance, to bring this very topical field of research to the attention of colleagues in our country.

A second aim of equal status is, once again, to emphasise the importance and sensitive implications of the manifold variations in language and ways of life (culture) when promoting contact and communication between members of the different language and cultural groups in United States. It is therefore an initial hypothesis that the success of intercultural communication is directly related to the extent of the cultural awareness demonstrated in such communication.

One also acknowledges that personal experience and discourse with experts played an appreciated role in the final formulation of the text. To these latter sources no specific references are made because the responsibility for all opinions enumerated must, in the final instance, be my own. Though some of the examples used, have a wider connotation it has been the intention primarily to focus on situations of intercultural contact and communication as found in United States.

Communication studies are a problem-oriented "scientific discipline studying the physical, psychical and sociological aspects of all communication"; where communication is seen as "the transmission of intelligence from one organism to the other through a system of symbols or signs, i.e. through speech or sign language" (my translation) (Plug et al. 1988:183). Those working in this field accept the task of facilitating such processes of communication.

Improve and Internationalize Communication in the Early Stages

Media communication also needs to be adapted. "We were about to make an alliance with a Japanese engineering firm and decided to exchange our presentation brochures by fax. We were totally astonished to discover that they presented their mission as '... committing to contribute to the well-being and development of humanity.' Convincing our president that such ideas could be expressed in Japan without being members of a sect was quite a feat!"

Only by building a truly multicultural communication team will such pitfalls be avoided.

Companies now have to answer calls for tender everywhere on the planet.

Presenting a project on the other side of the world, before an audience of local leaders, international sponsors and international consulting firms, is a complete communication exercise where price, and the elegance of the technical solution, is not sufficient. Different people need to be convinced differently. It is not a matter of using the arguments we think are good, but rather of using the ones they are prepared to listen to. And this cannot be improvised. Many groups now substantially prepare their presentation teams with the help of intercultural communication specialists and natives of the countries ...