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Articles on Multicultural Communication

Written by
Yousef Elbes, Ph.D.

The Mai-dang-lao example

Globalization and localizationEveryone in China knows what is “Mai-dang-lao” (麦当劳); in fact you also know what that is! Everyone everywhere knows what that is. Do you need a hint? In Cantonese it is “Mak-dong-lou”.
Globalization is one of the most prominent landmarks in the world’s modern economy. Business activities now have a very vast spectrum to perform and compete. Ignoring the specificities of this new territory is the right path to failure.
Localization goes way beyond translating your advocacy material and catalogues into the language of your new target audience. Even when you believe that you have thought of the local jurisdictions, units, calendar, currency and many other well known aspects, be sure that there will always be something missing.It is a very complex process, but combining what you know about localization with your awareness of the multilingual and multicultural communication ingredients, your chances to succeed are definitely higher.
Mai-dang-lao is the Chinese name for McDonald's.
Written by
Yousef Elbes, Ph.D.

Sensitivity to the cultural contrasts of the World

Multicultural communicationMore than 1.5 billionpeople now have access to the internet; the great majority of them don''t share your culture and your values. Multicultural Communication (MCC) is not only about talking to these people in their languages. In fact, in many scenarios you will be using one language to address different cultural backgrounds. The language you use has to feature the nuances of the culture you are trying to communicate with. Think of colours, shapes, signs, sounds, gestures and many other aspects that your audience would perceive in a completely different way.

Multicultural Communication can arm your Organization with a very strong tool enabling you to implement your plans in a smooth, convincing and, above all, "human" manner. This is the only path to follow if you want to gain the respect of your target audience - show them that you know who they are!

2013  ELBES Multilingual communication