Abstract
This article examines intercultural communication as an institutional factor in building trust and reducing transaction costs in the international economy. It is argued that, in the context of globalisation and the growing intensity of international economic relations, intercultural communication goes beyond the mere exchange of information and acquires the status of a strategic intangible resource that influences the effectiveness of economic interaction between actors from different cultural systems. The role of intercultural communication in shaping an institutional environment of trust is identified, which contributes to reducing uncertainty, limiting opportunistic behaviour, and cutting costs associated with the coordination, monitoring, and control of international economic operations. The theoretical basis of the study is formed by the provisions of R. Coase’s theory of the firm, O. Williamson’s theory of transaction costs, D. North’s institutional theory, and G. Hofstede’s cross-cultural model. A systematisation of contemporary scientific approaches to analysing the relationship between intercultural communication, trust and transaction costs has been carried out. It has been established that intercultural communication acts as an important mechanism for aligning the expectations of economic agents, reducing cultural distance and increasing the predictability of economic behaviour. A conceptual model is proposed, within which intercultural communication is considered as an independent variable, trust as a mediating institution, and transaction costs as an outcome-oriented economic category. A set of scientific hypotheses regarding the influence of intercultural communication on trust, cultural distance and the level of transaction costs has been formulated, and the key variables have been operationalised for further empirical testing. It has been demonstrated that the development of intercultural communication contributes to enhancing the efficiency of international economic relations, forming long-term partnerships and strengthening the institutional stability of the global economic system.
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