Unit 1.

Building a professional
relationship across cultures

Motto: “Understanding is the beginning of approving”

(Andre Gide)

Objectives:

In this unit you will

 develop your sensitivity to and understanding of the impact of culturally-determined
behaviour on language use and communication

 develop the necessary skills to locate, evaluate and use cultural information

 develop your critical thinking about cultural issues which reach out beyond language
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 UNIT 1. BUILDING A PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP ACROSS CULTURES

Lead-in

Task 1
After reading the quotations below, in pairs, discuss the answers to the following questions:

“Every language serves as the “I do not want my house to be walled

bearer of a culture. If you speak in on all sides and my windows to be
a language, you take part, to stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands
some degree, in the way of to be blown about my house as freely
living represented by that as possible. But I refuse to be blown
language.” off my feet by any.”

(Leonard Bloomfield) (Mahatma Gandhi)

 What is the main idea conveyed by each of the quotations above?

 Which of these quotations do you agree/disagree with? Why?

Task 2
Think about the personal relationships in your life, with friends and family.

 Can you explain why you find these relationships rewarding ? What are they based on?

Now think about a professional/business relationship.

 How does it compare with a personal relationship ? What are the differences? Is there
anything in common between the two? Give examples.

Task 3
Tick the best alternative in the situations below. Give arguments for your choice.

1. You are being entertained by a British or American business partner. Your host asks if you
would like something to drink. You really would like a drink. What would you do?
a) Say: “Yes”.
b) Say: “No, thank you” and wait for your host to ask you again.
c) Say: “Yes, please”.
d) Say: “That’s O.K., I can get it myself”.

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2. In the US people of all ages and at all economic and social levels interact with each other
in a casual way that may seem unusual in other cultures.
a) This is due to a lack of respect for one another;
b) This shows lack of interest and of professionalism in doing business
c) This indicates a more relaxed way of interacting with each other.
d) This is proof that Americans are very friendly people.

3. You’ve been having personal problems lately and have just started to feel better. You run
into a British or American business partner before a meeting. He says “How are you?”.
What would you do?
a) Say: “Not bad, thanks. And you?”
b) Say nothing but just nod or shake your head.
c) Start talking about your latest problems.
d) Say: “Fine!”

4. You have just been introduced to a senior British or American business partner. What
would you do?
a) Say: “Hi!”
b) Say: “Nice to meet you” and shake hands.
c) Say nothing and shake hands firmly.
d) Say: “Hello” and bow.

5. You are going to be late for a scheduled meeting because of the heavy traffic. What would
you do?
a) Hurry up and try to get to the meeting by all means.
b) Call and make another arrangement by inventing an excuse.
c) Call and give the true reasons for your delay, as well as the approximate time you
expect to arrive.
d) Apologize when you eventually arrive.

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Cultural behaviour and patterns of

communication

Task 4
Read the text below and choose the best title for it:

Difficulties that business people deal with

Cross-cultural communication
It is easy to make a blunder
Managing business in Europe
Travelling abroad

1 No one actually wants to cause offence but, as businesses become more and more
international, it is easy to go wrong. There may be one European Union market, but it does not
mean that people, whether managers or professionals, behave the same in Great Britain as
they do in Portugal. Therefore, when you conduct business abroad, or play host to foreign
partners, it makes good business sense to be aware of cultural differences. By making an effort
to close the cultural gap and get along with people who do not share your background, your
views, your beliefs, your customs or your lifestyles, you will gain respect, increase credibility and
foster successful business relationships.

2 One piece of useful advice: refrain from taking your assumptions for granted! Take eye
contact as an example. Americans and British people think that a direct eye-to-eye gaze
suggests the desirable traits of honesty and attention. But, people from cultures with great
respect for authority like the Japanese may think this signifies disrespect or defiance. So, when
someone refuses to look you in the eye, perhaps it reflects culturally correct behaviour, not
deviousness.

