跨文化交际—案例分析

案例分析CASESTUDY1：Whatbodylanguagetousetowardsacustomer,whenonthephone?Atalocalrealestateagent’sofficeAlanisbehindthecustomerservicecounter.Heisonthephonedealingwithadifficultinquirywhenacustomerapproachesthecounter.Hekeepstalkingonthephoneandwhenthecustomersays,“Excuseme”.Hedoesnotlookupbutholdsahandupwithonefingerextended,indicationthathe’llbeoneminute.Thequestion-AsAlan’ssupervisor,whatwouldyousaytohimaboutthebodylanguageandmanaginghisresponsibilitiesforgreetingcustomersbothonthephoneandfacetoface??Imaginethatyouarethecustomer.Whenyouentertheoffice,thecustomerservicerepisonthephone.Youwait.Youtrytogethisattentionandheholdsuphishandwithafingerextendedasacknowledgementthatyou'rethere.Howdoyoufeel?Whatcouldtheclerk(Alan)havedonedifferentlytoensurethatallofhiscustomerswerebeingtakencareof?Hecould/shouldhavelookedup,smiledatyouandatleastnoddedagreeting.Ifhisconversationcontinuedtoolong,heshouldhavepolitelyplacedhiscalleronholdandinquiredastoyourneeds,askedsomeoneelsetoassistyouoradvisedyouhowlonghewouldbe.——IwouldsaythathehastobemorefriendlyandwelcomingtothecustomersandcouldpolitelytoldthepersononthephonetopleaseholdforamomentandthatheshouldbemoreenthusiasticabouthisjobCASE2:Aninternationalmarketerwantstosellpoliovaccinations,theywouldrequireatwo-stepacculturationprocess:1.Themarketermustobtainanin-depthpreventivemedicineandrelatedconcepts.2.Themarketermustdevisepromotionalstrategiesthatwillconvincethemembersofatargetmarkettohavetheirchildrenvaccinated.CASE3：Discussion…….V:Idon'tthinkitwillwork,Iinsistthatweshouldusethetraditionalway.Ba:Comeon,becreativegirl.S:BananaIsupportyouifyouusemeasacovergirl.Bi:Ok,Iagreewithyouexceptforcovergirl(pointtoS)E:Well,well,well..Sometimesrulescanbebroken.Italldependsonus——`Peoplehavelowlevelofstress•Peoplearemorerisk-taking•SometimesrulescanbebrokenBa:Howaboutputtingabigsizeposteronouterwall?•E:Doesitwork?•Bi:Maybewecanhaveatry.•E:OK,maybe?DoesanyoneknowhowtomakethiskindofadbecauseIdon’tknow.Discussion——Conflictisnaturalandtobeexpected..Superordinatesmaysay“Idon'tknow”.CASE4：AwesternerinvitedaChinesegirltohavelunchandtakeatouraroundtheBritishParliament.Infact,thegirldidn'thavethelunchjustbecausewhenthewesterneraskedherAreyouhungry?”,thegirlansweredno.Thentheydidn'thavelunchtogether.Thesecondtime,thegirlwasinvitedtoarestaurant,whenthehostaskedthesamequestion“Areyouhungry?”,sheanswered“notreally”.Thehostorderedalightmealforher.Q:whatistheculturalshock?Howtosolveit?Canyougiveyouranalysis?Themistake:Inthefirstsituation,thewesternerusedhisquestionasaninvitation.Thegirlunderstooditonlyasaquestion.AccordingtotheChinesetradition,themanshouldhaveinvitedhertolunchsincetheirappointmentwastohavelunchfirst.Inthesecondsituation,thewesternerusedhisquestionasaquestionratherthananinvitation.AccordingtotheChinesetradition,themanshouldhaveorderedplentyoffoodforthegirl.Conclusion:Thesamesentenceconcealeddifferentintentions.Peopleshouldtrytomakesenseofwhatitreallymeans.CASE5:ShaoBin,aChinesestudentstudyinginBritain,wasonceinvitedbyherBritishclassmateBraintohishousetocookaChinesemeal.HertwoChinesefriendswerealsoinvited.Theybusiedthemselvesinthekitchen,makingdumpingwhileBraindidsomethinginthegardenandhiswifesatonthesofareading.ShaoBinfeltalittleupsetforshethoughtthatboththehostandthehostessshouldoffertohelpwiththekitchenwork.Themealwasgreatandeveryoneenjoyedthemselves.Thecouplekeptcomplimentingthemontheircookingskillsandaskedfortherecipe.Butthenafterthemeal,thecouplejustputdowntheirchopsticksandstartedmindingtheirownbusiness,leavingtheChinesegueststoclearthetableanddothedishes.ShaoBinfeltabsolutelyconfusedorevenangry.Sheconcludedthat…….TheKeytotheQuestion:GueststoaChinesefamilywillneverbeallowedtodoanyhousework.Thisisoneofthewaysthehostandhostessshowtheirhospitality.Eveniftheguestsoffertocookadish,thehostorthehostessshouldstayaroundthemandofferhelpwhenevercan.Itisevenhardertoimaginethattheywouldlettheirguestsclearthetableanddothedishes,thoughtheguestsshouldalwaysvolunteertohelp.ShaoBin’smealataBritishfamilysetsagreatcontrasttoherChineseexperience.ThisiswhyShaoBingotangry.Whatsheshoulddoistoavoidahastyconclusion.Sheshouldfirstobservethesituationwithoutjudgment.AndthenanalyzethesituationusingwhatsheknowsaboutthedifferencesbetweenChineseandBritishculture.CASE6:LisawasinvitedtoaChinsesfriend'shometohavedinner.Thehostesswasverykindandbusiedherselfinthekitchenmakingtastydishes,andthehostservedthedishesonthetableonebyone.Lisakeptfinishingallthefoodonherplatebecauseshewishedtobepolite.Thatwasabigmistakebecauseshefoundherplaterefilledandmanymoredishesfollowing.Inthewest,evenifitwasaformaldinner,itwouldbeusuallyjustthreecourses:soup,maindish,anddessert.ButinChina,aninformaldinnerwouldhavefourdishesandasoup;aformaldinnerwouldhaveatleasteightdishesandasoup.InBritain,hospitalityisnotmeasuredbyhowmanydishesareprovidedasinChina.Itisshownbygivingyoufreedomtochoosewhateveryoureallywant.Theyneverpressyou.Theyneverputfoodonyourplatebutjustaskyoutohelpyourself.Ifyou,asaguest,areshyormodest,waitingforthefoodtobeputo