Norwegian Culture Defined By Viking Settlers

Vikings were the Old Norse language speakers who had raided and traded in North Europe between the 8th and 11th century. The Nordic military, mercantile and the demographic expansion was accompanying this period, which makes up the early medieval history ( Abrams, 2012 ). Encouraged by their advanced sailing and navigation skills, Vikings had their activities expanding to other regions across Norway to North America and the Middle East. Many traditional historians have been linking the history culture of the Norwegian Vikings to their role as being the masters in the sea activities. This community was fierce and feared for their knowledge in the sea and other activities. The Vikings had a well-ordered society that ran on the laws and democracy. The community division was in three major categories, mainly on the class structure ( Abrams, 2012 ). These were the elite class who were the wealth group, the free-holding farmers, and slaves. There was a general assembly known as Ting, which was responsible for maintaining the laws of the land and ensure that there was order in the community. 

The Norwegian Vikings culture gave women many responsibilities when the men were away. The women were responsible for the farms and acted as strong housewives. Forcing women into marriage was not as common as it was in other cultures at the time. The Norwegian Vikings were skilled in sailing and specialized in the construction of fats ships that they used to explore. The community was consisted of the families who had accumulated land and power leading to the expansion of trade ( Kjartansdóttir, 2011 ). The religion of the people also changed as their chiefs came in contact with the Christian monarchies. Conversion into Christianity took place amongst many people. The nation became a well-organized kingdom that had the people obey the rule of law. This was until the community was whipped out by the plague led to a significant reduction in the Norwegian population. The ancient Norse held significant nature and natural forces, which formed the foundation for their mythology ( Kjartansdóttir, 2011 ). There were the Norse gods and goddess which all had associations with specific human traits. These gods were believed to possess some magic powers, and that they were not immortal, contrary to what it is in other cultures. Each of the gods and goddess had a certain power over their domains. 

The forefathers of the Scandinavian people who were the adventurers and seafarers played a key role in influencing the culture of the Norwegian people. This community flourished between 800 and 1100 AD. These forefathers were mainly traders, settlers, and explorers who had excellent skills in sea activities. The culture held that physical strength, resilience, and endurance were the main qualities desired in men ( Harrison, 2013 ). Men had to be strong and ready to endure for everything in the community. Wrestling, swimming, and skiing were considered the major sports where both men and women would engage in during activities. The community built axes and spears that they were using during the battles. They also made jewels for beauty. This cultural history of the Norwegian Vikings tells more about their culture today. The major events that shaped the character of the people are mainly the interaction with the Christian monarchies that led to the introduction of Christianity. The geographical location of the community has also influenced the culture of the community ( Harrison, 2013 ). The location next to the sea made them focus on sea activities which make them gain respect for their skills in sea activities such as sailing. 

The geographical location of the Norwegian Vikings was mainly around the oceans where the majority of the population lived in the coastal areas. This location influenced the culture by determining the kind of economic activity that they engage. Following their proximity to the ocean, the residents were mainly practicing farming and fishing. For most of their life, the Vikings were mostly farmers. They grew several crops including barley, oats, wheat, and vegetables. They also practiced livestock keeping with horses, cattle, chicken, and pigs being the major livestock ( Harrison, 2013 ). This is much of the culture today in Norway where people keep livestock while also practicing farming. The present Norwegian culture is thus a reflection of the cultural activities of the Vikings community during the 8th and 11th century. Other than farming, trade was another economic activity at the time, with artisans, leather workers, and blacksmiths being among the people involved in the trade. 

The living structures were generally woods, mud, or stone made. The homes of the Vikings were mainly consisted of a rectangular-shaped which had a hole at the top to remove the smoke. Due to their proximity to the ocean, fish formed the main diet. Other agricultural products were also part of the diet, while at the same time choosing from the animals’ products. This culture is still present in the current Norwegian community where fish, animals’ products and farm produce still dominate their main diet ( Harrison, 2013 ). Most people are still farmers, livestock keepers, and traders, which are the major economic activities. The Norwegian Vikings lived in harmony with each other in the community. Peace was considered paramount, and whenever there was an external threat, the community warriors would get out to fight and protect the community from the attack. 

