Can you imagine running a business without communication? If yes, then you may have serious efficiency problems that would lead to money out of your company’s pocket. It’s therefore essential to note that communication has a vital role in all aspects of your business. As a feature of socially defined people, everyone is in communication with the others in the social context. Whatever the content is, individuals should exchange and share thoughts, news, in other words they should communicate. In this regard, especially in organizations where formal and informal communication exists, communication within organization plays a vital role in structuring the organizational activities, objectives, company policies and strategies. Communication plays a fundamental role in balancing individual and organizational objectives.

Effective communication is nothing but the presentation of views by the sender in a way best understood by the receiver. The communication is said to be perfect when both of sides assign or understand the same meanings to the message and listen very carefully to what all have been said. Being able to communicate effectively and fluently is the most important of all life skills. You only have to watch a baby listening attentively to its mother and trying to repeat the sounds that she makes to understand how basic the urge to communicate is.

Just delivering a message is not enough, so what makes the communication effective? The sender should transmit a clear, simple and meaningful message and of course if the information is incomplete, it can lead to wrong decisions that’s why it should be a complete and precise, also the information must be free from errors and grammatical mistakes, the sender should take in consideration the attitude, language, education level and position of the receiver and finally the message must send back the sender’s courtesy and respect towards the receiver.

Business negotiation is a conversation that takes place between at least two workers in an organization or two organizations discussing every part’s needs and interests to gain mutual benefits. The good negotiation in business communication must lead to satisfaction to both parts and we can realize that through some skills:

• • Interpersonal Skills: it’s the ability to communicate effectively through verbal communication and non-verbal communication
  • Active Listening: before talking the negotiator must listen well to what others say and pay attention to non-verbal messages to interpret their talk and try to identify underlying causes of conflicting situation
  • Emotional Control: it refers to the ability to control, understand and manage the own and others emotions also to express them appropriately
  • Collaboration and team work: it’s the ability to be creative, participative and accepting other’s views in a team or group
  • Empathy: it’s the ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences to realize win/win relation and finding mutually agreeable outcome
  • Patience: it’s about responding rather than reacting with impulsive way, resolving disagreements and conflicts positively to carry out a peaceful conversation
  • Confidence: every part should talk with confidence like he is sure of what he says.

Good negotiations are very important as they contribute much to business success and build better relations and the aim of any negotiation is to reach to an agreement that results in mutual benefits. Negotiation is a give and take process which means giving concessions to the other party which means little to you but means a lot to them.

The Important Factors that affect the process of business negotiation  are authority and credibility. Let’s start with authority which is the first key factor affecting any negotiation. Negotiation may start with deliberation but to be effective, it has to end up in a conclusion or settlement. For this, both the parties should have the power or authority to conclude the deal. Last and not least, credibility in the way that trust and mutual confidence are very relevant in any process of negotiation.

The secret of effective communication is understanding others as well as ourselves; we can then employ positive influences in our business negotiations and relationships that make agreements valuable for the teams involved.

For good negotiations we are supposed to have what ‘s called continual communication, which can be considered either an asset or an obstacle to establish an good founding relationship, solves problems and facilitates the process as well as to reach an agreement; by avoiding unproductive behaviors like competition or avoidance, one of the most necessary qualities for a good negotiator is to know how to listen carefully and with reflection whatever he/she is told.  One must accommodate his/her speech to those to whom they talk and that everything they say contributes to the final goal, which is  convincing the intelocutor.

All negotiators, whether they are in the process of drafting a contract or solving a conflict, must communicate responsibly to ensure the success of their efforts. The success of their communication rests on an active balance between listening which means the ability to understand and share the feelings of another (empathy) and speaking using persuasion or the art of influence.

Authors

• ABBAZ AMAL
• AIROUD MANAL
• ATIK MOHAMMED
• BALGHZAL AMINE
• BENSAID OUMAIMA

What do you know about cultural barriers?

The more the company operates internationally, the greater is the probability of facing cultural issues. Cultural issues can be visible in many ways, language is one of the important factors that differentiate people and may cause misunderstandings and misinterpretations which can harm your business. The difference in language can block communication when two parties cannot speak the same language, sometimes even they speak the same language they may have different accents, dialects, and pidgin which makes communication more difficult.

Moreover, the behavior during communication is another level in culture, it varies from a country to another. Do you tend to interrupt others during the conversation? or you wait for them to finish their ideas? do you speak loudly or softly? Are you direct in your messages? or you prefer being indirect?  each different attitude may seem tolerated in some countries or regions but not in others.

Another barrier concerns stereotypes, they extremely influence incoming information and how we treat people, stereotypes can be linked to different factors such as age, gender, race, appearance, etc. The more stereotypes persist in a workspace, the more we have separated teams, lower productivity, and collaborating problems.

It is highly recommended to be aware of these differences to avoid problems resulting from culture clash.

How gender can affect communication in your business?

Gender barriers seem to have become less problematic in recent years, yet there is still, for instance, the possibility for a woman to misinterpret a man’s words, or vice versa. Even in a work environment where women and men have the same stature, knowledge, and skills, differences in styles of communication can hinder their ability to work together effectively. Cross-gender barriers might be either related or inherent to gender stereotypes and the way in which both women and men are taught to behave during their childhood.

Gender can be a barrier to an organization’s success because of the different ways in which women and men deal with issues. In general, women focus on feelings, meaning, and significance. They tend to rely on instinct and intuition to find answers, unlike men who focus on what is factual, rational, and logical. They usually find answers by analyzing and understanding things.

