CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES
Anamaria-Mirabela POP, Monica-Ariana SIM
Department of International Business, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania
Abstract: The communication in an organization involves agreeing on the objectives of the organization by achieving an optimal dosage between internal communication and external communication. Internal communication in an organization is the link that binds its departments, and leads to the smooth running of the business. The relationship between internal communication and external communication within an organization is the result of cooperation between its departments, and the result is the image it transmits externally. In order to have communication within an organization, one must know who is communicating, in what atmosphere, and especially what they are communicating. It is no secret that the importance of knowing a foreign language influences almost every aspect of multinational business. Language can be a barrier in everyday activities, when branches that speak different languages have to communicate with each other. Knowledge of a foreign language can be an aspect that facilitates the flow of communication, both internally (within the same department) and externally (between several departments). The employees with language skills who know one or more foreign languages have more opportunities to work with people from different departments and can keep in touch without effort. Also, speaking the same language, both employees and managers can more easily maintain relationships with other affiliates, not depending on each other and thus saving valuable time. In the same time, as a result of the many cultural contexts, the workplace faces additional communication issues and even when employees in different locations or offices speak the same language, there are some cultural differences to consider in order to improve communication between the two parties. An effective communication strategy begins with the recognition that the message sender and recipient come from different cultures and backgrounds. Thus, this adds a layer of ambiguity to conversations, making them much more difficult. Therefore, this paper considers to demonstrate that without diving into cultures and subcultures, it is perhaps most crucial for individuals to grasp that cultural variety is the key to success.
Keywords: business communication; cross-cultural communication; foreign languages; multinationals
