AMITY UNIVERSITY

JHARKHAND
AMITY COLLEGE OF COMMERCE & FINANCE

COMMUNICATION SKILLS-II
BC206
ASSIGNMENT

SUBMITTED TO:
MR. PRABHAT CHOURASIA

SUBMITTED BY:
NAME : AHMAD DANIEL
ENROLLMENT NO. : A35904619026
SEMESTER : 3RD
PROGRAM : B.COM (HONS)
BATCH : 2019-2022

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 Table of Contents

Table of Contents............................................................................................................................ii
1. What do you mean by cross cultural communication? Explain its various elements..............1
2. Explain the process of report writing. With suitable examples of various types of report.....5
3. What do you mean by language and culture? Elaborate with suitable example..................10

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 1. What do you mean by cross cultural communication? Explain its various
elements.

Edward Taylor (1871), Culture is that complex whole which includes

knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits
acquired by man as a member of society. From many definitions of culture, the
definition of culture is as something that is widely shared by members of a social
group and shared in virtue of belonging to that group.
Elements of culture:
1. Education.
The development of the mind and character throng study and training.
2. Language.
Spoken or writtwn words: human speach.
3. Shelter.
Something that protects from the weather or from danger.
4. Clothing.
Things worn to cover the body.
5. Economy.
The way that money and goods are used by people.
6. Religion.
A system beliefs that goes beyond human powers.
7. Values
Ideals or belief that guide the way people live.
8. Climate.
The usual weather that a place has
9. Government / Laws.
Rules made and enforced by the goverment of a country.
10. Entertainment / Recreation.
Something that is done for fun or relaxtion.
Characteristics of culture:
1. Culture is learned.
It is not biological; we do not inherit it. Much of learning culture is
unconscious. We learn culture from families, peers, institutions, and media. The
process of learning culture is known as enculturation. While all humans have
basic biological needs such as food, sleep, and sex, the way we fulfill those needs
varies cross-culturally.
2. Culture is shared.
Because we share culture with other members of our group, we are able to
act in socially appropriate ways as well as predict how others will act. Despite the
shared nature of culture, that doesn’t mean that culture is homogenous (the same).

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 The multiple cultural worlds that exist in any society are discussed in detail
below.
3. Culture is based on symbols.
A symbol is something that stands for something else. Symbols vary
cross-culturally and are arbitrary. They only have meaning when people in a
culture agree on their use. Language, money and art are all symbols. Language is
the most important symbolic component of culture.
4. Culture is integrated.
This is known as holism, or the various parts of a culture being
interconnected. All aspects of a culture are related to one another and to truly
understand a culture, one must learn about all of its parts, not only a few.
5. Culture is dynamic.
This simply means that cultures interact and change. Because most
cultures are in contact with other cultures, they exchange ideas and symbols. All
cultures change, otherwise, they would have problems adapting to changing
environments. And because cultures are integrated, if one component in the
system changes, it is likely that the entire system must adjust.
Cross-cultural communication.
It is a field of study that looks at how people from differing cultural backgrounds
communicate, in similar and different ways among themselves, and how they endeavour
to communicate across cultures.
Important to companies due to the growth of global business, technology, and the
internet. Understanding og how people from different cultures speak, communicate, and
perceive the world around them.
 High vs Low-context cultures
High-context cultures: Cultures that rely heavily on non-verbal & subtle
situational cues in communication. Example North America, Western Europe.
Low-context cultures: Cultures that rely heavily on words to convey meaning in
communication. Example: Middle east.
 Verbal communication.
Use of sounds and words to express yourself.
 Non-verbal communication.
Communication through sending and receiving wordless clues.
 Eye-contact.
In US, if you have good eye contact with a person, it generally signifies
that you are interested person. In Middle East, eye contact is less common and
considered less appropriate. In many Asian, African, and Latin American cultures,
extended eye contact can be taken as an affront or a challenge of authority. In
Western Europe, it is considered proper and polite to maintain almost constant eye
contact with another person.

