Intercultural Communication Competence in Multinational Competitiveness: Literature Review and Synthesis

Abstract

The increasing scope of business organizations in the first decade of the twenty-first century is drawing much scholarly attention, and the trend has been described as a fact of life that defies the stretch of human imagination. The concept of global economy has expanded consumer awareness, defined new standards and rules of operations, and increased the need for national and corporate interdependence. Multinational organizations are exploring opportunities around the world, demonstrating sensitivity towards cultural differences in order to gain from the proliferation and growth of international enterprise. Recent studies indicate that while some corporations compete successfully in the global marketplace, others have failed to sustain their competitive advantage because of cultural imperialism or inadequate acculturation of their managers on international assignment. Corporate analysts argued that the key to global business success depends on effective cross-cultural etiquette and global workforce diversity management. Other significant studies emphasized that global managers should be trained in interpersonal relationship and group communication competence, and should be equipped with cross-cultural negotiation skills that can maintain global competitiveness. Increasingly, corporations recognize the value of preparing global managers, because business objectives of are not been achieved primarily because of deficiencies in cross-cultural etiquette. Against this background, this study provides a constructive evaluation and analysis of global etiquette and cross-cultural communication for managers in international assignments. The study then proposes a strategic role for organizations to achieve adequate return on investments and to succeed in international competitiveness through cultural awareness, sensitivity, and reciprocity.