High- and Low-Context Communication in an Intercultural Environment:An Analysis of the Cultural Differences Between Germany and China

Seminar paper from the year 2017 in the subject Communications - Intercultural Communication, grade: 1,0, University of Applied Sciences Essen, course: Interkulturelle Psychologie, language: English, abstract: This paper will deal with different communication styles which may vary between cultures. As communication is a very broad topic, the focus will be on the theoretical framework of Edward Hall differentiating between high-context and lowcontext communication. The objective is to compare German and Chinese culture and their way of communicating for the purpose of identifying similarities and differences, but also to clarify the impact of cultural differences and afterwards be able to superiorly deal with cultural differences in communication. This gives rise to the following research questions: How does communication between German and Chinese culture differ and what problems could arise as a consequence? What should be considered to successfully communicate with people of other cultures?