跨文化案例

1 Jim’s MistakeBased in Cleveland, Ohio, Jim is has been managing a software development team in Pune for the past two years. He has been working closely with Aruna, the Indian team leader, to develop a new networking program. While Jim has over 25 years of experience in software development, Aruna knows the program inside and out.While reviewing his work from the previous week, Jim discovers that he made a mistake in the programming code. He notices that Aruna corrected his error, but wonders why Aruna did not bring it to his attention so that he could avoid delays and keep from making the same mistake in the future.Reflection…Should Aruna have informed Jim of his mistake? Why or why not?If Jim wants to be notified of his mistakes in the future, how should he proceed?2 Sandeep is out of the officeSandeep has just joined the Banglore office of a New York based MNC. As part of his training he will be spending 3 months in the US, but has already been assigned to a team with members in New York, Tokyo and Banglore. Sarah, the New York based project manager, has scheduled a teleconference meeting for Tuesday. Sandeep will be traveling to Delhi to get his US visa over the meeting time. Here’s their conversation…Sarah: Can we do the teleconference tomorrow, 7 pm for you, or should we wait until you get back?Sandeep: Better if we can wait, but I can do it if you like –if it’s necessary.Sarah: Do you want to postpone it? Tell me, yes or no?Reflection…What cultural and/or personality traits are influencing the communication?What is Sarah likely to be thinking/feeling?What is Sandeep likely to be thinking/feeling?3. PromotionMayank has been working as an Information Officer at a foreign consulate in New Delhi for several years. His boss, Hendrick, wants to reward Mayank for his hard work and offers him a promotion and pay raise to become an Information Clerk. Mayank politely declines the offer, leaving Hendrick confused.4. And Also Meet with OthersMark is an American living in Delhi and is meeting with Ajay, who is a government official that frequently deals with the public. Mark is interested in forming a partnership with Suresh, a local businessman with whom Ajay has worked in the past. Mark wants to know if Ajay thinks partnering with Suresh is a good idea.Mark: Do you happen to know Suresh?Ajay: Of course, I have worked closely with him on a number of projects over the past 10 years. I know him very well.Mark: I was thinking about meeting him and seeing if there might be a possibility for collaboration. What do you think?Ajay: Yes, you should meet with him, and you should also meet with others.Mark: Thanks. Who else should I meet with?Ajay: You know there are some girls who fall in love with a boy who is very popular, well dressed, and good looking. After they get married, they realize that they made a mistake because the boy has no substance. Other girls will look for a guy with good character – checking out his family situation and talking with his friends about him. When she gets married, she is much happier than the girl who married the popular guy.Reflection:Should Mark meet with Suresh? Why or why not?Why does Mark ask about other people to meet with?Why does Ajay talk about a hypothetical marriage?5.Two men meet on a plane from Tokyo to Hong Kong. Chu Hon-fei is a Hong Kong exporter who is returning from a business trip to Japan. Andrew Richardson is an American buyer on his first business trip to Hong Kong. It Is a convenient meeting for them because Mr. Chu’scompany sells some of the products Mr. Richardson has some to Hong Kong to buy. After a bit of conversation they introduce themselves to each other.Mr. Richardson: By the way, I’m Andrew Richardson. My friends call me Andy. This is my business card.Mr. Chu: I’m David Chu. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Richardson. This is my card.Mr. Richardson: No, no. Call me Andy. I think we’ll be doing a lot of business together.Mr. Chu: Yes, I hope so.Mr. Richardson (reading Mr. Chu’s card ) : Chu, Hon-fei. Hon-fei, I’ll give you a call tomorrow as soon as I get settled at my hotel.Mr Chu (smiling): Yes, I’ll expect your call.When these two men separate, they leave each other with very different impressions of the situation. Mr. Richardson is very pleased to have made the acquaintance of Mr. Chu and feels they have gotten off to a very good start. They have established their relationship on a first-name basis and Mr. Chu’s smile seems to indicate that he will be friendly and easy to do busine ss with. Mr. Richardson is very particularly pleased that he has treated Mr. Chu with respect for his Chinese background by calling him Hon-fei rather than using the western name, David, which seems to him an unnecessary imposition of western culture.In contrast, Mr. Chu feels quite uncomfortable with Mr. Richardson. He feels it will be difficult to work with him, and that Mr. Richardson might be rather insensitive to cultural