Additional insights into are offered by Beyond Intractability project participants.
The challenge is that even with all the good will in the world, miscommunication is likely to happen, especially when there are significant cultural differences between communicators. Miscommunication may lead to conflict, or aggravate conflict that already exists. We make -- whether it is clear to us or not -- quite different meaning of the world, our places in it, and our relationships with others. In this module, cross-cultural communication will be outlined and demonstrated by examples of ideas, attitudes, and behaviors involving four variables:
Face and face-saving, nonverbal communication.
As our familiarity with these different starting points increases, we are cultivating cultural fluency -- awareness of the ways cultures operate in communication and conflict, and the ability to respond effectively to these differences.
Time is one of the most central differences that separate cultures and cultural ways of doing things. In the West, time tends to be seen as quantitative, measured in units that reflect the march of progress. It is logical, sequential, and present-focused, moving with incremental certainty toward a future the ego cannot touch and a past that is not a part of now. Novinger calls the United States a "chronocracy," in which there is such reverence for efficiency and the success of economic endeavors that the expression "time is money" is frequently heard.[2] This approach to time is called monochronic -- it is an approach that favors linear structure and focus on one event or interaction at a time. Robert's Rules of Order, observed in many Western meetings, enforce a monochronic idea of time.
In the East, time feels like it has unlimited continuity, an unraveling rather than a strict boundary. Birth and death are not such absolute ends since the universe continues and humans, though changing form, continue as part of it. People may attend to many things happening at once in this approach to time, called polychronous. This may mean many conversations in a moment (such as a meeting in which people speak simultaneously, "talking over" each other as they discuss their subjects), or many times and peoples during one process (such as a ceremony in which those family members who have died are felt to be present as well as those yet to be born into the family).
A good place to look to understand the Eastern idea of time is India. There, time is seen as moving endlessly through various cycles, becoming and vanishing. Time stretches far beyond the human ego or lifetime. There is a certain timeless quality to time, an aesthetic almost too intricate and vast for the human mind to comprehend. Consider this description of an aeon, the unit of time which elapses between the origin and destruction of a world system: "Suppose there is a mountain, of very hard rock, much bigger than the Himalayas; and suppose that a man, with a piece of the very finest cloth of Benares, once every century should touch that mountain ever so slightly -- then the time it would take him to wear away the entire mountain would be about the time of an Aeon."[3]
Differences over time can play out in painful and dramatic ways in negotiation or conflict-resolution processes. An example of differences over time comes from a negotiation process related to a land claim that took place in Canada. First Nations people met with representatives from local, regional, and national governments to introduce themselves and begin their work. During this first meeting, First Nations people took time to tell the stories of their people and their relationships to the land over the past seven generations. They spoke of the spirit of the land, the kinds of things their people have traditionally done on the land, and their sacred connection to it. They spoke in circular ways, weaving themes, feelings, ideas, and experiences together as they remembered seven generations into the past and projected seven generations forward.
When it was the government representatives' chance to speak, they projected flow charts showing internal processes for decision-making and spoke in present-focused ways about their intentions for entering the negotiation process. The flow charts were linear and spare in their lack of narrative, arising from the bureaucratic culture from which the government representatives came. Two different conceptions of time: in one, time stretches, loops forward and back, past and future are both present in this time. In the other, time begins with the present moment and extends into the horizon in which the matters at hand will be decided.
Neither side felt satisfied with this first meeting. No one addressed the differences in how time was seen and held directly, but everyone was aware that they were not "on the same page." Each side felt some frustration with the other. Their notions of time were embedded in their understandings of the world, and these understandings informed their common sense about how to proceed in negotiations. Because neither side was completely aware of these different notions of time, it was difficult for the negotiations to proceed, and difficult for each side to trust the other. Their different ideas of time made communication challenging.
This meeting took place in the early 1990s. Of course, in this modern age of high-speed communication, no group is completely disconnected from another. Each group -- government and First Nations representatives -- has had some exposure to the other's ideas of time, space, and ideas about appropriate approaches to negotiation. Each has found ways to adapt. How this adaptation takes place, and whether it takes place without one side feeling they are forced to give in to the other, has a significant impact on the course of the negotiations.
It is also true that cultural approaches to time or communication are not always applied in good faith, but may serve a variety of motives. Asserting power, superiority, advantage, or control over the course of the negotiations may be a motive wrapped up in certain cultural behaviors (for example, the government representatives' detailed emphasis on ratification procedures may have conveyed an implicit message of control, or the First Nations' attention to the past may have emphasized the advantages of being aware of history). Culture and cultural beliefs may be used as a tactic by negotiators; for this reason, it is important that parties be involved in collaborative-process design when addressing intractable conflicts. As people from different cultural backgrounds work together to design a process to address the issues that divide them, they can ask questions about cultural preferences about time and space and how these may affect a negotiation or conflict-resolution process, and thus inoculate against the use of culture as a tactic or an instrument to advance power.
Any one example will show us only a glimpse of approaches to time as a confounding variable across cultures. In fact, ideas of time have a great deal of complexity buried within them. Western concepts of time as a straight line emanating from no one in particular obscure the idea that there are purposive forces at work in time, a common idea in indigenous and Eastern ways of thought. From an Eastern or indigenous perspective, Spirit operates within space and time, so time is alive with purpose and specific meanings may be discerned from events. A party to a negotiation who subscribes to this idea of time may also have ideas about fate, destiny, and the importance of uncovering "right relationship" and "right action." If time is a circle, an unraveling ball of twine, a spiral, an unfolding of stories already written, or a play in which much of the set is invisible, then relationships and meanings can be uncovered to inform current actions. Time, in this polychronic perspective, is connected to other peoples as well as periods of history.
This is why a polychronic perspective is often associated with a communitarian starting point. The focus on the collective, or group, stretching forward and back, animates the polychronic view of time. In more monochronic settings, an individualist way of life is more easily accommodated. Individualists can more easily extract moments in time, and individuals themselves, from the networks around them. If time is a straight line stretching forward and not back, then fate or destiny may be less compelling. (For more on this, see the essay on Communication Tools for Understanding Cultural Difference .)
Another important variable affecting communication across cultures is fate and personal responsibility. This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives, versus the degree to which we see ourselves as subject to things outside our control. Another way to look at this is to ask how much we see ourselves able to change and maneuver, to choose the course of our lives and relationships. Some have drawn a parallel between the emphasis on personal responsibility in North American settings and the landscape itself.[4] The North American landscape is vast, with large spaces of unpopulated territory. The frontier mentality of "conquering" the wilderness, and the expansiveness of the land stretching huge distances, may relate to generally high levels of confidence in the ability to shape and choose our destinies.
In this expansive landscape, many children grow up with an epic sense of life, where ideas are big, and hope springs eternal. When they experience setbacks, they are encouraged to redouble their efforts, to "try, try again." Action, efficacy, and achievement are emphasized and expected. Free will is enshrined in laws and enforced by courts.
Now consider places in the world with much smaller territory, whose history reflects repeated conquest and harsh struggles: Northern Ireland, Mexico, Israel, Palestine. In these places, there is more emphasis on destiny's role in human life. In Mexico, there is a legacy of poverty, invasion, and territorial mutilation. Mexicans are more likely to see struggles as inevitable or unavoidable. Their fatalistic attitude is expressed in their way of responding to failure or accident by saying "ni modo" ("no way" or "tough luck"), meaning that the setback was destined.
This variable is important to understanding cultural conflict. If someone invested in free will crosses paths with someone more fatalistic in orientation, miscommunication is likely. The first person may expect action and accountability. Failing to see it, they may conclude that the second is lazy, obstructionist, or dishonest. The second person will expect respect for the natural order of things. Failing to see it, they may conclude that the first is coercive or irreverent, inflated in his ideas of what can be accomplished or changed.
Another important cultural variable relates to face and face-saving . Face is important across cultures, yet the dynamics of face and face-saving play out differently. Face is defined in many different ways in the cross-cultural communication literature. Novinger says it is "the value or standing a person has in the eyes of others...and that it relate[s] to pride or self-respect."[5] Others have defined it as "the negotiated public image, mutually granted each other by participants in [communication]."[6] In this broader definition, face includes ideas of status, power, courtesy, insider and outsider relations, humor, and respect. In many cultures, maintaining face is of great importance, though ideas of how to do this vary.
The starting points of individualism and communitarianism are closely related to face. If I see myself as a self-determining individual, then face has to do with preserving my image with others and myself. I can and should exert control in situations to achieve this goal. I may do this by taking a competitive stance in negotiations or confronting someone who I perceive to have wronged me. I may be comfortable in a mediation where the other party and I meet face to face and frankly discuss our differences.
If I see my primary identification as a group member, then considerations about face involve my group. Direct confrontation or problem-solving with others may reflect poorly on my group, or disturb overall community harmony. I may prefer to avoid criticism of others, even when the disappointment I have concealed may come out in other, more damaging ways later. When there is conflict that cannot be avoided, I may prefer a third party who acts as a shuttle between me and the other people involved in the conflict. Since no direct confrontation takes place, face is preserved and potential damage to the relationships or networks of relationships is minimized.
Nonverbal communication is hugely important in any interaction with others; its importance is multiplied across cultures. This is because we tend to look for nonverbal cues when verbal messages are unclear or ambiguous, as they are more likely to be across cultures (especially when different languages are being used). Since nonverbal behavior arises from our cultural common sense -- our ideas about what is appropriate, normal, and effective as communication in relationships -- we use different systems of understanding gestures, posture, silence, spacial relations, emotional expression, touch, physical appearance, and other nonverbal cues. Cultures also attribute different degrees of importance to verbal and nonverbal behavior.
Low-context cultures like the United States and Canada tend to give relatively less emphasis to nonverbal communication. This does not mean that nonverbal communication does not happen, or that it is unimportant, but that people in these settings tend to place less importance on it than on the literal meanings of words themselves. In high-context settings such as Japan or Colombia, understanding the nonverbal components of communication is relatively more important to receiving the intended meaning of the communication as a whole.
Some elements of nonverbal communication are consistent across cultures. For example, research has shown that the emotions of enjoyment, anger, fear, sadness, disgust, and surprise are expressed in similar ways by people around the world.[7] Differences surface with respect to which emotions are acceptable to display in various cultural settings, and by whom. For instance, it may be more social acceptable in some settings in the United States for women to show fear, but not anger, and for men to display anger, but not fear.[8] At the same time, interpretation of facial expressions across cultures is difficult. In China and Japan, for example, a facial expression that would be recognized around the world as conveying happiness may actually express anger or mask sadness, both of which are unacceptable to show overtly.[9]
These differences of interpretation may lead to conflict, or escalate existing conflict. Suppose a Japanese person is explaining her absence from negotiations due to a death in her family. She may do so with a smile, based on her cultural belief that it is not appropriate to inflict the pain of grief on others. For a Westerner who understands smiles to mean friendliness and happiness, this smile may seem incongruous and even cold, under the circumstances. Even though some facial expressions may be similar across cultures, their interpretations remain culture-specific. It is important to understand something about cultural starting-points and values in order to interpret emotions expressed in cross-cultural interactions.
