Becoming Ethical Intercultural Communicators

Intercultural communication brings with it a whole host of its own unique ethical considerations. Different values systems lead to different behaviors, and sometimes what is an acceptable, and indeed expected, practice in one culture is perceived as a severe social violation in another. Laws and codes differ immensely. Consider for example the case of the North American doing business in Asia, who noticed one of his employees was stealing low value items. Congruent with worldwide company policy and not wanting to impose his own means of dealing with ethical violations in a foreign land, the manager reported the matter to the local police. The police arrested the man, interrogated him, and when the man confessed, they took him outside and shot him dead. Of course, the manager spent the rest of his life with guilt feelings.

Researchers suggest a five phase ethical approach to managing such situations more successfully than the above anecdote illustrates. These phases are problem recognition, information search, construction of alternatives, decision making choice, and implementation. In problem recognition, we learn to frame the situation through lenses of both our home culture and those of the other culture involved. In information search, we gather information about conceptualizations and potential consequences of the perceived offense. In construction of alternatives, the decision maker seeks culturally inclusive creative alternatives that uphold the local culture's general way of managing such a situation while upholding corporate policy as well. In decision making choice, the decision maker constructs a three part panel comprised of her or himself, a representative of the local culture, and a representative of a third culture. This panel discusses the situation and its best resolution. Finally, in implementation, the decision of the best way to implement the selected strategy is discussed. Perhaps it should be a top-down implementation or involve the participation of others.

Another area of ethical focus is the dynamic created between corporate responsibility and local custom of operating in developing countries. Ethical issues here might include child labor laws, women's rights, human rights violations, and working conditions. If faced with these considerations, you might consider the following questions.

1. Are you ethically confident in your behavior? Would you want your family, colleagues, and friends to know what you are doing?


2. Would you want to be treated thusly or have a member of your family treated in this way?


3. What if everyone acted in this way? Would you be comfortable teaching children to behave in this way?