Communication A) What Type of Cultural Communication

Communication

a) What type of cultural communication examples AND cultural miscues were made during the visits

Mitt Romney seriously offended his hosts in London by making criticism of their preparations for the games, instead of staying positive: According to reporters, he "offended his British hosts by questioning London's preparation for the Olympics." (cited in "Mitt Romney's London Olympics Gaffe Sparks Outpouring Of Reaction")

Romney's attempt humor was immature, misguided, and not even funny. " He raised some eyebrows when his comments that he had enjoyed looking 'out the backside of Downing Street' were lost in translation," (cited in "Mitt Romney's London Olympics Gaffe Sparks Outpouring Of Reaction").

Romney attributed income disparity in Israel to "cultural differences" between Israelis and Palestinians (Hunt & Laub, 2012)

Romney called Jerusalem the capital even though USA maintains embassy in Tel Aviv.

Romney made analogy between USA and Mexico as well as other neighboring countries to attempt to support the claim that "culture is everything," (Hunt & Laub, 2012).

b) If you were asked to comment as a Multicultural Communication Consultant on what Mitt Romney, David Cameron, London Mayor, Huffington Post writers said - what would you report?

1. The comments Romney made about Israel are alarming. Romney needs intensive coaching in diplomacy, especially if he hopes to be a head of state. Refraining from making judgments about cultures about which he only has second-hand knowledge is a first step. The second step is to refrain from making judgments, period.

2. Romney should have more respect for his hosts. Instead of making criticism, find points to complement or make suggestions instead.

3. Cameron's comments were simply funny: "Of course, it's easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere…" as a reference to Salt Lake City. Although biting, this response was directly related to the Romney comments and the sarcasm is clearly understood by the American audience.

4. Romney's comments about Israel and Palestine reveals ignorance as well as insensitivity to the issues at stake. Romney grossly oversimplified the causes of income disparity in the Middle East.

c) What advice would make to improve multicultural communication?

To improve multicultural communication, it is crucial to refrain from making unnecessary judgments or criticisms. Especially when visiting a host nation, respect is key. Learning about the host country and its culture is the second most important step in improving multicultural communication. What Romney did both in London and in Jerusalem is to impose his personal values on other cultures. He is neither British nor Israeli and has no basis upon which to make his comments. Instead of criticism, Romney could have offered complements.