Intercultural Communication in the Workplace Essays

Intercultural Communication in the Workplace Essays Intercultural Communication in the Workplace Paper Intercultural Communication in the Workplace Paper The growth of interdependence of people and ultras in the global society of the 21 SST century has forced us to pay even more attention to intercultural issues. In order to live and function in this multicultural environment as effectively and meaningfully as possible, people must be competent in Intercultural communication, which includes verbal and nonverbal communication. Communicating with people from other cultures can be challenging regardless of where one works. At the same time, ones ability to foster successful communication between people of differing cultures will bolster ones success in business and career. In order to overcome the cultural barriers to effective communication, one must first learn what culture means. Culture is a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations, and norms for behavior. I do have a couple of specific example to discuss but working In human resources. I have to be sensitive to many different cultures and will focus on the different situations I have encountered. The first instance of intercultural communication that comes to mind is a situation where I was trying to explain a policy to an employee. The particular employee who s from India originally but has been in the United States for some time yet is difficult to understand with her strong accent. The employee sent me an e-mail with a question regarding the use of annual and sick leave time and the length she would be allowed to be on vacation and sick leave combined. The second part of the question involved the insurance coverage of a treatment she wanted to receive while visiting India called Arrived (arrived is a system of medicine that originated in India several thousand years ago. The term Arrived combines two Sanskrit words your, which means life, and Veda, which means science or knowledge. Arrived means the science of life). Although this might seem like a simple answer It was not and Involved discussion with her manager and some research to understand what this treatment was all about and if it would be covered. Situations such as this one make it difficult to decide if the best approach is to communicate via e-mail or to attempt to communicate face to face to make sure one understands. The second situation involves a Package employee who works in our building and is from the Somalia. This person came here as a refugee and speaks very little English yet is always friendly and has a smile on his face. At Characteristic, It was suggested to adopt a Tamely Ana someone suggested patting NV Ana Nils Tamely. I tongue It was a wonderful idea yet the group had individuals who objected and said what about one of our employees! I thought that was very selfish and it should not matter whether it was a Court employee or a Package employee. However, the decision was made we would not adopt this family through the Court but a group of us decided it as the right thing to do and worked with Catholic Social Services to make it a special Christmas for him and his family after all but did so anonymously. In the first situation I had to do some research to understand what exactly this treatment was for and why she was not receiving the treatment here in the United States. What I learned is the treatment mainly comprises of powders, tablets, and detections, and medicated oils prepared from natural herbs, plants and minerals. The medicines are from natural sources and not synthetic, they are accepted and assimilated in the body without creating any side effects. Because she was going to be in India visiting family she wanted to take the opportunity to get this treatment from someone she trusted in her own country. I have also learned about the certain comfort zone in this culture as well as weddings can go on for three to four days, which is what she was going there for, and the culture is not good with paperwork. Had I taken the time to explore her culture or even ask her about it I could have learned this and been able to understand where she was coming from instead of making assumptions and Judgments. The result was she was allowed to take her 6 ekes of annual leave but was not able to use sick leave because having the treatment there was a personal choice and the medical insurance would not cover it. Although I thought I was being open to the cultures of others I now recognize that one can take it a step further and take the initiative to learn on my own and ask questions to become educated on the cultures of others. The second situation which involved adopting the family was also very important and was happy that we went to Catholic Social Services for assistance. The biggest factor in this situation was the employees who wanted to participate in this particular nation could but it would have to be anonymous as opposed to the employees presenting the gifts. I was fine with this approach but we again had others who wanted to be recognized for their contribution and choose not to participate. Well, what I learned is the reason it had to be done anonymously is because it might cause humiliation and embarrassment to this Package employee if the group presented the gifts for him and his family. The other reason is the Package employee would have felt like he owed those who donated items something and would have created a ruder for him. All these factors are part of his culture and who he is and I think it would be wrong for anyone to invade those characteristics. Cultures can differ in several ways that affect communication such as; stability: conditions which may be stable or may be changing either slowly or rapidly; cultures vary in the accessibility of information which can make things more complex; composition: because some cultures are made up of many diverse subcultures and generally the fewer subcultures in ones background, the easier communication is because of the fewer attention differences to consider; Acceptance: cultures carry in his or her attitudes toward outsiders, some can be openly hostile, some have a detached aloofness, and others are very friendly and cooperative with strangers. If one can work to bridge the Deterrence antelope above en or seen can Is taking ten relent approach to canceling intercultural communication. It might be easier said then done but I found the following 10 Commandments to follow when trying to bridge intercultural communication: 1) Be aware of differing social values; 2) Be aware of differing status humbly and how to demonstrate them; 3) Be aware of decision making customs: not all people like to make decisions quickly and efficiently; 4) Be aware of concepts of time: not all people like to see time as money; 5) Be aware of personal space: people from different cultures have different comfort zones; 6) 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 n verbal communication and less on circumstances and implied meaning to convey meaning; 7) Be aware of body language: learn the basic differences in the way people supplement their words with body movement; 8) Be aware of different etiquette rules or manners: what is polite in one culture may be considered rude in another; 9) Be aware of legal and ethical behavior; 10) Be aware of language barriers: English is the most prevalent language in international business, but a easy mistake to assume that everyone understands it. If one is willing to learn as much as possible about another ultra it will enhance ones ability to communicate more effectively with many individuals. I know it can be easy to disregard the cultures of others and think because we are in the United States each person should become accustom to the way things work here. However, I have to say that approach would be selfish and the reality is we can learn so much f rom other cultures that might do one some good!

