Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges in Multinational Workplaces: A Qualitative Study of Asian Multinational Corporations

Abstract

This qualitative study examines cross-cultural communication challenges in eight Asian multinational corporations operating across the Indo-Pacific region. Drawing on 75 semi-structured interviews with managers, mid-level professionals, and junior employees, the research applies reflexive thematic analysis to identify the principal communication challenges and the strategies employees and organisations adopt to address them. Six overarching themes emerged: (1) linguistic asymmetries and the dominance of English as a lingua franca; (2) directness-indirectness dilemmas across cultural traditions; (3) hierarchical communication norms in high power-distance settings; (4) digital communication tensions across platforms; (5) cultural intelligence development pathways; and (6) coping strategies developed by employees navigating multiple cultural expectations. The study contributes to the literature on cross-cultural communication by providing rich empirical material from intra-Asian multinational settings (which are under-represented relative to West-East or US-China studies), by extending Hall's high-context/low-context framework and Hofstede's cultural dimensions into the intra-Asian context, and by elaborating practical implications for cultural intelligence training, language policies, and inclusive organisational design