Political Economy of the Culture

The Norwegian society has a culture in which the community has three categories based on the class structure. There are the elites who are the wealthy members of the community. As in the Vikings society, the chieftains who were the warlords controlled the land and accumulated wealth for themselves so that they can remain powerful. The resources of the community are under the control of these ruling elites who have power over the means of production and capital ( Zori et al., 2013 ). They have control over production, distribution, and consumption of the goods by members of the society. During the Vikings era, chieftains led in the raid against wealthy Christian monarchies where they acquired wealth to remain powerful and influential. However, as the culture of the community got advanced, there was a rise in the number of people who accumulated wealth. Currently, Norway is considered one of the countries with a large number of billionaires who are in full control of many factors of production. This elite class own land, capital, and other resources and therefore they have control over the production and sales. They own large businesses and industries where they employ the middle-class working group ( Zori et al., 2013 ). The elites can always use every means possible to ensure that they remain at their position and continue to have control over the factors of production. 

The other groups in the political economy of Norwegian culture are the farmers who mainly take control over the supply of agricultural products and food production. They practice both crops and livestock farming, with the crops primarily being used to feed people locally although exportation to other nations was also available ( Sawyer, 2013 ). While the elites controlled the production and distribution in mainly the industrial products, they had little control over what the farmers would produce. However, their ability to own large pieces of land could sometimes make them have a voice on the agricultural production and distribution. In the general sense, Norwegian political economy is mainly that of a capitalist where people are owning and controlling capital while there the low and middle-class individuals remain under the control of the capitalists ( Sawyer, 2013 ). In this societal structure, a low-class individual is a group of people who struggle to get the means of survival, and mainly they rely on the elites for jobs and resources. 

The Norwegian Viking culture involved the wealthy chieftains who were giving away their wealth to the followers for more loyalty. This culture involved the chieftains who had an economic motive, which was to remain powerful by accumulating wealth and maintaining their power and prestige ( Sawyer, 2013 ). The chieftains were mainly generous to the followers because they needed loyalty that could make them retain their power and status in the community. While most economic factors of production remained under the control of the wealthy individuals in the community, the chieftains could occasionally reward his loyalists with wealth and resources and make them join the elite class. However, denying the middle-class people the opportunity to accumulate wealth is rare, but it becomes more difficult to accumulate much wealth while most resources are still under the control of the wealthy class. In such a social setting, the middle and the lower class individual’ work extra hard, but the chief gainers for this hard work are the elites who in this case are mainly the employers. It, therefore, emerges that once an individual has risen to the high-class level, they tend to remain there for as long as possible and use everything under their control to maintain their position ( Sawyer, 2013 ). The elites can keep more of their power and continue to accumulate wealth as long as they have control over everything including military and the infrastructures of the economy. However, business is open for all to do and trade barriers within the country are limited. This allows for individuals to work hard and manage their way through to the high-class group. Norway is currently considered as one of the states with the highest number of billionaires in the world. 

The Consequences of Cultural Experiences

Values

People from different cultures hold a variety of values and principles. These values usually lie deeply embedded in people from different cultures. The values that people hold have a consequence on the way these people behave and relate to each other in various situations. The way people interact at the workplace, the relationship to the authority and the way they socialize all depend on the kinds of values that the culture supports. 