And while not all women or men communicate similarly to their counterparts, there are several characteristics that tend to be more common in either sex that have been identified. By fully understanding these tendencies, we can create a working environment that embraces healthy and open communication amongst each and every employee.

Are you aware of goal conflicts?

“Goal conflict occurs when a goal that a person wishes to accomplish interferes with the attainment of at least one other goal that the individual simultaneously wishes to accomplish” (Robert A. Emmons). Indeed, in the same organization we can find different personal’s goals. For instance, a shareholder wants to increase the value of the company by controlling the stock price and swelling market share, the same thing for the employee who wants to get more done and boost his incomes. Whereas, the customer searches a good ratio quality/price.

There is no communication process with ego based goals. Obviously, when a person hangs on a specific goal, automatically he is destroying his link with others which means a random act. So, that can lead to personality clashes if individuals have significantly different personalities, friction can arise. These conflicts are often not motivated by malice but are the result of two very different people misunderstanding each other. Also, jealousy which is a huge problem; even if you are consciously aware of feelings of envy or jealousy, the actual reason may be buried in your unconscious and disguised by rationalizations. But left unexamined, envy and jealousy can work against you by distracting you from your own performance and you will not be able to discuss with others in order not to express your hidden bad sensations.

It is obvious that diversity is exemplary in most workplaces. Meanwhile, this could be the new standard, the probable challenges of diversity cannot be ignored. The article analyzed three barriers of communication: cultural and gender barriers also the goal conflict. So to create a work environment of inclusion rather than exclusion, it is important to acquire a knowledge of some key phrases and to use body language to create a real communication between employees, since it is impossible to learn all the languages.

Furthermore, it is necessary to find a middle ground between all employees to avoid misunderstanding and manipulation. Otherwise, it is critically important to make education gender sensitive in order to promote positive stereotypes. Regarding the goal conflict, the important thing to keep in mind, is that in many instances, finding a way to satisfy both individuals will climatically be good for the company.

To sum up, communication has always known barriers so we cannot eliminate them overnight yet we can always make an extra effort to improve it. So let’s take time to ask how to make better our communication because without it, there would be no organizations.

Authors :

• HAJAR BASSIM EL IDRISSI
• YOUSSEF ADARSSANE
• KHALID BENICHE
• ILHAM ABDERRAHIM
• IMANE ASBIK

References:

• Lainie Petersen. (February 2019). Examples of Employer & Employee Conflicts. Retrieved from: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-employer-employee-conflicts-13804.html
• Vilayanur S. Ramachandran1and Baland Jalal1. (September 2017). The Evolutionary Psychology of Envy and Jealousy. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319904475_The_Evolutionary_Psychology_of_Envy_and_Jealousy
• Julia Gorges and Axel Grund. (November 2017). Aiming at a Moving Target: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations in the Study of Intraindividual Goal Conflict between Personal Goals. Retrieved from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02011/full
• Cailin S. Stamarski and Leanne S. Son Hing. (September 2015). Gender inequalities in the workplace: the effects of organizational structures, processes, practices, and decision makers’ sexism. Retrieved from:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4584998/
• Hannah Borchardt. (December 2014). Gender Roles in the Workplace: How They Affect Communication. Retrieved from:  https://hannahborchardt.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/17/
• Internations Organization. Global Guide for working abroad: Cultural Differences in Business. Retrieved from:  https://www.internations.org/guide/global/cultural-differences-in-business-15308
• Summa Linguae Technologies. Culture and language in business. Retrieved from: https://summalinguae.com/blog/culture-and-language-in-business/

H&M communicates

Hennes & Mauritz commonly known as H&M is one of the most famous clothing companies in the world as it is ranked the second largest global clothing retailer just behind Spain based Inditex which is the parent company of Zara.  This Swedish multinational clothing retail company has stores in 74 countries counting over 5000 stores.

The company has made it easier for online shoppers by the availability of their products online in 33 companies. H&M strategy focuses on three main factors of business:

Price:  H&M controls price by limiting middlemen, buying in outsized quantity and appropriate merchandise and sustaining effectual distributing process.

Design:  The designing of the products is done in-house and the production is totally outsourced.

Quality:  The main focus is on superiority with widespread testing and warranting, less environmental harm.

The communication strategy of this company has as a pillar the “total communication domain” model by Aberg L, which relies on four sections:

• H&M conveys all the newly made products to the customers by the medium of Newspapers, Magazines, and Websites etc.
• H&M doesn’t  have any industries but it works with 800 suppliers and around 2700 production units.
• H&M keeps transparency by publishing monthly, quarterly, half yearly and annually the financial reports.
• It organizes general meetings annually.

H&M and its external relationships:

Towards their customers

H&M is committed to always deliver fashion and quality at the best price. Their customers are always their focus, from the design process to the shopping experience. Understanding and meeting their customers’ needs is at the core of their work. H&M offers fashion with high attention to quality to everyone. The company wants their customers to feel confident while shopping at H&M.

Towards their suppliers and other business partners

H&M believes in long-term cooperation with their suppliers. They believe that well-managed business relationships have the potential to turn into successful strategic alliances based on shared risks and shared rewards.

H&M also believes that such alliances can eventually result in a great sustainable business performance.

Towards their stakeholders

Long-term high profitability is essential for H&M and also for their shareholders. A high level of solvency guarantees long-term stability and security for their employees. Profits and a strong financial position make it possible for H&M to fulfill our responsibilities.

#Stay Home #H&M Adapts

The Swedish brand is now involved in preventing Covid-19 through its social networks. H&M will aid international organizations, such as the Red Cross, to use its social media to spread messages about health and safety and how to fight the effects of the pandemic.