differences. He is particularly bothered that Mr. Richardson used his given name, Hon-fei, instead of either David or Mr. Chu.How do you account for their different impressions? Does culture play a role in the communication between these two men?6. . A letter to a columnist:Dear Mary,We work in the typing pool of a large London store and are very concerned for the welfare of one of our young colleagues.She is only 19, unmarried, and has become very friendly with a young man who works in one of the departments of the store. He pops into the typing pool to see her and there. We know that he is engaged to a girl who lives near him.We feel for the protection of the girl, that we should complain to the general manager. But we wouldn’t like anybody to get the sack.Four Worried TypistsThe answer from the columnist:My advice is simple: Mind your own business. The girl is old enough to know what she is doing.Reflection :What value can we see behind the letter and answer?7. As a foreign student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Keiko Ihara was on a strict budget. She had all her tuition and books paid for by scholarships and grants and until recently was comfortably housed in the dormitory, she found a small apartment to share with a friend. Her college friends, knowing of her situation, offered to round up some of the necessary items for apartment living. Keiko politely declined, saying she could manage. Wanting to help out her friends found some old but still usable household appliances and furniture. Mary had an old desk that was in her garage. Ed had some chairs from his uncle, and Joe and Marion had a few extra dishes. They cheerfully brought them over one day. Keiko seemed very embarrassed, but gracefully accepted them, sincerely and profusely thanked them.The following week they were each presented with a gift from Keiko. Mary got an ornate jewelry box, Ed a volume of woodcuts by a famous Japanese artist, and Joe and Marion a beautiful Japanese case, all of which were of considerable worth and value, much more than the old things they had donated to her. They all protested that she could not afford to give such elaborate gifts; they really expected nothing as the household items were not really being used and they would rather have her use them. Keiko, however, insisted that they take the gifts. In the end, they accepted the gifts, although they all felt uncomfortable as they knew she was really sacrificing to give them.Relection1)What do you think of Keiko insisting on giving valuable gifts to her college friends?2)How would you feel if Keiko presented you with a gift for your help?7. A famous Chinese actress married a German. One day when she was acting, her husband was there watching, saying again and again that she was the best actress. The actress’ colleagues present asked her afterwards to tell her husband not to praise his own wife like that in public. On learning this, the German wondered what he did wrong.Once the actress and her husband were talking with their Chinese friends at a party. Her husband poli tely praised a Chinese lady on her beauty. The lady’s husband said that his wife was moderately good looking when young, but now she was old and no longer so. The lady nodded in agreement with a smile. The actress’ husband was surprised. Discuss why the Ge rman was confused in the first situation and surprised in the second.8. Jose and Jim worked together in a restaurant. They had become friendly because both of them were also studying. Jim was studying business, and Jose was taking English classes and planned to study engineering.One day, as they were leaving work, Jim asked Jose, “Jose, I need a favor. I have to go over to school, and I’m out of money. Could you lend me a dollar so I can take the bus over there and then get home? I’ll pay you back tomorrow.”“Sure, Jim. No problem. You don’t have to pay me back,” said Jose, as he handed Jim a dollar.As soon as he got out to work the next day, Jim went over to Jose and handed him a dollar, saying, “ Thanks, Jose. I really appreciated this last night. It sure was too cold to walk.”“Forget it,” said Jose, as he handed Jim back his dollar.“Oh, no, I insist. I don’t want to take advantage of a friend. What if I need to borrow money again sometime? If I didn’t pay you back now, I would feel wrong asking to borrow money again,” said Jim, as he put the dollar into Jose’s shirt pocket.Jose answered, “But that’s what friends are for. In Spanish, We have a saying, ‘today for you, tomorrow for me.’ If you pay me back, I will feel that I won’t be able to ask you f or money when I need it. I will feel like you are closing the door on me, that there is no trust between us. I thought we were friends. How can I take the money?” Jose handed back the dollar.“But I won’t feel right if you don’t take it!” said Jim.Questions:1) Why did Jim insist on returning the dollar to Jose?2)What cultural values are reflected in Jim’s and Jose’s attitudes?。