Another variable across cultures has to do with proxemics, or ways of relating to space. Crossing cultures, we encounter very different ideas about polite space for conversations and negotiations. North Americans tend to prefer a large amount of space, perhaps because they are surrounded by it in their homes and countryside. Europeans tend to stand more closely with each other when talking, and are accustomed to smaller personal spaces. In a comparison of North American and French children on a beach, a researcher noticed that the French children tended to stay in a relatively small space near their parents, while U.S. children ranged up and down a large area of the beach.[10]
The difficulty with space preferences is not that they exist, but the judgments that get attached to them. If someone is accustomed to standing or sitting very close when they are talking with another, they may see the other's attempt to create more space as evidence of coldness, condescension, or a lack of interest. Those who are accustomed to more personal space may view attempts to get closer as pushy, disrespectful, or aggressive. Neither is correct -- they are simply different.[11]
Also related to space is the degree of comfort we feel moving furniture or other objects. It is said that a German executive working in the United States became so upset with visitors to his office moving the guest chair to suit themselves that he had it bolted to the floor.[12] Contrast this with U.S. and Canadian mediators and conflict-resolution trainers, whose first step in preparing for a meeting is not infrequently a complete rearrangement of the furniture.
Finally, line-waiting behavior and behavior in group settings like grocery stores or government offices is culturally-influenced. Novinger reports that the English and U.S. Americans are serious about standing in lines, in accordance with their beliefs in democracy and the principle of "first come, first served."[13] The French, on the other hand, have a practice of resquillage , or line jumping, that irritates many British and U.S. Americans. In another example, immigrants from Armenia report that it is difficult to adjust to a system of waiting in line, when their home context permitted one member of a family to save spots for several others.
These examples of differences related to nonverbal communication are only the tip of the iceberg. Careful observation, ongoing study from a variety of sources, and cultivating relationships across cultures will all help develop the cultural fluency to work effectively with nonverbal communication differences.
Each of the variables discussed in this module -- time and space, personal responsibility and fate, face and face-saving, and nonverbal communication -- are much more complex than it is possible to convey. Each of them influences the course of communications, and can be responsible for conflict or the escalation of conflict when it leads to miscommunication or misinterpretation. A culturally-fluent approach to conflict means working over time to understand these and other ways communication varies across cultures, and applying these understandings in order to enhance relationships across differences.
[1] Many of these ideas are discussed in more detail in LeBaron, Michelle. Bridging Cultural Conflicts. A New Approach for a Changing World. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2003.
[2] Novinger, Tracy. Intercultural Communication . Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2001, P. 84.
[3] Conze, Edward. Buddhism: Its Essence and Development . New York: HarperCollins, 1951, p. 49.
[4] For more about correspondences between landscape and national psyches, see: Novinger, Tracy. Intercultural Communication . Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2001.
[5] Novinger, p. 31
[6] Okun, Barbara F., Fried, Jane, Okun, Marcia L. Understanding Diversity. A Learning as Practice Primer . Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing, 1999, pp. 59-60.
[7] Ibid., p. 78.
[9] Novinger, p. 65.
[10] Ibid., p. 67.
[11] Ibid., pp. 68-69.
[12] Ibid., p. 68.
Use the following to cite this article: LeBaron, Michelle. "Cross-Cultural Communication." Beyond Intractability . Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Information Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Posted: July 2003 < http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/cross-cultural-communication >.
The intractable conflict challenge.
Our inability to constructively handle intractable conflict is the most serious, and the most neglected, problem facing humanity. Solving today's tough problems depends upon finding better ways of dealing with these conflicts. More...
Get the Newsletter Check Out Our Quick Start Guide
Educators Consider a low-cost BI-based custom text .
Constructive Conflict Initiative
Join Us in calling for a dramatic expansion of efforts to limit the destructiveness of intractable conflict.
Practical things we can all do to limit the destructive conflicts threatening our future.
A free, open, online seminar exploring new approaches for addressing difficult and intractable conflicts. Major topic areas include:
Scale, Complexity, & Intractability
Massively Parallel Peacebuilding
Authoritarian Populism
Constructive Confrontation
An look at to the fundamental building blocks of the peace and conflict field covering both “tractable” and intractable conflict.
Beyond Intractability / CRInfo Knowledge Base
Home / Browse | Essays | Search | About
Links to thought-provoking articles exploring the larger, societal dimension of intractability.
Information about interesting conflict and peacebuilding efforts.
Disclaimer: All opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Beyond Intractability or the Conflict Information Consortium.
Beyond Intractability
Unless otherwise noted on individual pages, all content is... Copyright © 2003-2022 The Beyond Intractability Project c/o the Conflict Information Consortium All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced without prior written permission.
Guidelines for Using Beyond Intractability resources.
Citing Beyond Intractability resources.
Photo Credits for Homepage, Sidebars, and Landing Pages
Contact Beyond Intractability Privacy Policy The Beyond Intractability Knowledge Base Project Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess , Co-Directors and Editors c/o Conflict Information Consortium Mailing Address: Beyond Intractability, #1188, 1601 29th St. Suite 1292, Boulder CO 80301, USA Contact Form
Powered by Drupal
production_1
Open Access is an initiative that aims to make scientific research freely available to all. To date our community has made over 100 million downloads. It’s based on principles of collaboration, unobstructed discovery, and, most importantly, scientific progression. As PhD students, we found it difficult to access the research we needed, so we decided to create a new Open Access publisher that levels the playing field for scientists across the world. How? By making research easy to access, and puts the academic needs of the researchers before the business interests of publishers.
We are a community of more than 103,000 authors and editors from 3,291 institutions spanning 160 countries, including Nobel Prize winners and some of the world’s most-cited researchers. Publishing on IntechOpen allows authors to earn citations and find new collaborators, meaning more people see your work not only from your own field of study, but from other related fields too.
Brief introduction to this section that descibes Open Access especially from an IntechOpen perspective
Want to get in touch? Contact our London head office or media team here
Our team is growing all the time, so we’re always on the lookout for smart people who want to help us reshape the world of scientific publishing.
Home > Books > Globalization - Education and Management Agendas
Submitted: 21 December 2011 Published: 17 August 2012
DOI: 10.5772/45816
Cite this chapter
There are two ways to cite this chapter:
From the Edited Volume
Edited by Hector Cuadra-Montiel
To purchase hard copies of this book, please contact the representative in India: CBS Publishers & Distributors Pvt. Ltd. www.cbspd.com | [email protected]
Chapter metrics overview
27,632 Chapter Downloads
Impact of this chapter
Total Chapter Downloads on intechopen.com
Total Chapter Views on intechopen.com
Overall attention for this chapters
Lowell c. matthews.
*Address all correspondence to:
In a global environment the ability to communicate effectively can be a challenge. Even when both parties speak the same language there can still be misunderstandings due to ethic and cultural differences. Over the last decade, there have been countless examples from the business sector that demonstrate how poor communication can lead to poor organizational performance. Understanding the impact of globalization on cross-culture communication is imperative for organizations seeking to create a competitive advantage in the global market. Recent economic challenges further highlight the need for organizations to develop the internal communication capacity necessary to control and monitor external threats. As society becomes more globally connected the ability to communicate across cultural boundaries has gained increasing prominence. Global businesses must understand how to communicate with employees and customers from different cultures in order to fulfill the organization’s mission and build value for stakeholders. The use of technology has had a profound impact on how businesses communicate globally and market their products and services. However, with the advancements in technology organizations must still be cognoscente of the culture nuisances that can potentially present obstacles in trying to increase profits and market share. According to Genevieve Hilton, “cultural proficiency doesn't mean memorizing every cultural nuance of every market. It's knowing when to listen, when to ask for help, and when—finally—to speak” [ 1 ].
For companies involved in global business operations the relationship of managers and subordinates in multinational firms is important. In research conducted by Thomas and Ravlin [ 2 ] it was found that participants to whom nationality was more important indicated lower perceptions of similarity with the manager, lower intentions to associate, and lower perceptions of managerial effectiveness. The results of the study strongly indicate that teaching members of different cultures to behave like each other is an ineffective approach to improving intercultural interactions in business settings [ 2 ]. Focus should be placed on using individual differences to create innovation. Training and development of individuals involved in intercultural interactions should involve more than simply promoting cultural adaptation
Communication is vital for businesses to effectively explain how their products and services differ from their competitors. Companies that are successfully able to communicate cross-culturally have a competitive advantage because they can devote more time and resources to conducting business and less time on internal and external communication issues [ 1 ]. Communication is necessary for individuals to express themselves and to fulfill basic needs. The same holds true for businesses, governments, and countries. Without the ability to communicate and understand each other, there would be chaos.Communication that is based on cultural understanding is more apt to prevent misunderstandings caused by personal biases and prejudices.
To illustrate the importance of communication on building relationships globally consider the example of the United States and South Korea. The relationship between these two countries is one built upon a rich history. In 1884, the United States government became the first foreign entity to purchase property in Korea [ 3 ]. Before this time no foreigner was permitted to live inside Seoul. Despite significant cultural differences, South Korea and the United States have been able to develop a communication process that other countries seek to replicate. The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea was established in 1953 with the chief purpose to promote the advancement of trade and commerce between Korea and the United States. Article II of the Chamber’s constitution outlines the following six objectives [ 4 ]:
To promote the development of commerce between the United States of America and Korea;
To promote measure calculated to benefit and protect the interests in Korea of member companies and citizens of the United States;
To represent, express, and give effect to the opinions of the Chamber business community of the United States regarding trade, commerce, finance, industry, and related questions;
To collect, evaluate, and disseminate among its members statistical and other information concerning commerce or other undertakings of interest to them;
To associate and cooperate with other organizations sharing mutual interests;
To do any and all other things incidental or related to the attainment of the above objectives.
When countries are able to exchange ideas and communicate in an open society everyone benefits. Kathleen Stephens, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, summed it up by saying, “we must use our shared interests and values to compliment and transform each other’s growth” [ 5 ]. The main purpose of this study is to develop a cross-cultural communication model that can be applied by companies that communicate with employees from different cultures. The aim is to identify the steps that leaders of organizations competing in a global environment should consider when communicating to different cultures. This study uses a group a college students participating in the 2 nd Korea America Student Conference (KASC) as the main research source for creating the model. KASC is supported by the International Student Conferences, a non-profit organization located in Washington, D.C., which sponsors student-run educational and cultural exchange programs for university students from the United States, Japan, and Korea [ 6 ]. The researchers used a mix of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to generate the model. A comparative literature review is conducted and organizational examples of Samsung and Hyundai are considered to demonstrate the impact of globalization on cross-culture communication practices. The study also highlights the action research methodology that was employed to design the cross-culture communication model. In conclusion, the 4 C’s Global Leadership Model is introduced to demonstrate how organizational leaders can create innovation in a global environment by managing conflict, communication, creativity, and connectivity.
Research on cross-cultural communication often focuses on understanding how individual differences influence our ability to communicate with others. Since most individuals grow up within a single culture having to interact with others from a different culture or background can represent a challenge [ 7 ]. Exposure to different cultures affects our ability to communicate with others in a way that leads to positive outcomes. Fink, Neyer, and Kölling propose that researchers involved in cross-cultural studies should develop an understanding of the interrelations between cultural dimensions, cultural standards, and personality traits [ 7 ]. This increased awareness helps an individual to manage their own cross-cultural behavior as well as that of others.
Reza Najafbagy refers to co-orientation, the ability to familiarize all aspects of one’s own life in relation to someone of a different culture, as a primary component of intercultural communication [ 8 ]. Individuals that have experienced different cultures are more cognizant of how to alter their communication style so that others understand the information they are trying to transfer. Research conducted by Seak and Enderwick revealed the importance of providing cross-cultural communication and training skills for expatriates assigned to foreign locations in particularly, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea [ 9 ]. Now more than ever global organizations must ensure that their employees have the skills required to communicate across cultural boundaries. Cross-cultural communication enhances innovation by allowing for collective problem solving and the open dissemination of information [ 10 ].
Cohen and Levinthal define the term absorptive capacity as an organization’s ability to identify and recognize the value of new external information, absorb it, and implement it into their business operations [ 11 ]. Organizations that understand the importance of external information are better able to use their core competencies to create a competitive advantage. Cross-culture communication enhances an organization’s absorptive capacity because it provides a new of perspective for satisfying the needs of stakeholders.Communication is the life-blood of organizations and must be allowed to flow throughout the entire organization. However, when information flows are random and there is no apparent directive of how to apply the outside knowledge the organization will not benefit [ 11 ]. Productivity decreases when organizational leaders are not able to communicate clear and concise expectations. Furthermore, conflict and tension arises when employees do not understand how their personal efforts contribute to the overall success of the organization.
Culture can affect how we perceive the actions of others. Ambassador Stephens gave the example of a “cheerleading group from North Korea that was participating in a sports competition in South Korea. When the group was heading to the venue one of the cheerleaders yelled for the bus stop. She then proceeds to get off the bus in the rain to get a poster of the North Korean leader that was getting wet. Why? Usually, 70% of Americans would say it was for show. 70% of Koreans would respond that the cheerleader really felt something” [ 5 ]. Our perception of others directly affects how we interpret their behavior and actions. Effective cross-culture communication requires that we base our perceptions on facts and not merely on personal biases and prejudices. The Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness Project (GLOBE) examined cultural values of organizational practices and leadership. The study focuses on identifying cultural influences on leadership and management practices. Some scholars believe that as society becomes more interconnected cultural differences will converge [ 12 ]. Even though some convergence may occur over time, countries will still maintain distinct cultural differences that will transcend technology and external influences.
Successful business leaders must be able to balance organizational objectives with external global challenges. As organizations become more interconnected the role of leaders in managing global teams is becoming increasingly important. Being able to navigate through different cultural nuances is a key skill for global leaders. Rabotin defines cultural intelligence as “the ability to interact with others from diverse cultural backgrounds, being aware of our cultural values that drive our attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs” [ 13 ]. Regardless of their geographic location leaders must be able to communicate across borders in order to create a competitive advantage and achieve results. It is clearly apparent that physical boundaries are increasingly becoming transparent. A global leader must be aware of their personal cultural biases and be willing to change their opinions by learning from those that are different from them [ 13 ].
In research conducted by Choi and Chang it was noted that organizational culture directly impacts the attitudes and motivation of employees towards innovation [ 14 ]. The researchers identified three organizational factors of management support, resource availability, and support for learning as key enablers for innovation [ 14 ]. All three factors were found to be significantly correlated to implementation, however; only management support was determined to be a significant predictor of innovation [ 14 ]. This research supports the conclusion that when employees are fully engaged in the process of innovation success is more likely to be achieved. Organizations must have in place procedures that encourage innovation throughout the entire company. Every employee must feel vested in the company and continually seeking ways to improve processes.
A qualitative and quantitative research strategy consisting of group observations, interviews, and surveys were used to gather information. These methods are most appropriate because of the complexity involved in studying culture and communication from an individual perspective. By using these methods the researchers were able to ascertain underlying factors that are relevant to understanding the affects of culture on communication when two different groups interact with each other.
Participants were undergraduate and graduate students from South Korea and the United States selected to participate in the 2 nd Korea America Student Conference (KASC). Selection to KASC is based on a competitive process. Participation in the study was completely voluntary and students were asked to complete a consent form. A total of 46 students attended KASC and 65% were female. 52% of the students resided in South Korea and 48% in the United States. Interestingly, 73% of all the students identified Korean as part of their ethnicity. 91% of the students were 19 to 23 years of age.
The researchers focused on collecting data from participants to assist in the development of a cross-cultural communication model. The researcher addressed the differences and similarities in communication strategies and the affect on building relationships. Previous research on culture has applied a field-based approach that allows for the exchange of information from multiple sources. The researchers followed a similar structure when participating in KASC over a two-week period.
The role of the researchers was that of consultants that sought to serve as a bridge between the participants and the administrators of the conference. It was important for the researcher to develop a level of trust with the participants quickly. To accomplish this, the researchers assisted staff with administrative tasks during the conference and shared in activities with the participants. The researchers used current programs established by KASC to expand opportunities to exchange information. For example, the researcher attended lectures, group discussions, and roundtable sessions.
The topics discussed during interviews included: a) reasons for participating in KASC, b) individual experiences and interactions with different cultures, c) reactions to changes that occurred during the conference, and d) discussion of how culture affects the communication between American and Korean students. During group observations the researchers focused on key words and phrases that were used by the students and categorized them according to relevant themes. Based on the words and phrases a concept map was created that helped to identify the predictors used in the study.
Five cultural measurements of acceptance, conflict, individualism, risk, and sharing were used to predict the country of residence. Table 1 defines the variables used in the study. The country of residence index was selected as the dependent variable because it is directly affected by culture.
Rigor and validity were addressed by continuously redefining the key issues identified by participants. Participant feedback was vital to this study and was used to form and shape the cross-cultural communication model. The survey that was developed for this study consisted of 23 items that were rated on five point Likert scale with 1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree. Each of the items assessed one of the cultural measurements of acceptance, conflict, individualism, risk, or sharing.
Acceptance | A measure of how important it is for an individual to be liked and accepted by others |
Conflict | A measure of an individual’s ability to work with those they do not agree with |
Individualism | An assessment of how independent an individual behaves in making decisions |
Risk | A measure of how open an individual is to trying new things and stepping outside of their comfort zone |
Sharing | A measure of how willing an individual is to share their opinions and feelings |
Country of residence | The country identified as the primary place of residence |
Variables in Cross-Cultural Communication Study
A multiple regression analysis was conducted to evaluate how well the five independent variables for culture predict the country of residence. The linear combination of culture measures was significantly related to the country of residence index, F (5, 17) = 3.57, p <.01. The sample multiple correlation coefficient was.71, indicating that approximately 51% of the variance of the country of residence index in the sample can be accounted for by the linear combination of culture measures.
1 | .715 | .512 | .368 | .471 |
a. Predictors: (Constant), Risk, Acceptance, Conflict, Individualism, Share; b. Dependent Variable: Residence |
Model Summary
The partial regression plots for conflict and sharing exhibit the best correlations for predicting the country of residence index. Table 3 presents indices to indicate the relative strength of the individual predictors. As expected all of the bivariate correlations between the country of residence index were positive.
Acceptance | .123 | -.140 |
Conflict | .556 | .558 |
Individualism | .243 | -.045 |
Share | .493 | .457 |
Risk | .021 | -.341 |
The Bivariate and Partial Correlations of the Predictors with the Country of Residence Index
The purpose of communication is to transfer ideas and knowledge from one entity to the other. The first step in communication is input; someone must say something that is received by someone else. The communication loop is successful when the receiver demonstrates that he or she understands what was being communicated. From an organizational perspective there are many barriers than can impede the flow of communication. These barriers include culture, technology, language, workforce, and environment. For the purpose of this model culture refers to the traditions and customs that are prevalent in the country where each company is located. These traditions and customs influence policies and procedures implemented by businesses. Technology is simply the use of mediums such as email, Internet, text messaging, and cell phones to communicate. When a company does not have experience using a particular technological medium to communicate it may rely on older methods that the other company views as inadequate. Language is what is spoken in the country where the company is located. If the languages of the two companies are different, then one company must learn the other’s language or a new language must be created. Workforce refers to the internal structure of the company, including employees, managers, and organizational leaders. Environment refers to the external forces that affect the company. For example, the economy can have an adverse impact on an organization and present an obstacle to cross-culture communication.
As illustrated in Figure 1 , when these barriers are eliminated companies are able to experience innovation, reduced conflict, and better dissemination of information. J. Ku-Hyun (personal communication, July 20, 2009) stated “to be successful as a global corporation communication is critical.” Without communication organizations will cease to be. The challenge for organizations that must communicate cross-culturally is to ensure that their message is understood the way that it was intended. When communication barriers are not removed it is easy to make assumptions about what is being communicated. Our assumptions of what we thought was being communicated can be very different from the original message. Communication takes effort, it is much easier to sit back and simply assume what we think others are trying to tell us. To actively engage in communication takes time and energy. Organizations must be willing to invest the resources needed to support cross-culture communication.
Successful cross-cultural communication creates a dialogue, a continuous transfer of information. This exchange of information addresses our assumptions and clarifies points we do not understand. It also provides the opportunity for us to ask questions and confirm the information that was received. Having a dialogue reduces conflict because cultural misunderstandings can be dealt with when they arise. The dialogue only occurs when both parties agree to share information and ensure that the transfer of information is not blocked.
Cross-Culture Communication Model
To illustrate how companies can utilize the cross-culture communication model to improve business practices consider the examples of Samsung and Hyundai. Samsung is unique because of its focus on human resources and risk taking initiatives. The company was founded in 1938 and is the world’s largest conglomerate. Samsung is recognized as a global industry leader because of its inner capacity to take advantage of distinct initiatives (J. Ku-Hyun, personal communication, July 20, 2009). It hires a small percentage of non-Koreans inside Korea but employs a higher percentage off non-Koreans outside of Korea. The culture of the organization is very family centric. Decisions occur in a collective atmosphere that allows for communication at all levels of the organization. However, even when decisions are clearly communicated throughout the organization employees may not always show support.
The workforce can represent a barrier to cross-cultural communication when employees feel they are not valued. This presented an issue at Samsung. The expectation was that you stayed at job until your assignment was completed. However, with the increase of younger employees entering the workforce who had different expectations, Samsung had to make a change. Management made the decision to change the workday from five-to-nine to seven-to-four [ 15 ]. The reason for Samsung’s change was to get employees to be more team oriented and more productive. Changing the hours of the workday required employees to work together and it also required managers and supervisors to have a more active role in completing daily tasks. The seven-to-four schedule was a cultural shift that was instigated by new employees entering the company with a different outlook towards work and personal time. Prior to the change, employees were expected to stay on the job until it was completed. With the change the office closed at four and everything stopped. Now employees have to proactively plan their workday in order to ensure that everything is accomplished in a timely fashion.
Samsung has been able to become a global leader because of its commitment to the development of technological capabilities [ 16 ]. Management’s objective is to “develop technology capabilities for value creation in diverse business areas” that will ultimately support growth in global competition [ 16 ]. The focus on innovation requires the sharing of business practices and technology throughout the organization. Samsung must communicate with employees and customers simultaneously to ensure that company objectives are met.
