DIGITAL ETIQUETTE OR CULTURAL CLASH? THE NEW RULES OF HYBRID COMMUNICATION IN MULTINATIONAL TEAMS

Abstract

This article examines the emergence of new communicative norms in hybrid and remote work environments through the lens of cross-cultural pragmatics. The focus of the study is on the friction points where culturally determined expectations regarding time, visibility, and linguistic register collide in digital spaces. Drawing on data from multinational corporations, case studies of communication breakdowns, and theoretical frameworks from intercultural communication (Hall, Hofstede, Trompenaars), the study demonstrates that Anglophone (particularly American) digital etiquette, which prioritizes efficiency, directness, and camera-enabled transparency, often conflicts with polychronic, high-context, or privacy-oriented cultural models prevalent in parts of Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The conclusion highlights the role of linguistic and cultural awareness in transforming these conflicts into opportunities for organizational learning rather than sources of attrition and misunderstanding.