Since the start of the health crisis, the group has closed more than 4,000 stores around the world. H&M is also planning to downsize to cope with economic losses. It also altered its shipping policy so that the deliveries will be free without a minimum of purchase and the return of products can now reach 100days. And the style of clothing is now following the stay at home movement being cozy and home adapted.

Authors

• Charbanou Nada
• El Idrissi Mohamed Ayman
• El Hamdouchi Hamza
• El Habti Mouad
• Chainane Meryem

Resources

• https://m2.hm.com/m/en_us/life/culture/inside-h-m/how-h-m-helps-communities-affected-by-covid-19.html
• https://fashionunited.fr/actualite/business/h-m-utilise-ses-reseaux-sociaux-pour-sensibiliser-contre-le-covid-19/2020032623504
• https://www.ukessays.com/essays/business/h-m-and-its-communication-strategy-business-essay.php
• https://www.chegg.com/homework-help/questions-and-answers/h-m-hennes-mauritz-ab-swedish-multinational-clothing-retail-company-known-fast-fashion-clo-q25207186

One of the definitions of communication would be “the exchange of messages between two or more participants, which is characterized by the intentional, conscious (at some level of consciousness) the use of mutually understandable systems of symbols”. This definition excludes the possibility of communication without conscious intentions and is therefore not widely accepted: habits and emotions are generally considered sources of communication that do not include conscious intentions. Besides, if other cultures interfere in the communication it will produce what’s called “Cross-Cultural Communication” which concerns the exchange of information between people from different cultural backgrounds. It is a well-studied field of research in several disciplines, including psychology, speech and communication, sociology, anthropology and business.

Communication and culture have a great impact on each other. Along with changing times, the socio-economic conditions of individuals also change. The impact of these changes is reflected in people’s communication behavior. Past experience, perception and cultural background have a big impact on how people speak and behave. Culture plays an important role in shaping the style of communication. In general, people respond to what and how we speak rather than what we say. This analysis examines the relationship between culture and intercultural communication style, and verifies the independence of culture and communication.

Communication across the African Culture

African culture differs significantly from European and other cultures. There is a strong connection between communication and the culture in the African environment, it is important to point their symbolic relationship. Culture in Africa determines the code, meaning and context of communication.

The two major systems of communication, verbal and non-verbal, are very operational in the African communication environment. Elders have the right to communicate verbally while the youth and younger generation are expected by tradition to mostly communicate non-verbally; because of their lack of adequate experience in life, they are expected to watch, listen and act according to what is told to be best for them by elders. In an environment full of elders, young ones are not expected to talk, start conversations, or express an opinion during a discussion unless required. An example of this is Senegalese proverb which says, “The child looks everywhere and very often sees nothing, but an elderly man while sitting sees everything.” Transmission of culture in most African societies is almost entirely through interpersonal communication carried out in small groups (family meetings) and large meetings (village or community meetings). The market-place, school, social forums and funerals serve as important channels for disseminating cultural information. Additionally, story tellers and singers relive the exploits and experiences of past and present generations to help educate the youth.

Certain African cultures use various musical instruments as a tool for communication depending on the occasion. Examples are the flute, gong and drum which can be used to deliver a political message, express sorrow or prepare the community for war. Musical instruments are a vital tool of communication in most African cultures. As stated earlier, communication in traditional African communities is a matter of human inter-relationships. In such a setting, it is based on one’s attitude towards his/her neighbor. Communication in such societies follows hierarchical socio-political positions within the community. What a person says is as important as who he is.

Historical, Geographical and Cultural Impacts on Communication

In Eastern Europe there is a variety of languages and language groups, as well as two alphabets: the Latin and the Cyrillic scripts. Eastern Europe is composed of many different ethnic and religious communities too. In this way it is impossible to define a common Eastern European cultural model. In terms of geography, culture, and communication modes, at least three basic cultural communities can be outlined: northeastern European, Central European, and southeastern European. However, despite the big differences between the countries, there are some common discourses due to the fact that all the Eastern European nations are post-communist societies. The first discourse is focused on the social and cultural trauma experienced in the period of socialism and often triggers hate speech. The second is based on nostalgia about the “good things” in the era of communism. And the third discourse is underlined by the constant questioning of “who we are.” This can make the communication complicated between the northeastern, central, southeastern European countries due to their history and background. The second thing is that the communication cannot always be flexible due to the multiple languages and to the education received by the elders, which can create some sort of tension in workplaces, or if group of people from different countries had to communicate. In fact, Europeans have to do some efforts to make the communication effective between the multiple cultures.

Intercultural Communication in Europe

Effective cross-cultural management and communication between the countries is essential in order to work efficiently together and build a strong union. How do Europeans manage to communicate in a context of cultural differences at home and in their foreign and development policies?

In an age of migration fluxes, raging conflicts and rampant populism, managing relations with those whom we think “are not like us” is paramount. Cultural differences between people tend to increase and there is no sign that values will converge towards a global cultural citizenship. Anglo-Saxon countries, including Britain, tend to show more individualistic features. As an example, individualist oriented societies educate their people to be independent. It is quite common for young people in Britain, for instance, to move out of the parents’ home when starting university, whereas in more collectivist oriented cultures, for example in Italy, this is far more unlikely as the family plays an extremely important role here. In collectivist societies group goals are far more important than the individual’s own interests. Individuals do not want to stand out from the group and therefore will avoid achieving better goals, quality or effectiveness than the other group members. This dimension plays a more important role in communication between different European cultures.