J. Ku-Hyun (personal communication, July 20, 2009) reports that Samsung’s competitive advantages include 1) commitment to work that is translated into speed advantages, 2) highly skilled engineers and technicians, and 3) management talent and experience. Samsung has used these competitive advantages to enhance its relationship with customers and expand globally.
Hyundai Motor Company was formed in 1967 and has established itself as company that focuses on quality improvement and innovation [ 17 ]. From the small beginning in Seoul, Korea the company has now expanded to more than ten countries including the United States, Canada, India, China, Turkey, Russia, Malaysia, Sudan, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, and Japan [ 17 ]. For this expansion to take place requires effective communication that is able to overcome cultural barriers and accomplish global management initiatives. Research conducted by Wright, Suh, and Leggett revealed that Hyundai’s achievement at globalization depended upon its ability to expand international sales as it gained experience in international markets [ 18 ]. The move from domestic to global production means Hyundai must operate in “unfamiliar and uncertain economic and cultural contexts” [ 18 ].
Over the years Hyundai has learned valuable lessons on the importance of knowing and valuing the needs of its customers. In the early 1990s, Hyundai experienced problems when trying to expand production to Canada. The primary issue was that the company did not adapt the design of the Sonata for North American customers [ 18 ]. Consequently, the company lost market share to Toyota’s Camry and Honda’s Accord. Another important lesson was learned when Hyundai made the decision to start production in Turkey because of the lower cost for workers. Because of the lower wages management decided to use more hand-operated technology instead of the automated manufacturing processes utilized in its domestic plants. As a result, the production rate of the Turkish plant was 25% lower than that in Korea [ 18 ]. From these experiences Hyundai learned the importance of researching the culture of a country before making profound business decisions. Cross-culture communication involves adapting organizational policies to fit the context of where business transactions will occur.
Key to Hyundai’s success is its corporate philosophy that places the needs of customers as top priority in all business areas. This customer-oriented management style requires organizational leaders to be receptive to new ideas and to think outside the box. To encourage employees to expand their cultural awareness the company encourages three-month assignments to its overseas sites. For example, when the company was building a site in Alabama it allowed employees to visit and study the culture [ 19 ].The company promotes an employee backpack travel program around the globe where teams of three design their cultural experience. The teams compete for a company sponsorship of 15-day expeditions by writing what they hope to learn [ 19 ]. More than 47 teams have traveled to 70 countries, including Peru, Turkey, and Greece [ 19 ]. Employees that participate bring back what they learn and share it with their colleagues.
“Hyundai Motor Company is strengthening its position as a global brand, establishing local production systems on a global scale and supplying automobiles that meet the needs and tastes of customers in each specific region” [ 17 ]. During a visit to the Asan Plant located in Chungchungnam-do, Korea, it was very apparent of how the company is being innovative. The plant has a production capacity of 300,000 units and utilizes the latest in robotic technology to assemble vehicles (Tour Guide, personal communication, July 27, 2009). One unit is produced every 57 seconds and 100% of all the welding is completely automated. The Asan plant has 34,000 employees; the average annual salary is $50,000. The plant operates two ten-hour shifts and provides numerous incentives for employees that are innovative on the job.
The researchers proposed attending the 2nd Korea-America Student Conference in order to develop a relationship with participants that have a vested interest in global issues and to define the criteria for the proposed cross-culture communication model by using various qualitative methods. These objectives were accomplished and much insight gained into understanding how culture affects communication.
Samsung and Hyundai are only two examples of organizations that are effectively communicating cross-culturally. Both organizations have been able to learn from their past mistakes and create strategies that support their growth in the global market. The sharing of information makes it possible for other organizations to also benefit from the mistakes made by these organizations.
During one of the group observations a Korean participant stated, “A smile is a basic tool of communication” (personal communication, July 16, 2009). How true it is that a simple smile can break down communication barriers and build bridges of understanding. Cross-culture communication is not easy, especially when we are unfamiliar with the receiver of the information. Organizational leaders that have to communicate cross-culturally can use the following steps:
Develop clear and concise expectations for how the organization will accomplish its mission;
Ensure that employees understand their role in the organization;
Be willing to invest time to communicate;
Remember that communication is a two-way process, listen before you speak.
“Many misunderstanding have occurred, not only because of mistakes in the usage of words or expressions, but also because of the lack of goodwill and cultural knowledge” [ 8 ]. Mistakes are a normal part life and at times if we are not careful our mistakes can have lasting consequences. “We can make mistakes as long as we can correct mistakes. We can get feedback from the global market” [ 10 ]. The cross-culture communication model developed from this study provides a mechanism for obtaining feedback from the global market. The model identifies the barriers to cross-culture communication and summarizes the outcomes that can be achieved when these barriers are tackled.
The results of study verified that the five independent variables of acceptance, conflict, individualism, risk, and sharing could be used to predict country residence. A limitation to this study was the small sample size that used. In order to validate the validity and reliability of the study a larger sample size should be used in future studies. The participants of the study were also aware of the need to increase cultural awareness and displayed a desire to gain a deeper understanding of American and Korean relations. The study adds to the current body of knowledge on cross-culture communication by demonstrating the importance of culture in business settings.
Organizational cross-functionality or connectivity is essential to innovation because it brings together a diverse group of people from different functional backgrounds [ 20 ]. Management must take steps to ensure that cross-functionality does not create conflict and hinder communication within the team [ 20 ]. To effectively generate innovation the level of expertise and individual skill set of each team member must be ascertained. The innovation process is supported when members share a common vision and goal. Research indicates that cross-functional teams are more effective at new produce development that is valued by the customer [ 21 ].
Leadership is the foundation to cross-functionality because it provides the oversight and direction necessary for it to work. Leaders that are innovators are receptive to change and value feedback from those around them. They recognize that they cannot be successful unless those around them are successful. For innovative organizations it is necessary for management to develop innovative leaders. This is done by having in place recruitment strategies that target successful applicants that possess the skills necessary to the organization to the next level [ 22 ]. There should also be in place a well-developed talent-management process that identifies innovators, connects them to the mission of the organization, and provides the necessary internal resources for them to be successful.
The 4 C’s Global Leadership Model
A comparison of leadership strategies between Samsung and Hyundai provides the basis for developing the 4 C’s Global Leadership Model that can be employed by organizations to make certain that they have the right person for the job. The model consists of four key factors: communication, conflict, creativity, and connectivity. Being aware of what types of individuals make good global leaders allows the organization to develop HR policies to support recruitment and succession. By creating a pipeline of capable global leaders the organization is able to sustain innovation and change.
Leaders are the main link responsible for harnessing the ideas of employees to create innovation. They must also assess the development of their competitors and the needs of customers. Bringing together individuals from different cultural backgrounds will lead to conflict; however, this does not have to be perceived as a negative. The challenge for global leaders is to use the conflict as a benefit for the organization. Gehani and Gehani define conflict as simply the result of natural differences that occur between people from different backgrounds [ 23 ]. Different ideas and views lead to innovation and new products and services. From this perspective leaders should encourage healthy conflict. “Conflict between diverse groups of people can be used to drive the growth of their organizations” [ 23 ]. If there were no conflict to spark discussion there would be no innovation.
Communication helps to moderate the relationship between conflict and innovation. This fact is furthermore impacted by the complexity of competing in global environment. Leaders must be aware of the communication styles that are needed when working with multicultural teams. The use of the email, conference calls, and other technological innovations to communicate need to be addressed to ensure that all members are able to participate fully. When members feel they are not able to communicate openly innovation is hindered and the organization suffers.
As global competition continues to increase, successful organizations must evolve to meet the changing needs of consumers. Innovation provides the opportunity for organizations to think outside the box and “produce better product, faster, cheaper and more efficiently than competitors [ 24 ]. Creativity is directly linked to communication and innovation. Increased attention on innovation has caused organizational leaders to develop systems to manage the process and support the efforts of employees. According to Dooley & O’Sullivan being able to identify the correct process for implementing innovation will directly impact the success [ 24 ]. It is easier to implement innovation when the culture of the organization allows for employee feedback, planning, and evaluation.
Employees play a vital role in innovation. In research conducted by Barnett and Storey it was found that there was a strong connection between learning and innovation in organizations [ 25 ]. The researchers studied 220 employees at a manufacturing company, Tensator, located in the United Kingdom. Key to Tensator’s success is their ability to integrate succession planning with sustaining innovation [ 25 ]. Instead of focusing solely on keeping top management positions filled, the organization seeks to keep the pipeline of skilled laborers in amble supply to support innovation. Tensator follows a growth strategy that centers on “grow-your-own” [ 25 ]. This strategy requires the company to continually provide learning and development opportunities for employees to ensure that they remain at the top of their game.
Microsoft is applying a holistic approach to innovation in seeking to compete with Yahoo and Google in the development of search engines [ 26 ]. Management is aware they must do more than simply try to catch up with their competitors; they must redesign the way that search engines are viewed and utilized. The holistic approach is further supported by Porter in work done with organizations to help them improve their supply chains [ 27 ]. Organizations that use a holistic approach are able to obtain a broader view of how they fit into the global market. Instead of focusing on small segments of their business operations, attention is given to the entire process. This allows for the organization to implement innovation that will create value for customers.
Connectivity is defined as the ability to orchestrate organizational networks to move in the same direction in order to accomplish the company’s mission. Employees must feel contacted to the organization and understand how their individual effort contributes to the bottom line. Global leaders must look for opportunities to connect everyone within the organization to the overall goals and objectives. When employees understand the big picture and the direction the organization is taking innovation and change are supported.
The 4 C’s Global Leadership Model is designed to provide a basis for organizational leaders to use in mapping out strategies for working globally with multicultural teams. The business environment is continually evolving and global leaders must persistently develop new organization strategies to meet global challenges. Although, Samsung and Hyundai both compete in different industries there are parallels that can be gleamed from how they communicate and inspire innovation from their employees. The Cross-Culture Communication Model and 4 C’s Global Leadership Model are tools designed to assist organizational leaders to compete in the ever-changing global environment.
The core aspects of global leadership critical to leading innovation and change are vision, communication, and responsibility. In 2008 a group of scholars and business leaders identified twenty-five factors that are important for managers in implementing innovation [ 28 ]. Key among them was that management must have a clear vision for the organization. The organizational vision provides a roadmap for employees by defining what the organization hopes to accomplish.Communication is important because it allows for the exchange and refinement of ideas. Effective communication requires that organizations not become bogged down with hierarchal thinking that can typically slow down the communication process. Large organizations must operate like small organizations and be able to respond quickly to organizational and market changes [ 28 ].
Successful organizations must focus on goals that are socially responsible [ 28 ]. Innovation is not just creating the coolest new gadget but it is creating the coolest new gadget that serves the environment in a sustainable manner. As organizations become more global the focus on corporate social responsibility increases. Organizations can no longer operate within a silo. The actions of one organization can affect many others. According to Westlund it is no longer sufficient for organizations only to make a profit and comply with the law [ 29 ]. They must also be socially responsible and give something back to the global community that they serve.
© 2012 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Globalization.