3 Very often, the tempo of life has an impact on people’s behaviour. For instance,
Americans appear to be living and working at a rapid pace. This is due to the credo “time is
money and money talks”. They do not like to waste time and are always punctual. Similarly, with
Asian and German business partners, punctuality is a “must”, if not the prerequisite to a good
business relationship. And yet, few cultures have an identical understanding of what the
concept of “punctuality” really means. To many Canadians, being on time for an appointment
means being about five minutes early. On the other hand, with Latin cultures, time is a relative
thing. In Mexico, being 30 minutes late for a social event is considered normal. Arrive earlier
and you will cause inconvenience to the host; be on time for appointments, but be prepared to
wait for things to get started.

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 UNIT 1. BUILDING A PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP ACROSS CULTURES

4 Physical contact is a sore point that may enhance or decrease the chances of creating a
sound business relationship. Unlike Britons and Germans, who keep a certain distance when
talking to people, Latins are inclined to touch their interlocutor and keep smaller personal space
as a sign of friendliness or politeness. In France, good manners require that on arriving at a
business meeting, a manager shakes hands with everyone present. Koreans tend to stand
close together when they talk or walk. Moreover, squeezing through a crowd or brushing up
against others on a busy sidewalk is considered normal. What is amazing to a Westerner is the
fact that there is no need to say “Excuse me” or “Sorry” when this occurs.

5 Addressing people is often a culturally sensitive issue. Americans and Britons prefer to
use first names regardless of age or position in the company and tend to establish relationships
more quickly with new business contacts. Germans differ on this; they are well-known for the
degree of formality they bring to business. They are not used to calling people by their first
names and assign a lot of importance to surnames and titles. If you do not wish to cause
serious offence, remember that someone should be addressed by their titles. The same applies
in Italy where engineers, lawyers and architects expect you to call them by their professional
titles. Likewise, Asians have a strong sense of hierarchy, rank, position and status at all times.
They always use the interlocutor’s surname, including Mr. or Mrs. as a sign of respect. In South
Korea, it is considered rude to call people by their first names unless you know them well. The
same is equally valid for the Middle East. Status is also important and has a direct say on the
appropriate form of address to the people you meet. Thus, refer to your business partner as Mr.
Mubarak and not as Mohammed or Saleh.

6 Conversation, on the other hand, could prove a minefield when you ignore the rules
governing it in one particular country. Topics of conversation vary across cultures. In the U.S.
safe topics include travel, food, music, movies, books and sports. In England, welcome topics of
conversation include the weather, English history, soccer and your possible experiences in their
country. Refrain from making inquiries regarding a person’s political beliefs, faith, salary or other
intrusive personal questions. On the other hand, in China and Vietnam, you may be asked
direct questions concerning your age, income, weight and marital status.

7 Australians find arguments and opinionated conversation entertaining. The Japanese

are not argumentative, even if they are right; they tend to avoid confrontation to save personal
relationships. A Japanese will never say “no” in negotiations, he will find a more polite way to
refuse it. He will say “ so and so” or “it’s difficult”. If for an European this seems to leave the door
open for further negotiation, for a Japanese, this simply means “no”. Similarly, a Mexican
associate will avoid saying “no” even if he is in disagreement; rather he will say “maybe” or any
other equivalent phrase, just to avoid the risk of displeasure. While English-speaking business

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people, especially Americans, will easily say “yes” or “no” to an offer or proposal, their Japanese
counterparts will not clearly state their opinion but ask for more thinking time: “We would like to
look into the matter”. Such a vague answer often gives rise to confusion for Americans or
Europeans, as it is not clear for them whether their Japanese counterparts are interested or not.

8 The amount of silence that is perceived as right during a conversation is a major player
in cross-cultural confusion. A Japanese proverb says: “Those who know do not speak – those
who speak do not know”. In Japan, as well as in other Asian cultures, silence ensures the time
for listening, contemplation and due consideration of what has been discussed. On the contrary,
American business people feel that even a slight silence can be embarrassing and hence fill it
up with conversation The fact that Americans are likely to talk loudly is often interpreted in
Europe as aggressive or uncultivated behaviour. Likewise, the British or Asian way of speaking
quietly might be understood as secretive to Americans.

