Cross-cultural communication manager
The profession appears before 2020
Professional maintaining a company’s document flow in foreign languages, controlling key messages (e.g. in selecting marketing slogans), training employees in expressing their messages in foreign languages, as well as in cultural specifics in negotiations with foreign partners. Advises company management on doing business in foreign countries. The lack of specialists able to resolve translation difficulties has been the reason of unsuccessful transactions, as well as advertising campaign failures. For example, when translated into Chinese in the 1980s, KFC’s corporate slogan, Finger-lickin’ good, came out as We will bite off your fingers, which, obviously, did not help the American fast food chain gain popularity with the locals.
Trends
Professional skills and abilities
Systems thinking (ability to define and work with complex systems, including system engineering).
Cross-industry communication skills (understanding of technologies, processes, and market conditions in different related and unrelated sectors).
Multilingual and multicultural abilities (fluent English and knowledge of a second foreign language, understanding of the national and cultural context of partner countries, and understanding of job specifics in foreign industries).
Client focus, ability to address customer requests.
Ability to work with teams, groups and individuals.