About this Assignment
Communications 301: Intercultural Communication is an advanced undergraduate course that teaches students to examine how cultural norms, history, and worldviews and how they shape communication practices in different cultures. You will develop critical analysis skills, the ability to apply theory to practice, and essential intercultural competence through course content, research, and reflection.
For the Case Study Analysis: Intercultural Communication in Practice, you will analyze an intercultural communication setting in the real-world and use your analysis to identify key challenges and cultural influences. You will evaluate communication strategies the different parties in the case study use and recommend improvements using course concepts to guide your recommendations.
Course Learning Outcomes
The following course learning outcome is assessed in this assignment:
- Analyze elements of intercultural communication, including language, gender roles, ethnocentrism, privilege, racism, stereotypes, and nonverbal communication
- Assess how culture influences communication in professional and educational contexts such as schools, workplaces, and healthcare settings
- Evaluate ways to improve intercultural communication in schools, workplaces, and healthcare settings.
Related Lessons
Prompt
Select one of the following case studies of intercultural communication and analyze the scenario. You will need to:
- Identify primary cultural differences and communication barriers in the case study.
- Analyze how cultural norms (e.g., high-context vs. low-context communication) and nonverbal cues influenced the interaction.
- Evaluate the success and/or failure of communication strategies used in the scenario.
- Propose alternative strategies that could improve the final result.
Your analysis should be 1,250-1,500 words. It must apply course concepts and reflect a deep understanding thereof, supported by relevant theories (e.g., Hofstede’s dimensions, Contact Hypothesis).
Case Studies
Case Study A: Navigating Cultural Differences in a Business Meeting
Shannon, a project manager from the United States, is sent to Japan to negotiate a partnership with a Japanese company. Before traveling, Shannon does some research on Japanese culture but assumes that her experience in other international negotiations will be sufficient. The meeting takes place in Tokyo and involves Hiroshi, the Japanese company’s senior representative, and his team.
During the meeting, Shannon begins by outlining her agenda and directly presenting the potential benefits of the partnership. She uses a PowerPoint presentation with clear data points and emphasizes the urgency of moving forward quickly to seize market opportunities. Hiroshi and his team listen attentively but remain mostly silent throughout the presentation. Shannon perceives their silence as disinterest or disagreement and begins to feel frustrated, trying harder to persuade them by raising her energy and enthusiasm.
When Hiroshi finally speaks, he uses indirect language to express concerns about the timeline and asks if Shannon could provide additional information for further review. Shannon interprets this as hesitation and responds by reiterating the urgency of the deal, emphasizing the need for quick decisions. Hiroshi nods politely but does not offer any clear commitment.
After the meeting, Shannon feels that the negotiation was unsuccessful and wonders why Hiroshi’s team seemed unresponsive. Hiroshi, on the other hand, feels Shannon was too aggressive and rushed, which made it difficult for his team to build trust and understand the proposal fully.
Case Study B: Intercultural Communication in a Classroom Setting
Ms. Johnson, a high school English teacher in the United States, is teaching a diverse group of students, including Ahmed, a recent immigrant from Egypt. Ahmed is a quiet and diligent student who excels in grammar and writing but rarely participates in class discussions. Ms. Johnson notices that Ahmed avoids making eye contact with her and often keeps to himself during group activities. When called upon to answer a question in class, Ahmed speaks softly and hesitates, even when his answer is correct.
One day, Ms. Johnson assigns a group project where students must collaborate to analyze a short story and present their findings. During the group discussion, Ahmed contributes minimally, focusing on the written portion of the project instead. His classmates perceive this as a lack of interest and exclude him from the presentation planning. When the group presents their project, Ahmed stands quietly in the back while his classmates take turns speaking.
After class, Ms. Johnson feels frustrated because she believes Ahmed is disengaged and not making an effort to participate fully in class activities. Ahmed feels anxious and isolated, worried that he is not meeting the expectations of his teacher and classmates.
Case Study C: Cross-Cultural Communication in a Healthcare Setting
Dr. Patel, an Indian-American physician, is treating Mrs. Liu, a 68-year-old patient who recently immigrated from China. Mrs. Liu arrives at the clinic with her daughter, Mei, who serves as her informal translator. Mrs. Liu is experiencing severe back pain, and Dr. Patel suspects it may be related to her osteoporosis, which has gone untreated for years.
During the appointment, Dr. Patel explains the diagnosis to Mei, emphasizing the importance of starting medication and physical therapy immediately to prevent further deterioration. Mei translates this information to her mother, but Mrs. Liu appears hesitant. She avoids eye contact and nods silently while Mei speaks. Dr. Patel takes this as agreement and proceeds to explain how the prescribed treatments work, using medical jargon to emphasize the benefits.
After the appointment, Mei privately tells Dr. Patel that her mother does not feel comfortable with the proposed treatments. Mrs. Liu believes that her pain is a natural part of aging and prefers to manage it through traditional Chinese remedies, such as acupuncture and herbal medicine. Mei explains that her mother also feels overwhelmed by the complex medical instructions and is worried about the cost of treatment.
Dr. Patel becomes frustrated and insists that Mrs. Liu must follow the prescribed plan for her own well-being. Mei nods, but her body language suggests discomfort with the conversation. Mrs. Liu ultimately decides not to follow the treatment plan, and her condition worsens over the next few months.
Formatting & Sources
Please write your case study recommendations in APA format. You will need to provide sources to support your analysis and recommendations. You may refer to the course material for supporting evidence, but you must also use at least 5 sources and cite them using in-text citations and a reference page in APA format. Secondary sources are sufficient for this paper, but you need at least three sources from a scholarly peer-reviewed journal. If you use any Study.com lessons as sources, please also cite them in APA format (including the lesson title and instructor’s name).
- Primary sources are first-hand accounts such as interviews, advertisements, speeches, company documents, statements, and press releases published by the company in question.
- Secondary sources come from peer-reviewed scholarly journals, (e.g., International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, Journal of Communication, Communication Monographs, etc.). You may use sources like JSTOR, Google Scholar, Sage Publications, and Elsevier to find articles from these journals. Secondary sources may also come from reputable websites with .gov, .edu, or .org in the domain. (Wikipedia is not a reputable source, though the sources listed in Wikipedia articles may be acceptable and can be a helpful place to start.)
If you’re unsure about how to use APA format to cite your sources, please see the following lessons: