Politeness and the clash of interaction orders in cross‐cultural communication

This conceptual article suggests that crosscultural variation in politeness behaviors, that is, differential culture‐specific norms for treatment of face, comprises an important dimension of crosscultural organizational behavior. The gentle and respectful handling of others' face is a vital social behavior in any cultural context. However, research shows that cultures have evolved differential norms for treating face. These differential norms are at the heart of many crosscultural communication problems. This article provides a conceptual framework explicating the above, reviews empirical literature on crosscultural variation of politeness norms, and suggests important implications for organizational theorists and for managers interested in crosscultural communication.