Dr. Mwenja is the President of California Miramar University. He has been active in academia, consulting and entrepreneurship over the last 25 years. His areas of specialization are strategic management, social networks, entrepreneurship, and leadership. He has consulted heavily for different industries including credit unions, restaurant chains, telecommunications companies, and governmental agencies both in the United States and in Asia. As an entrepreneur, Dr. Mwenja has started and operated many businesses, including import/export, retail, wholesale, management training and staffing, business development, and non-profit organizations. Dr. Mwenja is a specialist in Social Networks and uses this background to help organizations create value by creating social capital through online and offline social networks. Dr. Mwenja received his MBA from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky and his Doctor of Business Administration in Strategic Management from Marshall Goldsmith School of Management at Alliant International University in San Diego, California.

1. CROSS CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
VIETNAM AND US
Presented at the San Diego World Trade
Center.
November 2011

2. INTRODUCTION
-VN is one of the fastest growing economies in
the world
-Total number of registered business enterprises
increased from 199,788 in 2005 to 544,394
-Largest number of businesses in 2009 was in
construction, followed by
manufacturing, generation and distribution of
electricity, telecommunications and insurance
had only 79.

3. Cross cultural communication
-To understand how similar or different
communication across cultures is, we have to
figure our how similar or different the cultures
are.
-differences in cultures helps explain why people
from different cultures communicate
differently—these are called dimensions of
cultural variability. (Gudykunst and
Matsummoto)

4. Historical influence
-VN has had influence of the Chinese (1,000
years), the French (100 years) and Americans in
the South.
-All three have had a significant influence on
Vietnamese culture and it is evident between the
business cultures of the north and the south of
the country.
-The last 15 years has ushered in an era of materials
and cultural awareness that distinguishes the
young generation from their parents and
grandparents.

5. Historical Influence cont.
• -A duality of cultural continuity and rapid
change---a young population with a long
historical tapestry where old threads are
caught between modernity, cultural
integration into the global culture and
preservation of the old Vietnamese cultural
fabric.

6. Use Hostede’s Cultural Dimensions to
look at VN vs US
How the dimensions affect communication between
Americans and Vietnamese business people
1. Collectivism vs Indidualism—most important is the sphere
of influence– in collectivistic cultures, it is very general
while in individualistic cultures it is very specific.
VN—the in-group affects many different aspects of a
person’s life, importance of
relationships, responsibility, and obligation, avoid
aggressive behavior (Confucianism), respect age rank
orders are important. All these figure into negotiations
and business dealings
US– the in-group affects behavior in very specific
circumstances

7. 2. Uncertainty Avoidance. High or Low
VN—HUA but also LUA in some aspects
depending on business and ownership
structures.
-Most likely to display emotions and
especially if there is a likelihood of losing face
US--LUA –Low stress levels, weaker superegos
and accept dissent and taking of risks

8. 3. Communication distance
VN--- High CD and US---Low CD
4. Power Distance
VN—HPD—prefer to use coercive or referent power
so superiors consider themselves as different from
the subordinates and vice-versa. Looks at
tact, servitude and wealth as an antecedents to
“freedom”
US—LPD---Believe power can be used when it is
legitimate and prefer expert or legitimate power
Views respect for the individual and equality for the
individual as antecedents of ‘freedom”

9. 5. High context vs Low context culture
VN—HCC—communication is indirect and
ambiguous, it conceals speaker’s true
intention, pays attention to other’s behavior and
other’s status characteristics, direct requests are
viewed as ineffective, openness is uncommon
and people are more reserved
US—LCC---communication is direct and
unambiguous, it conveys speaker’s true
intentions

10. Other aspects of culture that affect communication:
1. Face: VN people are most likely to go a great
length to avoid losing face
2. Dressing for business when in business
meetings. You have to take pictures and may
have to dress down if the VN counterparts are
not dressed up as you are.
3. Eye contact: Looking at people’s eyes when you
are talking to them is not always looked at as
polite and especially when talking to an older
person.