assignment for a intercultural communication class

1. Intercultural*Business*Communication*and*Management*
TEACHER:**ZHU*MIN*
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INTERCULTURAL*COMMUNICATION*&*
CONFLICT*MANAGEMENT*
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Name:*Kevin*CECILE*
student*number:*51500114*
signature:**
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2. * 2*
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Table!of!content!
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Introduction*..............................................................................................................................*3*
*****a)*Background*of*the*study*.................................................................................................................*3*
*****b)*The*problem*statement*/*need*for*the*study*.................................................................................*3*
*****c)*Research*questions*.........................................................................................................................*3*
Literature*review*.......................................................................................................................*4*
Hypothesis*.................................................................................................................................*5*
Research*findings*&*suggestions*...............................................................................................*5*
*****a)*The*origin*of*crossRcultural*conflict*between*French*and*Chinese.*................................................*6*
*****b)*Suggestion*to*manage*intercultural*conflicts.*................................................................................*6*
Limitation*of*this*study*..............................................................................................................*6*
Conclusion*.................................................................................................................................*7*
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3. * 3*
Introduction*
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Nowadays,* with* the* globalization* of* the* economy,* the* increase* of* crossRborder* alliances,*
people*from*different*countries*and*culture*are*working*together*within*the*same*company.*
This*fact*has*led*companies*to*think*that*managing*people*from*different*culture,*diversity*in*
company*can*be*a*key*factor*of*success,*in*order*to*do*that*it*is*important*that*things*are*done*
effectively.*
This*study*is*about*conflict*management*in*an*Intercultural*environment.*First*of*all,*it*is*
important*to*define*what*is*a*conflict,*it*is*usually*defined*as*a*real*incompatibility*of*goals,*
values,* expectations,* processes,* or* outcomes* between* two* or* more* interRdependent*
individuals* or* groups.* The* Oxford* dictionary* simply* tell* us* that* a* conflict* is* a* serious*
disagreement*or*argument.**
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a)! Background!of!the!study!
It*is*interesting*to*study*this*topic*because*more*and*more*foreign*students*come*to*study*
here*in*China*each*year.*In*the*same*time,*more*foreign*companies*are*also*coming*in*China,*
and*they*have*to*create*jointRventure*with*Chinese*companies*to*enter*this*markets.*That*
implies* communication* and* cooperation* between* western* and* Chinese* coRworkers* in*
everyday*life.*A*lot*of*FrenchRChinese*companies*had*met*success*but*other*failed,*crossR
cultural*conflicts*are*big*obstacles*for*the*development*in*that*kind*of*companies.*
Intercultural*communication*can*become*a*problem*in*workplaces*where*several*workers*
speak* English* as* a* second* language.* It* is* the* same* in* intercultural* students* group* work.*
Communication*can*exacerbate*the*conflicts*or*help*to*reduce*the*conflicts.*So*understand*
and*managing*intercultural*conflict*can*be*highly*valued.*
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b)! The!problem!statement!/!need!for!the!study!
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This*study*is*important*to*me*because*during*my*stay*in*China*I*experienced*many*group*work*
with*international*students*and*also*Chinese*students*and*several*conflicts*came*up*during*
the*group*work*and*most*of*them*because*of*intercultural*communication*problem.*That*is*
the*reason*why*I*choose*this*research*topic.*
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c)! Research!questions!
What*are*the*communication*problem*behind*the*intercultural*conflicts*among*western*and*
Chinese*coRworkers?*and*what*suggestions*can*we*find*for*dealing*with*that*kind*of*conflicts.**
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4. * 4*
Literature!review!
