Intercultural Awareness in Business Interactions: Case Studies

Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding

• Identify and define the different value and belief systems present across cultures through cultural profiling and self-construal.

Demonstrate the following skills and abilities

• Demonstrate your understanding of different cultural frameworks and strategies used in intercultural communication by applying theories to practice in variety of intercultural business interactions.   

What am I required to do in this assignment?

Regulations allow for a change in format for Referrals if it is not practical to use the same format.  In this case it is difficult to ensure that students have access to a ‘seen paper’ before the exam.  Therefore this referral is in the form of an assignment to be submitted through BREO.

There will be two examples of intercultural incidents (small case studies); these are examples of different behavioural and communication problems. You are asked to apply your understanding of relevant theories, frameworks and ideas and propose solutions to demonstrate the extent of your intercultural awareness in different business interactions. All theories and frameworks should be referenced correctly using the Harvard system.

CHOOSE ONLY ONE (OUT OF 1, 2,) TO DISCUSS. Apply your understanding of relevant theories, frameworks and ideas and propose solutions to demonstrate the extent of your intercultural awareness in different business interactions.

Case studies for S1:

Bob Mitchell, a retired military attaché with considerable experience in the Middle East, was hired by a large U.S. computer software company to represent it in a number of Persian Gulf countries. Having received an introduction from a mutual acquaintance, Bob arranged to meet with Mr. Saade, a wealthy Lebanese industrialist, to discuss the prospects of a joint venture between their companies. Having spent many years in the Middle East, Bob knew that they would have to engage in considerable small talk before they would get down to business. They talked about the weather, Bob’s flight from New York, and their golf games. Then Saade inquired about the health of Bob’s elderly father. Without missing a beat, Bob responded that his father was doing fine, but that the last time he saw his father at the nursing home several months ago he had lost a little weight. From that point on, Saade’s demeanor changed abruptly from warm and gracious to cool and aloof. Though the rest of the meeting was cordial enough, the meeting only lasted another two hours, and Bob was never invited back for further discussions on the joint venture.

• Where did Bob go wrong?
• How could you help Bob better understand this cross-cultural problem?
• Use intercultural theories to explain it and support your discussion.
• What would be your advice to Bob?

Case 2

Stefan Phillips, a manager for a large U. S. airline, was transferred to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, to set up a new office. Although Stefan had had several other extended overseas assignments in Paris and Brussels, he was not well prepared for working in the Arab world. At the end of his first week, Stefan came home in a state of near total frustration. As he sat at the dinner table that night, he told his wife how exasperating it had been to work with the local employees, who, he claimed, seemed to take no responsibility for anything. Whenever something went wrong they would simply say “Inshallah” (“If God wills it”). Coming from a culture that sees no problem as insolvable, Stefan could not understand how the local employees could be so passive about job-related problems. “If I hear one more inshallah,” he told his wife, “I’ll go crazy.”

• Where did Stefan go wrong?
• How could you help Stefan better understand this cross-cultural problem?
• Use intercultural theories to explain it and support your discussion.
• What would be your advice to Stefan?

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

In order to pass Assessment 1 you will need to:

• Compare and contrast different cultural frameworks
• Demonstrate how these frameworks can be applied to understand different interpersonal interactions in business situations
• Apply intercultural communication theories to practice in various business situations

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

We will be filling this section in together in class on Click or tap to enter a date. make sure you have downloaded/printed out the Assignment Brief and bring it to the session with you.

How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

This assessment provides a grounding in the intercultural frameworks relevant to international business environment.  Mainly it will involve frameworks related to communication, homogeneity versus diversity, tradition and change, dimensions of culture and so on. The frameworks are discussed in scheduled classes.

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.

You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.