Breaking down language barriers is one thing; working through cultural differences is another.

Sharing a language doesn’t necessarily mean sharing a culture. For example, a French citizen may speak the same language as a French-speaking Canadian, but their cultures are quite different.

While language service providers help companies break down cultural barriers through translation, interpretation and localization, other experts specialize in the field of cross-cultural communication.

Richard Koonce, a Boston, MA-based consultant and corporate trainer is one of many specialists working in the field of cross-cultural communication. In a recent article from PRWeb, he explains some of the lessons he has learned in his years of working with business executives and their teams in the United States, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

“’Different cultures have different perspectives on authority, community, work, time, and an individual’s relationship to their boss or organization,’ he says. ‘In addition, different cultures are characterized by different behavioral norms, communications styles, and leadership preferences.’”    

Koonce emphasizes that because of these cultural differences, American team-building programs simply may not work at all if exported to companies based in China or India, for example.

In conclusion, professional assistance, whether in language services, cross-cultural communication, or both, is often necessary to assure successful international business operations.

Betty Carlson

See Also

• Language Translation, Inc.
  A leading language translation and interpretation service provider for more than 20 years.