a)! The*three*phases*of*the*intercultural*interaction*process*
Jitske*Kramer*designed*the*follow*model,*called*The*Cultural*Stepping*Stones:**
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The* Cultural* Stepping* Stones* model* explain* what* and* how* is* a* perfect* intercultural*
interaction.*And*the*intercultural*interaction*will*gone*very*well*if*we*follow*those*stones.*
The*model*starts*with*a*meeting*between*two*cultural*strangers,*in*which*they*are*confronted*
by*different*behaviours*and*thoughts*and*each*stone*lead*to*great*intercultural*collaboration.*
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b)! How*does*intercultural*conflict*differ*from*other*kinds*of*conflict?*
In* their* book* «*experiencing* intercultural* communication*»* Judith* N.* Martin* &* Thomas* K.*
Nakayama*explain*that*intercultural*conflict*has*3*main*characteristics.**
1.! Ambiguity!*
There*is*often*ambiguity*in*intercultural*conflicts.*We*don’t*know*how*to*handle*the*conflict*
or*maybe*the*conflict*is*seen*in*a*different*way*by*the*other*person.*And*the*other*person*may*
not*even*think*there*is*a*conflict**
2.! Language!Issues!*
Language*can*sometimes*lead*to*intercultural*conflict.*And*when*you*don’t*know*the*language*
well,*it*is*very*difficult*to*handle*conflict*effectively**
3.! Contradictory!Conflict!Styles!*
Intercultural*conflict*also*may*be*characterized*by*contradictory*conflict*styles.**
These* very* different* styles* in* handling* conflict* cause* problems* in* the* workplace* and*
sometimes*lead*to*more*conflict.**
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c)! Hofstede*cultural*differences*between*France*and*China.*
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5. * 5*
Among*European*countries*France*has*the*most*cultural*similarities*with*China*however*there*
are*significant*differences*between*those*two*countries*that*can*create*intercultural*conflict.*
The*huge*gap*between*China*and*France*according*to*Hofstede*theory*are*about:**
Individualism:*At*a*score*of*20*China*is*a*highly*collectivist*culture*where*people*act*in*the*
interests*of*the*group*and*not*necessarily*of*themselves.*
Uncertainty* avoidance: At* 86,* French* culture* scores* high* on* Uncertainty* Avoidance.* The*
French*don’t*like*surprises.*They*want*structure*and*planning*are*required.**
Indulgence: China*is*a*restrained*society*as*can*be*seen*in*its*low*score*of*24*in*this*dimension.*
Societies*with*a*low*score*in*this*dimension*have*a*tendency*to*cynicism*and*pessimism.**
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Hypothesis!
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In*my*opinion*intercultural*conflict*between*Chinese*and*French*are*because:*
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1)! People*are*just*not*prepared*to*intercultural*interaction,*the*expect*the*other*to*know*
the*culture*difference*and*adapt*to*it.*
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2)! The*language*problem,*it*is*difficult*to*work*in*a*group*if*there*are*language*difficulties.*
That*will*create*communication*problem,*misunderstanding*and*conflicts.*
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3)! Not*knowing*the*culture*differences*between*members*in*a*groupRwork*can*explain*it.*
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Research!methodology:!Data!collection!&!sampling!plan*
I*have*done*a*structured*data*collection*with*a*questionnaire,*a*large*number*of*closeRended*
question*are*included.*The*group*I*want*to*study*is*Chinese*and*western*students*(with*a*large*
number*of*French*students)*in*the*campus*of*Wenjiang*because*I*am*also*a*student*and*It*will*
be*easier*for*me*to*get*a*large*sample*of*people.*And*those*two*cultures*French*and*Chinese*
are*very*different.*So*I*am*sure*that*my*research*findings*will*be*interesting.*
I*want*a*sample*around*30*people*for*that*survey*in*order*to*have*a*curate*quantitative*study*
that*I*can*generalize*thanks*to*that*large*number*of*participant.*
Research!findings!&!suggestions!
