Results of Poor Cross Cultural Awareness

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    • May 2006
    • 161

    Results of Poor Cross Cultural Awareness

    <span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14pt; color: #ce0000; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"><p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14pt; color: #ce0000; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"><p><strong> </strong></p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>Results of Poor Cross Cultural Awareness <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14pt; color: black; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">By Neil Payne <br />MD of Cross Cultural Communication Consultancy, <br />Kwintessential </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: black"><a href="http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/cross-cultural/training.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: en-gb">www.kwintessential.co.uk/cross<wbr />-cultural/training.html</span></a> </span><span style="font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: arial"><p></p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>Having a poor understanding of the influence of cross cultural differences in areas such as management, PR, advertising and negotiations can eventually lead to blunders that can have damaging consequences. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>It is crucial for todays business personnel to understand the impact of cross cultural differences on business, trade and internal company organisation. The success or failure of a company, venture, merger or acquisition is essentially in the hands of people. If these people are not cross culturally aware then misunderstandings, offence and a break down in communication can occur. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>The need for greater cross cultural awareness is heightened in our global economies. Cross cultural differences in matters such as language, etiquette, non-verbal communication, norms and values can, do and will lead to cross cultural blunders. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>To illustrate this we have provided a few examples of cross cultural blunders that could have been avoided with appropriate cross cultural awareness training: <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>An American oil rig supervisor in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Indonesia</place></country-region> shouted at an employee to take a boat to shore. Since it is no-one berates an Indonesian in public, a mob of outraged workers chased the supervisor with axes. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>Pepsodent tried to sell its toothpaste in <place w:st="on">Southeast Asia</place> by emphasizing that it "whitens your teeth." They found out that the local natives chew betel nuts to blacken their teeth which they find attractive. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>A company advertised eyeglasses in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Thailand</place></country-region> by featuring a variety of cute animals wearing glasses. The ad was a poor choice since animals are considered to be a form of low life and no self respecting Thai would wear anything worn by animals. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>The soft drink Fresca was being promoted by a saleswoman in <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">Mexico</country-region></place>. She was surprised that her sales pitch was greeted with laughter, and later embarrassed when she learned that fresca is slang for "lesbian." <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>When President George Bush went to <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Japan</place></country-region> with Lee Iacocca and other American business magnates, and directly made explicit and direct demands on Japanese leaders, they violated Japanese etiquette. To the Japanese (who use high context language) it is considered rude and a sign of ignorance or desperation to lower oneself to make direct demands. Some analysts believe it severely damaged the negotiations and confirmed to the Japanese that Americans are barbarians. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>A soft drink was introduced into Arab countries with an attractive label that had stars on it--six-pointed stars. The Arabs interpreted this as pro-Israeli and refused to buy it. Another label was printed in ten languagges, one of which was Hebrew--again the Arabs did not buy it. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><strong><country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14pt; color: black; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">U.S.</span></place></country-region><span> and British negotiators found themselves at a standstill when the American company proposed that they "table" particular key points. In the <country-region w:st="on">U.S.</country-region> "Tabling a motion" means to not discuss it, while the same phrase in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Great Britain</place></country-region> means to "bring it to the table for discussion." <p></p></span></strong></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>In addition to interpersonal cross cultural gaffes, the translation of documents, brochures, advertisements and signs also offers us some comical cross cultural blunders: <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>Kellogg had to rename its Bran Buds cereal in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Sweden</place></country-region> when it discovered that the name roughly translated to "burned farmer." <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>When Pepsico advertised Pepsi in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Taiwan</place></country-region> with the ad "Come Alive With Pepsi" they had no idea that it would be translated into Chinese as "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead." <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>American medical containers were distributed in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Great Britain</place></country-region> and caused quite a stir. The instructions to "Take off top and push in bottom," innocuous to Americans, had very strong sexual connotations to the British. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>In <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Italy</place></country-region>, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water translated the name into "Schweppes Toilet Water." <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>In a <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Belgrade</place></city> hotel elevator: To move the cabin, push the button for wishing floor. If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should press a number of wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by national order. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>In a Yugoslavian hotel: The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the chambermaid. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>In a <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Bangkok</place></city> dry cleaner's: Drop your trousers here for best results. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>In an East African newspaper: A new swimming pool is rapidly taking shape since the contractors have thrown in the bulk of their workers. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>Detour sign in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Kyushi</city>, <country-region w:st="on">Japan</country-region></place>: Stop--Drive sideways. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>At a <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Budapest</place></city> zoo: Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable food, give it to the guard on duty. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>In conclusion, poor cross cultural awareness has many consequences, some serious others comical. It is imperative that in the global economy cross cultural awareness is seen a necessary investment to avoid such blunders as we have seen above. <p></p></strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"><span><strong>For more information on how Kwintessential can aid you in your cross cultural needs please visit </strong><a href="http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/cross-cultural/cross-cultural-awareness.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: en-gb"><strong>www.kwintessential.co.uk/cross<wbr />-cultural/cross-cultural<wbr />-awareness.html</strong></span></a><strong> </strong></span><span style="font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: arial"><p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><p><font color="#000000"> </font></p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: red"><font size="4"><strong>Sent by Dr. Adil al-Kufaishi</strong></font> <p></p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center" align="center"></p></p></span>
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