Language and Cultural Barriers

With so numerous great deal immigrating to the United States and all the companies that be doing barter internationally, we essential summon a way to make it work. thither are many ideas, chartering groups and classes that are specifically de planetary houseed to help people of all expressions and cultures remove to work together and understand one an new(prenominal). The mesh has shown that progress is inevitable it is time for a change. irrelevant-born immigrants are rapidly becoming a rally part of the Ameri dejection labor force. This entry of immigrants is creating jobs in the fields of manufacturing, attend and construction.With so many immigrants joining our workforce, it is the best idea for employers to embrace this idea and find ways to link these linguistic parleys and culture barriers. Charleston, WV Immigrant Statistics (quickfacts. consensus. gov, 2010) Charleston, WV Population as of 2006 50,846. Foreign Born Persons as of 20003. 2% voice communi cation new(prenominal) than English spoken5. 3% In 2006, the foreign-born population of due west Virginia was 2. 5%. The majority of immigrants in West Virginia are from the following (usimmigrationsupport. com, 2010). 34. 9% Mexico 10. 1% Canada 6. 7% Germany 23. 6% UK, Korea, Philippines, China, lacquer, India and Soviet jointure Cultural and words barriers tush create communication problems which lowlife cause hazardous conditions, especially in the blue collar fields. Peoples stereotypes throw out get in the way of hiring a just thespian, we need to look beyond the stereotypes and see what contour of person they really are. Some companies drive current educational backgrounds, and dont take into reflection the applicants experience and education when coming from a nonher country.All countries can stand to watch over a little turn of events about tolerance when it comes to foreigners. In foreign countries, genuine acts are considered social suicide, such(preno minal) as receiving a work card from individual in Japan and stuffing it in your pocket. The Japanese consider their business cards a symbol of themselves. Some other common cultural differences are Roles and Statusin some countries women are considered inferior and are evaluate to walk behind the manfuls. Some countries females are not expected or allowed to work.What is considered normal in American culture regarding etiquette for a working woman is cold different in other countries. In Latin American countries, colorful business attire is welcomed, however, in Asia and the in-between East, the norm is neutral-colored clothing and nothing else. When conducting a meeting in Islamic mediate East, a female mustiness(prenominal) dupe a male host that accompanies them to their meetings, where they whitethorn well be the exactly female in attendance. ain SpaceAmericans commonly stand about 5 feet away from all(prenominal) other, however, Japanese cultural likes more spac e and the Latin cultural likes to stand closer.In China it is acceptable to pressure your way through a crowd and you may be invited to spa where nudity is considered appropriate. Body expressionIn America, eye contact is considered a sign of respect. People in the Japanese culture considers it is a sign of disrespect to look directly at a superior. Where Americans are very animated with their nervus facialis expressions, Asians are sometimes considered emotionless. Closed eyes imply a person is bored or sleepy in America, but in Japan and Thailand it shows that you are listening and concentrating.Such a simple gesture as a friendly kiss is prohibited in parts of Asia where it is considered a sexual act. In the Middle East and parts of Indonesia, the left hand is considered unclean. Personal AppearanceIn various parts of the world, Americans are considered careless with dress, manners and body movements generous with neighbors, superficial, change and short-lasting with frien dships, ethnocentricless interested in others, independent, and each obtaining. In some countries, our dress is considered provocative and rude.In countries such as China, India and Russia, women must keep their knees and elbows covered and shirts must be buttoned completely up to the neck. blow are frowned upon in Japan and in the Middle East, cleavage is a definite no-no However, in Latin America, women are appreciated for wearing bright, stylish clothing. Employers can help by organism practical and study to tear down the barriers, employers can reduce workers compensation injuries, improve the ability to recruit, operate and retain workers and increase productivity (charlotteworks. org, 2010).There are a lot of people in the United States who feel that people who live in our country should remove to spill the beans our language while this might not be the most practical statement, it makes sense when talk about positions such as customer service or anything that requires directions. It is so easy to misunderstand someone and then something goes terribly wrong. However, whos to say it shouldnt be the same way when we go to another(prenominal) country to work? Most foreign countries have a large number of citizens that do speak the English language, especially in term of the business world.However, the more languages you can speak fluently ordain help you if you plan a future in International commerce. International businesses should require employees to take language classes in at least one language where they conduct business its only reliable to the people in that country. So many things can be misconstrued if you dont know the language and try to conduct business without an interpreter, especially when it comes to jobs that require strict policies to keep employees safe. If an employee doesnt understand instructions, or misinterprets them, at that place is a significant change of scathe which can hurt the company as well.Even when foreign w orkers in America can speak English, there are so many slang terms that they may not really understand what is being said. When going to a foreign country to work, the employee must conduct research and catch out as some(prenominal) as they can about the country and their impost and realize that they cannot generalize the people of a current area. There are many different cultures interior a country and they should not all be lumped together under a stereotype. We must perk that every person is an individual and has different value and ways of life.The employer can provide a instruct to the new employee so they can get unwrap adjusted with the culture and office policies. Culturosity. com (2010) provides the following 10 Strategies for Overcoming speech Barriers Speak slowly and clearly. Ask for clarification. often check for understanding. Avoid idioms. Be careful of jargon. narrow down the basics of business. Be specific. Choose your medium of communication effe ctively. Provide information via multiple channels. Be patient. In summary, our world is changing and the idea of International Business is coming upon us quickly.We must learn patience no matter if we are the foreigner in a different country, or if we are take new employees into our company. They key to overcoming language barriers is education. We must learn about the countries we do business with and they must learn about our country. There are so many different cultures and languages that it will be helpful to learn different languages and brush up on other countries way of life.References 1. 10 Strategies for Overcoming lyric poem Barriers. (n. d. ) Retrieved from www. culturosity. com 2. Breaking protrude Language Barriers. (November 19, 2005) Retrieved from www. forbes. com 3. Communication Breakdown Overcoming Cultural and Language Barriers in the Global Gear Market. (May 2008) Retrieved from www. geartechnology. com 4. Cultural and Language Barriers in the Workplace. (February 2002). Retrieved from the www. charlotteworks. org 5. State and County Quick Facts. (October 26, 2010). Retrieved from www. quickfacts. census. gov 6. Immigration to West Virginia. (n. d. ) Retrieved from www. usimmigrationsupport. org.