Collectivism/Individualism 

In the individualistic culture, people are usually expected to portray themselves as individuals who are out to seek an accomplishment of the individual goals and needs. People focus on meeting their individual needs and are determined to achieve their goal. It is a culture where everyone if for himself as there is minimal care for others. People only focus on themselves and their needs as opposed to caring for the other members of society ( Hofstede, 2011 ). The degree of interdependence that the society maintains among its members at all times determines the way they view other members. In this kind of culture, people value themselves and their family members and are less concerned with the welfare of the other people. This is unlike in the case of collectivism culture where people show a greater emphasis on the welfare of the entire society and groups. The wants, needs, and goals exist for a common good that will benefit all people. In collectivism, people value the success and gains of the whole group rather than individual success ( Hofstede, 2011 ). People work together to ensure that they achieve the common goals that are to the benefit of everyone rather than benefiting individuals. It is mainly based on “we” rather than “I” in the sense that people see themselves as being in the group and therefore must work for the success of the group. Community growth and development is the focus for individuals who have collectivism as the value culture. This is unlike in the individualism culture in which one looks at own personal growth rather than that of the group. They are less concerned with what others are doing or what their goals are. As long as they achieve their own goals and that of direct family members, they are well with it. 

The Norwegian culture is considered to have a 69% score on individualist society. This means that Norwegian people value “self” tan group. Individual personal opinions are valued and expressed with explicit communication ( Triandis, 2018 ). People tend to concentrate on their own individual goals, with less concern to the group or society at large. The right to individual privacy is highly respected and valued ( Triandis, 2018 ). There is a clear distinction between the work and individual private life. There is high job mobility, with most people thinking in the line of career development and personal growth. The relationship between the employer and the employee is purely that of contract, with the organization leaders focusing on managing individuals and not groups. People are only concerned with their own lives and that of their families as they demonstrate little concern about the entire society or group. Collectivism is a very rare culture in Norway as most people look towards their way of life and personal development. 

Power Distance 

This is a dimension which sticks to the fact that not all individuals in the society are equal. It is an expression of an attitude towards inequalities amongst the members of the community. Power distance is the degree to which the less powerful society members accept and believe that power is unequally distributed ( Taras, Kirkman & Steel, 2010 ). It handles inequality mainly concerning power and money. In certain cultures, inequality and the existence of hierarchical structure have been accepted as a way of life by the resident. Certain individuals can believe and accept that because they belong to a specific social class, they cannot rise beyond that class and therefore accepts it as a way of life. They tend to get satisfied with their status and accept the fact that some people are more powerful and wealthier than them. In cultures with low power distance, people expect and believe that the distribution of power and resources is fair ( Taras, Kirkman & Steel, 2010 ). Alternatively, cultures with high power distance are more likely to accept that there is inequality in the distribution of power and resources in the community.

Norway has a low power distance which means that they expect and believe that the distribution of power and resources in the society is fair and equal. The community values equal rights for all and being independent. Everybody works hard to excel independently, and they feel and value the existence of equal rights for all people. The Norwegian culture does not believe in the existence of hierarchical structures that set class boundaries ( Gorodnichenko & Roland, 2011 ). There is a hierarchy only for convenience, but people do not believe in the presence of class structures. Coaching leadership and empowerment is encouraged, and individuals work hard to get their success. People have less concern with what class other people are, as long as there is equal opportunity for all to excel, people will always work hard and aim at making more wealth just like any other member of the society. Even in the organizational setting, the employees expect to take part in making decisions. Having too much control is a culture that is not supported in Norway as they like to have power is decentralized. The relationship between the managers and the employees is informal, and a direct form of communication is preferred ( Gorodnichenko & Roland, 2011 ). People prefer to have a participative and consensus-oriented leadership style where they also take part in the decision-making process of their community. The belief that the leader is the most powerful and responsible for decision making is not encouraged.

Uncertainty Avoidance 

Uncertainty avoidance is a situation in which people lack tolerance for ambiguity and therefore the need for formal rules and policies to help deal with the uncertainty of the future. It is the degree to which individuals feel that they fear the ambiguity of future situations, and as a result, they need formal policies to help them deal with such situations ( Hwang & Lee, 2012 ). In the high degree of uncertainty avoidance cultures, people are more likely to feel uncomfortable under uncertain situations and ambiguity. On the other hand, people in the low uncertainty avoidance cultures tend to thrive in the environments and situations with high levels of uncertainty and ambiguity. 

