1009IBA Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Podcast, Fax, Intercultural Communication
4 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
L1. Introduction
The 'Global Village'
• Marshall McLuhan coined the term 'Global Village' to describe the world in which
communication technology brings new and information to the most remote parts of the world
o Termed in 1964
o Idea that conflict decreases as we grow closer
o Technology encourages the spread of information
o Analogy of homogenisation
• Breaking up of fat cells, constituting cream, which is distributed amongst milk
• Aspect of globalisation, customs, ideas and values
Globalists
Traditionalists
Transformationalists
• View globalisation as
inevitable
• Activity is regional
rather than global
• Represents a shift of globalisation, but
traditional aspects still remain
• Is our world more unified or diversified because communication technologies bring us closer?
Contributors to Cultural Diversity
• Advanced technology and transportation systems
o Technology makes international communication more accessible
o E.g. Internet, fax, satellites, telephone, Facebook, podcasting, blogging
o E.g. Airplanes, bullet trains
• Global economic and business transactions
o Global transformation
o International expansion
o Diverse workforce
• Mass migration and international exchange
o Immigration flow
• Mainly from developing to developed countries
o International students
• From Asian regions to study in US, Australia, UK, etc.
o Migrants who move to the host country to make a living
Questions of Cultural Diversity: Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
Disadvantages
• Innovation
• Different ways of thinking and
working
• Encourages 'outside-the-box'
thinking
• Leads to new discoveries and
developments
• Profitability
• A diverse workforce is better
equipped to market and sell
product, and to recruit
consumers
• Talent pools
• Unproductivity
• Different ways of working may limit
productivity in group projects
o Too many differing opinions to
cooperate
• Bureaucracy
o Decisions and actions can be slowed due
to diverging ideas and opinions
• Disagreements
• Foreign cultural events between two states
may influence people of that nationality of
culture
• Disagreements based on cultural differences
can lead to power struggles
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
• Unexpected productivity
improvements through strong
work ethic
• Different cultural adversities and values can
create barriers between workers
• Communication
• Communication barriers (e.g. different
languages) can lead to conflict through
misunderstandings or limited productivity
• Management costs
• Time and money
• Requires executives that have respect for
difference
• Time and attention is required to coach
employees on how to work around various
cultures with appreciation and understanding
of difference
What do we mean by 'Global Workplace'?
• Encounters with ethnic diversity
o Are an inevitable part of the domestic workforce
o Are facilitated by technological changes
o Have become more immediate
o Have highlighted the need for intercultural competence
Country of Birth
Percent Share (2009)
United Kingdom
20.4
New Zealand
9.1
China
6.0
India
5.3
Italy
3.8
Vietnam
3.5
Philippines
2.9
South Africa
2.6
Malaysia
2.2
Germany
2.2
Other
42.0
Total Overseas-Born
100.00
What is 'Intercultural Communication'?
• The interaction that occurs when a person from one society/cultural background sends a
message to be processed by a person from a different society/cultural background
o Models of communication
• One person sends message
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
The "global village: marshall mcluhan coined the term "global village" to describe the world in which communication technology brings new and information to the most remote parts of the world, termed in 1964. Idea that conflict decreases as we grow closer: technology encourages the spread of information, analogy of homogenisation, breaking up of fat cells, constituting cream, which is distributed amongst milk, aspect of globalisation, customs, ideas and values. Transformationalists: view globalisation as inevitable, activity is regional rather than global, represents a shift of globalisation, but traditional aspects still remain. Contributors to cultural diversity: advanced technology and transportation systems, technology makes international communication more accessible, e. g. Internet, fax, satellites, telephone, facebook, podcasting, blogging: e. g. Airplanes, bullet trains: global economic and business transactions, global transformation. International expansion: diverse workforce, mass migration and international exchange. Immigration flow: mainly from developing to developed countries.
