CMA Foundation · Fundamentals of Business Laws and Business Communication · Barriers to Business Communication
A Mumbai exporter's team makes a casual thumbs-up gesture to a counterpart from a country where that gesture is considered offensive, causing displeasure. This communication failure is best described as a:
It is a cultural barrier. Non-verbal symbols such as gestures carry different meanings in different cultures, so the counterpart interpreted the thumbs-up as offensive rather than friendly. Hierarchy, memory lapses or distance did not cause the misunderstanding in this situation.
- ACultural barrier due to differing meanings of non-verbal symbolsCorrect
- BPersonal barrier due to poor memory
- COrganisational barrier due to long hierarchy
- DPhysical barrier due to distance
Explanation
The same gesture carries different meanings across cultures, so the receiver misreads the intended message. This is a cultural barrier linked to non-verbal communication. Hierarchy, memory and distance are not involved in the situation described.
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