Inter-cultural communication principles guide the process of exchanging meaningful and unambiguous information across cultural boundaries, that preserves mutual respect and minimises antagonism.
[1] In response to the fact that communication between cultures can be challenging, principles have been developed to accommodate respectful inter-cultural conversations.
However, many rights are assumed, values are implied, and needs are unspoken, (for safety, security, love, a sense of belonging to a group, self-esteem, and the ability to attain one's goals).
Similarly, there may be problems of respect when a person from a rigidly class-based culture meets a meritocrat or if there is racism, sexism or religious intolerance in play.
A knowledge of intercultural communication, and the ability to use it effectively, can help bridge cultural differences, mitigate problems, and assist in achieving more harmonious, productive relations.
Individuals may wish to protect their privacy, corporations may be concerned about industrial espionage, and politicians may be bound by requirements of secrecy in the national interest.
People can try to do some research about another cultures and communication conventions of those whom they propose to meet to minimise the risk of making the elementary mistakes.
When writing, the choice of words represent the relationship between the reader and the writer so more thought and care should be invested in the text, since it may be thoroughly analysed by the recipient.