9 Most Canadians and Americans as well as Britons consider a good sense of humour to
be a welcome attribute in business deals. Nevertheless, when you make a joke in the presence
of Japanese business people, you should make sure it is either very easy to understand, or
self-deprecating. On informal occasions when they know everyone, the Japanese will be
humorous and entertaining. At a formal meeting or among strangers they may be awkward,
withdrawn or too nervous to loosen up. The Japanese, like the Germans, do not appreciate
flippancy in business environments.

10 In Mexico, because personal relationships are so important, many business transactions

occur during meals. The best times are breakfast or lunch. The bill is not split: the person
inviting, or the person selling usually pays the bill. The rule for paying the tab in business is
clear: whoever benefits from the association pays, regardless of gender or position. If there is
no definite beneficiary, the person who extends the invitation pays. Business entertaining is
equally important in Italy, where foreigners, after a several-course meal, may entirely forget
they are there on business.

11 With so many differences across cultures, how can you manage to do business
worldwide? There are neither simple answers nor general recipes for success. Perhaps, you
could start by trying to exercise some commonsense, tolerance of differences as well as a bit of
understanding. Such a non-judgemental approach could save you the trouble of making a
careless mistake, of giving offence and thus missing a business opportunity. It is difficult but well
worth the effort!

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Task 5
Find words in the text, which mean the same as the ones below:
Example: trade – business

1. to promote the growth or development of something (para 1)

2. to stop oneself from doing something that one would like to do (para 2)
3. refusal to obey authority (para 2)
4. a condition for something to happen or exist (para 3)
5. painful or sensitive (para 4)
6. having a natural tendency to do something (para 4)
7. topic (para 5)
8. paying no attention to something (para 5)
9. holding very strong views which one is not willing to change (para 7)
10. a person who has the same position as someone else (para 7)
11. representing oneself as having little or no value (para 9)
12. embarrassed (para 9)

Task 6
Decide if these statements are true (T) or false (F). Mark them accordingly. Correct the false
ones:
Example: Professional and business people in all E.U. countries act similarly because there is
one single market.
x. False. Although there is one E.U. market, people do not behave the same because their
cultures, customs or lifestyles are different.

1. Keeping eye contact in a face-to-face meeting is considered rude in Japan.

2. The concept of “punctuality” has the same meaning all over the world.

3. Physical contact does not help to establish a good business relationship in all cultures.

4. German business people don’t like to be called by their last names.

5. Asians and Arabs never address business partners in a formal way.

6. The Japanese and the Mexicans turn down offers or suggestions indirectly.

7. The Chinese will probably want to find out how much a foreigner earns

8. The Japanese think that talking incessantly is a sign of ignorance.

9. If an American businessman talks loudly this means he is angry and rude.

10. The Germans appreciate humorous remarks when doing business.

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11. If you ask a Mexican junior business partner out to lunch or dinner, he will have to pay the
bill because your status is higher.

12. A flexible approach to cross-cultural business relationships helps to avoid blunders.

Task 7
Discuss these questions:
What do you find surprising in the text above?
Does such a text prepare you better for international encounters? How? Why/why not?
What cultural tips would you give to a foreigner who will soon visit your country about:

 eye-contact
 physical contact when talking to people
 conversation
 humour
 punctuality
 addressing people
 silence
 business entertaining

Write one rule which applies in your own culture, related to each item above. Work in pairs.

Example:
In Romania, you should arrive early for a business meeting or university examination.
You should arrive on time for a class, but you may be a little late for a party or a date.

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Cultural diversity and cross-cultural contacts

Task 8
Before you read the text below, think about its title and try to predict some of the “pitfalls” (likely
problems) the writer will mention.

Task 9
Now read the text below. Have any of your predictions been confirmed?

