Communication in international projects - illustrated by comparing Germany & Japan

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2012 im Fachbereich BWL - Unternehmensführung, Management, Organisation, Note: 1,7, FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management gemeinnützige GmbH, Berlin früher Fachhochschule (International Management), Veranstaltung: Project Management, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: In the era of globalization, regular contact between countries of different cultures has long been an everyday object. Was communicating with foreign business partners a sign of advanced corporate strategy for several decades, it has already become a habit especially for large corporations in the 21st century. But it is precisely this fact, why international business contacts often fail. Even in supposedly very factual contexts cultural differences bring unintended impact. They are often indicated at a second glance, is usually too late. It is therefore so much important to develop an awareness of forces of cultural differences in order to maintain long-lasting and close business contacts. Companies are nowerdays acting at various points on earth in intercultural teams, which would cause major problems without this awareness in everyday work, especially in cross-cultural projects with very different countries and cultures. The Austrian-American psychologist and philosopher Paul Watzlawick said once: "One cannot not communicate"1. It is in the nature of things to communicate, whether with the help of facial expressions, gestures, language, writing, images or sound, from face to face, or using paper or electronic transmission techniques. But in this everyday fact conceals an enormous complexity which reveals oneself only at a closer examination of this process. This work concentrates on the analysis of communication in an international aspect. Beginning with a theoretical excursus on the basics and the types of communication, Germany and Japan are examined to highlight differences and compare these with the focus on negotiations and meetings. There are many other kinds of communication beside them, but due to the limited capacity of the work can not been mentioned and will not been investigated further. Concluding, this work will present aspects that hinder cross-cultural teamwork through communication error, or can bring them to collapse, as well as aspects how to avoid this or at least improve international communication.