Communication Skills Cross-Cultural Communication 2

Question 1

What does Hofstede's 'power distance' dimension describe in cross-cultural communication?

Accepted Answer

The degree to which less powerful members of society accept and expect unequal power distribution

Answer

Hofstede's power distance index measures how much inequality between people with different power levels is accepted and expected in a culture, affecting communication directness with authority figures.

Question 2

What is the 'uncertainty avoidance' dimension and how does it affect communication style?

Accepted Answer

The extent to which cultures feel threatened by ambiguity and prefer rules, structure, and clarity

Answer

High uncertainty avoidance cultures (Greece, Japan, France) prefer detailed rules, clear procedures, and explicit communication to reduce ambiguity; low UA cultures (Singapore, Jamaica) are more comfortable with flexibility and improvisation.

Question 3

How should a communicator adapt when working with a culture that values indirect communication?

Accepted Answer

Learn to read contextual signals, avoid pressing for explicit answers, and allow for face-saving language

Answer

Adapting to indirect communication requires learning to interpret contextual cues, avoiding forcing explicit responses that would cause loss of face, and understanding that 'maybe' or 'we'll see' often means no.

Question 4

What is 'proxemics' and how does it differ across cultures?

Accepted Answer

The study of how people use physical space and distance in communication

Answer

Proxemics, coined by Edward Hall, studies how people use personal space in communication — the comfortable distances vary significantly across cultures, creating friction in cross-cultural interactions.

Question 5

In cross-cultural business communication, what does 'yes' sometimes actually mean?

Accepted Answer

Acknowledgment that the speaker has been heard, not necessarily agreement

Answer

In many cultures, particularly high-context Asian cultures, 'yes' often signals 'I hear you' or 'I understand' rather than 'I agree' — critical to understand in business negotiations to avoid false assumptions of consensus.

Communication Skills Practice Test

Communication Skills Practice Test

Communication Skills Cross-Cultural Communication 2