Also, some cultures like to break down information, to consider details, while others prefer to see a process as a whole and take a more holistic view of a situation or problem. This certainly can create conflicts in working environments if several different cultures are working together, as some people will concentrate on one specific problem or area whereas others will try to see everything in its context.

There is an obvious overlap concerning the culture of Africa and that of Europe, notably due to a shared history especially after the 18th century, the scramble for Africa was a major turning point which cemented the place of European culture amongst the newly acquired colonies, however it wasn’t a one sided relationship between the conqueror and the conquered, the share of multitudinous tradition between both continents which in turn ensured the growth of the multicultural paradigm we know today. North African migration for instance has caused a surge in the appreciation of Islamic tradition; it is now known that Islam is the fastest growing religion in Europe which serves as a testimony of the significance of the exchange between both civilizations. It’s safe to say that communication across cultures should not be taken lightly, since it can contribute to the alienation of a party or the sense of superiority of another, the emphasis should be put on mutual respect when exchanging with a different culture. We can only look forward with interest as to where this exchange will bring us in the near future.

Authors :

• BENTAYBI MOUHCINE
• BENARBIA IMANE
• CHISULO MARK
• DRISSI WALID
• EL BAOUDI MED AMINE

REFERENCES

Websites

• https://www.slideshare.net/mehravishal84/communication-across-culture
• https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/12356665.pdf
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311589252_The_Intercultural_Communication_in_European_Union_A_few_significant_aspects
• https://www.grin.com/document/5075
• https://ecdpm.org/talking-points/intercultural-integration-communication-europe/
• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118783665.ieicc0131

Books

• Matsumoto, D. (2000). Culture and Psychology: People around the World. Belmont, CA:Wadsworth.
•  Yunxia, Z. (2005). Written Communication Across Cultures: A Sociocognitive Perspective on Business Genres. Amsterdam ; Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

There’s a very fine line between being helpful and flogging stuff on the back of a crisis” Ian Henderson, chief executive of ad agency AML Group.

Marketing Communication referes to “The means adopted by the companies to convey messages about the products and the brands they sell, either directly or indirectly to the customers with the intention to persuade them to purchase” (Businessjargons, 2016). It can also be described as all the messages and media brands deployed to communicate with the market. These communications include advertising, direct marketing, branding, packaging which are all influenced by ongoing trends in the world and require efficient marketing communication. This brings us to the era of Covid-19 in which Moroccan brands have to adapt and stay up to date with the new consumer behaviors which will be instrumental in leading fruitful marketing strategies. As this pandemic grows, combined with the quarantine state it brings, in-home, online, and TV activity will increase in favor of physical advertising;  advertisers can reach their target users by investing more heavily in online digital advertising.

We will discuss how Moroccan companies are adapting their marketing efforts in this period of crisis, and shed light on some successful examples: What strategy did these brands put in place to ensure continuity while taking the situation into account? What made these brands maintain the link with their customers in times of social distancing? How are they helping out during this crisis?

It’s not just the government and public figures who are raising awareness of the need to stay at home during the Coronavirus crisis, in order to stop the spread of the virus and protect those at risk; companies have also, remarkably through Ads, urged their customers to practice social distancing and stay at home. They also helped medical workers, provided meals, distributed masks, and disinfectant gels. Let’s take a look at some examples!

Mio distributed disinfectant liquids

Ama detergent, a brand specializing in the production of detergents and disinfectants and known for its famous Moroccan brand of cleaning products Mio, has distributed 30 tons of disinfectant liquids and gels free of charge. The action started from El Jadida, the brand’s hometown.

Jumia Morocco declares the introduction of “contactless” delivery for prepaid packages on the platform via JumiaPay

Jumia continues to serve its customers and provide Moroccans with access to online shopping while supporting social distancing, a protected shopping environment and the “contactless delivery” option that has been set up on JumiaPay, the payment platform. It allows consumers to pay for their products online and have them delivered without physical contact with the delivery person or exchanging cash for the transaction.

They have also taken a few measures to guarantee the security of purchases during this period, ensuring that social distancing is respected when the sellers deliver orders and that they take all the necessary precautionary measures, supplying them with cleaning products and distributing a total of 10,000 gloves.

Over 120,000 meals are distributed by McDonald’s Morocco

McDonald’s Morocco launched the # Mta7dine operation, serving meals consistently in 19 cities in the Kingdom to support citizens in difficulty and healthcare workers.

Inwi launches “Inwi money”

Inwi money offers free transfers of money regardless of the amount of the transfer. New Inwi money customers benefit from 1 GB of data offered. Users can, from their home and in compliance with sanitary confinement rules, access many financial services via a single click. They can transfer money from their phone, recharge their phone line, pay their bills or make purchases from partner merchants such as Marjane.

Renault Morocco donates vehicles

Renault Morocco and its network of dealers have donated 50 ambulances. They made available a set of services intended for the medical institutions in order to support the national effort to overcome this pandemic.

This pandemic has shown another side of marketing communication skills.  Moroccan companies were obliged to keep the business going and find a way to avoid the impact of the crisis caused by Covid-19. By moving from sales marketing to hope marketing, they prioritized the need for community content. With uncertain future, we can only wait for a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel.

“It goes without saying that we are in an extraordinary situation globally with Coronavirus. The scale of this pandemic and its far-reaching effects will reshape society in many long-lasting ways. It’s already changing the way we eat, travel, shop, how we think about our health, and even how we interact with one another.” – Brandon Brown, CEO of GRIN.