Published: 17 August 2012
By Douglas E. Mitchell and Selin Yildiz Nielsen
8652 downloads
By James Campbell
2802 downloads
By Verónica López, Romina Madrid and Vicente Sisto
2084 downloads
IntechOpen Author/Editor? To get your discount, log in .
Discounts available on purchase of multiple copies. View rates
Local taxes (VAT) are calculated in later steps, if applicable.
Support: [email protected]
Students are often asked to write an essay on Cross Cultural Communication in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.
Let’s take a look…
What is cross cultural communication.
Cross Cultural Communication is the way we talk and understand people from different cultures. This is important in our global world where we meet people from different countries and cultures. It helps us to respect and understand each other better.
Challenges in cross cultural communication.
Sometimes, cross cultural communication can be hard. This is because different cultures have different ways of doing things. For example, what is polite in one culture might be rude in another. So, we need to learn about these differences to communicate well.
To improve cross cultural communication, we can learn about different cultures. Reading books, watching movies, or talking to people from different cultures can help. We should also be patient and open-minded. This means we should not judge others quickly and be willing to learn.
Also check:
Cross cultural communication is about how people from different cultures talk and understand each other. It’s like a bridge that connects different cultures. This type of communication is very important because it helps us learn about different cultures and respect them.
Imagine you are talking to a friend from a different country. You both speak English, but there might be words or phrases that your friend does not understand. This is where cross cultural communication comes in. It helps us to understand and respect each other’s cultures. It can also help prevent misunderstandings.
Cross cultural communication can be hard sometimes. For example, some words or gestures might have different meanings in different cultures. A thumbs-up might be a good sign in one culture, but not in another. Also, some people might find it hard to understand accents or slang words from other cultures.
500 words essay on cross cultural communication.
Cross cultural communication is the exchange of ideas and information between people from different cultural backgrounds. It is like a bridge that connects people from all around the world. This type of communication is important because it helps us understand and respect each other’s cultures.
Cross cultural communication is key in today’s global world. It helps us work together, learn from each other, and build stronger relationships. For example, when people from different cultures work together on a project, they bring unique ideas and perspectives. This can lead to better solutions and innovations.
Cross cultural communication is not always easy. There can be misunderstandings and conflicts due to differences in language, gestures, and social norms. For instance, a gesture that is considered polite in one culture might be seen as rude in another.
Second, try to learn the basics of the other person’s language. This can show respect and make communication easier. If that’s not possible, use clear and simple language to avoid confusion.
In conclusion, cross cultural communication is a vital skill in our diverse world. It can bring people together, promote understanding, and lead to new ideas and innovations. While it can be challenging, with respect, patience, and a willingness to learn, we can all become better cross cultural communicators.
That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.
Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .
Happy studying!
And how to rise to the challenge.
The strength of cross-cultural teams is their diversity of experience, perspective, and insight. But to capture those riches, colleagues must commit to open communication; they must dare to share. Unfortunately, this is rarely easy. In the 25 years we’ve spent researching global work groups, we’ve found that challenges typically arise in three areas.
Have you heard of soft skills? What about cross-cultural communication? Soft skills are non-technical skills that are necessary for personal and professional success, and cross-cultural communication is one crucial soft skill for people living, studying, or working in the US or abroad. As an international student, you may already be familiar with cross-cultural communication whether from your home country or previous travels. Below, we suggest ways to grow your cross-cultural communication skills and ways to develop them specifically in the US.
Many international students in college tend to focus on learning and mastering the technical skills and knowledge related to their field of study. However, there is another set of skills called soft skills that are essential to career readiness in the US:
These soft skills will help you understand the people around you and interact with them in appropriate ways. Most jobs require you to communicate and collaborate regularly with people who may be different from you, so employers often value soft skills just as much as they value technical skills. Recruiters may start looking for evidence of these skills right away when they meet international students. They want to know that potential candidates will be strong communicators and integrate well into their established company culture.
At its core, cultural awareness is about being well-rounded and open-minded to differences. Cross-cultural communication is the ability to communicate effectively with people from different cultures and backgrounds. It’s essential for living in the US because the US is a racially and ethnically diverse nation. Cultural awareness can help prevent miscommunication or accidentally offending someone. Self-awareness is also needed because it allows you to understand how your own culture impacts how you communicate.
Soft skills do not have to be elusive for international students. They are concrete skills that can be developed and improved upon by anyone. You may find that certain soft skills come more naturally to you than others. Take inventory of your soft skills and communication style, and look for areas where you need help or could improve to better your experience as an international student in the US. Throughout this process, remember to stay open-minded and practice speaking with other people. While it’s ok to look for patterns, it’s also key to appreciate the vast differences in communication styles across and within cultures.
Sign in to the career portal to access this course, get monthly updates from interstride, read the report, save the date.
Tell us a little about you.
24/7 writing help on your phone
To install StudyMoose App tap and then “Add to Home Screen”
Save to my list
Remove from my list
Importance of Cross Cultural Communications. (2016, Jul 30). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/importance-of-cross-cultural-communications-essay
"Importance of Cross Cultural Communications." StudyMoose , 30 Jul 2016, https://studymoose.com/importance-of-cross-cultural-communications-essay
StudyMoose. (2016). Importance of Cross Cultural Communications . [Online]. Available at: https://studymoose.com/importance-of-cross-cultural-communications-essay [Accessed: 12 Aug. 2024]
"Importance of Cross Cultural Communications." StudyMoose, Jul 30, 2016. Accessed August 12, 2024. https://studymoose.com/importance-of-cross-cultural-communications-essay
"Importance of Cross Cultural Communications," StudyMoose , 30-Jul-2016. [Online]. Available: https://studymoose.com/importance-of-cross-cultural-communications-essay. [Accessed: 12-Aug-2024]
StudyMoose. (2016). Importance of Cross Cultural Communications . [Online]. Available at: https://studymoose.com/importance-of-cross-cultural-communications-essay [Accessed: 12-Aug-2024]
👋 Hi! I’m your smart assistant Amy!
Don’t know where to start? Type your requirements and I’ll connect you to an academic expert within 3 minutes.
Cross-cultural business-to-business communication – the experiences of polish companies with the chinese and americans, do dimensions of culture exist objectively a validation of the revised minkov-hofstede model of culture with world values survey items and scores for 102 countries, culture , leadership , and organizations : the globe study of 62 societies, related papers.
Showing 1 through 3 of 0 Related Papers
BMC Nursing volume 23 , Article number: 543 ( 2024 ) Cite this article
97 Accesses
Metrics details
Nursing Practice Environment is an important index to improve nursing quality and patient outcome. To explore the nursing practice environment in the COVID-19 ward during the period of COVID-19 and its impact on nursing quality to provide reference for setting up supporting nursing team in epidemic area in the future.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 251 nurses working in COVID-19 ward in Shanghai, Hainan and Hunan in December 2022 through stratified proportional sampling. Structured questionnaires, including general information questionnaire, professional practice environment scale and nursing quality questionnaire, were used to investigate the patients. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between nursing practice environment and nursing quality, and multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of nursing quality in the COVID-19 ward.
The professional practice environment scale score was (3.34 ± 0.40), the nursing quality questionnaire score was (9.47 ± 0.81), both at a high level. Single factor analysis showed that nursing quality was related to educational background, physical condition, professional title, grade of the original hospital and composition of nursing staff in supported departments. Nursing quality were positively correlated with each nursing practice environment dimensions (in addition to teamwork). The results of regression analysis showed that the nursing practice environment in the COVID-19 ward had a positive impact on nursing quality.
The nursing practice environment and nursing quality of nurses in the COVID-19ward is generally very high. The education, working hospital level and nursing practice environment of nurses are the important factors influencing nursing quality. The relationship between nursing practice environment (include leadership and autonomy in clinical practice, staff relationships with physicians, control over practice, communication about patients, handling disagreement and conflict, internal work motivation and cultural sensitivity) and nursing quality is positive. It is suggested that the hospital should pay special attention to and improve nursing practice environment in order to improve nursing quality when setting up temporary ward in the future epidemic period of infectious diseases, ensure patient safety.
Research shows that an active nursing practice environment can improve the quality of care, and nursing managers create and maintain an active practice environment to improve the quality of care and ensure patient safety.
Peer Review reports
The professional practice environment is defined as the organizational characteristics of a nursing practice environment that promotes or restricts professional nursing practice [ 1 ]. A positive professional practice environment can make nurses put into professional practice, enhance communication and cooperation between doctors and nurses, and promote healthy patient outcomes [ 2 ]. At the same time, a good environment of professional nursing practice also helps to reduce burnout, improve nurses’ job satisfaction, and improve the quality of patient care [ 3 , 4 ]. On the contrary, a poor practice environment for nurses will make nurses dissatisfied with their profession, fatigue, burnout and intention to leave in nurses working, resulting in reduced anticipation of and sensitivity to potential dangers and increased more missed nursing care events, affecting patient safety [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. The study found that the working environment of nurses was directly related to nurse satisfaction and patient safety [ 6 , 9 ]. Hence, creating a safe and loving practice environment for nurses can help nurses become more motivated and reduce existing concerns about the quality of care.
The emergence of the human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 strain plunged the world into a new infectious disease pandemic in 2019. As the first country to detect COVID-19, China has effectively controlled the epidemic in 2020 and implemented normalize management of the epidemic. It has entered the post-epidemic period, which is characterized by frequent outbreaks of small intensity [ 10 , 11 ]. In the post-epidemic era, hospitals should not only continue to undertake routine diagnosis and treatment, but also have to be in a state of readiness to combat outbreak of COVID-19. By the end of the 2021, our nurses had reached 5.018 million, according to the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China [ 12 ]. When the epidemic breaks out, the Chinese government will organize nurses from all over the country to support local hospitals, and patients will be arranged in specialized COVID-19 ward. The deterioration of the working environment as a result of the COVID-19 (e.g. increased risk of infection, increased psychological burden, physical discomfort caused by prolonged wearing of protective gear, etc.) and the critical condition of patients lead to the excessive work pressure of nurses, making them more likely to develop negative emotions such as fatigue, insomnia and psychological stress, affect the quality of care and patient safety [ 13 , 14 ]. Good professional nursing practice environment can help reduce burnout, improve nurse job satisfaction, improve patient care quality [ 3 , 4 ]. Therefore, it is necessary to provide high-quality care supported by experience and research, strengthening of basic nursing measures, and overall enhancement of nursing services in the COVID-19 Ward, reduce the length of hospital stay and reduce the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 pneumonia.
However, as we known researchers did not study how the nursing practice environment in the COVID-19 ward of designated hospitals in China had concrete impact on the quality of care. Chen et al. [ 15 ] noting the changes in the nursing environment brought about by COVID-19 and nurses’ views, but this study is not a quantitative survey on the effect of nursing practice environment on nursing quality. The purpose of this study is to describe the nursing practice environment of nurses in the novel coronavirus ward, improve the current situation of the nursing practice environment in the novel coronavirus ward, so as to promote the improvement of nursing quality, better play the important role of nurses in the COVID-19 ward, and provide reference for the occurrence of similar major infectious diseases in the future.
