Communicating in new contexts: A case study of a cross-cultural electronic roadshow

摘要

Cross-cultural communication in professional contexts can be difficult because of the different cultural expectations and values. This article presents an analysis of an electronic roadshow in a successful cross-cultural initial public offering. Grounded in a case study methodology, this study employs a social semiotic analysis of the electronic roadshow and identifies five semiotic resources and modes (characterization, symbolic objects, speech, music, and color) that are applied to move the U.S. audience to conform to the ethos of the Chinese company. A naturalistic generalization is drawn to provide an understanding of this unique case and prepare audiences for making decisions in similar cross-cultural communication cases. Research results from this study indicate a cross-cultural communication strategy that is different from the commonly practiced universal design and localization strategies, and therefore may provide researchers with some new insights into cross-cultural communication.