Explain three benefits of increased knowledge and skill in intercultural communication

Question

Please provide the best answer for the best statement.

Answer 1

Answer: The first benefit is enhanced business effectiveness. Studying intercultural communication can lead to greater success in both domestic and international business contexts. In the domestic context, the U.S. workforce is becoming increasingly diverse as the general population does the same. In fact, a growing number of research studies show that being around people who are different can make us more creative, more diligent, and make us work harder, especially for groups that value innovation and new ideas. The second benefit is improved intergroup relations. Intercultural communication expertise can facilitate interethnic relations, which have frequently involved conflict. Consider the ethnic struggles in Bosnia and the former Soviet Union; the continued unrest in the Middle East; and the racial and ethnic struggles and tensions in neighborhoods of many U.S. cities. These conflicts often call for sophisticated skills of intercultural communication and peacebuilding, or working toward equilibrium and stability in a society so that disputes do not escalate into violence and war. The third benefit is increased self-awareness. People often learn more about themselves and their own cultural background and identities by coming into contact with people whose cultural backgrounds differ from their own.