Norwegians have a culture with a low degree of uncertainty avoidance. People tend to thrive in the environments with uncertainties and ambiguity. The people of Norway see these situations as possibilities for them to thrive. They like new ideas and opportunities even if they seem uncertain ( Taras, Kirkman & Steel, 2010 ). People like to explore and identify new ideas and then put them into practice. The members of this community do not feel threatened by the existence of ambiguous situations, but instead, see them as exciting opportunities for them to excel. People are more determined to excel through hard work, and they do everything possible to ensure that their dreams come true. 

Education 

This is a value dimension which defines the way different cultures view education, and the system of education that has is in place. Norway culture puts much value on education and excellence as they believe that hard work and success go together. The community put much value on educating their children because they believe that educational excellence will lead to success in life. Children are taught values, ethics, and morals so that they become the god members of society. Children are taught to work hard in school because it is the only way that opens the door for their future success. Education is viewed to have a very close connection with the future success and thus encouraged. The individual hard work is appreciated in Norway so that people are encouraged to remain determined for them to achieve success. 

Perceptions

The Scandinavian and the Nordic population have a lot of trust for one another. They have a high degree of credibility and trust for each other due to the high-quality governance of the society. The members of this society believe in having a good reputation, and this makes them become one of the most credible people in the world. Society morals are highly valued, and vices such as corruption are very rare in Norway ( Blomberg et al., 2013 ). People perceive others as trustworthy and credible people. The perception of the display of emotions is that people should not display any negative emotions such as anger in public. People are very reserved and even talking to strangers is rare unless it is essential. The view is that people should refrain from showing negative feelings in public places. While expressing positive feelings in public is acceptable, it has to be kept in subtle. Even when a person gets excited in public places, they should not move their bodies. Happiness or any other form of excitement must be done in silence while in public places. There is much value for individuals to have control over their emotions as this is considered necessary as an aspect of social adjustment. For example, expression of anger such as throwing of hands and using abusive language in public is very rare in Norway culture. People are taught to control their emotions at all times and to refrain from displaying such emotions in public areas. It is therefore uncommon to have a person express negative feelings such as frustration in public places because people are aware of the importance of having emotional intelligence and control.

Norway is one of the leading countries in the world on the issues of equal rights including gender equality. The society has a culture that values the rights of everyone and that which does not discriminate based on gender. Both men and women are considered to have equal rights in society. Women empowerment is the core value as many women in Norway can be found in many higher institutions and even in the political arena ( Bondeson, 2013 ). The government has also over time fought for the equal rights for both, and this has seen women take the same roles as women in the community and workplaces. Even though the roles of men and women have not remained exactly equal, women have played great roles in various community activities. Women in Norway are important in playing a central role in the family and society as a whole. Like in any other country in the world, Norway has also experienced the changing role of women in society. Women in Norway are now concentrating in the career and their personal growth like men do ( Bondeson, 2013 ). They occupy the same jobs as men, positions initially occupied by only men. 

The most common personality type in Norway is the ISTJ. Many people in Norway are serious and quiet, interested in living peacefully and with maximum security. They are responsible and dependable. They prefer to promote and support the traditions and establishments. They are hardworking and well-organized people who work towards a set of goals. They are determined to achieve once they have set their minds on that particular goal. These are the characteristics of most people in Norway thus making ISTJ the most preferred and common personality type in society. 

Intercultural Interaction

Verbal Interaction 

Norwegian communication is mainly a direct one. More than 99% of the Norway people speak the Norwegian language. The Norwegian language is usually in two forms, Bokmal and Nynorsk. These two languages are very close to each other linguistically making them be referred to as written dialects ( Van der et al., 2010 ). In the speech, there is much blending between Bokmal and Nynorsk. However, the varieties are usually kept much apart while writing. The people from western Norway majorly use Nynorsk while Bokmal is the most common language, used almost in the rest of the country. The Danish language is closely related to the Norwegian language making them mutually intelligible in speech. The Danish pronunciation sounds mainly blurred. It is however conservative. The Norwegian language belongs to the Germanic language. The original language was the Old Norse which common during the Vikings age between 800-1050 ( Van der et al., 2010 ). Old Norse was the literary language that had large manuscripts that were prevalent in Norway during that era. However, after the plague that wiped out the Norway population, the Old Norse language was slowly superseded by Danish due to linguistic distance. 