Written By :

• Benjelloun Meriam
• Baillade Hajar
• Abouricha Salma
• Kassim Abdel-kader
• Ammari Rajae

REFERENCES :

• Businessjargons.com (2016). What is Marketing Communication? Definition and meaning. Accessed (2020, April 10) at https://businessjargons.com/marketing-communication.html
• Medias24.com. (2020). Ama Détergent: l’industriel Marocain au service de la lutte contre le Covid-19. Accessed (2020, April 4) at https://www.medias24.com/ama-detergent-l-industriel-marocain-au-service-de-la-lutte-contre-le-covid-19-9362.html
• Medias24.com (2020). Jumia publie un guide d’achat en ligne, avec livraison à domicile. Accessed (2020, April 4) at https://www.medias24.com/jumia-publie-un-guide-d-achat-en-ligne-avec-livraison-a-domicile-9144.htmlMzaghrani,
• Mzaghrani, N. (2020). Coronavirus: companies that are making a contribution. Accessed (2020, April 3) at https://maroc-diplomatique.net/coronavirus-ces-ent

Active listening involves reading a speaker’s body language and tone of voice, both. They can transmit different messages than those of the words used; the body language can convey more than words and voice tone may also reveal feelings that contradict the speaker’s words. A speaker whose gestures often and lean forward may be enthusiastic or excited; if he/she doesn’t make eye contact and looks down may be conveying discomfort or embarrassment. In fact, some commonly held beliefs about body language are not necessarily accurate. If a listener crossed his arms, that often believed to be a sign of resistance to the speaker’s words, it can only be a sign of the listener’s best comfortable sitting position. In the other hand, some people believe that unwillingness to make eye contact indicate lying. However, many people may lack eye contact due to shyness, or can look others in the eye and lie, or other reasons. Feedback is an important part of active listening; both verbal and nonverbal responses can improve listening. First, a speaker may nod their head, raise their eyebrows, or smile to show that they understand the listener; or they can use many verbal responses to show comprehension. In case of lack of understanding or the need for further information when listening, the listener might nod his/ her head to one side or furrow his eye-brows; he can also use some expression to improve his ability to understand the speaker. One element of feedback discussed previously is the recognition of the speaker’s feelings, especially when the speaker is emotional. Before listeners can effectively understand the topic of discussion, they must recognize any negative feelings that the speaker seems to feel.

People are different from one another; each one has his/her own personality and character, and especially the topic or the subject that can trigger negative emotions in them. For which the speaker should sense, in a way or another, the beginning of these emotions that can show up in the listener, who can be a client or a coworker or a superior in a business meeting. Also, the speaker needs to have the ability to control his/her own emotions, remain calm, and try to distract the listener to another subject or even minimize his emotional reaction, and especially show them that his/her emotions are taken into consideration. However, the speaker is often aware of the topics that can trigger a bad feeling in the listener, that’s why he/she needs to make sure to avoid it as possible. And the simple way to know and have an idea of these sensitive subjects is to listen carefully to the person to get a clue about his/her personality or point of view; this way it is much easier to have a safe business communication.

To better manage the negative reactions towards coworkers or towards customers it is necessary first of all to remain calm, to have the willingness of an active listening, without taking pre-judgment, while respecting what others want to communicate. In addition, it is also necessary to avoid any verbal or non-verbal reaction which can trigger problems and which only serves to aggravate the situation. On the other side, you have to share the trust and take into consideration the differences in mentalities, age, cultures …; because trust overcomes all obstacles and improves team spirit and self-esteem which has a direct impact on an individual’s ability to work in a team and to help others. Moreover, it is necessary to take the initiative by showing a minimum of respect first and as this will come the respect of the others later.

A strong business communication is very crucial in every company, it’s the key of successful teamwork, it helps to build a good relationship between the manager and employees which can likely help increase productivity. To improve your listening skills, you should have a critical business skill and should be emotionally aware so that you can read speakers’ emotions and recognize their feelings.

• Bourass Imane
• Bouafi Ilyass
• Boukssass Kawtar
• Bouibker Yassmine
• Benshaba Imane

How can cultural diversity hinder the effectiveness of communication among employees?

Generally, the majority care only about the advantages and benefits of cultural diversity such as innovation (Bartlett, 1889), increased efficiency and productivity (Adler, 1994), but have we ever asked about negative influences of the cultural diversity on the communication among employees? In fact, cultural diversity as it can be an asset within an organization, it can also constitute a brake, insofar as there are several variables of a cultural nature (beliefs, values, attitudes, behaviors, languages and / or dialect ..) associating with each other and giving rise to dysfunctions in communication between employees. As such, we mainly discuss the way in which employees interpret the messages received. According to Chevrier (1990): “a manager spends on average 70% of his time communicating, whether verbally or not, consciously or unconsciously”; to clarify this, suppose a manager communicates around the objectives within a multicultural group made up of American and Japanese employees; in this case, we will have two completely different kinds of perceptions: for an American, a goal is a precise quantifiable criteria and while for a Japanese, a goal is rather a direction to follow. Also, employees from different cultures are characterized by linguistic, legal, social, ethnic and religious specificities particular to each of them. This can limit the flow of communication by causing misunderstandings and misinterpreting as each employee tries to analyze situations according to their own culture.

Can we say that resistance to change influences internal communication within companies?