This study followed the STROBE guidelines for cross-sectional study. This cross-sectional survey in which nurses were invited to fill out a COVID-19 ward care quality questionnaire through a questionnaire website. ( https://www.wjx.cn/ )
This study selected hospitals in Hainan Province, Hunan Province and Shanghai City, three regions with severe epidemics in the country (one hospital in each region), the total number of anti-epidemic nurse in the three hospitals was 534. After obtaining the informed consent of the hospital and participants, a proportionate stratified sampling technique was conducted according to the strata of different departments on nurses on the COVID-19 ward from December 21 to 27, 2022. A complete list of qualified nurses (for sampling purposes) was first provided by the nursing department to determine the proportion of nurses to be drawn from each hospital. Subsequently, the number of nurses drawn from each department was then determined by the ratio of the number of nurses in each hospital department to the total number of nurses in the hospital. Inclusion criteria include; (1) Nurses holding nursing certificate; (2) Now or ever worked in the COVID-19 ward, with working hours ≥ 4 h per day for at least two weeks; (3) Participants gave informed consent and were able to cooperate with the study. The nurses who quit after filling in the form of informed consent were excluded.
The Cochran formula for estimating sample size was used, where t = 1.96, p = 0.5,d = 0.05. The formula is as follows;
The sample size was calculated by the Cochran formula to be 223, considering a 10% non-response rate, and finally the required sample size was calculated to be at least 245 cases.
This research questionnaire consists of three parts: general information questionnaire, Professional Practice Environment scale(Professional Practice Environment scale, PPE)and the nursing quality questionnaire.
The questionnaire was constructed by consulting domestic and foreign literatures and clinical experience, collected the gender, age, marital status, physical status, education, work experience (years), professional titles and positions, composition of nursing staff in supported departments, whether the nurse has intensive-care unit working experience, grade of the original hospital.
Professional Practice Environment scale is used to measure the current situation of nursing practice environment, Constructed in 2004 by Erickson, Duffy, Mary et al [ 1 ]. A total of 38 items were used to measure occupational practice environment characteristics. The scale consists of eight dimensions, including leadership and autonomy in clinical practice(5 items), staff relationships with physicians (2 items), control over practice (7 items), communication about patients (2 items), teamwork (4 items), handling disagreement and conflict (8 items), internal work motivation (7 items) and cultural sensitivity (3 items). Each item is divided into 4 options, from 1 point “strongly disagree” to 4 “strongly agree”. The average score range of each dimension and its items is 1 to 4. The higher the score, the better the professional practice environment. PPE scale has been used in various studies and proved to have good reliability and validity. This research adopts the Wang Xia [ 16 ]. The Cronbach’α coefficient of the revised scale was 0.89 after cultural adjustment. Previous Study [ 17 ] have utilized a critical value of 3.0 to describe the work environment for nurses in China, which accurately assessed working environment of nurses. Therefore, this study selected a 3.0 dimensions score to describe the status of nursing perceptions of the professional practice environment.
The nursing quality questionnaire was developed based on the nursing sensitivity index system of respiratory medicine department, which was established by Cui Jin-rui et al [ 18 ]. The total Cronbach α coefficient was 0.884. This is a self-assessment questionnaire, categorized into seven distinct dimensions(55 items): ward management(8 items), nursing risk assessment and implementation(5 items), nursing practice(12 items), nursing operation technique(13 items), important examination and test indicators(7 items), health education(5 items) and doctor-nurse-patient cooperation(5 items). Each dimension score is the average of the sum of the scores of all entries within that dimension, each dimension ranged from 0 to 10. The total scale score is the average of 55 items. The higher the score, the better of nursing quality.
The project leader provided uniform and standardized training to nursing administrators in three hospitals before the start of this study, instructing them to clarify the exclusion criteria and important considerations before distributing the questionnaires. The survey questionnaires were distributed by the nursing administrators of each hospital to the nurses online. Participants were invited to complete the COVID-19 Quality of Ward Care Questionnaire online via a questionnaire website. ( https://www.wjx.cn/ ). Once the data collection was completed, the researcher exported and organized the data collected from the online questionnaire into Excel tables. After deleting the invalid data, the organized data from these Excel tables were imported into SPSS for analysis.
SPSS version 26.0 software was used to analyze the data. The measurement data were expressed as mean and standard deviation, and the counting data were expressed as frequency and percentage. T-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis, and multivariate Regression analysis nursing quality were used to analyze the influencing factors, and the differences were statistically significant with P < 0.05.
This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University(No.202211250), and it strictly adheres to the ethical guidelines as outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Firstly, We invited the nursing managers ( n = 10) of the COVID-19 ward to work together to develop the quality of care questionnaire, after three rounds of meetings to discuss the questionnaire to determine the entries, the questionnaire was filled out by 15 nurses on line prior to the formal survey, and after filling out the questionnaire, a one-on-one interview was conducted, and 15 nurses agreed that the questionnaire was clearly expressed, free of ambiguity, and easy to understand, and the questionnaire was finally finalized to ensure the usability of the questionnaire. The questionnaires were only to be filled out after the participants had fully understood the study and provided their consent, either orally or in writing. After obtaining participants consent to distribute the online questionnaire, an informed consent form was set up on the first page of the questionnaire, and if the participant chose “No”, the survey was automatically closed. Participants was clearly communicated that they had the right to withdraw from the study at any time, without facing any repercussions. All the collected information is encrypted on questionnaire website, The researcher logged into after obtaining an account and password through the authorization of the project leader to view the questionnaire collection.
A total of 252 questionnaires were collected. After excluding those with missing data, a total of 251 questionnaires were included in the calculation, with an effective recovery rate of 99.6%. The average age of the participants was (32.97 ± 6.61). There were 222 female participants. 77.7% of the nurses had more than 6 years working experience. In terms of education, 72.1% of the nurses had a bachelor’s degree, and 80.5% of the COVID-19 ward were composed of supported nurses from several hospitals. A univariate analysis showed that, there were significant differences in nursing quality among nurses with different educational background, physical condition, professional title, grade of the original hospital and composition of nursing staff in supported departments. ( p < 0.05) (Table 1 ).
The average score of nursing quality questionnaire of nurses in the COVID-19 ward was (9.47 ± 0.81), and the scores of all dimensions in descending order were as follows: nursing operation technique (9.65 ± 0.77), ward management (9.58 ± 0.79), nursing practice (9.50 ± 0.91), important examination and test indicators (9.47 ± 0.98), nursing risk assessment and implementation (9.46 ± 0.99), health education (9.39 ± 1.09), doctor-nurse-patient cooperation (9.26 ± 1.12).
Table 2 shows the mean and standard deviation of the total PPE scale scores and dimensions for all participants. As shown in Table 2 , the average score of PPE scale for nurses in the COVID-19 ward was (3.34 ± 0.40), nurses generally believed that the working environment was good.
Table 3 showed the results of Pearson correlation analysis, the total mean score of professional practice environment was positively correlated with the total mean score of nursing quality ( r = 0.46, p < 0.01). The seven dimensions of the professional practice environment(leadership and autonomy in clinical practice、staff relationships with physicians、control over practice、communication about patients、handling disagreement and conflict、internal work motivation and cultural sensitivity)was a positive correlation between the score and nursing quality ( p < 0.01).Moreover, the results showed teamwork ( r = 0.12, p = 0.06) has no significant correlation.
Multiple linear regression was used to explore the influence of different population characteristics and nursing practice environment on nursing quality. The assignment table is shown in Table 4 . As shown in Table 5 , multiple linear regression showed that grade of the original hospital ( β = 0.128, p = 0.021), education ( β =-0.179, p = 0.001) and professional practice environment( β = 0.458, p <0.001) were influencing factors of nursing quality, explained 25.8% of the variance in nursing quality scores.
The purpose of this study was to explore the present situation of nursing practice environment and its influence on nursing quality. The results of the study showed that the nursing practice environment in the COVID-19 ward was good, and the nursing practice environment had an impact on the nursing quality, specifically as follows:
The results of this study showed that the average PPE score was (3.34 ± 0.40). Among them, the dimension of staff relationships with physicians had the highest score (3.53 ± 0.53), it shows that the medical cooperation in the COVID-19 ward is close and the harmonious relationship has been established. However, the teamwork dimension has the lowest average score(3.01 ± 0.68),and “This ward can not get the cooperation it needs from other wards” and “The lack of close cooperation with other departments of the hospital limits the effective development of work in this ward” had low scores, indicated the bad cooperation between the nurses in the ward. Good doctor-nurse relations but low scores for teamwork are consistent with a work environment for retired nurses in China [ 19 ]. In addition handling disagreement and conflict dimension score is also low, At the same time, “Everyone ignores or avoids disagreement between members” is the lowest, This indicates that the cooperation between nurses and the communication between nurses and other wards needs to be strengthened. On the one hand, faced with the risk of cross-infection during a pandemic, the COVID-19 ward is under closed management, there is a lack of effective communication between departments. Previous studies also have pointed out that physical barriers (i.e., personal protective equipment) and spatial barriers (i.e., social distance) implemented during the pandemic disrupted workflow and communication and affected teamwork [ 20 , 21 ]. On the other hand, a study pointed out that health care workers in COVID-19 critical care were more likely to frequently work with each other than those in non–COVID-19 critical care [ 22 ]. 85.2% of the nurses ( n = 92/108) in the ICU ward came from different hospitals in our study. Due to the different age, geography, and cultural level of nurses in each area, as well as the difficulty of establishing effective teamwork in a short period of time in a temporarily formed team, which leads to unsuccessful teamwork. Effective teamwork is facilitated by timely, frequent, accurate, problem-solving communication based on shared knowledge, common goals, and mutual respect [ 23 ]. Therefore, nursing managers should pay attention to the relationship between doctors and nurses, encourage the exchange of important clinical information between nurses and doctors, and strengthen the cohesion and teamwork of the whole team.
At the same time, we found that the internal work motivation dimension scores were at the top. Moreover, “I feel a high degree of personal responsibility for the work I do.” and “My discipline controls its own practice” also rank at the top, it indicated that the nurses thought that the working conditions of the COVID-19ward were better and the nurses had a high sense of responsibility, which made the nurses mobilize their own enthusiasm. Research shows that individual factors (e.g., emotional intelligence, self-reflectiveness, confidence, communication style), attitudinal factors mediated by the team (e.g., accountability, commitment, values or enthusiasm), and lastly socio-economic factors (e.g., education, culture) were all found to influence individual’s attitudes and behaveours vis-à-vis colleagues, impacting the work environment in which teamwork occurred [ 24 ]. Organizing teamwork training and clarifying team roles can improve team relationships [ 25 ], It is suggested that the manager should carry out team cooperation according to the situation of the ward, and make clear the nursing responsibility of each nurse, attach importance to the opinion of each nurse, and jointly create a harmonious and mutual help working environment.
According to the results of this study, the nursing quality of Chinese nurses during the COVID-19 period was relatively high, and the average score of nurses in the COVID-19 ward was (9.47 ± 0.81).Based on previous research [ 26 ], we believe that is related to higher standards, stringent ward environment in the COVID-19 ward and to the increased professional competence of nurses.
