Comments on: Intercultural communication at work: Poles in China

By: Eumira Guillermo

Eumira Guillermo — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 01:32:03 +0000

This blog is indeed helpful not only for students, but for everyone who wants to go abroad. Multinational corporations are increasingly using intercultural communication in the workplace. It also demonstrates the significant influence that linguistic and cultural barriers have, particularly in the workplace.

By: Mary Caryl Lozano

Mary Caryl Lozano — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 01:01:24 +0000

This was such an insightful read!! My father has recently went abroad and I shared this blog with him. He mentioned that the communication strategies written here were helpful, but more than that, his concern was in speaking confidently. Although he is already quite adept with English and he simply went to America, the problem now is overcoming our own anxieties when speaking in English, which might be surprising since we’re Filipinos and English is one of our official languages, but I agree with him and share his anxieties because growing up where English isn’t the dominant language around me, there is a mental barrier to speaking the language that has something to do with culture and confidence.

By: Rosan Ogayon

Rosan Ogayon — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 18:26:53 +0000

This article is a huge help for those planning to study or work abroad because it shares first-hand knowledge of language barriers. As I understand, communication alone cannot decrease uncertainties or the concerns that go along with it, lack of good uncertainty communication proved to have detrimental effects. Contrarily, effective communication strategies in high-uncertainty environments can help reduce uncertainties and forge a unified bond between employees. We are all familiar with uncertain communications in our personal lives. Uncertainty communications occur at work. Perhaps, employees process communications according to their perceptions which are affected by a cognitive disposition to the immediate situation and environmental factors.

By: linguisticslover

linguisticslover — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 03:03:30 +0000

The blog is quite helpful for students who plan on going to other countries for work. I would always romanticize it but I never would have imagined there can be struggles and the reality of going to a whole other country. I agree with the utilization of computers or phones for communication can be easier but it really takes a lot of your time too.

By: Edwin Tatel III

Edwin Tatel III — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 16:14:41 +0000

Thank you for sharing this interesting topic. This really shows how prepared one must be when traveling to another country for work purposes, you may never really be prepared unless you have encountered the environment before. I think it is important for multinational companies to have new employees undergo integration processes so employees are best equipped with language skills and people skills that will help them communicate with each other and lessen miscommunication that can be detrimental for their respective companies.

By: Gyro Guevarra

Gyro Guevarra — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 07:12:21 +0000

This study is beneficial for those planning to study or work abroad as it shares some of the expatriates’ first-hand experiences with language barriers. At first, I wondered why the interviewees didn’t use translation apps; however, I quickly realized that these apps are inefficient. Despite technological advances, it isn’t easy to figure out how to live in countries where the locals speak a different language. I believe learning the local language is still the best way to overcome these barriers. It’ll be challenging and may take years of practice, but it’ll allow us to connect with others’ cultures.

By: Eriz Parazo

Eriz Parazo — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 19:44:52 +0000

Cross-cultural communication can really bring about myriad misunderstandings. Breaking down language and cultural barriers would definitely require a lot of effort and communicative strategies. Reading the firsthand encounters of the interviewees and how they coped with them was really intriguing as they were able to devise ways of how to somehow bridge the gap between their exchanges.

By: Zheng Wei

Zheng Wei — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 02:45:36 +0000

Based on the article, intercultural communication is essential. First of all, intercultural communication is so important since each employee’s individual background, experiences, and skill sets have an impact on how well they perform at work. As a result of their employees’ diverse viewpoints, inclusive businesses have been found to be almost twice as innovative as other businesses. You’ll have a harder time creating an inclusive and diverse workplace if your organization doesn’t have a culture that welcomes people from various backgrounds and encourages good communication across cultures. Diverse teams enable you to interact and engage with a variety of customers more effectively. As a result, there are greater customer relationships and public perceptions of the brand. Therefore, intercultural communication is crucial in a global workforce. Executives and business leaders can achieve effective communication on a worldwide scale with a bit more understanding of the significance of intercultural communication in today’s workplace.

By: Ghayle Roam D. Noche

Ghayle Roam D. Noche — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 06:27:19 +0000

It takes a lot of effort to adjust to a multinational corporation. Language barriers are among the factors that make it difficult for workers to communicate effectively with their colleagues. In the same vein, individuals may experience social isolation as a result of their inability to relate to others. The existence of ad hoc strategies, on the other hand, can help the learners how to develop and behave like their colleagues. I suppose that adapting such strategies can be advantageous to learners because they are able to somehow overcome the given gap in cultural and linguistic constraints.

By: Michal

Michal — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 12:43:00 +0000

In reply to Audrey Guevarra. Thank you Audrey for sharing your experience! Throughout my last two-year pandemic research on international students' experiences in online learning, I have found this strategy also resonates well with students less confident in the language of instruction.

By: Audrey Guevarra

Audrey Guevarra — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 03:51:43 +0000

In reply to Ingrid Piller. Thank you, Dr. Piller! To answer your question, apparently, I have tried conversing with the parents of my Chinese students through WeChat about various Chinese and Filipino practices, places, occasions, experiences, local foods, and such by simply sending pictures and text messages. Through that casual exchange, I can feel a certain level of closeness with them because some are not receptive to sharing.

By: Ingrid Piller

Ingrid Piller — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 05:11:21 +0000

In reply to Audrey Guevarra. Thanks, Audrey! That’s great to hear but wondering how much of a connection you can actually build if you have to rely on machine mediation?

By: Audrey Guevarra

Audrey Guevarra — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 03:50:50 +0000

Ad hoc strategies can indeed lessen the barriers among employees of multinational companies. Personally, I experienced one strategy that was mentioned, which is conversing through an online platform. It is easier for me because the online platform I used has the power to translate sentences for easier understanding between individuals who speak different languages; because of that, we were able to build a connection easily.

By: Mhilea

Mhilea — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 16:40:11 +0000

Hi Dr. Wilczewski! This was a very relatable and interesting blog post. It made me look back to all the discussions we had on Intercultural Communication, particularly in the workplace context. Working in another country is becoming increasingly common for many different reasons and purposes. Some apparent advantages are cultural exploration, a broader network sphere, and varied perspectives on the same industry. Personally, I am looking forward to working in a foreign country. The challenges and scenarios mentioned are some of the most common issues in the workplace when workers from various parts of the world are put together. Workers have a predisposition to remain with their own group of people who speak the same language is expected. Living abroad can cause significant emotional, mental, and physical disruptions to one’s former habits and routines. Innovative and diversified methods to the same responsibilities may be encountered even for an apparently same function in an organization. So, developing intercultural responsibility is vital where all members are accountable for cultivating full and mutually challenging professional relationships. When working overseas, most people are concerned about language and cultural disparities. What is essential is having a set of attitudes and ideas that must be nurtured to effectively make the most of the interactions with individuals from various cultures. This is what cultural competence is, and here are four critical components of cultural competence: awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills.

By: Michał Wilczewski

Michał Wilczewski — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 07:08:02 +0000

Thank you for your feedback, Micaella!

By: Michał Wilczewski

Michał Wilczewski — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 07:05:11 +0000

In reply to Anne Beatriz. Thank you for your comment, Anne Beatriz! Besides local language proficiency, which is surely one of the key assets for adaptation and host interactions, reaching out to internationals experienced in the host country could also be a valuable source of cultural knowledge. Based on the experience of others, one can learn what behavior and communication practices work better than others. Good luck on your cultural learning journey!