The official Norwegian language usually resembles that of Sweden and to some extent the Danish language. Speech in the Norwegian language is usually in a quiet and gentle tone. They do not speak loud or forcefully while making statements. Anyone who speaks forcefully or loud in Norway is considered to be rude or as being disrespectful. They speak while appearing reserved and polite. In between the conversations, a Norwegian may have periods of silence which to them do not convey any negative meaning. During such periods of pause, it is inappropriate to rush filing the conversation as the person may only be formulating the thought. While making a conversation with a Norwegian, interrupting one in between speech may be considered rude ( Mavridis, 2015 ). At the same time, one should not show emotions and lively exuberance while talking as this is seen to be uncomfortable in the Norway culture. While conversing in Norway, people are expected to give space of about three feet apart. Touching the personal space of an individual while making conversation may make them feel uncomfortable. Therefore, maintaining some space while making a verbal communication is preferred as it makes the conversation more comfortable. The Norwegian languages speech is usually in a direct form. They dislike indirect verbal language as well as vague words that do not make sense ( Mavridis, 2015 ). They like to keep their conversation on the facts and objectives. 

Norwegians also speak the English language, especially the business group. One unique common thing with the verbal communication pattern of Norwegians is the silence in between the conversations which in other cultures may seem uncomfortable. They do not like long sentences or complex statements while talking. Directness is the core of their conversation. Plain speaking is preferred as opposed to a more diplomatic approach as this may be viewed as dishonesty or an evasiveness ( Mavridis, 2015 ). To convince a Norwegian on anything, it is important that one talks directly and plainly. Norwegians also prefer honesty and objectivity in their conversation. High level of honesty is preferred when negotiating a business deal. Any feeling of dishonesty during the conversation is considered the most significant aspect of communication in Norway. 

The use of honorific is very rare in Norway. While in other nations like America prefer to use an honorific such as Mr., Mrs., Sir, and Madam as a sign of respect, these are not mainly considered important in Norwegian communication. In most cases, Norwegians prefer to use the first names while addressing a person instead of honorifics. The use of last names is also very rare. Instead, a Norwegian may feel offended if one addresses them using honorifics instead of the first name. Therefore, talking to a Norwegian requires that one does not use honorifics but instead use the first name. 

Non-verbal Interaction

The use of body language in Norway is sparing. Having a physical contact is usually rare and should always be avoided for the best communication. The significant elements of non-verbal communication in Norway are gestures, facial expression, eye contact, physical contact and space, and distance ( Lemonnier, 2016 ). Norwegians do not use physical contact in their non-verbal communication. The greetings are mainly in the form of “hello” or a hug depending on the relationship between the people. Friends may, however, have some contact while conversing. Despite this, the physical contact should be avoided as much as possible while conversing in Norway. Space and distance should be maintained between people talking. Personal space is considered very important, and no one is expected to get into the sphere of another person while they are talking as this might make the person uncomfortable. Thus, maintaining eye contact while communicating is considered important in Norway ( Lemonnier, 2016 ). Eye contact should is more frequent because it shows sincerity and helps build trust between the people communicating. Communicating while not maintaining eye contact may be a sign of dishonesty in the person, and this could lead to a lack of trust between the people conversing. 