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 Gestures
A movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express
an idea or meaning.
 Touch.
Islam and Hinduism: Touching with left hand is insulting.
 Color.
A single color can have many different meanings in different cultures. In
Asia orange is positive, spiritually enlightened, and life-affirming color. In US it
is a color of road hazards, traffic delays, and fast-food restaurant. Green is
considered the traditional color of Islam. It is also the national color of Egypt.
 Clothing.
Traditional clothing is an important part of a region’s history and identity.
Men tend not to wear suit jackets and ties in Colombia and the Middle East. The
traditional dress for an Indian woman is a sari.
 Greeting.
Bow is the customary greeting in Japan. Westener’s always start with a
handshake. Most Latinos are more accustomed to physical contact. Even people
who know each other only slightly may embrace when greeting. People from
France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal greet friends by kissing on both cheeks.
 Cultural conflict in workplace.
It arises because of the difference in value and norms of behaviour from
different cultures. So this situation create misunderstanding and lead to conflict.
 Block to cultural communication.
1. Ethnocentrism: Inability to accept another cultures world view.
2. Discrimination: Treatment to an invidual due to minority status, actual,
and perceived.
3. Stereotyping: Generalizing about a person.
4. Cultural blindness: differences are ignored and proceed though
differences did not exist.
5. Cultural imposition: Belief that everyone should conform to majority.
6. Tone difference: Formal tone change becomes embarrassing and off-
putting in come culture.
 Improving cross cultural communication
o Overcome ethnocentrism.
o Recognize cultural variation.
o Learn about cultures.
o Remove language barriers.
o Help others adapt to our culture.
o Write and speak clearly.
o Improve communication skill.
o Listen carefully.
o Respect style preferences.

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 Tips for effective cultural communication
o Slow down.
o Avoid negative questions.
o Separate questions.
o Take turns.
o Write is down.
o Be supportive.
o Check meaning.
o Avoid slang.

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 2. Explain the process of report writing. With suitable examples of various types
of report.

Process of Report Writing

Step 1: Decide on the 'Terms of reference'

To decide on the terms of reference for your report, read your instructions and
any other information you've been given about the report, and think about the
purpose of the report:

 What is it about? 
 What exactly is needed?
 Why is it needed? 
 When do I need to do it? 
 Who is it for, or who is it aimed at?

This will help you draft your Terms of reference.

Step 2: Decide on the procedure
This means planning your investigation or research, and how you'll write the
report. Ask yourself:

 What information do I need?

 Do I need to do any background reading?
 What articles or documents do I need?
 Do I need to contact the library for assistance?
 Do I need to interview or observe people?
 Do I have to record data?
 How will I go about this?

Answering these questions will help you draft the procedure section of your
report, which outlines the steps you've taken to carry out the investigation
Step 3: Find the information
The next step is to find the information you need for your report. To do this you
may need to read written material, observe people or activities, and/or talk to people.
Make sure the information you find is relevant and appropriate. Check the
assessment requirements and guidelines and the marking schedule to make sure
you're on the right track. If you're not sure how the marks will be assigned contact
your lecturer.
What you find out will form the basis, or main body, of your report – the
findings.

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 Step 4: Decide on the structure

Reports generally have a similar structure, but some details may differ. How they
differ usually depends on:

 The type of report – if it is a research report, laboratory report, business report,

investigative report, etc.
 How formal the report has to be.
 The length of the report.

Depending on the type of report, the structure can include:

 A title page.
 Executive summary.
 Contents.
 An introduction.
 Terms of reference.
 Procedure.
 Findings.
 Conclusions.
 Recommendations.
 References/Bibliography.
 Appendices.
 The sections, of a report usually have headings and subheadings, which are
usually numbered

Step 5: Draft the first part of your report

Once you have your structure, write down the headings and start to fill these in
with the information you have gathered so far. By now you should be able to draft
the terms of reference, procedure and findings, and start to work out what will go in
the report’s appendix.
Findings
The findings are result of your reading, observations, interviews and
investigation. They form the basis of your report. Depending on the type of report
you are writing, you may also wish to include photos, tables or graphs to make your
report more readable and/or easier to follow.
Appendices
As you are writing your draft decide what information will go in the appendix.
These are used for information that:

 is too long to include in the body of the report, or

 supplements or complements the information in the report. For example,
brochures, spreadsheets or large tables.