“How to steer clear of pitfalls in cross-cultural business contacts”

Building a professional relationship is always a delicate business, but it is doubly so when

the person across the table comes from across the world. But careful preparation can help you
anticipate dangerous zones and navigate around them.

Engineers like John in Los Angeles and Yoshi in Tokyo both like Armani suits, baseball,
Mozart, good Bordeaux and computers. But John recently spoke for days with Yoshi, his
potential business partner, and yet …(a)… .

The problem had to do with different conceptions of the business process itself and
misinterpretations of the other’s behaviour. For example, John believes that doing business
means pushing through a deal, full stop. When John didn’t think their discussion was moving
forward as quickly as he thought it should, his arguments became increasingly forceful.
Because Yoshi read this as disrespect, …(b)… .

Although globalized communications and businesses have made the world smaller in
many ways, deep differences between cultures remain. Despite similar tastes and jobs. John
and Yoshi will approach professional relationships in a way heavily conditioned by his national
culture. Because they sat down at the table without understanding each other’s assumptions
about the negotiation process, …(c)… .

Building a professional relationship is always a delicate business, requiring diplomacy and

determination in equal measure. Here are some tips that can help you put together a deal with a
foreign partner. Your counterpart’s expectations of the business relationship may well be very
different from yours. Like you, he will want to succeed, but success may not mean the same to

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 UNIT 1. BUILDING A PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP ACROSS CULTURES

him and his co-nationals as it does to you. For instance, decision making styles may be
different, too. American and West-European managers usually make decisions by themselves,
…(d)… . Americans place a high value on flexibility, whereas once a Japanese manager has
reached a decision, he believes it is shameful to change it. Understanding these underlying
attitudes helps you see what your potential partner’s priorities are, and you can then adapt your
priorities accordingly.

While one has to be careful about generalizing across cultures, experts agree that a
flexible, adjustable approach to cross-cultural business relationships helps to avoid blunders.
In many cultures business practice is ritualized, especially in its early stages. It is
obviously important to be aware of these rituals for a given culture, even if your partner turns out
not to require them. Germans, for example, often need to spend a large part of the initial
negotiations in number crunching. All the facts and figures must be agreed upon, and woe
betide the negotiator who makes a mistake! This German trait is not really about number
crunching; …(e)… . So, a different, more flexible approach could prove threatening for these
‘ritual-loving’ business people. If the approach you take is not understood, people may perceive
it as insincere behaviour and resent it. Because they are not able to counter it with equal
flexibility, they may feel clumsy and awkward, in some way even inferior. It may also become
difficult for them to believe in the sincerity of the other side. They may see it as an effort to lure
them into a game defined by established groups which will put them at a disadvantage.

Let’s assume that you have passed successfully through the initial stages of the
negotiation and that you have agreed upon common ground with your prospective partner. The
game of tactics now broadens. It is at this stage, …(f)… .

Italian business people, for example, will often try to push through this stage quite quickly,
repeatedly insisting on their terms to tire out their opponents. Knowing this, a foreign negotiator
may find a good tactic is to display no great hurry to deal - change the subject or, perhaps,
digress.

The Chinese, on the other hand, usually make one offer after another at this point to test
the limits of a possible deal. Non-verbal communication in setting up a professional relationship
with a Chinese businessman can be quite important. He may say little in response to your
questions, and …(g)... . More demonstrative Western business people may find this conduct
difficult to deal with.

Most Europeans won’t break off discussions unless they are deeply offended, but Asian
negotiators are often happy to drop the project if they are uncomfortable with some aspect of

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the business. If this happens, try to backtrack and fix the problem. But in focusing on your
potential partner’s culture, …(h)… . It is always best to learn about his personality and his
communication style. You should try to personalize business methods and professional
approaches. Try not to ignore culture, use it as background, focus on the capabilities of the
specific individuals at the table. This is frequently successful because a new, mutually agreed
upon culture is being created just for this effort.
(Adapted by permission from Harvard Management Communication Letter
March 2003, vol 6, no. 3)

Task 10
Fill the gaps in the text above with one of the sentences below. There is one sentence too
many.

