Why study intercultural communication

As the world populace grows more aware of its interdependence it confronts the ever-shifting cultural, ecological, economic and technological realities that define life. The development of a global mind-set has become essential for human progress. This mindset can only result from intercommunication among diverse people.

Four trends combine to make our world more independent:

1.Technological development

2.Globalization of the economy

3.Widespread population migration

4.The development of multiculturalism

Taken together, these dynamics are representative for the development of more proficient intercultural communicators.

1.Technological development

- The development of new transportation and information technologies has connected all nations in ways that were possible before this century only in the imagination

- Communication technologies, including the internet computer network, the cellular phones, interactive cable TV systems and the information superhighway permit us instantaneous oral and written interchange at any hour to most locations in our country and around the world

- Porter & Samovar in 1994 indicate that the improvement of information technology has greatly reshaped intercultural communication

2.Globalization of the economy

- The progress of the communication and transportation technology has made markets more accessible and the world of business more globally interreliant in past decades

- The trend toward a global economy brings people and products together from around the world. Although globalization of the economy leads to a more uniform way of conducting business Harris & Moran in 1080 note that even decreasing differences among people will require intercultural knowledge and skills

- Five attitudinal requirements described by H & M will be needed in an age of economic interdependence:

1.possessing a cosmopolitan mind with a sensitive innovative and participative ability to operate comfortably in a pluralistic environment

2.acknowledging the importance of intercultural communication by recognizing cultural influences and personal needs, values, expectations and sense of self

3.becoming culturally sensitive by integrating the understanding of culture in general with insides gained from service in multicultural organizations or from activities that bring us into contact with ethnically and culturally different persones

4.adjusting to the norms of a new culture weather that be a domestic co-culture or another national culture

5.building upon similarities and common concerns while integrating and understanding differences to make us aware of the other cultures we are dealing with

3.Widespread population migration

- Conditions at home and abroad determine persons to leave their country to find peace, employment, learning or a new start

4.The development of multiculturalism

- Johnston & Packer in 1987 report 5 demographic trends in the U.S. that will affect organizational life in the 21 century:

1.the population and the workforce will grow more slowly

2.the average age of the population and the workforce will decline

3.more women will enter the workforce

4.more nonmainstream workers will enter the workforce

5.immigrants will make-up the largest share of the workforce since the 1920's

These 5 demographic trends will produce classroom and workplace that are defined by no predominant ethnic culture or gender.

The field of IC will play a vital part in teaching new ways of interacting in helping to negotiate multicultural understandings and in educating citizens to a greater global awareness.

The chronological development of IC study

E. T. Hall is considered the father of the field of IC study. Hall introduced terms such as intercultural tensions, intercultural problems, and in 1959 the book "The salient language".

Hall's 8 contributions to the study of IC:

1.Hall extends the single - culture focus of traditional anthropology study to comparative culture study with a new focus on the interaction of people from different cultures. This focus continues to be central to the present time

2.Hall shifts the study of culture from a macro perspective to a micro - analysis. This shift encourages the study of IC in terms of the practical needs of the interlocutors in comm.

3.Hall extends the study of culture to the field of comm. He's extension gradually develops a link between anthropology and comm. studies and changes the emphases from the qualitative methods of anthropology to the quantitative methods of comm. research

4.Hall treats comm. as a rule - governed analyzable and learned variable a practice permits comm. researchers to make theories about cultural patterns of interaction

5.Hall proposes that a holistic understanding of a counterpart's culture is not necessary to IC. He enumerates several items that can be used to understand