The Meaning of Social Order in Sociology

The Meaning of Social Order in Sociology Social order is a fundamental concept in sociology that refers to the way in which the various components of society- social structures and institutions, social relations, social interactions and behavior, and cultural features such as norms, beliefs, and values- work together to maintain the status quo. Outside the field of sociology, people often use the term social order to refer to a state of stability and consensus that exists in the absence of chaos and upheaval. Sociologists, however, have a more complex understanding of the term. Within the field, it refers to the organization of many interrelated parts of a society. Social order is present when individuals agree to a shared social contract that states that certain rules and laws must be abided and certain standards, values, and norms maintained. Social order can be observed within national societies, geographical regions, institutions and organizations, communities, formal and informal  groups, and even at the scale of global society. Within all of these, social order is most often hierarchical in nature; some people hold more power than others in order to enforce the laws, rules, and norms necessary for the preservation of social order. Practices, behaviors, values, and beliefs that are counter to those of the social order are typically framed as deviant and/or dangerous  and are curtailed through the enforcement of laws, rules, norms, and taboos. Social Order Follows a Social Contract The question of how social order is achieved and maintained is the question that gave birth to the field of sociology. In his book  Leviathan, English philosopher Thomas Hobbes laid the groundwork for the exploration of this question within the social sciences. Hobbes recognized that without some form of social contract, there could be no society, and chaos and disorder would reign. According to Hobbes, modern states were created in order to provide social order. People agree to empower the state to enforce the rule of law, and in exchange, they give up some individual power. This is the essence of the social contract that lies at the foundation of Hobbess theory of social order. As sociology became an established field of study, early thinkers became keenly interested in the question of social order. Founding figures like Karl Marx and Émile Durkheim focused their attention on the significant transitions that occurred before and during their lifetimes, including industrialization, urbanization, and the waning of religion as a significant force in social life. These two theorists, though, had polar opposite views on how social order is achieved and maintained, and to what ends. Durkheims Cultural Theory of Social Order Through his study of the role of religion in primitive and traditional societies, French sociologist Émile Durkheim came to believe that social order arose out the shared beliefs, values, norms, and practices of a given group of people. His view locates the origins of social order in the practices and interactions of daily life as well as those associated with rituals and important events. In other words, it is a theory of social order that puts culture at the forefront. Durkheim theorized that it was through the culture shared by a group, community, or society that a sense of social connection- what he called solidarity- emerged between and among people and that worked to bind them together into a collective. Durkheim referred to a groups shared collection of beliefs, values, attitudes, and knowledge as the collective conscience. In primitive and traditional societies Durkheim observed that sharing these things was enough to create a mechanical solidarity that bound the group together. In the larger, more diverse, and urbanized societies of modern times, Durkheim observed that it was the recognition of the need to rely on each other to fulfill different roles and functions that bound society together. He called this organic solidarity. Durkheim also observed that social institutions- such as the state, media, education, and law enforcement- play formative roles in fostering a collective conscience in both traditional and modern societies. According to Durkheim, it is through our interactions with these institutions and with the people around us that we participate in the maintenance of rules and norms and behavior that enable the smooth functioning of society. In other words, we work together to maintain social order. Durkheims view became the foundation for the functionalist perspective,  which views society as the sum of interlocking and interdependent parts that evolve together to maintain social order. Marxs Critical Theory of Social Order German philosopher Karl Marx took a different view of social order. Focusing on the transition from pre-capitalist to capitalist economies and their effects on society, he developed a theory of social order centered on the economic structure of society and the social relations involved in the production of goods. Marx believed that these aspects of society were responsible for producing the social order, while others- including social institutions and the state- were responsible for maintaining it. He referred to these two different components of society as the base and the superstructure. In his writings on capitalism, Marx argued that the superstructure grows out of the base and reflects the interests of the ruling class that controls it. The superstructure justifies how the base operates, and in doing so, justifies the power of the ruling class. Together, the base and the superstructure create and maintain social order. From his observations of history and politics, Marx concluded that the shift to a capitalist industrial economy throughout Europe created a class of workers who were exploited by company owners and their financiers. The result was a hierarchical class-based society in which a small minority held power over the majority, whose labor they used for their own financial gain. Marx believed that social institutions did the work of spreading the values and beliefs of the ruling class in order to maintain a social order that would serve their interests and protect their power. Marxs critical view of social order is the basis of the conflict theory perspective in sociology, which views social order as a precarious state shaped by ongoing conflicts between groups that are competing for access to resources and power. Putting Both Theories to Work While some sociologists align themselves with either Durkheims or Marxs view of social order, most recognize that both theories have merit. A nuanced understanding of social order must acknowledge that it is the product of multiple and sometimes contradictory processes. Social order is a necessary feature of any society and it is deeply important for building a sense of belonging and connection with others. At the same time, social order is also responsible for producing and maintaining oppression. A true understanding of how social order is constructed must take all of these contradictory aspects into account.