The Communication Model for Cross-Cultural Communication
PMBOK v8 Definition
The communication model shown in Figure 5-2 incorporates the idea that the message itself, and how it is transmitted, is influenced by the sender's current emotional state, knowledge, background, personality, culture, and biases. Similarly, the receiver's emotional state, knowledge, background, personality, culture, and biases influence how the message is received and interpreted, contributing to barriers or noise. This model is specifically designed for cross-cultural communication and is useful for person-to-person or small-group-to-small-group communications, but not for emails, broadcast messages, or social media.
Knowledge Area: Project Communications Management
Why It Matters for the Exam
This communication model appears frequently in PMI exam questions testing your understanding of how human factors affect project communication effectiveness. Questions typically present scenarios where messages are misunderstood due to cultural differences, emotional states, or biases, requiring you to identify the root cause using this model's components.
Key Points to Remember (for the exam)
- Core Concept: The sender's encoding and the receiver's decoding are both influenced by emotional state, knowledge, background, personality, culture, and biases
- Noise Sources: Barriers arise from differences in communication styles due to working methods, age, nationality, professional discipline, ethnicity, race, or gender
- Model Applicability: This model applies ONLY to person-to-person or small-group-to-small-group communications—NOT to emails, broadcast messages, or social media
- Cross-Cultural Focus: Cross-cultural communication presents challenges to ensuring the meaning of the message has been understood
- Feedback Loop: The model includes feedback (acknowledge message) as a critical component for verifying understanding
- Encoding/Decoding: Both sender and receiver perform encode and decode functions; noise can affect the message at any point in transmission
- Cultural Dimensions: Culture includes generational, national, professional discipline, and gender aspects
Typical PMI Exam Example
A project manager from the United States is leading a virtual team with members from Japan, Brazil, and Germany. During a status meeting, the Japanese team member remains silent when asked about delays. The project manager interprets this as agreement, but later discovers the team member was expressing discomfort through silence.
Question focus: Which element of the communication model explains this misunderstanding? → The receiver's cultural background and biases influenced interpretation of the message.
PMI Exam Traps
-
Trap: Believing the basic sender/receiver model (which only ensures delivery) is the same as the cross-cultural communication model Reality: The basic model is concerned with delivery; the cross-cultural model focuses on understanding influenced by human factors
-
Trap: Assuming this model applies to all communication artifacts Reality: This model is NOT useful for emails, broadcast messages, or social media—only for person-to-person or small-group interactions
-
Trap: Thinking only the sender's biases affect communication Reality: Both sender AND receiver have emotional states, knowledge, background, personality, culture, and biases that influence the communication process
-
Trap: Confusing "noise" only with technical or environmental factors Reality: Noise includes cultural differences, emotional states, assumptions, and biases—not just physical factors like inadequate infrastructure
Important PMI Connections
| Related Concept | Relationship Type | Exam Attention Point |
|---|---|---|
| Communication Requirements Analysis | Input to Communication Planning | Identifies information needs of stakeholders; the model helps determine how to meet those needs considering cultural factors |
| Communication Strategies and Plans | Output of Communication Planning | The model assists in developing strategies for person-to-person communications |
| Stakeholder Engagement | Complementary Process | Stakeholder cultural diversity directly impacts which communication model elements are most critical |
| Basic Sender/Receiver Model | Simpler Version | Basic model ensures delivery; cross-cultural model ensures understanding—know which applies when |
Quick Review Questions
-
A project team includes members from four different countries with different native languages. During a video conference, a team member's comment is interpreted as offensive by another culture. Which component of the communication model is most likely responsible?
-
The communication model shown in Figure 5-2 is NOT useful for which types of communication artifacts?
-
List the six factors that influence how the sender transmits the message according to the PMBOK v8 communication model.
-
A project manager sends a broadcast email to all stakeholders. Should the cross-cultural communication model be used to analyze this communication? Why or why not?
-
What is the difference between "noise" in the basic sender/receiver model versus the cross-cultural communication model?
PMBOK v8 Reference
Section 5.2 - Plan Communications Management (Communication Models subsection)