International Business

Chapter 3: International Communications

Chapter Summaries

• Verbal communication is sending messages by using words while observing the feedback offered by the receiver.
• Verbal communication challenges include how quickly people speak as well as how much slang they use, differences in technical terms, waiting for translations, understanding how social behaviors affect communication, and other challenges such as noun-verb usage.
• Verbal communication strategies include effective use of key phrases, names, titles, ranks, and business cards; and consideration of differences in time zones and currencies.
• Nonverbal communication is sending messages without the use of words. There are a many cultural differences that affect nonverbal communication, including interpretation of numbers, emblems, personal appearance, colors, smells, and foods.
• Nonverbal communication in a culture can take place through time, silence, space and personal space, and body and eye.
• Effective business behaviors include understanding major holidays that might affect doing business, the proper protocols for giving and receiving gifts, and the correct methods for conducting business meetings and business entertainment.