In a context of continuous economic development, whether through globalization or technological progress, any organization is faced with a need for change which can be structural, technological or cultural. In this perspective, the manager is a micro-actor of change, limited in his cognitive and communicative skills, which puts him in a position of dependence on his subordinates. He needs the cooperation of other members of the organization, who also have an ability to act, to build meaning and to communicate. Here comes another problematic issue which influences the intern communication, which is the employees’ resistance to change. When we see the organization as a communication fabric, a system of communicational transactions and as an organizing process, composed of interconnected behaviors, it becomes obvious that organizational change is, by definition, delicate. Changing the organization means changing people’s behavior and their relationships with each other. It also means changing their positions in the engagement networks, their context of creation of a meaning. And it is, at the same time, touching their identity and their everyday life. In this sense, resistance to change and communication problems are no longer seen as barriers to change, but more as natural results of a change.

What about conflicts of priorities?

This issue can also be one of the problems influencing the communication between employees into workplace, in fact conflicts of priorities are problems that arises when employees don’t take into consideration the opinions and priorities of other parties. Each team in work consider that his project has a high priority and try to value and defend it by all means and see that others project are not interesting as him, which causes a conflict of opinions between members of teams ending by a lack of communication thing that decrease their motivation and influence negatively their productivity, because having a strong and cohesive team at work is the thing that let members fell excited to come at work and put their best effort into a project and here I want to take an example of personnel experience of work within a team in a company for three month, in fact we were six people on the team and the work went well, but over time and as we got to know each other, the problems started to arise, we were brought to work in the form of two teams and each one proposes a solution for a problem that have emerged. The first team believes that the solution they have proposed is the perfect solution and the more suitable to the problem so it’s the one that must be selected with priority by the managers after this issue communication between our teams and the other had been cut off for o long period and we have got demotivated, stressed in work trying to avoid contact with this team as much as possible.

How different personality types impact the communication among employees?

Many breakdowns in communication are attributed to the problem of personality differences; in fact, different personality types have different communication preferences, and these naturally affect workplace communication, sometimes for the worst. The truth is that personality differences are very important for increasing the productivity of offices, departments and teams; it brings a variety of strengths to the work, some offer insight and some offer planning and critical thinking, etc. Therefore, all personality types should be considered. At the same time, if we fail to recognize and accommodate those differences the communication among employees will be difficult; consequently, a drop in productivity and an increase in general workplace tension will occur. The main reason behind the impact of personality differences on workplace relationships is each individual’s assumption that his or her own personality is the best one. “If more of my coworkers were like me, the office would be a better place.” In the other hand, some personality judgments are used negatively: “Well, you know the type I’m talking about.”, “He has no personality, he’s the uncommunicative type.”, “Given her personality, don’t expect much enthusiasm from her.” So, what are personality types? Now that you know that the key factors in getting the best from differences are appreciation, understanding, and adaptability. Let’s take look at the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) that is used by many businesses to understand personality and preferences, in fact, two million MBTI tests are administered each year in the United States. The MBTI is built around four opposing pairs of personality types: extraversion/introversion; sensing/intuitive; thinking/feeling; judging/perceiving. This indicator identifies the person’s preference within each of the four opposing pairs. If you do the math, you will see that there are sixteen possible combinations, or  personality types.

What’s your personality type? Find it out with this personality test.

A work done by

• ABDERRAZIK Loubna
• AMZIL Awatif
• BADRANE Hasnaa
• BATTIOUI Ikram
• BELOUAR Khadija

Resources

• Mcintosh, Perry, Luecke, Richard A, Interpersonal communication skills in the workplace: Ebook edition, Ed 2, Amacom, 2008
• https://www.cours-gratuit.com/cours-management/cours-management-le-management-interculturel

Intercultural business communication often includes economic topics, and businessmen in different cultures need to improve the communication skills that could directly lead to successful negotiations with other corporations. Miscommunication may start from small linguistic misunderstandings to serious situations in which agreement may be differently interpreted and its process may be completely different from culture to culture. So, cultural values can influence international business negotiations in significant and unexpected ways from the first to the last stage of a negotiation (Swierczek and Numprasertchai, 2006).
In order to achieve a desirable outcome of a negotiation, it may be useful to follow a structured approach. The first phase is preparation, before any negotiating a decision must be made as to when and where a meeting will be held to discuss an issue. Secondly discussion, the members on each side present their understanding of the situation, the key skills of this step includes the survey, listening and clarification. Thirdly clarification of objectives, the goals and interests of the two sides of disagreement should be clarified to avoid misunderstandings and the risk that can happen. Fourthly negotiate for a win-win result, the parties feel that they have gained something positive during the negotiation phase and both parties believe that their views been taken into account. Fifthly agreement, it can be reached once the understanding of the views and interests of both parties have been taken into account. Lastly an action must be implemented to carry out the decision.

Cultural differences, linguistic differences, geographical distances, temporal differences, legal differences….These specificities may generate some risks, difficulties and costs which must be understood as well as possible in order to make the best conditions for international negotiations.
Culture impacts international negotiations by pushing the two foreign parties to discover and know each other’s culture in advance out of respect, to establish a climate of trust, to know the attitudes to hold during negotiations, to adapt different styles of communication, to minimize differences in meaning, to design terms like planning, engagement, to minimize the risk of errors, wasted time…
Directly or indirectly, culture influences the way in which those negotiators seek to understand and integrate the culture of the other; the way of reasoning; situation analysis; and the search for solutions (Jeswald, 2004).

