Cross Cultural Training Essay

Cross Cultural ability is no longer seen as a soft topic, but is now seen as a required skill in the modern business world due to globalization. The lack of cultural knowledge can be disastrous for a company, and fail in their goals as a business can retaliate with bad customer service and staff contribution. Consequently the company would be wasting time and money without the proper cultural training in their targeted business area. Successful companies mainly use several factors to keep a business growing internationally. For instance, globalized communications, also the media and movements of the people make it complex for international organizations to guarantee their businesses from standing out of the rest. Cross-cultural and intercultural

In this study, communication competence and intercultural communication competence are measured equal even though intercultural communication competence very often looked in cross-cultural context. A lot of theorists struggled the exact definition of the competence in the context of the cultural adaptation. But one of the most common definition is effectiveness (Hawes, and Kealey, 1979;Abe and Wiseman, 1983; Gudyskunst and hammer, 1984). Effectiveness mostly described in terms of abilities, attitudes or traits.

According to cross-cultural psychologist there are three methods of cross-cultural trainings. First is a cognitive method relates to distribution of information, using meetings or non-participative sessions, on a new cultural environment. Second one is affective method points out at irritating individual responses so people can learn how to deal with a critical cultural situations. The last but not least behavioral method aims at improving members ability to adapt their communication style, and starts positive relationships with members of another culture.(Tung,

Vaughn, Lisa. Psychology and Culture: Thinking, Feeling and Behaving in a Global Context. Hove: Psychology, 2010. Print.

4. Hawes, F. and Kealey, D. (1979), "Canadians in development: an empirical study of adaptations and effectiveness on overseas assignment", Communication Branch Briefing Center, Canadian International Development Agency, Quebec.

5. Tung, R.L. (1987), "Expatriates' assignments: enhancing success, minimizing failures", Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 1 No. 2, pp. 117-26.

6. Juffer, KA. (1987). The First Step in Cross- Cultural Orientation: Defining the Problem. In M. Paige (Ed.), Cross Cultural Orientation: New Conceptualizations and Applications (pp. 175-192). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.

7. Befus, C. P. (1988), “A multilevel treatment approach for culture shock experience by sojourners”, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Vol.12, pp.381-400.

8. Kealey, D. J., & Protheroe, D. R. (1996). The effectiveness of cross-cultural training for expatriates: An assessment of the literature on the issue. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 20, 141-165.

9. Shear, E.B. (1993), "Strange encounters: a communication model for cross-cultural adaptation and training", UMI Dissertation Services, Ann Arbor,