跨文化案例

1Jim’sMistakeBasedinCleveland,Ohio,JimishasbeenmanagingasoftwaredevelopmentteaminPuneforthepasttwoyears.HehasbeenworkingcloselywithAruna,theIndianteamleader,todevelopanewnetworkingprogram.WhileJimhasover25yearsofexperienceinsoftwaredevelopment,Arunaknowstheprograminsideandout.Whilereviewinghisworkfromthepreviousweek,Jimdiscoversthathemadeamistakeintheprogrammingcode.HenoticesthatArunacorrectedhiserror,butwonderswhyArunadidnotbringittohisattentionsothathecouldavoiddelaysandkeepfrommakingthesamemistakeinthefuture.Reflection…ShouldArunahaveinformedJimofhismistake?Whyorwhynot?IfJimwantstobenotifiedofhismistakesinthefuture,howshouldheproceed?2SandeepisoutoftheofficeSandeephasjustjoinedtheBangloreofficeofaNewYorkbasedMNC.Aspartofhistraininghewillbespending3monthsintheUS,buthasalreadybeenassignedtoateamwithmembersinNewYork,TokyoandBanglore.Sarah,theNewYorkbasedprojectmanager,hasscheduledateleconferencemeetingforTuesday.SandeepwillbetravelingtoDelhitogethisUSvisaoverthemeetingtime.Here’stheirconversation…Sarah:Canwedotheteleconferencetomorrow,7pmforyou,orshouldwewaituntilyougetback?Sandeep:Betterifwecanwait,butIcandoitifyoulike–ifit’snecessary.Sarah:Doyouwanttopostponeit?Tellme,yesorno?Reflection…Whatculturaland/orpersonalitytraitsareinfluencingthecommunication?WhatisSarahlikelytobethinking/feeling?WhatisSandeeplikelytobethinking/feeling?3.PromotionMayankhasbeenworkingasanInformationOfficerataforeignconsulateinNewDelhiforseveralyears.Hisboss,Hendrick,wantstorewardMayankforhishardworkandoffershimapromotionandpayraisetobecomeanInformationClerk.Mayankpolitelydeclinestheoffer,leavingHendrickconfused.4.AndAlsoMeetwithOthersMarkisanAmericanlivinginDelhiandismeetingwithAjay,whoisagovernmentofficialthatfrequentlydealswiththepublic.MarkisinterestedinformingapartnershipwithSuresh,alocalbusinessmanwithwhomAjayhasworkedinthepast.MarkwantstoknowifAjaythinkspartneringwithSureshisagoodidea.Mark:DoyouhappentoknowSuresh?Ajay:Ofcourse,Ihaveworkedcloselywithhimonanumberofprojectsoverthepast10years.Iknowhimverywell.Mark:Iwasthinkingaboutmeetinghimandseeingiftheremightbeapossibilityforcollaboration.Whatdoyouthink?Ajay:Yes,youshouldmeetwithhim,andyoushouldalsomeetwithothers.Mark:Thanks.WhoelseshouldImeetwith?Ajay:Youknowtherearesomegirlswhofallinlovewithaboywhoisverypopular,welldressed,andgoodlooking.Aftertheygetmarried,theyrealizethattheymadeamistakebecausetheboyhasnosubstance.Othergirlswilllookforaguywithgoodcharacter–checkingouthisfamilysituationandtalkingwithhisfriendsabouthim.Whenshegetsmarried,sheismuchhappierthanthegirlwhomarriedthepopularguy.Reflection:ShouldMarkmeetwithSuresh?Whyorwhynot?WhydoesMarkaskaboutotherpeopletomeetwith?WhydoesAjaytalkaboutahypotheticalmarriage?5.TwomenmeetonaplanefromTokyotoHongKong.ChuHon-feiisaHongKongexporterwhoisreturningfromabusinesstriptoJapan.AndrewRichardsonisanAmericanbuyeronhisfirstbusinesstriptoHongKong.ItIsaconvenientmeetingforthembecauseMr.Chu’scompanysellssomeoftheproductsMr.RichardsonhassometoHongKongtobuy.Afterabitofconversationtheyintroducethemselvestoeachother.Mr.Richardson:Bytheway,I’mAndrewRichardson.MyfriendscallmeAndy.Thisismybusinesscard.Mr.Chu:I’mDavidChu.Pleasedtomeetyou,Mr.Richardson.Thisismycard.Mr.Richardson:No,no.CallmeAndy.Ithinkwe’llbedoingalotofbusinesstogether.Mr.Chu:Yes,Ihopeso.Mr.Richardson(readingMr.Chu’scard):Chu,Hon-fei.Hon-fei,I’llgiveyouacalltomorrowassoonasIgetsettledatmyhotel.MrChu(smiling):Yes,I’llexpectyourcall.Whenthesetwomenseparate,theyleaveeachotherwithverydifferentimpressionsofthesituation.Mr.RichardsonisverypleasedtohavemadetheacquaintanceofMr.Chuandfeelstheyhavegottenofftoaverygoodstart.Theyhaveestablishedtheirrelationshiponafirst-namebasisandMr.Chu’ssmileseemstoindicatethathewillbefriendlyandeasytodobusinesswith.Mr.RichardsonisveryparticularlypleasedthathehastreatedMr.ChuwithrespectforhisChinesebackgroundbycallinghimHon-feiratherthanusingthewesternname,David,whichseemstohimanunnecessaryimpositionofwesternculture.Incontrast,Mr.ChufeelsquiteuncomfortablewithMr.Richardson.Hefeelsitwillbedifficulttoworkwithhim,andthatMr.Richardsonmightberatherinsensitivetoculturaldifferences.HeisparticularlybotheredthatMr.Richardsonusedhisgivenname,Hon-fei,insteadofeitherDavidorMr.Chu.Howdoyouaccountfortheirdifferentimpressions?Doescultureplayaroleinthecommunicationbetweenthesetwomen?6..Alettertoacolumnist:DearMary,WeworkinthetypingpoolofalargeLondonstoreandareveryconcernedforthewelfareofoneofouryoungcolleagues.Sheisonly19,unmarried,andhasbecomeveryfriendlywithayoungmanwhoworksinoneofthedepartmentsofthestore.Hepopsintothetypingpooltoseeherandthere.Weknowthatheisengagedtoagirlwholivesnearhim.Wefeelfortheprotectionofthegirl,thatweshouldcomplaintothegeneralmanager.Butwewouldn’tlikeanybodytogetthesack.FourWorriedTypistsTheanswerfromthecolumnist:Myadviceissimple:Mindyourownbusiness.Thegirlisoldenoughtoknowwhatsheisdoing.Reflection:Whatvaluecanweseebehindtheletterandanswer?7.AsaforeignstudentattheUniversityofWisconsininMadison,KeikoIharawasonastrictbudget.Shehadallhertuitionand