Nurse characteristics have relationship between high nursing quality and patient results [ 27 ]. A total of 88.4% female nurses participated in the study, 60.6% were between 26 and 35 years old, and 31.1% had worked for 6 to 10 years. The results showed that the front-line nurses were all experienced nurses, which enabled them to provide quality care. In addition, a shocking the nursing quality scores for associate degrees or below are higher than those for bachelor’s, which may be because of the It may have to do with the fact that highly educated nurses demand more from their own development. The more educated nurses are, the more demand for your own development, thus scoring lower on the self-assessed quality of care scores.
We showed that the highest score dimension was nursing operation technique (9.65 ± 0.77), which indicated that all nurses performed the operation according to the ward standard. And the dimension with the worst score is “doctor-nurse-patient cooperation” and “health education”. This may be due to the busy clinical work of nurses, long working hours, heavy tasks of epidemic prevention leading to insufficient attention and assessment to patients. Moreover, nurses may reduce direct contact with patients and doctors at work due to fear of infection, thus resulting in poor health education for patients and communication with doctors Meanwhile, patients felt anxious and reluctance to communicate with medical and nursing staff due to the disease. Therefore, hospitals should strengthen the knowledge related to 2019 coronavirus disease pneumonia training so that nurses can receive timely, accurate, precise and comprehensive education on health knowledge and disease assessment, and relieve patients’ tension and anxiety through humanistic care and health education so that they can actively cooperate with treatment and care.
The regression analysis showed that the nursing quality was influenced by the degree of education and the rank of Nursing Hospital, which is consistent with the study by Fitzpatrick et al [ 28 ]. This may be related to the fact that highly educated nurses have a more systematic knowledge of nursing and are more likely to work in higher-level hospitals, and that examinations are more frequent in level 3 hospitals than in level 2 and lower hospitals. In China, hospitals are classified into three levels from small to large based on their scale (staffing, hardware facilities, research capabilities, etc.) [ 29 , 30 ]. Among them, the third-level hospitals are representative of the large comprehensive hospitals in our country, often possessing more advanced large medical equipment and medical technology, and are responsible for important tasks such as the treatment of critical illnesses and specialized diagnosis and treatment [ 29 ]. Nursing quality is an important indicator for evaluating the level of hospitals, so nurses in higher level hospitals tertiary hospitals tend to face high level of work requirements, which poses a higher challenge to the nurses’ own competence. Previous studies [ 31 , 32 ] have shown that nurses in tertiary hospitals have stronger professional competencies such as information competency and emergency management competency than nurses in secondary and lower hospitals. This shows that it is necessary for nursing managers to focus on the cultivation of nursing professional skills, particularly for nurses at the secondary level and below hospital, which is ensures the quality and efficiency of nursing services. The results of this study show that education was a negative variable of nursing quality. This may be due to the fact that healthcare workers with higher academic qualifications may have a heavier workload, not only needing to complete clinical frontline medical and nursing care, but also different roles such as teaching, scientific research, management, and so on, which gives them a higher sense of responsibility for their patients, resulting in a greater work pressure [ 33 ], and thus impacting on the quality of their care. In addition, the number of nurses with Master degree or above in this study was only 11 (4.4%), so it is necessary to continue to expand the sample in the follow-up study for further in-depth analysis.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that a better professional nursing practice environment can lead to higher nursing quality [ 34 , 35 , 36 ]. The results of correlation analysis showed that the nursing practice environment all other dimensions except teamwork, were positive related to nursing quality. We hypothesized that it may be due to the particularity of the setting of the COVID-19 ward. The better the nursing practice environment was, the higher level of nursing quality in the COVID-19 ward was. Zelauskas et al [ 37 ]showed that environment of professional nursing practice means that the nurse in nursing service, through authorized managers have more autonomy, and responsibility to work environment. A study of 69 hospitals in 217 Chinese provinces found that the longer nurses worked in COVID-19 ward, the worse the quality of care [ 38 ]. At the same time, Cheng et al [ 15 ] showed that COVID-19 had brought positive changes to the nursing practice environment. For example, nurses have a greater say in the organization and work more closely with doctors. However, there are also some problems, such as the difficulty of ward management and increased occupational risks, and the safety and comfort of the ward environment need to be improved. Therefore, it is suggested that managers should arrange shift patterns scientifically, optimize and rationally allocate personnel, provide adequate rest time, and reduce the workload of nurses, ward managers need to develop simple and standard management patterns, establish good ward facilities and rest environment.
This study has some limitations. First of all, this study aimed at the cross-sectional investigation in the post-epidemic period, is a specific environment. It is not applicable after the COVID-19 pandemic, provides reference for similar outbreaks of infectious diseases in the future. Second, the data in this study were the result of nurses’ self-report, so there may be bias. However, this study can provide a reference for nursing managers to improve the quality of nursing care from the perspective of improving the working environment during the outbreak of infectious diseases.
Our study participants were nurses in the COVID-19 ward of designated hospitals, our evidence and recommendations will contribute to improved care practices.
The results showed that the working environment of the nurses in the COVID-19.
ward was good, and the nursing practice environment was much improved compared with the previous studies, especially the leadership ability, autonomy and cultural sensitivity in the clinical practice. However, team cooperation is not good enough. COVID-19 wards require multidisciplinary teamwork, so we should focus on training nurses’ team cooperation ability to promote the friendly development of the ward. In addition, nurses’ clinical practice ability affects nursing outcomes. Among the seven dimensions of nursing quality, doctor-nurse-patient cooperation scored the lowest, which also indicates that doctor-nurse-patient communication needs to be improved. The quality of nursing is influenced by grade of original hospital, nursing education and nursing practice environment. Therefore, sending excellent nurses and training local nurses, promoting good cooperation between medical and nursing staff, and improving the working environment of nurses can effectively improve the quality of care.
Even though we are a temporary team, the nursing practice environment and nursing quality of nurses in the COVID-19 ward are still at a high level in the post-epidemic period, the level of nursing quality was different with different characteristics (grade of the original hospital, education). In addition, the nurse practice environment has proven to have a positive impact on the quality of care. PPE scale score (include leadership and autonomy in clinical practice、staff relationships with physicians、control over practice、communication about patients、handling disagreement and conflict、internal work motivation and cultural sensitivity)was correlated with nursing quality score. In order to improve nursing quality, it is suggested that nursing managers should adopt supportive management, arrange human resources reasonably, authorize appropriately, cooperate with each other to create a good working environment, to enable nurses to have a better working state to deal with ward nursing matters, thus improving the quality of clinical care.
The data generated in this study can be obtained from the corresponding author through reasonable demand.
Erickson JI, Duffy ME, Gibbons MP, Fitzmaurice J, Ditomassi M, Jones D. Development and psychometric evaluation of the Professional Practice Environment (PPE) Scale. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2004;36(3):279–85. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.2004.04050.x .
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Spence Laschinger HK, Zhu J, Read E. New nurses’ perceptions of professional practice behaviours, quality of care, job satisfaction and career retention. J Nurs Adm Manag. 2016;24(5):656–65. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12370 .
Article Google Scholar
Boamah SA, Read EA, Laschinger HKS. Factors influencing new graduate nurse burnout development, job satisfaction and patient care quality: a time-lagged study. J Adv Nurs. 2017;73(5):1182–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13215 .
Porter-O’Grady T, Weston MJ, Clavelle JT, Meek P. The value of nursing Professional Governance: researching the Professional Practice Environment. JONA: J Nurs Adm. 2022;52(5):249–50. https://doi.org/10.1097/nna.0000000000001141 .
Rivaz M, Tavakolinia M, Momennasab M. Nursing professional practice environment and its relationship with nursing outcomes in intensive care units: a test of the structural equation model. Scand J Caring Sci. 2021;35(2):609–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.12877 .
Ribeiro O, Trindade LD, Fassarella CS, Pereira SCD, Teles P, da Rocha CG, et al. Impact of COVID-19 on professional nursing practice environments and patient safety culture. J Nurs Adm Manag. 2022;30(5):1105–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13617 .
Zeleníková R, Jarošová D, Plevová I, Janíková E. Nurses’ perceptions of Professional Practice Environment and its relation to missed nursing care and nurse satisfaction. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(11):3805.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Xie T, He W, Jiu Z, Li Q, Huang C, Liu J, et al. Overwork among ICU nurses: identification of risk factors. JONA: J Nurs Adm. 2023;53(5):271–6. https://doi.org/10.1097/nna.0000000000001282 .
Zelenikova R, Jarosova D, Plevova I, Janikova E. Nurses’ Perceptions of Professional Practice Environment and Its Relation to Missed Nursing Care and Nurse Satisfaction. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113805 .
Zhou T, Xu C, Wang C, Sha S, Wang Z, Zhou Y, et al. Burnout and well-being of healthcare workers in the post-pandemic period of COVID-19: a perspective from the job demands-resources model. BMC Health Serv Res. 2022;22(1):284. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-07608-z .
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Li L, Yu P, Liu Z. The dynamic evolution mechanism of public health risk perception and the choice of policy tools in the post-epidemic era: evidence from China. Int J Disaster Risk Reduct. 2022;77:103056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103056 .
China NHCPR. Transcript of the 11 May 2022 press conference by the NHSRC. http://www.nhc.gov.cn/xcs/s3574/202205/521fc41948544e00a9ffe886eaac1496.shtml Accessed.
Turale S, Meechamnan C, Kunaviktikul W. Challenging times: ethics, nursing and the COVID-19 pandemic. Int Nurs Rev. 2020;67(2):164–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12598 .
Lee H, Choi S. Factors affecting fatigue among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(18):11380.
Jingxia C, Longling Z, Qiantao Z, Weixue P, Xiaolian J. The changes in the nursing practice environment brought by COVID-19 and improvement recommendations from the nurses’ perspective: a cross-sectional study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2022;22(1):754. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08135-7 .
WANG X. The Study of Correlation between Nurses’Burnout and Nurses’Professional aPractice Environment in changsha. Central South University; 2006.
Cao Y, DiGiacomo M, Salamonson Y, Li Y, Huai B, Davidson PM. Nurses’ perceptions of their professional practice environment: a cross-sectional study. J Clin Nurs. 2015;24(23–24):3441–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.12953 .
Jinrui C, Ying C, Rong X, Su-qin X. Development of a nursing-sensitive quality indicator system in respiratory medicine departmerlt. Chin J Nurs. 2016;51(11):1285–91.
Google Scholar
Liu P-C, Zhang H-H, Zhang M-L, Ying J, Shi Y, Wang S-Q, et al. Retirement planning and work-related variables in Chinese older nurses: a cross-sectional study. J Nurs Adm Manag. 2018;26(2):180–91. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12532 .
Hayirli TC, Stark N, Bhanja A, Hardy J, Peabody CR, Kerrissey MJ. Masked and distanced: a qualitative study of how personal protective equipment and distancing affect teamwork in emergency care. Int J Qual Health Care. 2021;33(2). https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzab069 .
Terwilliger IA, Manojlovich M, Johnson JK, Williams MV, O’Leary KJ. Effect of COVID-19 on the implementation of a multifaceted intervention to improve teamwork and quality for hospitalized patients: a qualitative interview study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2022;22(1):1379. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08795-5 .