1. while Japanese managers tend to make decisions by consensus

2. the barriers were never crossed-and the deal didn’t get inked
3. all they ended up with was an impasse
4. it is a confidence-building ritual in which two potential partners run through a series of
routine checks just to display trustworthiness
5. the negotiation essentially ended days before their talks did
6. expect you to garner what you need to know from his gestures and from the context of
whatever he does say
7. in which the actual issues go back and forth between participants
8. don’t lose sight of him as an individual
9. that your awareness of negotiating behaviour typical of your potential partner’s culture can
be put to use

Task 11
Decide which of the three statements A, B, or C given below offers the most accurate summary
of the text above.

A There is a set of rules about doing international business which can be applied by
anybody to ensure the success of various cross-cultural encounters.
B Successful management of international business has to take account of both cultural and
personal differences, rather than rely on assumed similarities.
C Picking up a few facts about your prospective customers’ country can lead to a good
business relationship with your partners.

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Task 12
Match the words in the left column below with their equivalents on the right. Go back to the text
on page 15, if necessary.

1. impasse a. feel bitter or angry about something

2. blunders b. computing
3. number crunching c. collect facts, information
4. resent d. difficult situation in which it is impossible to make any progress
5. lure e. stupid, careless mistakes
6. garner f. change policy
7. backtrack g. attract

Task 13
Use the words in the left column above to fill in the blanks in the following sentences. Use
appropriate forms:

1. She bitterly …………… her boss’s criticism of the final draft after his having accepted
earlier versions without making any suggestions for possible changes.
2. Computers have always puzzled me with their rapid …………… operations.
3. Modern scholars are expected …………… information from the Internet.
4. Negotiations reached …………… when the government would not even consider higher
pay rises, as demanded by the steel workers’ union.
5. The proposal put forward by the Portuguese sales executive …………… the investors to
support the project.
6. Although warned in advance, she kept making one …………… after the other during the
meeting.
7. He quickly …………… when he realized he had no hard evidence to support his
arguments.

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First encounters

A critical incident is a situation where there is a communication problem between people of

different cultures. In other words, something goes wrong because the people involved do not
understand each other’s culture.
Consider the situations below. What went wrong? Work in groups.

Situation 1:

Lily is an East European student who has recently got a two-year scholarship at the
Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in Lancaster (North-West England). She
is staying with a middle-class family, the Lowersons.
On her arrival, around 6 p.m., she is invited to have "a nice cup of tea" and biscuits,
while chatting about her family in the cozy living room. Then, she goes upstairs to arrange her
things, while Mrs. Lowerson tells her:
"Take your time, my dear. I'll give you a call when your meal is ready."
After an hour or so, she hears Mrs. Lowerson's voice:
"Lily, tea's ready!”
"Tea?" Lily asks herself in amazement. "But I’ve already had it!'

1. Why was Lily confused?

2. Could you think of any similar situation(s) that might confuse a foreigner visiting your
country?

Situation 2:

Two months later, Lily had already made friends with her new colleagues. One day,
while having lunch with John in the college caffeteria, they were talking about one of the
reference books she hadn't been able to get. John offered to lend her that particular book and
said: "Come and take it sometime this afternoon".
After they had parted, Lily went to her class. She expected John to follow up his
invitation, with a specific time when she could call on him, but that never happened.
Lily thought that John was totally unreliable and his offer had not been sincere.

1. What would you have made of John’s invitation?

2. Was Lily's judgement correct? Who was at fault?

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Situation 3:

One afternoon, Lily was in the kitchen with Mrs. Lowerson. She offered to help the old
lady.
"Could you wash the lettuce for me, please?", the lady said.
Lily took the fresh green lettuce from the fridge, put it into the sink and started washing it,
leaf by leaf, in cold running water, the same as she did at home.
Mrs. Lowerson looked at her and said:
"Leave it, my dear. Thanks."
Then, she took the lettuce, put it into a bowl and immersed it into cold water several
times. When she had finished, she threw the water onto a bed of flowers in her garden.
Lily couldn’t believe her eyes and felt deeply offended.