Norwegians also use facial expression to communicate. While conversing, one should not put on a frowning face as this may make the other person uncomfortable. It is appropriate to put a soft looking face, with some smile to show that the person is not showing displeasure. While being introduced to another person, one is expected to stand as a show of respect. One is also not supposed to touch the head while conversing as this could be a sign of disrespect to the other person ( Mehrabian, 2017 ). Touching the nose, chin or cheek is not acceptable during communication in Norway. Also, using left hand to greet a person is not encouraged as the interpretation may mean a sign of disrespect. The use of gestures is also rarely used in Norway and in situations where they are applicable; the meaning is always different from that of other countries. A foreigner in Norway must therefore first understand any gesture before using it, or else it can cause disharmony and misunderstanding during the conversation. For example, certain gesture such as raising the middle finger or pointing at someone is as a sign of rudeness. While greeting someone, a firm handshake while maintaining direct eye contact is common as a show of respect and equality for the people ( Mehrabian, 2017 ). Also, certain gestures such as backslapping or putting arms around another person are unacceptable in the Norwegian communication culture. 

Norwegians are very strict with time management. They are usually punctual if they have a meeting and any lateness could mean as a sign of disrespect. Any foreigner who wants to have a business negotiation meeting with a Norwegian must be punctual if there is to be any fruitful negotiation. Interruption during conversation is not accepted even though Norwegians go through period s of silence throughout their conversation. 

Core Cultural Symbols 

Some of the cultural symbols of Norwegian culture are Moose animal, Dipper bird and the coat of arms. The national coats of arms of Norway date back from the middle ages and have an upright yellow crowned lion. The lion holds a white and yellow ax on a red triangle-shaped field. The designing of the flag shows the cultural beliefs of the people of Norway. The flag of Norway is a symbol of unity as a country and a show of love for the country ( Johnston, 2013 ). This is visible on the national anthem of the country which translates to, “yes, we love this country.” The music is mainly composed by Richard Nordraak which also provides the message on the love for the country. Another cultural symbol in Norway is the Dipper bird. Dipper is a white-throated bird that is recognized all over the country as a cultural symbol of the community. Moose is also another animal that is as a cultural symbol of the community. Moose is a large mammal, a member of the deer family which is widely recognized by the people of Norway ( Johnston, 2013 ). Being bordered by the sea water and practicing fishing as one of the economic activities, codfish is another cultural symbol for the Norwegians ( Krange & Skogen, 2011 ). It is used to show the long cultural and economic activity of the community which dates back from the Vikings age when most people relied on fish and other sea activities. It is also a representation of Norway’s natural environment around the sea. 

The Influence of Context

Workplace Culture 

The working hours of the Norwegians are usually short, with people working between 7:30 am -3:30 pm. Because Norwegians prioritize family matters, a healthy life/work balance is always necessary. The business and work cultures are mainly on the Scandinavian work values. One of the critical emphasis on the workplace is the quality. The workers are always expected to deliver quality services to the organization. Due to this, there are very few hierarchical structures within the workplace. Some structures are informal, and the communication system used within the organization is also informal ( Taras, Steel & Kirkman, 2011 ). This is because everything is on trustworthiness, both the workplace and society. Workplace managers are not expected to give orders to the employees, but they are to motivate and coach the employees to work towards meeting the goals of the organization. Involving employees in decision making is one thing that is of importance at the workplace in Norway. Having an informal attitude towards communication and a flat structure is all that managers need to help them achieve the results. The interaction and relationship between the co-workers and the managers are on trust that is on a factual and straightforward communication. Honesty and constructive criticism are important at the workplace, and therefore the Norwegians have no problem speaking out their minds. There is, however, a casual and relaxed attitude towards work with much emphasis put on the need to have a healthy work-life balance. 

It might be difficult for the newcomer in a company in Norway to distinguish between the boss and the employees because of the flat structure and the empowered employees. Decisions are mainly by consensus, and the employees enjoy a high degree of autonomy not only in what they do but also how they do it ( Barak, 2016 ). The dress codes for the employees are usually informal in most organizations, and trust is all that rules between the employee's and the employers. One unique culture of the Norwegians is that their motivation is personal development-driven and conducive working conditions rather than financial rewards. The employees mainly work for the common good while also seeking to achieve personal growth. Family values and children are highly important in the Norwegian workplaces. An employee can leave early from job to go and pick up the children. Whenever there is a conflict between employees in the workplace, Norwegians prefer to solve it directly by discussing it within themselves without involving the supervisor. Constant communication between the boss and the employees are encouraged, and employees can directly communicate with the boss whenever there is an issue to the addressed. While communication remains informal, it usually sticks to factual and objective matters. Communication that is straightforward and open can lead to trust building between the workers and the boss. 

