Question

Briefly explain two (2) important barriers to effective cross-cultural communication.

Answer 1

Two barriers to cross-cultural communication can be considered to be:

Lack of cultural understanding

It can be regarded as on the lines of ethnocentrism, or on the opposite spectrum, not recognizing the presence of differences between the cultures, making it so that an individual considers that their culture is similar to others in a diverse environment because of a single factor of similarity such as both parties drinking coffee, which makes it ineffective when an individual communicates to others without the necessary knowledge of their culture and risk coming off as rude or inconsiderate.

Language barrier

If there is a stark difference between the languages spoken by the two individuals, it can add negative value towards the ability of the individuals to decode the message, it also means that subtle body language and cues might be missed because the individual does not recognize the words, spoken language and the impact of certain words, introducing a lack of effectiveness in the communication process.