The significance of cross-cultural barriers in organizational communication

Abstract

In global, multinational or multicultural organizations, cross-cultural communication barriers can have a significant effect on the efficiency of organizational communication. Communication barriers can consequently lead to conflicts within organization, the creation of various power groups, misunderstandings with stakeholders and profit loss. The aim of this paper is to present how language differences, nonverbal misinterpretations, assumption of similarity, preconceptions and stereotypes, tendency to evaluate and high anxiety affect managers and employees in cross-cultural context. Developing intercultural competences is regarded as the solution to overcoming the abovementioned barriers, and the role of education, emotional intelligence and the development of reliable digital tools is emphasized.