International management must communicate across countries to ensure that everyone understands the rules, attitudes, and ways of doing business. Christopher et al. (2005) assert that people from different countries must know how to talk, act, and follow social rules to share information and ideas. In the global business world, you need to be able to talk to people from other countries. Respect, teamwork, and good work with other countries come from it. When you do business abroad, it is essential to be able to deal. To make polite, fair, and good deals for everyone, you need more than just language skills. You need to know about other countries. To do business with people for a long time, leaders and teams in foreign management need to be able to talk to them and negotiate well.
One big problem with managing people from other countries is that they may talk to each other differently (Wilczewski & Alon, 2023). This can make it hard for teams to work together and for operations to run smoothly. These styles are very different because they are based on cultural values and way of life. When people in the West talk to each other, they like to be straight and keep the conversation simple so that everyone can understand what is being said. In the East, tone of voice, background noise, and body language are often just as important as words in an indirect or high-context way.
Wensveen (2023) argues that these different ways of talking to each other make it hard to manage processes and teams that work across borders. When managers talk to their employees directly, they need to be honest and get to the point so that everyone knows what they need to do. On the other hand, being so direct might be seen as rude or harsh in places where the value of informal communication is high. This needs a more complex approach, which usually means looking between the lines.
It is hard for managers from other countries to deal with these differences well. You need to use this skill in everyday life and when you work with others to solve problems and make choices. It can be easier to work together and get things done if everyone understands and respects the different ways people talk. It helps managers get to know their teams better, which is vital for operations in other countries because it makes a safe and welcoming space.
Talking to people from other cultures is challenging and can hurt business ties (Grossman et al., 2021). Language makes things tricky. Cultural details, idioms, and expressions can make it hard for two people who speak the same language to understand each other. Plans and promises could be misunderstood because of this language barrier, which would slow down conversations. When people bargain based on their society, it makes things even harder. In some places, talks can lead to long-lasting partnerships based on trust and peace. Some people trade tough because they want to get what they want quickly. If people do not know about other countries, these styles might not get along.
Not understanding each other because of culture is more than words and bargaining. People have different ideas about using time, making choices, and following rules. Being on time and following a plan means other things to people from other countries. There are cultures where everyone makes choices and cultures where only the people at the top do. Walker (2021) discusses that these differences could make people angry and unsure, slowing down conversations. Confusion about who is in charge can also be offensive if egalitarianism of fairness and respect are not followed. People who do business with people from other countries need to be kind, flexible, and aware of those cultures.
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions theory shows how cultural values affect how people in international management talk to each other and negotiate. Collectivism vs. Individualism: Cultures that value collectivism (like Japan) value social unity and indirect communication, while cultures that value individualism (like the US) value personal goals and direct communication. The power distance between people shows how much less powerful they are and how they expect power to be distributed (Guan et al., 2020). Malaysia is an example of a high-power-distance society that may value formal rules and hierarchical structures, which can change how negotiations work.
Isensee et al. (2020) discuss that international management can improve if these aspects are understood and used. Clear frameworks and a dislike of risk play a significant role in talks and writing agreements in cultures that often avoid uncertainty, like Greece. Low Uncertainty Avoidance cultures, on the other hand, are more open to new ideas and ways of doing things. International managers should adapt how they talk to and negotiate with people from other cultures for better and more polite relationships with a wide range of teams and partners.
Communication problems in intercultural talks need a variety of approaches. It would help if you listened actively to understand context, subtleties, and behavioural cues (Benetti et al., 2021). This skill helps people who are negotiating read and react to signs. Training in cultural sensitivity can also help people understand other countries and avoid misunderstandings. It can be easier to intervene when multilingual or multicultural team members can help bridge language gaps and offer cultural insights.
Aririguzoh (2022) notes that adapting and understanding other countries is essential when negotiating with them. Adaptability means changing how you talk to people and negotiate based on cultural norms. People dealing with this may need to slow down in cultures that value thought. To have cultural understanding, you need to understand and appreciate the other person’s background and points of view. This understanding builds trust and helps negotiators see and solve cultural problems. These strategies help people from different cultures get along and build good relationships for both sides, which sets the stage for successful foreign negotiations.
The merger of German Daimler-Benz and American Chrysler in 1998 shows how to negotiate across cultures. At first, it seemed like an equal merger, but cultural differences brought problems. Chrysler was more casual and open to change, while Daimler-Benz was more official in its business (Yie et al. n.d). These differences went beyond company culture and included how people talk to each other, make decisions, and lead. Operational problems and the merger’s failure in 2007 were caused by an inability to work out cultural differences. This story shows how important it is to understand and get along with other cultures when doing business across borders and how bad it can be to ignore cultural problems.
This essay concludes that managing multinational companies involves talking to and negotiating with people from other cultures. The debate showed how communication styles that are shaped by culture can affect both teamwork and business operations. Issues with language, negotiation styles, and cultural misunderstandings make it harder for countries to come to a deal. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions can help you deal with these problems. Barriers can be overcome with active listening, training in cultural sensitivity, and the ability to change. The issues at Daimler-Benz and Chrysler show how expensive it is to ignore these problems. To be an excellent international manager, you need to understand, accept, and be able to work with different cultures.
References
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