Cross- cultural Communication This page intentionally left blank

Introduction
Edward and Mildred Hall and Geert Hofstede are arguably among the most 
well- known leading researchers in the field of cross- cultural communica-
tion. They have developed much of the theoretical foundation on which 
cross- cultural analysis has been built. Their key ideas are in many cases com-
plementary and provide a basic theoretical and methodological approach to 
a clearer understanding of the relationship between culture and communi-
cation. This chapter aims to assess their key research and to show how their 
findings can be applied.
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Summary
This chapter and Chapter 3 discuss the views of six selected researchers 
of cross- cultural communication and assess the value and application of 
their research. The key thinkers discussed are:
Edward T. and Mildred R. Hall;
Geert Hofstede;
Fons Trompenaars;
John Mole;
Richard D. Lewis;
M. Bennett.
These chapters survey their key theories, and discuss the advantages 
and limitations of each and their application to the understanding 
of the effects of culture. Examples are also provided to illustrate the 
discussion.
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Key Thinkers in Cross- Cultural Communication (1) 21
Edward T. and Mildred R. Hall
Modern
cross- cultural communication studies owe much to the work of 
the American psychologists Edward T. and Mildred R. Hall. US companies 
expanded into Europe after the Second World War and took advantage 
of the new European Common Market economy. The Halls analysed the 
cultural differences between US and European companies and employees, 
published their results in a book entitled The Silent Language in 1959 and 
expanded upon these results in Understanding Cultural Differences in 1990. 
In particular, they examined the different communication styles used and 
the impact of behaviour on the way in which people do business with those 
from different cultures. Their research helped establish cross- cultural com-
munication as a research discipline.
The Halls introduced two key principles into the study of cross- cultural 
communication: one related to communication itself and the other related 
to the organization of time. These principles were later taken up and 
expanded in the work of Richard D. Lewis in When Cultures Collide.
The Halls identified two styles of communication in business, which they 
called high- context and low- context communication. The importance of 
context is emphasized as the name given to ‘the quantity of information 
which surrounds any event’ and is inextricably bound up with the meaning 
of that event. The elements that combine to produce a given meaning – 
events and context – are in different proportions, depending on the cul-
ture. In other words, context is everything which is not text (words written 
or said).