Case Study: Cooperating and Communicating Across Cultures

Case Study: Cooperating and Communicating Across Cultures

The article “Cooperation and communication between cultures”, points out the key components in this case study. In the scenario each one of the team members had their own preconceived notions of the "right" way they should interact with the team in order for the team to move forward. The viewpoints of the team members, in my opinion, were influenced in part by their own cultures in addition to their own corporate backgrounds. Jim upon entering the team considered himself well prepared. He had knowledge of German culture and language, due to the fact that his wife was German and he visited Germany often, however, he was amazed at the detail in which the planning session went. Jim soon lost patience and interest, and the respect of his fellow team members because he was "hardly paying attention" anymore to the process. The German team used a three-day planning session as a way to lay the foundation for the structure of the entire product launch. Jim never really understands the importance of the initial meetings in the process because he tunes out most of what was being said. Because of this, Jim never really understands the way the team is working in that the first analyze the problem, all possible eventualities, and addressing issues, then dividing the work and moving forward, with the team leader checking and controlling the outcome. The German team leader demonstrates that the team had worked together for at several years and so each knew the procedures very well but Jim clearly did not. An important organizational issue Jim exhibited is not showing respect for the Germans' methods and failing to align himself with the culture more rather than removing himself from the process and complaining. Fundamentally, Jim wanted to outline the problem, jump in, adjust and confer during the process but the Germans had different ideas, and a different culture for doing things. Each side saw the others' method of operating as wrong, rather than as a possible new and different way to address a product launch.

In the scenario concerning Klaus, Klaus had the same issues arriving in America and learning that the project would be put together as a work in progress rather than carefully thought out prior to execution of a plan. This is a cultural difference both sides experienced that could have been addressed by an introduction to work methods before Jim/Klaus started with their new team, which could have avoided the sense of frustration all on the project felt. Outlining the process and the roles each person would play would help the visitor better learn the corporate/national culture. In addition, being more open to suggestions from the visitor would also help. Female employees being uncomfortable by Klaus’ manners are indicative of the general problem: there appears to be a failure to accept and appreciate the others' culture. Clearly the interests of both the Germans and American's were aligned; however, there was an unwillingness to review the possibility of adapting the best processes of each culture to work together for the benefit of all.
Hitt, A. Michael, C. Chet Miller, & Adrienne Colella. (2011) Case Study - Cooperating and

Communicating Across Cultures. Organizational Behavior (3rd Ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John

Wiley & Sons, Inc.