Commonly, ignorance of the cultural differences such as social norms and taboos may lead to communication failure within the organization.
Perceptions about an out-group or of a different culture may tend to be perpetuated and reinforced by the media or long-standing notions of stereotypes.
As a result of using schemas to simplify the world as we look at it, we rely on a set of well-established stereotypes available in our own culture to define and view the out-group.
For example, the cultural disconnect and misunderstandings between USA and the Arab countries has been attributed to the spread of superficial information that "serve to promote self-interests and perpetuate reckless acts of individuals, misguided official policies and irresponsible public narratives, all colored by self-righteousness and hypocrisy".
Hence, groups that are already culturally divided will tend to remain that way as the effect of normative social influence is self-perpetuating.
Being aware of cultural boundaries when dealing with others is important to avoid accidentally offending the other party and turning the difference into a divide.
Improving one's openness requires both humility when learning from others and inquisitiveness in actively pursuing opportunities to develop one's cultural awareness.