FBC152: Cross-Cultural Communication Flashcards

Practice vocabulary flashcards based on the Fundamentals of Business Communication lecture regarding cross-cultural communication, ethnocentrism, and ethnorelativism.

Culture (Basic Concept)

The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterise an organisation, which are learned during childhood and are dynamic in nature.

Corporate Culture

The intentional cultivation of principles that must be integrated with actions to create a positive workplace where ideas count and respect is a cornerstone.

African Worldview

A holistic and ethnocentric perspective referring to a oneness with the cosmos, encompassing God, nature, and people in a person-centred culture (Johnson & Van Schalkwyk, $2022$).

Ubuntu

A Zulu concept, similar to the Sotho batho, holding that a person exists only because of other people.

Intercultural Communication

The process of sending and receiving messages between people from different cultural backgrounds (Cleary, $2015$).

Ethnocentrism

The belief that your culture is better than other cultures, often involving the projection of negative judgements on others (Daniels, et al., $2020$).

Xenophobia

An extreme kind of ethnocentrism in which a specific culture actively expresses fear or dislike towards another group.

Ethnorelativism

Being able to understand and accept cultural differences without judging, recognizing that different points of view are acceptable in their own cultural settings.

Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity

A model by Bennet ($2017$) that portrays intercultural sensitivity as moving from ethnocentrism (Denial, Defence, Minimisation) to ethnorelativism (Acceptance, Adaptation, Integration).

Positive Communication

A productive discussion that focuses on finding answers rather than pointing out problems, based on helpful methods, planning, adaptability, and empathy.

Negative Communication

Also known as 'destructive communication,' it occurs when people fail to communicate well or think through their message, leading to disagreements and pushback.

Self-Awareness

An essential trait for navigating cultural landscapes that involves valuing differences and being aware of our own cultural biases and communication styles.

Contact Zones

Places outside of the family, such as schools and churches, that influence a person's development and worldview.

African Time

An example of cultural 'values, attitudes and mannerisms' used in South Africa to indicate uncertain timeframes like 'now,' 'just now,' or 'now now.'

Language Barriers

A barrier to cultural communication that is likely to surface in South Africa due to the presence of $12$ official languages.