Culture is a way of life established by a group of people and passed on to succeeding generations. People within a culture usually share common values, beliefs, and perspectives and have the same language and communication style. Although people within a culture must live in close proximity while the culture is being established, future generations frequently relocate to other countries or regions. This creates situations of cross-cultural exchanges.
As we become increasingly diverse, there is a growing demand for cross‑cultural communication in the workplace. Technology allows us to communicate with peers across the globe, as though they were sitting in our offices. Efficient and cost-effective travel makes it possible to communicate face-to-face with clients in other countries. In addition, companies seeking diverse and highly skilled employees find a conglomeration of cultures among them. As a result, employers are emphasizing cross-cultural communication in their own organizations to prepare employees to work with diverse co-workers and clients.
In this course you will learn to: discuss the value of culture and the significance of cross-cultural communication in the workplace, and describe the impact of cultural differences on communication, and avoid miscommunication and conflicts that arise due to these difference.