Step 6: Analyse your findings and draw conclusions

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 The conclusion is where you analyse your findings and interpret what you have
found. To do this, read through your findings and ask yourself:

 What have I found?

 What's significant or important about my findings?
 What do my findings suggest?

For example, your conclusion may describe how the information you collected
explains why the situation occurred, what this means for the organisation, and what
will happen if the situation continues (or doesn't continue).
Don’t include any new information in the conclusion.
Step 7: Make recommendations
Recommendations are what you think the solution to the problem is and/or what
you think should happen next. To help you decide what to recommend:

 Reread your findings and conclusions.

 Think about what you want the person who asked for the report should to do or
not do; what actions should they carry out?
 Check that your recommendations are practical and are based logically on your
conclusions.
 Ensure you include enough detail for the reader to know what needs to be done
and who should do it.

Your recommendations should be written as a numbered list, and ordered from

most to least important.
Step 8: Draft the executive summary and table of contents
Some reports require an executive summary and/or list of contents. Even though
these two sections come near the beginning of the report you won't be able to do
them until you have finished it, and have your structure and recommendations
finalised.
An executive summary is usually about 100 words long. It tells the readers what
the report is about, and summarise the recommendations.

Step 9: Compile a reference list

This is a list of all the sources you've referred to in the report and uses APA referencing.

Step 10: Revise your draft report

It is always important to revise your work. Things you need to check include:

 If you have done what you were asked to do. Check the assignment question, the
instructions/guidelines and the marking schedule to make sure.
 That the required sections are included, and are in the correct order. 
 That your information is accurate, with no gaps.

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  If your argument is logical. Does the information you present support your
conclusions and recommendations?
 That all terms, symbols and abbreviations used have been explained.
 That any diagrams, tables, graphs and illustrations are numbered and labelled.
 That the formatting is correct, including your numbering, headings, are consistent
throughout the report.
 That the report reads well, and your writing is as clear and effective as possible.

You might need to prepare several drafts before you are satisfied. If possible, get
someone else to check your report.

Types of Report Writing:

1. Oral
Face to face communication something seen or observed unless recorded,
it is ephemeral time-consuming for the receiver.
2. Written
More accurate & permanent. Reader can skim abstract. And it can be referred
back.
a. Formal
Formal reports vary a great deal according to their purposes and
contents, different organizations have different ways of classifying them.
some classify them according to their source or frequency of appearance,
others by their Letter or degree of formality or physical form.
i. Informational
An informational report contains only the data collected or
the facts observed in an organized form. it presents the situation as
it is and not as it should be. It does not contain any conclusions or
recommendations. It is useful because it presents relevant data put
together in a form in which it is required by the management to
take decisions.
ii. Interpretive
An interpretive report, like an informational report,
contains facts but it also includes an evaluation or interpretation or
analysis of data and the reporter’s conclusions. it may have
recommendations for actions. An interpretive report which consists
principally of recommendations is also called a recommendation or
recommendatory report.
iii. Routine
All that .the report writer has to do is to put a tick mark
against certain items listed- in the form or write very brief remarks
against them. These reports are written usually for recording
routine matters at regular intervals, e.g. confidential reports on
employees, periodic reports on the progress of projects, reports on
inspection of emendations also, they are called as Routine reports.
Routine reports are further divided into fanny types.
b. Informal

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 An informal report is usually in the form of a person to person
communication. It does not follow the rules and procedure directed by an
organization. Informal report can be prepared in one page or if require it
can be prepared in several pages too.