1. Why did Mrs Lowerson stop Lily?

2. Would you have been bothered by the old lady's attitude?
3. What cultural value is reflected in the situation above?
4. Do you think such a value is universal or is it specific to the country/culture represented in
the text?

“How to avoid being the ‘Ugly American’ when

doing business abroad”

Task 14
You will hear Ann Bengton, an expert in cross-cultural communication, giving a talk entitled
“How to avoid being the ‘ugly’ American when doing business abroad”, at the Annual
International Business Communication Conference in Paris. Before doing Tasks 15, 16, 17
discuss the following issues:

1. Do you think the word “ugly” in the title refers to physical appearance? What do you
expect the talk is going to deal with?
2. What is a “stereotype”? Why do people have nationality stereotypes of other people?
3. What is your stereotype American business person? Think of their behaviour, attitudes,
appearance and interests.

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Task 15
Listen to the first part of the talk. Fill in the gaps in the extract below with the speaker’s exact
words:

“…And now, let me …(1)… one of the most widespread, popular stereotypes in the business
world nowadays. I mean…the “ugly” Americans. Do you …(2)…what they might be like? Well,
they are bold, …(3)… and all business. You know, they’ve got lots of money but they have little,
…(4)… cultural knowledge. All I want to say is that they seem …(5)… self-doubt and are more
often than not, …(6)… day -to -day cultural differences. In other words, the “ugly” Americans are
those who let communication …(7)…compromise,… interfere with their business results. Thus,
my suggestion would be that they still need to improve the awareness… er…the …(8)…that the
same qualities that make them win in the U.S. could easily …(9)… a disaster in Europe or Asia.
Otherwise they are likely to be ...(10)… failure while doing business overseas.”

Task 16
Now listen to the second part of the same talk. Choose the appropriate answer from the
statements below:

1.
a) Americans would not adjust to other business cultures.
b) American business people are willing to adapt to the different cultures they encounter.
c) Americans are not sensitive to the local customs of the countries they visit.

2.
a) Like Americans, Europeans are keen on building a personal relationship with their
business partners.
b) Asians are the only business people who tend to set up a personal relationship when
doing business.
c) Unlike Americans, both Europeans and Asians wish to establish a strong relationship with
their interlocutors.

3.
a) The speaker talks about the importance of getting to know your prospective partner in a
social rather than a business setting, before getting down to business.
b) The speaker suggests the importance of getting to know your interlocutor in a business
context.
c) The speaker does not mention the importance of interpersonal relationships in doing
business.

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4.
a) Clever speeches and PowerPoint presentations can ensure instant success in business
everywhere.
b) In some cultures, a successful presentation requires more than smooth talking and the
use of Power Point slide shows.
c) Clever speeches and PowerPoint presentations are not highly appreciated by American
business people.

5.
a) The speaker refers to two rules for the Americans doing business outside the U.S.
b) The speaker mentions three rules for American business people to take into account.
c) The speaker talks about four important rules for Americans to obey when abroad.

Task 17
Listen to the third part of the talk. Explain what Ann Bengton means by the following:

1. “One American manufacturer recently hit all the wrong buttons in discussions about a
French acquisition.”
2. “The American executives quickly found out that they could not fathom their German
partners.”
3. “Play by the rules - their rules!” Whose rules does the speaker refer to? What are these
rules?

Task 18 Over to you!

 Can you think of any cultural (i.e. historical, social, economic) or geographical reasons
which could justify the stereotype referred to by Ann Bengton?
 Do you think the stereotype presented in the talk is fair? Give arguments.
 What is your own nationality stereotype?
 Can you make the portrait of the ‘ugly’ Romanian business person?

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