The*data*analysis*plan*is*to*make*a*statistical*study*because*of*the*quantitative*approach*I*
chose* to* undertake.* Thanks* to* my* data* collection* plan,* I* was* able* to* collect* a* lot* of*
information,*different*information*that*I*need*to*analyse.*
First*of*all,*I*identified*the*profile*of*the*people*I*interview*for*example*their*nationality*and*
their*background*with*intercultural*coRworkers.*70%*of*the*respondent*had*to*work*with*some*
from*another*culture*and*among*them*80%*had*done*it*with*someone*that*are*not*from*the*
same* continent.* To* be* clear* there* were* thinking* about* their* intercultural* groupRwork*
experiences*in*SWUFE,*between*Chinese*and*western*people.*
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6. * 6*
a)! The*origin*of*crossRcultural*conflict*between*French*and*Chinese.*
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Different*communication*style*
My*first*finding*is*that*Chinese*and*French*people*are*using*different*communication*style*and*
they*don’t*understand*each*other*style.*Chinese*people*like*to*use*nonRverbal*communication*
(58%)*but*western*don’t*fully*understand*it*and*prefer*verbal*communication*(79%)*in*order*
to* be* clearly* understood.* For* example:* when* Chinese* nod* it* doesn’t* mean* «*Yes*»* but*
«*understood*»*that*could*lead*to*conflict.**
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Language*
86%*of*the*respondent*think*that*language*is*the*main*source*of*intercultural*conflict*because*
language*problem*creates*misunderstandings,*difficulties*to*express*its*opinion.**
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How*they*prefer*to*manage*intercultural*conflict?*
There*are*clearly*two*approaches*to*conflicts.*
Chinese:*indirect*approach,*silence*and*avoidance*may*be*used*to*manage*conflict**
Some* western* (French* people):* direct* approach* to* conflict:* intense* verbal* and* nonverbal*
expression*of*emotion**
It*is*interesting*to*see*that*different*approaches*in*managing*intercultural*conflict*can*do*
increase*the*conflict*by*not*solving*it.*
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b)! Suggestion*to*manage*intercultural*conflicts.*
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After*showing*my*research*findings*about*the*reason*of*intercultural*conflict,*I*will*present*
the*suggestion*that*came*out*from*my*study*about*conflict*resolution:*how*to*turn*conflict*
into*collaboration.*
I*have*divided*the*suggestion*in*three*parts*to*share*the*different*point*of*views:*
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Western!people!suggestion*
Be*flexible*and*be*prepared*to*change*your*habits*and*attitudes**
That*means*approaching*people*with*an*intercultural*sensitivity*and*open*mind.*
Chinese!people!suggestion*
Chinese* people* insist* on* the* language,* speaking* good* English* is* important* to* limit*
misunderstanding* and* confusion.* According* to* them* working* on* English* skills* can* reduce*
intercultural*conflict*and*help*to*manage*them.*
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My!personal!suggestion*
Thanks*to*my*observation*during*my*stay*in*China*and*the*groupRwork*that*I*have*done*with*
Chinese*students.*I*think*that*in*order*to*avoid*intercultural*conflict*we*should*be*careful*of*
nonRverbal*communication.*
For*example:*when*Chinese*people*refuse*to*make*eye*contact*It*can*be*considered*as*a*
strange*behaviour*by*other*culture*like*French*and*create*communication*problem*that*can*
lead*to*conflicts*because*of*misunderstanding.*
Limitation!of!this!study!
To* start* of* with,* I* can* say* that* this* study* has* limitations.* First,* this* study* may* be* not*
representative*of*all*the*Chinese*and*French*people*because*of*the*sample*size*I*have*chosen.*
Geographically*I*choose*to*interview*students*in*Wenjiang,*it*could*have*been*better*if*we*had*

7. * 7*
people*from*other*places*in*Sichuan*or*in*Mainland*China.*Even*if*some*students*I*have*met*
are*not*originating*from*Wenjiang*or*Chengdu.*And*the*thing*is*they*were*students*so*they*
don’t*have*a*lot*of*experience*of*conflict*management*in*an*international*company.*
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Secondly,*an*other*limitation*can*be*the*sample*size.*Maybe*is*not*big*enough*to*provide*an*
accurate*quantitative*study.**
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It*is*also*important*to*recognize*another*limitation,*in*fact*people*deal*with*conflict*in*a*variety*
of*ways.*And*they*may*use*different*styles*with*different*people,*for*example,*even*if*they*are*
from*different*countries*and*cultures,*people*won’t*use*the*same*conflict*management*style*
if*the*person*is*their*boss*or*their*coRworker.*So*the*people*answering*the*survey*may*change*
their*answer*if*the*context*they*are*thinking*about*would*be*different.*
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The*students*that*will*answer*the*questionnaire*may*fall*into*stereotyping,*generalization.*
Because*of*their*lack*of*experience*with*intercultural*conflict*and*their*young*age.**
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Conclusion!
To*conclude,*it*is*clear*that*intercultural*conflict*is*hard*to*avoid*but*identifying*the*the*origin*
like*communication*style,*language*skills,*cultural*differences*can*help*to*handle*that*kind*of*
conflicts.*Intercultural*conflict*management*is*something*that*is*going*to*be*more*and*more*
important*in*the*future.*International*companies*have*to*learn*how*to*handle*them*it*is*also*
for*students*because*more*and*more*students*are*working*with*students*from*other*cultures,*
it*is*their*best*interest*to*make*good*collaboration.*
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Bibliography!
Wilmot,*W.,*&*Hocking,*J.*Interpersonal+conflict+++
Judith*N.*Martin*&*Thomas*K.*Nakayama*:*experiencing+intercultural+communication+
www.geertRhofstede.com*
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