Intercultural Communication Barriers and Management Education in Developing Nations: Problems and Prospects.

Education and training of management personnel in developing nations have been patterned after the American system. Unfortunately, efforts at transplanting such knowledge has neglected the cultural nuances unique to the various nations, resulting in incomplete success. Intercultural communication barriers can be posed by such cultural features as language, religion, values and attitudes, politics and education. Certain common sense oriented, practical solutions can minimize such barriers:(1) textbooks and other printed materials used to transfer knowledge should be oriented to the client group; (2) audiovisual materials must also be appropriate to the host culture; (3) case studies should be assigned to participants to write, based on their own experiences or organizations; (4) role playing exercises can be used effectively in programs in Middle Eastern environments; (5) small group exercises and transactional analysis can be used effectively with Saudi managers; (6) native personnel should be used to gather information of a local nature; (7) instructors should encourage students to participate in class discussions; (8) instructors should receive social orientation with a "host family"; and (9) instructors should have some knowledge of the host country's language. (HTH)