Education and Recreational setting

Education in Norway is highly valued. Parents believe that better education for their children will guarantee them excellence in life. In the school setting, the relationship between the learners and the teachers is more informal and involves a lot of interactions. Teachers are more like parents to the children they teach ( Barak, 2016 ). They tend to have more open and informal communication. Communication between teachers and learners is highly valued. Learning and interaction between students and teachers are on trust. Teachers act as motivators to the students by encouraging them to work hard and excel. Norway education system has three parts and education is compulsory for children between the ages of 6-13. 

Norwegians like outdoor activities after work. Working over the weekdays, they usually have the whole weekend to take recreational activities. Football and handball remain the primary recreational activities for the Norwegians mainly the youth. They also like to engage in leisure activities especially in the fields, mountains, and forests. Some people like to take vacation and travel to different parts of the country. Others also spend their time in the bars and restaurants after work. They are people who value their time, and whenever they are free, they will always take place in the recreational activities that fit them. Recreational places in Norway are usually full with a lot of the local culture including the music, cultural food and drinks that entertain them throughout their free time ( Barak, 2016 ). Some people also chose to take their family for a vacation during the weekends so that they can have free family time and enjoy the good nature of the recreational facilities. 

Improving Intercultural Communication

Problems with intercultural communication 

One of the major problems with intercultural communication is message transmission. This is especially due to different meanings that every culture has on the various non-verbal cues. Non-verbal communication between different cultures can lead to misunderstanding and even communication conflict between the individuals of these cultures ( Piller, 2017 ). For example, certain non-verbal communication gestures can have different meanings in different cultures. Pointing someone with a finger may mean disrespect in Norway culture while it may not mean anything negative in certain cultures such as America. The problem comes when an American goes to Norway and uses the same gesture to communicate. Misunderstandings can also arise direct eye contact. In Norway, direct eye contact during communication may is valued and used a way of building trust. Direct eye contact has a different meaning in other cultures such as Japan where it is considered a sign of rudeness especially when talking to a senior person. 

Another problem arises in the differences in the verbal communication. Different cultures have different languages with different pronunciation, vocabulary and grammatical structures ( Scollon, Scollon & Jones , 2011). This makes it difficult for people from different cultural backgrounds to converse effectively due to the misunderstandings that could arise. For example, an American who moves to Norway may get it difficult to communicate with the Norwegians who use Bokmal and Nynorsk as the principal language. This will, therefore, bring in communication difficulties between people from different cultures.

Solution to Intercultural Communication Problems 

The first way to improve communication between different cultures is to develop cultural diversity mind. Appreciation of cultural differences needs necessary steps to understand the basics of the culture. Intercultural sensitivity can help an individual to improve communication with the community having a different culture ( Holliday, 2013 ). Another way to enhance cross-cultural communication is to focus on the behavior and learn some non-verbal cues used by the community. By concentrating on observable behaviors rather than attitude and choosing words carefully can help avoid misunderstandings and improve communication between people from different cultures. Learning and accepting the differences in meaning of certain gestures can help one avoid using non-verbal signs that could be unacceptable in that culture. By learning the meanings of non-verbal signs and then focusing on observable behaviors, intercultural communication can improve.

Learning the key phrases and language of the culture can also help an individual communicate better in Norway. Taking time to learn and understand phrases that are used continuously in the local language can improve one’s ability to use and understand the verbal communication with the people of these cultures. Before communicating, one can also anticipate the meaning that the receiver of the message will get ( Lee, 201 1). This will prevent the speaker from making statements that may have unacceptable meaning to the receivers. Building a relationship by using face to face communication can be useful in Norway because it is the first step to building trust. 

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