Overview: The internationalization of companies has created the need to become more aware of cultural diversity in order to successfully conduct business. Use this scenario as a springboard to discuss how to manage cultural differences in the global economy whether in the realm of Management, Organizational Behavior, or Human Resources.
Cultural Contexts: Remember, one of the most useful frames of reference for intercultural understanding is Edward T. Hall’s concept of high-context and low-context cultures, which refers to two broad cultural patterns of communication preferences among world societies. Essentially, high-context cultures tend to be implicit with messaging and the expression of intentions (valuing meaningful interactions/relationships), while low-context cultures tend to be explicit with messaging and the expression of intentions (valuing time/schedules/efficiency). This two-pattern concept is useful for understanding the varying communication preferences of people from diverse cultures in terms of professional and personal relationships. High-context cultures tend to include countries in East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, parts of Eastern Europe, most of Latin America, the Mediterranean, the Iberian Peninsula, and the majority of sub-Saharan Africa. Low-context cultures tend to include those in the United States, parts of Canada, Northwestern and North-Central Europe, Scandinavia, and Australia/New Zealand. See “The Dimensions of Culture” Resource in this section.
*Keep in mind that in every culture, individuals vary across high- and low-contextual dimensions — mindfulness is the key to fusing theory with effective intercultural practice.
Scenario:
Michael Sokolow, the Director of Foreign Sales at Mustang Jeans has just been tasked with handling international clients. He needs to close a deal with Norio Tokunaka from PopWear that has already been thoroughly worked out with Michael’s predecessor, Roger Small. Norio Tukunaka is responsible for expanding the contemporary clothing line, which includes adding new suppliers and brands for PopWear ’s 36 stores throughout Japan.
Parties involved:
Michael = Director of Foreign Sales at Mustang Jeans
Norio = Vice President of Merchandising at PopWear
Roger Small = Michael’s predecessor
https://drive.google.com/file/d/199wr795_3i20WWM7AaG7lixqn3eyUPaK/view?usp=sharing
Prompt: Watch the video and answer the following questions. Post the questions and paste your answers beneath each question. Each response must be between 150-200 words in length.
1. How did the differences in high-context and low-context communication style preferences affect the interaction between Norio and Michael?
2. What information would have helped Michael more effectively conduct his meeting with Norio?
3. How would you transfer this knowledge into global writing versatility — for example, focusing on writing in a direct / task-oriented format with team members from the UK/Germany versus an indirect / relationship-oriented format in South Korea/the United Arab Emirates?
4. In a way, both individuals in this scenario were acting in alignment with their cultural norms and values. Who should have the primary responsibility for adjusting their interaction style?