Context Essay ⋆ Business Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

The terms high context and low context were popularized by American anthropologist Edward T. Hall to describe the broad-brush cultural differences that can exist between different societies. During the early 1950s, Hall defined culture as a means of communication that takes place through symbols, or “silent languages.” He identified five such languages, including the languages of time, space, material goods, friendship, and agreements. As he continued his research, Hall found common patterns in the ways that people in different cultures and societies used these five different languages: He observed that some people tended to communicate in a relatively explicit fashion, while others communicate effectively with much more implicit information. Drawing on these findings, Hall proposed a distinction between what he called “high context” and “low context” cultures.

In accordance with this classification system, a high-context culture or society is one whose members establish a few close connections among each other over a long period of time. High-context cultures tend to place a great emphasis on friends and intersecting networks of long-term relationships based on trust and mutual understanding. This high degree of shared understanding means that members of high-context cultures are able to communicate with each other effectively without the need for explicit information: Many aspects of cultural behavior are implicit since most members have learned what to do and what to think over their many years of interaction with each other. Since knowledge of how to behave in a high-context culture is hidden, it is difficult for outsiders to understand the rules of a society, and it is often difficult for the insider members of high-context cultures to explain these rules to outsiders. The time needed to create close relationships acts as a further barrier to integration.

By contrast, the members of a low-context culture or society tend to establish many connections with each other. These connections, however, are typically short-lived in duration; they are also comparatively more superficial than relationships in high-context cultures insofar as they are based not on friendship, but often only serve specific purposes. In low-context societies, cultural behavior and beliefs may need to be spelled out explicitly so that members of society know how to behave. Compared to members of high-context societies, people in low-context cultures tend to be more precise, specific, and require more explicit information in order to communicate effectively. Unlike high-context cultures, low-context ones are relatively easier for outsiders to enter: Much of the information that they need to participate is highly visible in the cultural environment, and they can form relationships relatively quickly.

Hall’s concepts of high and low context can be helpful in describing the cultural behavior of specific countries. The United States, for example, can be seen as a low-context culture. Americans tend to communicate in explicit terms: They value candor and frank discussion, and are likely to voice disagreement openly. Plain speaking—the act of saying exactly what one thinks—is a virtuous trait in the eyes of many Americans. In the business world, Americans tend to make contacts easily and casually, and negotiate contracts that are explicit, complete, and literal.

Compared to the United States, France is a more high-context culture. In French society, relationship building and social contacts are of great importance. Business negotiations are typically preceded by a lengthy process of establishing trust. This process commonly includes dinners and lunches that are not only opportunities to discuss business but also have a ceremonial quality. The contents of French contracts are typically open to interpretation.

Japan is generally considered to be a very high-context culture where effective communication is possible through relatively little explicit information. An example of high-context Japanese communication is haragai, a form of guttural speech that seems incomprehensible to Westerners but that represents for the Japanese an effective medium of communication. Typical of a high-context culture, in which relatively less overt communication is needed, Japanese business negotiations are conducted without explicit statements of agreement and disagreement: To make an overt and blunt statement when subtle communication would suffice is considered abrupt and rude in Japanese society.

Not surprisingly, these different ways of communicating have at times led to cross-cultural problems in communication. Americans often complain that the Japanese are reluctant to voice direct disagreement— they appear never to say no. While it may be true that the Japanese prefer not to say no in the explicit fashion preferred by Americans, it is incorrect to say that they do not express disagreement. It would be more precise to say that their high-context expressions of disagreement are difficult for members of low-context cultures to understand.

Some critics of Hall argue that, although it is sometimes useful to describe some aspects of a culture as high or low context, it is misguided to apply the terms to entire cultures because societies can contain both forms of context. “High” and “low,” argue the critics, are less relevant as a description of an entire people, and more useful to describe and understand particular situations and environments.

Bibliography:

Richard R. Gesteland, Cross-cultural Business Behaviour—Marketing, Negotiating, Sourcing and Managing Across Cultures (Copenhagen Business School, 2002);
Edward T. Hall and Mildred R. Hall, Understanding Cultural Differences (Intercultural Press, 1990);
Susan C. Schneider and Jean-Louis Barsoux, Managing Across Cultures (Prentice Hall/Financial Times, 2003).

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