The Effect of Culture on Business

Questions to Consider

1. How many multinational corporations can you name? What is the potential impact of their product (s) in countries like China or India (or in other specific countries)?
2. Can your workplace be considered multicultural? Why or why not?
3. At your job (now or in the past), how did you refer to your boss, and vice versa? Is this indicative of a low or high power distance value?
4. Can you think of any examples of differences related to individualism or collectivism leading to intercultural communication conflicts on the job?
5. How do you view work? Is hard work a virtue or a necessary evil?
6. How might different attitudes toward work lead to intercultural communication conflicts?
7. Have you communicated with someone with limited English proficiency? What strategies did you use? Are there any other strategies that you wish you had thought of then?
8. What did the authors mean when they said, "To have good intercultural business communication, people need to slow down and sneak up on information"?
9. How do the communication styles of honesty and harmony differ?
10. What are some of the etiquette roles at your place of business?
11. How do you feel about affirmative action policies? Do you think they are helpful or harmful to minorities?
12. What are some of the reasons companies address affirmative action and diversity issues?