Intercultural Communications and You!

When communicating with other cultures, there are rules of etiquette to remember called the Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication, (Hahn, 2005).

Although I am a stay-at-home mom, I plan on joining the workforce again in a few years. Once I begin my new job, observing the Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication will aid me in facilitating and sustaining healthy professional relationships.

I. Be aware of differing social values;
II. Be aware of differing status symbols and how to demonstrate them;
III. Be aware of decision making customs: not all people like to make decisions quickly and efficiently;
IV. Be aware of concepts of time: not all people like to see time as money;
V. Be aware of personal space: people from different cultures have different 'comfort zones';
VI. Be aware of cultural context: people from certain cultures (called 'high-context cultures) rely less on verbal communication and more on the context of nonverbal actions and environmental settings to convey meaning. People from low-context cultures like the USA rely more on verbal communication and less on circumstances and implied meaning to convey meaning;
VII. Be aware of body language: learn the basic differences in the way people supplement their words with body movement;
VIII. Be aware of different etiquette rules or manners: what is polite in one culture may be considered rude in another;
IX. Be aware of legal and ethical behavior;
X. Be aware of language barriers: English is the most prevalent language in international business, but it's a mistake to assume that everyone understands it.

To say that the United States is a melting pot is an obvious statement. With that fact being recognized, it is still easy to see many people disregarding respect for other cultures. While I was a retail manager, I noticed many employees unjustly mocking customers or other employees for being different. Simply because they did not agree with or understand another person's religious, cultural, or personal beliefs, said employees felt it within their right to judge. I come from a bi-racial family that is mixed with African-American, Irish, Puerto Rican, French, with the list going on and on. I am certain more Americans have the same family history running through their veins, and simply are unaware of such lineage. 

The plethora of cultures present at my own family gatherings has made me more accepting of others. Language barriers can make communication more difficult, but a true professional or better yet, a true human being is willing to work around such minor details. There are many other cultures that rely on body language as the major factor in communication, therefore communicating with other cultures may be as easy as smiling warmly and bowing to acknowledge respect, (Hahn, 2005).

References:

Hahn, M. (2005, December 30). Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication. Retrieved on July 28, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Ten-Commandments-of-Intercultural-Communication&id=120247

Four media technologies that can be found in almost every modern household

Communicating in the modern day world is a great deal easier than it was even 50 years ago. There are several new technologies that have reshaped communication, such as cellular phones, fax machines, e-mail, and television. These devices and others like it are referred to as media technology.

When most people try to imagine what it was like before cell phones, they cannot even remember such an inconvenient time ever existing in their history. No longer hindered by proximity, callers can have conversations anywhere they would like, and often do despite how it might annoy others who might be forced into overhearing private calls. Cell phones are intended for personal and business use; therefore the audience for them is not target-specific. "In fact, in many countries, cellular telephones are more popular than traditional land-line telephones," (Roebuck, 2001, p. 256). The difference between a land-line and a cell phone is that a cell phone can be taken anywhere, whereas a land-line is stuck at home.

Fax machines convey information over phone lines as well, just in a less ephemeral way than cellular phones. Memos and other necessary documents can be quickly transmitted to whoever requests them. Fax machines may appear to be a dying breed of media technology in the new world of e-mail and scanners, but they do serve a purpose. Offices that cannot afford internet or need a hard-copy form of a document can rely on a fax machine, especially because the sender also receives a confirmation that their message was sent successfully, (Roebuck, 2001, p. 257). The audience intended for fax machines would be primarily businesses, but they can certainly appeal to people who wish to maintain a small office in their own home.

E-mail is the quickest way to send an informal memo or message. A message can be sent to someone thousands of miles away with the mere click of mouse. Seconds later, the receiver is opening their virtual mail and reading the message. The only problem with email is that unreliable internet connections can garble a message or even stop it from being sent. Another downside to email is that, unlike a fax machine, there are no confirmations for the sender to feel confident of their message's arrival. The internet has opened up plenty of new media technologies to utilize, but e-mail is by far the most universal.

Television has created a unifying effect as well, because if there is a disaster, the public will know about it within hours or even minutes with a live 'news-breaking broadcast'. News stations keep their viewers informed not only on disasters and weather predictions, but other stories such as ways to solve credit issues. Television shows and movies provide entertainment for the masses, with the quality shows and movies providing insight into culture and possibly even humanity. Each individual news station, show, and movie is geared towards a specific target audience. For example, the HBO show "Sex and the City" most likely has a target audience of 18-49 year old females who enjoy sardonic comedy and have a keen fashion sense.

Media technology changes with each generation. In ten years, the new media technologies will probably amaze and further the convenience of mobile communication.

References:

Roebuck, B., D. (2001).Improving Business Communication Skills[3rd Ed.]. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall

Let's start with.....blog fundamentals.

What is the overall intent behind all blogs? To be read, of course! What makes a blog worth reading? Among other things, purpose, design, content, and audience.

First off, to create a successful blog, one must have a clear purpose in mind. While the idea of an online diary may be fun for the writer, a reader has different motivations that might not include reading about a stranger's personal up's and down's. Therefore, a writer must always consider the reader when deciding their purpose. A purpose will also set a path for the blogs to follow.

Design is another important aspect when creating a blog. Use of color is necessary, but when tastefully executed, it can be elemental. Pictures, background, and the appropriate text are all other building blocks that can make a blog attractive.

Content must also be taken into account in order for a blog to become more than ordinary. Compelling subjects draw in a reader, just as spot-on editing and articulate sentences keep readers coming back.

Finally, after the purpose, design, and content come into focus, it is time to find a voice that is compatible for the audience. There are formal and informal blogs, and each one is designed with particular audiences in mind. A formal blog would likely have an audience of academics, therefore the voice would be professional and use objective phrasing instead of "I" or "you". However, an informal blog might be more of a hybrid between a diary and random, researched thoughts from the writer's brain. The audience could come to expect casual wording and forgive the occasional run-on sentence that damages the flow of a paragraph.

Writing can be a joyful experience, but it can also be one that some dread. Writing a blog can be just as disheartening, but if the proper tools are used, writing in any situation can be a great deal less stressful.