3. What do you mean by language and culture? Elaborate with suitable example.

Culture is defined as a blend of thought patterns and characteristics of a group of

people. The word culture is derived from the Latin term colere which means to grow
something from the earth so when people interact with each other, they grow
together which forms their culture. Usually, the term culture is defined using external
aspects such as language, traditions, religion, arts, and cuisine. But, culture is
something deeper than these factors. It refers to the way we think and interact with
those around us. 
Language is the medium of communication using which we express our thoughts
and ideas and interact with others. Tidbit: Over 700 languages are spoken across the
globe. Some of the languages are evolved from the others while many languages are
traced back to thousands of years.  However, the origin of first-spoken human
language is still unknown.
“Language is the Roadmap of a Culture” (Rita Mae Brown)
“Changes in Language Often Reflect the Changing Values of a Culture” (Ravi
Zacharias)

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 Language and culture are interlinked and you cannot learn one of these without
having a clear understanding of the other. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, 
language is linked to all the human-life aspects in society and understanding of the
surrounding culture plays an important role in learning a language. Moreover,
language allows the organization and evolution of cultural values.
 Using paralanguage
Complex is one term that you can use to describe human communication since
paralanguage is used to transmit messages. Paralanguage is specific to a culture,
therefore the communication with other ethnic groups can lead to misunderstandings.
 Homologous relationship of culture and language
The phrase, language is culture and culture is language is often mentioned when
language and culture are discussed. It’s because the two have a homologous although
complex relationship. Language and culture developed together and influenced each
other as they evolved. Using this context, Alfred L. Krober, a cultural anthropologist
from the United States said that culture started when speech was available, and from
that beginning, the enrichment of either one led the other to develop further.
 Influencing the way people think
If you are familiar with the principle of linguistic relativity, it states that the way
people think of the world is influenced directly by the language that the people use to
discuss it. Anthropologist-linguist Edward Sapir of the United States said that the
language habits of specific groups of people built the real world. He further added
that no two languages are similar in such a way that they would represent one
society. The world for each society is different. In analysis, this means that speaking
a language means that the person is assuming a culture. Knowing another culture,
based on this principle, is knowing its particular language. Communication is needed
to live the interpretations and representations of that world.
 Inter-cultural interactions
What is likely to happen if there is interaction between two cultures? In today’s
scenario, inter-cultural interactions are very common. Communication is necessary
for any person who wants to understand and get along with people whose
background and beliefs are greatly dissimilar from their own.

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 Cultural identity can be marked by language, although language can be used to
refer to other processes and developments, like when intentions are explained in the
language by a specific speaker. A specific language refers to a particular cultural
group.
 Transmission of culture and language
Language is learned, which means it can be culturally transmitted. Pre-school
children take on their first language from their exposure to random words they
encounter in and out of their homes. When they reach school age, they are taught
either their first language or another language. If it is the first language, the children
are taught writing and reading, the correct ways to construct sentences and how to
use formal grammar. However, the initial knowledge of the child about the essential
structure and vocabulary of the first language was learned before the child went to
school.
Conversely, culture is transmitted in a large part, by language, through teaching.
Language is the reason why humans have histories that animals do not have. In the
study of animal behavior through the course of history, alterations to their behavior
were the result of the intervention of humans through domestication and other types
of interference.
 Assimilation and social differentiation, and language
Through time, variations appeared within a language. Transmission of a language
is self-perpetuating unless there is deliberate interference. However, it became
important for humans to improve their social hierarchies and social status to advance
personally. Thus, many people cultivate the right dialect with is phonological,
grammatical and lexical features to make themselves better than the rest and get
accepted in new communities.
 Cultural and linguistic diversity
Culture unifies a community although there is diversity within that unity. For
example, the speech used by the older generation could be different from the one
used by the younger people. Further, different groups may speak one language, but
there would be subsets used by different groups of people. There could be slight
differences in the language used by a professor compared to the one used by a young

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office worker. People could use a different form of the same language in online
forums, which would vastly differ from the language used by media and classically
trained individuals.

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