Cultural Differences between the West and China and Their Implications for Cross-cultural

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-校园英语 / 语言文化研究Cultural Differences between the West and China and

Their Implications for Cross-cultural Communication

西华师范大学美术学院/刘英尧

【Abstract】Cultural differences can easily lead to misunderstandings, embarrassments, shocks and even conflicts

when it comes to cross-cultural communications. It is, therefore,

imperative that those engaged, or to be engaged in international

communications should understand the inherent differences

between different cultures and develop a cultural sensitivity

in order to ensure a smooth and free communication of ideas.

This essay herein seeks to explore the developmental history of

western and Chinese cultures and their cultural disparities, as well

as analyze their implications for communicative efforts between

peoples of the two cultures.

【Key words】cultural differences; agrarian civilization; nomadic civilization; cross-cultural communications

1. Introduction

Evidently, with the increasing globalization and growing

international trade, business and social exchanges, it is inevitable

that different cultures are also increasingly interacting with

one another. As a result, people from different cultures are

realizing that communication is not only a matter of language,

but also heavily influenced by cultural factors. Whereas people

in individualistic cultures such as America and west Europe

where independent personality plays a leading role pursue

differentiations from others, people in interdependent cultures

like Asian nations where an interconnected role is valued are

more concerned with their interrelations with other people and

the environment, since existence is only meaningful when put

in a social context. To a certain degree, the effects of cultural

differences overshadow those of languages in social contacts.

Grasping the differences of cultural styles is therefore essential

to meeting the challenges in cross-cultural communication. The

subject of cross-cultural communication has, as a result, become

a subsidiary field of applied linguistics and is being taught in ever

more institutes of higher learning.

2. The Importance of Cross-cultural Communication to

Contemporary China

With a fast growing number of Chinese people and

businesses venturing beyond the borders, cross-cultural

communication between them and their foreign counterparts

is becoming more and more prevalent. One particular force to

consider is the overseas M&A spree of Chinese corporations

witnessed in recent years. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Commerce of China, Chinese corporations made

459 acquisitions of offshore businesses in 63 countries and

regions from January to July 2016, spending a total of 54.3

billion dollars on deals covering 15 sectors such as information,

telecommunications, software, and information services. The

Report on Business Management of Overseas Financial Risks

2016 pointed out, however, barely 20% of those overseas M&A

deals by Chinese corporations succeeded partly due to cultural

issues in the integration process. According to the world’s

biggest business consultancy provider, Accenture, 58% of the

M&A deals have so far created values to companies globally, but

the figure is only 46% for Chinese companies. In the words of

Mirko Dier, head of Accenture Global M&A Division, the biggest

challenge for Chinese corporations operating offshore projects

remains to be cultural differences.

Because of cultural differences, people think of and interpret

the world differently and it is often reflected on the languages.

The same expression may mean totally different things in

different cultures. While to Chinese people, the expression

‘quite good’ definitely means ‘very good’, to the British people, nevertheless, it means ‘a bit disappointing’. You can

imagine what such a kind of misunderstanding will imply in a

business negotiation.

3. The Cultural Differences between China and the West and

Their Implications for Cross-cultural Communication

The Chinese civilization has long been influenced by a strong

agrarian culture, while the western civilization was historically

dominated by a nomadic one, as a result of which, the Chinese

people were more family-oriented and concerned with domestic

affairs, but their western counterparts more independent, nature-

inclined and outwards-looking. Naturally, the most famous

historic figures in China were often writers and poets, whereas in

the west, those most revered were often scientists.

The Chinese people thus care more about the connotations

but westerns the logics in their communication approach, so

grammar is valued in their language. If you want to know if