Handbook of Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management, Second Edition

Sender-related Intercultural Communication Barriers to Organizational Learning

Marginality of the sender

Marginality plays an important role in intercultural interactions. Cultural marginality refers to people who have internalized two or more cultural frames of reference (Stonequist, 1932). For example, Chinese-Americans can hold two distinct mental models concerning the importance of being independent of the group, and their self-descriptions will vary according to whether a Chinese or American cultural frame feels more appropriate (Hong, Morris, Chiu, and Benet-Martinez, 2000). This can lead to internal culture shock as two cultural voices vie for attention (J. Bennett, 1993). Marginal people are often ideally suited to boundary spanning or mediating roles between cultures (Bochner, 1982), since they understand both cultures objectively and subjectively. Some expatriates, for example, interpret the actions of the foreign subsidiaries for people at headquarters and vice versa, thereby contributing to organizational learning (Reiche et al., 2009). There may be, however, a less positive aspect to marginality. ‘Marginal people [such as expatriates] feel that they live on the periphery rather than at the center of a group or community’ (Osland, 1995: 113). This can translate into less opportunity to speak or be heard because they are not members of the dominant coalition. They may also consciously or unconsciously monitor their communication to reflect their marginal role.

With regard ...