Communication competencies, culture and SDGs: effective processes to cross-cultural communication

The United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established in 2015, aim to transform the world by 2030. Crucially, the UN recognizes culture as a key driver of development, explicitly mentioning its contribution to sustainable development in SDG Goal 4.7. This recognition highlights the significant influence of cultural cognition on information processing and policy preferences. Numerous sources confirm culture's role in driving sustainable development. Culture, defined as learned social values, beliefs, and customs shared within a group, shapes economic outcomes and social behaviors. Cultural identity influences how people communicate and interact, both individually and as members of society, leading to challenges in cross-cultural communication due to differing values, beliefs, and communication styles. Globalization necessitates cross-cultural communication, but unconscious biases and cultural differences often result in miscommunication and misunderstandings. This paper argues that overcoming these barriers requires cultural literacy and communication competency.

Existing literature links culture, communication, and sustainable development goals. Learning about other cultures is crucial for effective global collaboration and environmental protection. Cultural literacy, as defined by Hirsch (1987), promotes understanding through increased exposure to diverse cultures. However, Vassiliou et al. (1972) note that increased exposure can also lead to negative stereotyping. Globalization, as observed by Bokova (2013), fosters cultural exchange and interconnectedness. Different cultures emphasize different values, impacting communication. Hofstede's (1980, 2001, 2005) five cultural dimensions—power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity vs. femininity, and long-term orientation—significantly influence communication styles. Hall's (1976, 1983) concepts of monochronic vs. polychronic time and high vs. low context communication further illustrate cultural variations. Vaknin's (2005) exogenic and endogenic cultural orientation adds another layer of complexity. The UN's SDGs, particularly those related to quality education (4.7), decent work (8.9), sustainable cities (11.4), and responsible consumption (12b), acknowledge culture's essential role in achieving sustainable development. Social constructionism, as explained by Berger and Luckmann (1966, 1991), and Burr (2006), highlights how shared knowledge and social interactions shape cultural realities. The UNESCO's numerous conferences and reports throughout the years have underscored the importance of culture in sustainable development.

This study employs discourse analysis, developed by Foucault (1971), to examine the construction of meaning in communication. This approach explores how language use in social and cultural contexts shapes meaning and achieves desired effects, focusing on how meaning is constructed moment by moment (Gale, 2010) through practical considerations and judgments (Garfinkel, 1967). Discourse analysis examines language use in social interactions, considering how messages may assume different meanings based on context (Katz, 1959; Waever, 2004). The analysis investigates how individuals construct events by evaluating language usage in various forms of communication (Edwards, 1997; Harre and Gillet, 1994). The study also considers the media's role in constructing reality (Aririguzoh, 2004). The analysis draws upon the definition of culture from UNESCO's 1982 World Conference on Cultural Policies and the UN's various resolutions and reports recognizing culture's importance in sustainable development. The study scrutinizes how cultural values influence the communication process—sender, message, channel, receiver, and feedback—and suggests strategies for enhancing cross-cultural communication.

The study finds that the UN recognizes culture as vital for achieving SDGs, with several goals implicitly or explicitly highlighting its importance. Cultural differences significantly impact communication, creating challenges such as misinterpretations and misunderstandings. The communication process (sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback) is analyzed through the lens of cultural dimensions identified by Hofstede (1980, 2001, 2005), Hall (1976, 1983), and Vaknin (2005). Each step offers potential barriers to effective cross-cultural communication; for example, the sender needs to be culturally sensitive in encoding their message, choosing appropriate language and symbols; the message itself should be free from offensive content and tailored to the target audience's cultural context. The channel of communication should be chosen strategically to maximize reach and impact; the receiver's cultural background should also be considered as it influences how they interpret the message. Finally, appropriate feedback mechanisms must be designed to ensure effective two-way communication. The study proposes strategies for enhancing cross-cultural communication at each stage of the process, emphasizing the need for cultural and media literacy among both senders and receivers. It emphasizes the importance of considering cultural values such as power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity vs. femininity, time orientation (monochronic vs. polychronic), and high vs. low context communication.

The findings demonstrate the critical role of cultural understanding in achieving the UN's sustainable development goals. Effective cross-cultural communication is not merely about linguistic fluency, but also about sensitivity to cultural nuances that shape behavior and expectations. The proposed strategies for enhancing cross-cultural communication—focused on the sender, message, channel, receiver, and feedback—directly address the identified challenges. By emphasizing cultural literacy and media literacy, the study contributes to building bridges between cultures and fosters better communication, cooperation, and understanding in a globalized world. The research underscores the importance of incorporating culturally relevant considerations into development programs to maximize their effectiveness. This emphasizes the need for locally-driven and culturally-sensitive solutions to achieving the SDGs.

This paper highlights the crucial role of culture in achieving the UN's sustainable development goals and underscores the need for culturally competent communication. Effective cross-cultural communication necessitates understanding cultural differences and adapting communication strategies accordingly. The proposed framework, analyzing the communication process through cultural lenses, offers practical strategies for improving inter-cultural interactions. Future research could explore specific case studies to further analyze the effectiveness of these strategies in different cultural settings and test the application of this model in various real-world contexts.

The study relies primarily on existing literature and theoretical frameworks. While the proposed strategies are grounded in established intercultural communication theories, empirical validation through quantitative or qualitative research would strengthen the findings. Further research could explore the specific impact of communication strategies on achieving particular SDGs in specific cultural contexts.