Yan C, Zhang X, Gao C, Wilfong E, Casey J, France D, et al. Collaboration structures in COVID-19 critical care: Retrospective Network Analysis Study. JMIR Hum Factors. 2021;8(1):e25724. https://doi.org/10.2196/25724 .
Mahboube L, Talebi E, Porouhan P, Orak RJ, Farahani MA. Comparing the attitude of doctors and nurses toward factor of collaborative relationships. J Family Med Prim Care. 2019;8(10):3263–7. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_596_19 .
Schilling S, Armaou M, Morrison Z, Carding P, Bricknell M, Connelly V. Understanding teamwork in rapidly deployed interprofessional teams in intensive and acute care: a systematic review of reviews. PLoS ONE. 2022;17(8):e0272942. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272942 .
Rehder KJ, Adair KC, Eckert E, Lang RW, Frankel AS, Proulx J, et al. Teamwork before and during COVID-19: the Good, the same, and the Ugly horizontal ellipsis. J Patient Saf. 2023;19(1):36–41. https://doi.org/10.1097/pts.0000000000001070 .
Zhang X, Sheng Q, Wang X, Cai C. The experience of frontline nurses four months after COVID-19 rescue task in China: a qualitative study. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2021;35(4):358–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2021.05.007 .
Bock L. Nurse characteristics and the effects on Quality. Nurs Clin North Am. 2020;55(1):97–. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2019.10.007 .
Fitzpatrick JM, While AE, Roberts JD. Key influences on the professional socialisation and practice of students undertaking different preregistration nurse education programmes in the United Kingdom. Int J Nurs Stud. 1996;33(5):506–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/0020-7489(96)00003-X .
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Shen Y, Jian W, Zhu Q, Li W, Shang W, Yao L. Nurse staffing in large general hospitals in China: an observational study. Hum Resour Health. 2020;18(1):3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-020-0446-5 .
China NHCPR: Interpretation of the Accreditation Standards for Tertiary Hospitals (, Rules. http://www.nhc.gov.cn/yzygj/s3585/202212/e3e6f4819a094ab5835b7fe1315c7733.shtml Accessed 13 May 2024.
Di Z, Shan D, Juqing K, Ping H, Yan C, Lin Y, et al. Current Situation and influencing factors of emergency nurses’ DisasterNursing ability in Jiangsu Province. Chin Health Qual Manage. 2023;30(09):50–3. https://doi.org/10.13912/j.cnki.chqm.2023.30.9.11 .
Guo J, Liu J, Liu C, Wang Y, Xu X, Chen Y. Nursing informatics competency and its associated factors among palliative care nurses: an online survey in mainland China. BMC Nurs. 2024;23(1):157. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01803-5 .
Zhan Yf, Ma S, Jian Xd C, Yj, Zhan Xq. The current Situation and influencing factors of job stress among Frontline nurses assisting in Wuhan in fighting COVID-19. Front Public Health. 2020;8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.579866 .
Kim-Godwin YS, Lee MH, Logan JG, Liu X. Factors influencing Sleep Quality among female staff nurses during the early COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094827 .
Labrague LJ, de los Santos JAA, Fronda DC. Factors associated with missed nursing care and nurse-assessed quality of care during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Nurs Adm Manag. 2022;30(1):62–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13483 .
Gumussoy S, Kiratli D. Burnout status, occupational satisfaction, and intention to leave the profession of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic period; the case of Turkey. Health Care for Women International. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399332.2022.2134392
Zelauskas B, Howes DG. The effects of implementing a professional practice model. J Nurs Adm. 1992;22(7–8):18–23. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005110-199207000-00006 .
Liu S, Wang C, Jiang Y, Ren H, Yu T, Cun W, et al. Nurse scheduling in COVID-19-designated hospitals in China: a nationwide cross-sectional survey. J Nurs Adm Manag. 2022;30(8):4024–33. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13832 .
Download references
We would like to sincerely thank all nurses who participated in this study.
This work was supported by the key R&D projects of the Science and Technology Department of Hunan Province(2024JK2133) and the Teaching Reform Project for Ordinary Higher Education Institutions in Hunan Province (2023JGB043).
Authors and affiliations.
Xiang Ya Nursing school, Central South University, Changsha, China
Xiaotong Liu, Yabin Guo & Yang Zhou
Teaching and Research Section of Clinical Nursing, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
Xiaotong Liu, Yabin Guo, Yang Zhou & Yang Zhou
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
Z.Y.*: Conceptualization and design. LXT: Writing-Original draft preparation. GYB&ZY: Investigation, Methodology. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to Yang Zhou .
Ethics approval and consent to participate.
This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University (No.202211250). All participants have given informed consent. And the methods in this study were conducted in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations.
Not applicable.
The authors declare no competing interests.
Publisher’s note.
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it.The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ .
Reprints and permissions
Cite this article.
Liu, X., Guo, Y., Zhou, Y. et al. The present situation of the nursing practice environment and its influence on nursing quality in a post-epidemic era: a cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs 23 , 543 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02202-6
Download citation
Received : 31 May 2023
Accepted : 25 July 2024
Published : 07 August 2024
DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02202-6
Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:
Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.
Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative
ISSN: 1472-6955
IMAGES
COMMENTS
When people take the time for cross cultural communication, they can be able to achieve personal growth by putting up with other people's behaviors and striving to understand them thus enabling them to interact objectively. This enables one to overcome ethnocentrism and accepting variety in cultures.
Tips for effective cross-cultural communication. To succeed in the course, Frei emphasizes that students need to pace themselves and schedule themselves plenty of time to think, reflect, and feel as they go through the coursework. "These are not just assignments where you can just check a box and you're done. These are thinking pieces ...
Effective cross-cultural communication is a dialogue between people of different ethnic, religious, language origins. This kind of communication is effective when both parties feel comfortable by maintaining etiquette, talking slowly, being politically correct.
guiding them for effective cross-cultural communication is essential for multicultural firms, or else they may face several issues in. the areas of employee relationships, staffing, attrition ...
Essay on Cross-Cultural Communication & Differences. Topics: Communication, Culture Words: 1378 Pages: 6. Explore the intercultural difference with our cross-cultural communication essay sample! Here, you can find information on the importance of the topic and gain inspiration for your multicultural communication essay! Table of Contents.
Cross-Cultural Communication and Cultural Understanding. Different cultures live and work together closely. When you adapt to various cultural norms, you put the other person at ease, better facilitate open conversation, become more productive as a team, and communicate more effectively overall. Different cultures live and work together closely.
Based on the reviewed works, cultural awareness and intercultural sensitivity, language proficiency, empathy, flexibility, adaption, social integration, communication effectiveness, and host culture acknowledgment are among the components of ICC (Moradi & Ghabanchi, 2019; Redmond, 2000; Rissanen et al., 2016; Vu, 2022). The results from the ...
Theories of Cross-Cultural Communication Hofstede. Social psychologist Geert Hofstede (Hofstede, 1982, 2001, 2005) is one of the most well known researchers in cross-cultural communication and management. His website offers useful tools and explanations about a range of cultural dimensions that can be used to compare various dominant national ...
Abstract. The need for cross-cultural communication skills arises whenever people from different languages and cultures come into contact. With increased tourism, international business, students ...
Cross-cultural communication is an integral part of our livelihood now that humanity is made up of people from a host of cultures and backgrounds some of which are as wide-ranging in mannerisms as they are distinct in their manner of conduct (Schramm, 1954). It is an undertaking that sometimes may be difficult for persons that are undertaking ...
Respect is a fundamental element to cross-cultural communications, as shown in communication competence (Mackenzie & Wallace, 2011). It has more to do with civility, efficiency, and ability. To signify respect in cross-cultural interaction, one must be tolerant, courteous, helpful, and appreciative. The article's application of cross-cultural ...
Communication and trust. Good cross-cultural understanding improves communication between people from different cultures. Consequently, it fosters greater trust. When employees or customers are aware of potential differences and similarities, they're likely to pay closer attention. They'll think more about what other people are saying and ...
Intercultural Communication Definition. The capacity to communicate with people from diverse cultures is referred to as intercultural communication. Interacting effectively across cultural lines requires perseverance and sensitivity to one another's differences. This encompasses language skills, customs, ways of thinking, social norms, and ...
Cross-Cultural Communication. By. Michelle LeBaron. July 2003. All communication is cultural -- it draws on ways we have learned to speak and give nonverbal messages. We do not always communicate the same way from day to day, since factors like context, individual personality, and mood interact with the variety of cultural influences we have ...
The study adds to the current body of knowledge on cross-culture communication by demonstrating the importance of culture in business settings. Organizational cross-functionality or connectivity is essential to innovation because it brings together a diverse group of people from different functional backgrounds [ 20 ].
Translation and Cultural Identity: Selected Essays on Translation and Cross-Cultural Communication, Edited by Micaela Muñoz-Calvo and Carmen Buesa-Gómez This book first published 2010 Cambridge Scholars Publishing 12 Back Chapman Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2XX, UK British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
3.2.1 - Cross - cultural communication Failures Cross- cultural communication: Cross-cultural communication refers to the exchange of information between people of different cultural backgrounds. Cross-cultural communication deals with the comparison of two or more cultures. Culture has tremendous influence on the communication process.
The purpose of this review is to critically analyze the state of intercultural communication literature. This review has three purposes. First, this review summarizes where the discipline has been, paying close attention to the discipline's history and some key areas of research. Second, this review discusses where the discipline is going ...
In conclusion, cross cultural communication is a key skill in today's global world. It helps us understand and respect different cultures. It can be challenging, but with patience and an open mind, we can all improve our cross cultural communication skills. 500 Words Essay on Cross Cultural Communication What is Cross Cultural Communication?
1209 Words. 5 Pages. Open Document. Effective cross-cultural communication is one of the most important issues dealt with in business, particularly when a firm operates at an international level. Communication is a process with three key elements, which includes a source, an audience, and a channel. Communication derived from businesses will ...
The strength of cross-cultural teams is their diversity of experience, perspective, and insight. But to capture those riches, colleagues must commit to open communication; they must dare to share.
Business Communication C Cultural Sensitivity Essay Example. The Importance of Professional Cross-Cultural Communication. Effective communication is the cornerstone for successful business interactions. Within today's interconnected world, the ability to communicate across various platforms with diverse cultures has become increasingly vital.
Cross-cultural communication is a vital soft skill for anyone in the US At its core, cultural awareness is about being well-rounded and open-minded to differences. Cross-cultural communication is the ability to communicate effectively with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
Views. 1190. Effective cross-cultural communication is one of the most important issues dealt with in business, particularly when a firm operates at an international level. Communication is a process with three key elements, which includes a source, an audience, and a channel. Communication derived from businesses will have listeners that ...
With the acceleration of globalization, cross-cultural business negotiations have become increasingly important in international trade and business cooperation. This paper aims to explore effective strategies for conducting business negotiations in different cultural contexts, helping companies succeed in cross-cultural environments. Through a review of existing literature and analysis of ...
Nursing Practice Environment is an important index to improve nursing quality and patient outcome. To explore the nursing practice environment in the COVID-19 ward during the period of COVID-19 and its impact on nursing quality to provide reference for setting up supporting nursing team in epidemic area in the future. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 251 nurses working in COVID-19 ...