To illustrate the huge influence of the cultural differences, let’s take the example of a business negotiator from the United States of America who lost a very important agreement because she did not take enough time in order to study and understand in a deep way the context of her Indian counterpart. In fact, the priority in the course of negotiations for the Indian culture is to build a trustworthy environment by establishing a positive and friendly relationship. However, the style of negotiation in the USA puts the light on “getting things done” in an efficient way of using time because “time is money”. Indeed, this direct and transparent style can be perceived as aggressive and offensive, especially by negotiators from cultures where great values are based on relationships. This specific point represents one of the main cultural barriers for the American negotiator who learned from this crucial experience that dealing with business without considering the other’s cultural values and norms can create a cross-cultural misunderstanding and affect negatively the negotiation process (Shonk, 2015).
When negotiating with foreign suppliers, you’ll confront a variety of obstacles, such as unfamiliar laws, ideologies, and governments. One particular obstacle that almost always complicates international negotiations is the cultural differences between the two sides (Cardenas, 2019).

To be an international negotiator, you should have a lot of qualities such as a huge knowledge about the culture of your partners to avoid every misunderstanding during the business negotiation, and also to minimize conflicts and maximize gains. The ability of understanding and adaptability to the differences is an asset, in order to achieve positive results in negotiations.

Author

• Nizar Omayma
• Ramah Zineb
• Raquiq Amina
• Ziati Meryem
• Rachada Imane

So, what is a communication channel? A communication channel is the method through which a message is sent to its intended receiver. We have many channels but the basic are oral communication, written communication and electronic communication.

 Oral communication is the richest channel because it includes the body language and voice intonation, so it allows people to know immediately the feedback of the receiver. This channel includes a lot of methods like the face to face, mobile phone conferences, video meetings, speeches…This type of channel is used generally in organizations when there is a high probability of misunderstanding, or confusion. It can be also used when an organization wants to clarify or announce a plan to all workers in the same time, but it will be followed by an email explaining all the details. This type of communication can have an important advantage which is the build of relationships and trust and the fact that it can accelerate the making of a decision due to the immediate feedback of the receiver. In the other hand it has also a disadvantage that can reduce this type of channel which is that the spontaneous nature may lead to unwise statements; people are unable to refer to the communication once it is said unless a record is made. In a situation like the one we are experiencing because of covid-19, oral communication is very difficult to use since we are in quarantine in this case several tools can be used such as video conferences. We can suggest the use of zoom for the organization because it can support up to 200 participants, also the Google Hangout because is the most popular choice for this type of channel.

We can say that written communication is a set of all types of interaction in which we can use written words. It’s one of the two principal types of communication, which are oral spoken communication and written communication. Concerning the written communication, it is very common that in business, every business managers or owners is forced to develop some skills in written communication to be successful.  Written communication helps to achieve a consensus within the organization and gives the ability to communicate and reach a big number of persons, it is also very affective as it gives others time to think and then react and it is also an organized way of communication that includes all concerned members of an organization. There are lot forms of written communication that are used in business communities such as memos, job descriptions, e-mail… Nowadays, good writing skills are important in the business world because we see that companies rely more on computers and new technologies so they can communicate and complete their tasks more easily. Business experts are warning that any positive qualities in business can be dangerous for the companies if they can’t be written in a piece of paper. We can say that written communication is important in the business world because all reports, documentations and e-mail replies are all these examples we need to depend on if we got good writing skills and a clear written communication.

Communication is a major issue for the socialization of individuals. Today, communicating with new means, new technologies, reflects the inexorable modernization of society. That’s why electronic communication will symbolize these new developments:

 Electronic communication or e-communication is not that different from traditional communication. It defines the communication that takes place within the Internet. Communicating through the Internet will allow the company to transmit its information to its suppliers or customers remotely, quickly and efficiently. Its information will be accessible in real time. Today, the Internet is essential for businesses to make themselves known, get in touch with their customers and increase their visibility and as Anne Roumanoff, humoriste said : « Internet. We don’t know what we are looking for but we find everything we are not looking for ».

Without forgetting, the situation we find ourselves in today is an undeniable proof that electronic communication is truly indispensable in our everyday lives. Due to the Covid virus we use electronic communication to work, to study on line and to talk with our family, it’s in our time of need that we realize how important the impact of technologies and little things have in our lives.

In the end, we can reach the conclusion that business communication is held to a higher standard than everyday communication, it expresses how directors and employees communicate within an organization and how communication is managed in partnerships. Not only does business communication facilitate interaction in a company between its different departments and between co-workers but it also gives a company the ability to communicate on an international level without the hassle of going to a foreign country when meetings can be organized via video chats in a meeting room. Business communication became a must for every company because it is needed for its survival since this century depends on technologies to develop and invent new things which are beneficial for our future.

Business communication give an organization the ability to communicate in an oral, written and electronic manner within an organization and worldwide which make it more effective and make a company very successful when used to it fullest capacities.

Authors

• RIBOUH Chaimae
• SAMRAN Hiba
• TAHIRI Manal
• TAIB Farah
• TOUIALLA Sanae

References

• https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-principlesofmanagement/chapter/channels-of-business-communication/
• https://www.inc.com/encyclopedia/written-communication.html
• https://courses.lumenlearning.com/introductiontocommunication/chapter/evolution-of-mass-communication/

In 1970, college friends Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegel and Gordon Bowker decided to get into the coffee business. They found a mentor in Alfred Peet, the founder of Peet’s Coffee and he was responsible for bringing custom coffee roasting to the U.S. Therefore, with peet’s help, the first Starbucks opened at Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market on March 30^th 1971, a coffee bean shop and roastery getting its name from the book Moby Dick; the chief mate Starbuck. For the first decade, the founders opened five more locations in Seattle. At this point, the customers might have noticed a glaring absence: actual coffee drinks. Starbuck’s initial focus was bringing high quality beans to consumers who were more accustomed to instant or canned coffee, but that changed with the addition of one man. The company hired its first professional Director of Marketing and Sales, Howard Schultz. In 1983, he travels to Italy and returns with an idea; turn the coffee bean store into cafes.

