A clear and complete summary of the book 'Introducing Intercultural Communication' by Lui et al., which is the content for the exam in the first year of the IBC course.
Chapter 1: The global village
Small world experiment (Milgram, 1967)
- Six degrees of separation (network theory)
- Everybody was separated by six other people in order to connect with the whole world
- How many steps does it take to connect two random people in the world
- How people can become closer together, linked
Small world experiment 2.0 (Zuckerberg, 2012)
- FB calculated the distance between 2 FB users 3.57 connections
The world as a village
- Global village: a future world in which communication technology brings news and
information to the most remote parts of the world. (McLuhan, 1962)
- Situation today
o Information is ubiquitous (mass media)
o Communication is 24/7
o Communication is potentially global
Influence of own cultural perspective
- Language
- Manners (formal/informal)
- Orientation towards time
Cultural home = individual’s sense of belonging to an ethnic, racial or geographic community with
shared traditions and practices
Globalization = the process of interconnectedness between societies, so that events in one place of
the world have more and deeper effects on people and societies far away.
- The widening, deepening and speeding up of worldwide interconnectedness in all aspects of
contemporary social life. This interconnectivity breaks down the boundary between East and
West.
In business:
- The increase of trade around the world, especially by large companies producing or trading
goods in many different countries.
- The idea that the world is developing a single economy and culture as a result of improved
technology and communications and the influence of very large multinational companies.
KOF index of globalization
- Economic globalization: trade and investment flows, import/export
- Social globalization: personal contact, information flows, number of McDonalds restaurants,
IKEA stores, etc.
- Political globalization: foreign embassies in a country, membership of international
organizations, participation in UN missions, involvement in international trade agreements
,Three perspectives on globalization
1. Globalists: inevitable development, cannot be resisted or significantly influenced by human
intervention
2. Traditionalists: most economic and social activity is regional, rather than global, significant
role of nation-states
3. Transformationalists: significant shift, but there is still significant scope for national, local
and other agencies
Contributors to cultural diversity:
1. Advanced technology and transportation, and increased mobility
o Easier to travel, easier to interact
o Smaller, yet more diverse world
o Challenge: Understanding other cultures
2. Global economy and business transactions
o Global transformation: local markets as diverse as global markets
o International expansion: MNCs operating globally, and outsourcing to low-wage
countries
o Diverse workforce: migrant workers, expats
o Challenge: Understanding cultural tensions created by economic
transformations we face in intercultural communication in business context
3. Mass (im)migration and international exchange
o Immigration flow, from developing to developed countries
o Migrant workers who move to a host country temporarily
o Student exchanges
o Challenge: facilitating inter-ethnic co-existence
Necessity and benefits of intercultural communication
- Multiculturalism
o The composition of a society made up of diverse cultures
o A society’s tolerance to diversity and acceptance of equal societal participation of
diverse groups
- Building intercultural understanding
o Become aware of cultural rules by being confronted with cultural rules of others that
are different
- Promoting international business exchange
o Communicating with unfamiliar cultures does not simply mean finding a translator
o Understanding cultures and cultural differences is the key to successful business
exchange
- Facilitating cross-cultural adaptation
o The tension between immigrants and host nationals often centres on the issue of
cultural maintenance – melting pot or salad bowl?
, Chapter 3 – Communication and culture
Communication = the process by which people use shared verbal or nonverbal codes, systems, and
media to exchange information in a particular cultural context.
Effective communication
The closer the interpreted meaning (receiver) is to the intended meaning (sender), the more
effective the communication
The Linear Model (transmission model) – Shannan & Weaver
Sender has to formulate something (encode information) Send to the receiver who interpreters
the message (decode information)
- One-way communication only – no room for feedback
- Context and situation not represented
- Non-verbal communication not represented
Sender has to formulate something (encode information) Send to the receiver who interpreters
the message (decode information) Give feedback to the sender
The Interactive Model – Schramm
- Sender and receiver communicate simultaneously
- Communication is interactive
- Communication takes place in a particular context, and is influenced by that context
The Multilayer Model – Targowski & Bowman
- Contextual knowledge is included
- Verbal and non-verbal codes
- Model shows complexity of intercultural communication
- Multiple layers/factors (10)
1. Physical link
o Presence & frequency of use of communication channel/means?
2. Systems link
o Is the channel or medium appropriate for sending the message?
3. Audience link
o Does the message fit the audience?
o Size of audience, knowledge, attitude
4. Session link
o Is the message sent and received at the same time and under the same
circumstances?
o Time zones (and e.g. season differences – winter/summer)
o Appropriateness of time/moment (e.g. after work, public holidays)
5. Environmental link
o In which environment is the message produced? Do sender and receiver experience
the environment in a similar way?
6. Functions / role link
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller fleurkok. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.08. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
