MEMORANDUM To: Michael Sohan From: Alex Gallo Date: January 10, 2014 Subject: Reaction to Olofssons article

This memo is regarding communication and language internationally. I just finished reading Gwyneth Olofssons article on international communication and language, and it surprised me just how vastly different people can take the way a person says something. The effect culture plays on how those people perceive communication is so profound, its hard to believe that one small, acceptable phrase in one culture can be taken as offensive in another. Even what you dont say can be taken as rude to some people. This is why language and how you use it are important things to consider when interacting with people from different parts of the world. Especially in business, saying the right thing the wrong way may be the difference between a successful meeting, and a flop. In one letter, it spoke of a German manager at a Mexican company. This manager was making his employees feel uncomfortable because he would point out things people did wrong. Olofsson explained that the Germans, much like the Americans, prefer to tell it like it is, which comes across as rude and aggressive to his employees. Another letter explains how certain cultures would rather not ask questions about things they are unsure about in order to save face, or would go through great lengths to avoid directly saying no to someone. This is why reading in between the lines is important, but may be next to impossible for someone who isnt familiar with the culture. Other countries, such as Argentina, France, and Australia, are very vocal in their opinions. Their way of communication is through debate, which may come across as hyper-critical or aggressive to

other cultures like the Swedish, who generally frown upon open conflict. But they think that through arguments and counter-arguments, both parties can arrive at the best conclusion to a problem. Southern Europeans and other Latin countries also have a very fast tempo to their conversations, which involve many interruptions to present different points of view. This may leave more reserved cultures like South Africans frustrated at the rudeness, or completely silent as they wait for a pause in the conversation to speak for themselves. In closing, when interacting with foreigners in the workplace, it would be beneficial to err on the safe side and be polite as possible so as to not come across as disrespectful. A little description on how different cultures communicate can be found between the letters in the article below. https://fiu.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-2144162-dt-content-rid19147413_1/courses/ENC3213_U13_ENC3249_U06_1141/International%20Communication002.pdf