The experiment was a success, and four years later Shultz collaborated with investors and bought Starbucks$3.8 million, by the time he pursued a strategy of aggressive expansion. In 1996, it had opened more than a thousand locations, including its first international cafes in Japan and Singapore.

Starbucks has catapulted from one coffee shop in Seattle to a sprawling $80 billion business over the last 47 years. However, the brand use only 1.19% of revenue for commercials and this is possible because Starbucks use SNS (Social networking service) to advertise. With their social media, Starbucks creates brand awareness through all platforms.

Thanks to the strength of their business communication strategy, Starbucks has succeeded in making their brand recognizable and one of the most remarkable brands in the world. If the question is what makes Starbucks an internationally recognized brand? The answer will be “Consistent messaging, imagery, and branding”. From social media to TV spots and ads, Starbucks use a variety of channels to market their product.

Starbucks focus on creating a personnel connection between their customers, their baristas and their organization. Starbucks is all about connecting with their customers, Men and woman who could, of course, afford Starbucks higher-priced beverages regularly, and giving them a premium experience when they come into the stores of Starbucks so in the mind of customers there is that desire to go sit in the shop, take a good cup of coffee, bring the laptop and be productive and motivated to work. (coscheduleblog, 2018)

Starbucks communicates very little on conventional channels. No signage, no TV or press. However, it is the first coffee chain in the world. The brand doesn’t want to communicate in a top-down way where consumers cannot participate, but rather prefers to bet on social media, a channel allowing interaction with its community with (18.4 M followers) on Instagram, (36 M fans) on Facebook and (11.2 M subscribers) on Twitter.

Among its most relevant digital communication tools, the brand has developed a suggestion website site My Starbucks Idea’. This blog encourages customers to submit ideas to improve the products on offer, as well as the experience they can have. Customers can propose and discuss ideas submitted by the community. Internet users can also vote in favor of the ideas they prefer. Consumers who have come up with their ideas can follow their journey and see their involvement in improving the Starbucks brand.

The blog ‘My Starbucks Idea’ is a real support for co-creation at the service of the brand. In addition to creating a strong brand community, it allows to highlight each individual while serving as market research and global brainstorming.

If the brand is leader in the coffee market, it’s thanks to its community strategy and its digital communication tools. Starbucks work on making their social media channels a place of conversation between their customers and the brand.

Branding and Communication strategy is an art that Starbucks has mastered along their existence, so the commitment and consistency of the branding and giving experience to customers puts the Starbucks brand over the top, and all of this will not be existing without the hard work of the Starbucks team and executives. They span every aspect from the stores’ design and the iconic logo to the description of an Instagram post.  They simply make everything looks, sounds and feels like Starbucks with a clean and modern taste. (Richards, 2019)

Effective communication is very important to any organization in so many aspects, it allows to solve problems, motivate the employees and aligns the company’s offer with actual customer demand.

When the communication system is well set, it helps to develop strong teamwork at all levels in order to achieve the organization goals.

Effective communication may contribute to organizational success in many ways, it:

– Builds trust and employee morale

• Helps to create a climate of satisfaction, engagement, loyalty
• Provides clarity and direction
• Promotes team building
• Improves productivity
• strengthens relationships with each other
• Creates greater efficiencies and helps reduce costs

The strategies and tools of Starbucks are definitely the key sources to their well-known image. They managed to be the largest coffee chain restaurant worldwide. However, the constant change of lifestyles and technology. The company needs to be ready for any kind of threats. To do so, there is multiples improvement that Starbucks can work on such as:

• Crew forming: Because the staff are the face of the company and they have direct contacts with client, Starbucks needs to train their employees on communication skills, knowledge of the products and team spirit, so they can deliver a good service and also can transfer information what they observe in the attitudes of clients.
• Culture: Starbucks is an international company which means that they introduce their idea to several cultures. They can try to create new products to serve each culture. And to prove that they are interested in satisfying every customer.
• The variety of choice: Some customers like to buy food with their coffee, and some like to buy tea for their friends or families that don’t drink coffee. So, Starbucks needs to increase their products items to save their customers time, so they don’t have to move to other stores.
• Discounts and offers: Starbucks can introduce new special and occasional offers to their regular customers, such as collecting points for each order to win a prize at the end.

Authors

• SOUHAIL Imane
• ZAGDOUNI Manal
• OUAHDOU Yasmine
• SIJAM chaimae
• SAFIR Chouaib

References

• https://medium.com/@shahmm/how-did-starbucks-build-its-sustainable-competitive-advantage-79ff5eedb5ff
•  https://coschedule.com/blog/starbucks-marketing-strat/?fbclid=IwAR3iaFygAHLbkvQNT3cpnrQSqAKHmQ4AdugrVUnF1BcllMD67Z0VMObHnUs
•  https://smallbusiness.chron.com/effective-communication-organization-1400.html?fbclid=IwAR1ag3zYJhTYbVgf91tLP0A6kRdvHOKPQAQjVO0Fc7GXpUNnPk9upoQ1ENQ
• https://www.starbucks.com/?fbclid=IwAR1ag3zYJhTYbVgf91tLP0A6kRdvHOKPQAQjVO0Fc7GXpUNnPk9upoQ1ENQ
•  https://www.ukessays.com/essays/marketing/communication-objective-and-strategy-of-starbucks-marketing-essay.php?fbclid=IwAR127hYQrnN8R9Dh6btHnQ6WNGnB8maawGzhVA6yr1FBcMWojQL15POx9