Intercultural Management Case Study: Bob Tunis in Tokyo Negotiation

This case study analyzes the intercultural management challenges faced by Bob Tunis during a business negotiation in Tokyo. It identifies Bob's lack of understanding of Japanese culture and communication styles as key factors leading to the unsuccessful negotiation. The report discusses how cross-cultural management principles, including Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory and the integrative communication theory of cross-culture adaption, could have helped Bob navigate the situation more effectively. The analysis emphasizes the importance of intercultural awareness, communication skills, and cultural sensitivity for business professionals operating in international contexts. Ultimately, the report advises Bob to prioritize cultural understanding and communication training to improve his future interactions with international business partners. Desklib offers a range of solved assignments and study resources to aid students in understanding such complex business scenarios.

Intercultural Management in
Business
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INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Case 2...............................................................................................................................................3
Where did Bob go wrong?......................................................................................................3
How could you help the company better understand this cross-cultural problem?................4
Use intercultural theories to explain it and support your discussion......................................5
What would be your advice to Bob?......................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
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INTRODUCTION
Intercultural management is basically defined as a process in which organisation
acknowledge cultural differences and manage intercultural communication and other aspects
effectively. It is important for an organisation who perform their business on international
platform to have efficient form of intercom cultural management skill in order to understand
cultural aspects of different individuals and country efficiently (Aleksandrova, 2021). This will
help them to significantly acquire more growth and development opportunity. Intercultural
management plays essential role for companies as nowadays organisation work across culture
and countries. In this with help of understanding different culture companies can develop
positive relationship with suppliers and consumers in more effective manner. It is essential for
management leaders and other executives of business to have good understanding of diverse
form of culture in order to manage business in more efficient manner. Present report has been
conducted on the case study analysis of Bob Tunis.
MAIN BODY
Case 2
Where did Bob go wrong?
Before making sales presentation to plywood wholesaler in Tokyo, Bob Tunis must have
proper understanding of the cultural and language aspects of Japanese culture and language.
Along with this, Bob must also require to have proper and efficient knowledge and
understanding of respective country cultural aspect as well as language (Barmeyer, Bausch and
Mayrhofer, 2021). It is the place where Bob Tunis goes wrong, as if Bob with having proper
intercultural skills, can have better form of understanding of negotiation process. Along with
Bob Tunis also required to identify local knowledge and sense of communication as to
effectively deal with Japanese executives. With help of having deeper understanding of their
cultural and language identity Bob Tunis can seamlessly promote company business idea in front
of them. According to the case study analysis it has been identified that after the presentation
there was no response from all the three Japanese executive, this states that they did not
understand that single thing that Bob said. Thus, with the help of having proper cultural
preferences understanding of Japanese culture Bob can assure success. Proper understanding of
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interculture management plays essential role for business organisation to deal on international
platforms. Bob can also undertake advantage of a translator in order to make contract
understandable to Japanese executives. Thus, from the case study analysis it has been identified
that lack of knowledge of cultural aspects and lack of understanding of the communication skill
of Japanese language significantly affected Bob Tunis which lead towards un-successful
negotiation of the contract for plywood. This indicate that it is essential for an organisation or a
business individual to have efficient knowledge cross cultural management in order to deal with
different cultures efficiently.
How could you help the company better understand this cross-cultural problem?
Cross cultural management is mainly defined as a study of management in a cross-cultural
context. It basically involves the study of the influence of social culture on the management and
on manager along with the study of cultural orientation of organisation members and individual
manager. Cross cultural management play essential role especially for the organisation those
who deals on international market segment, as with the help of this they can deal with individual
coming from different backgrounds (Corner, Liu and Bird, 2021). Cross culture management
also help business organisation to deal with partners who belong from different country. With the
help of having proper understanding of cross culture business individual within an organisation
can understand people those who come from different culture. It has been identified that
nowadays cross culture knowledge and management is playing essential role in number of
aspects such as international trade. With the help of having ability of cross-cultural management
managers at all the levels can effectively equip themselves with cross culture communication
skill. It is playing important asset for business organisation through which they can significantly
expand their market for more growth and development. In addition to this it has been identified
that cross culture is playing important role as it impact number of aspects such as sales,
marketing, distribution and more. In terms with present case study, it has been identified that
Bob Tunisis is a marketing vice president for Seattle-based lumber company, Bob engages in
making sales presentation to a plywood wholesaler in Tokyo. This presentation was proposed the
thing which he considered to be a fair price for a large shipment of first quality plywood.
However, it has been identified that three Japanese executive does not responded immediately
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and also take more than 30 seconds with still no response. This makes Bob frustated which lead
Tunisis to ask “would you like to repeat the offer” which further lead towards Bob never did
successfully negotiate a contract for plywood. This case study identified the major cross culture
issue as due to the lack of knowledge and the sense of communication and Japanese language.
It has been identified that it is essential for company to effectively understand the cross-
cultural problem and in this Bob Tunisis required to have proper understanding of the Japanese
culture. In this it has been identified that to deal with Japanese executives Bob Tunis required to
be polite and greet them, which is one of the most significant business etiquettes in Japan. It has
been identified that understanding of Japanese communication skill will help Bob to success in
negotiating a contract for plywood (Garg and Poljsak-Rosinski, 2021). According to the case
study it has been evaluated that Bob Tunis asked in English language. This is the major reason
which lead Japanese executive does not respond as they did not have an understanding of this
language. In this is it is essential for Bob Tunis who is vice president for a Seattle-based lumber
company to engage in negotiating a contract to have significant understanding of Japanese
communication style. This is the major cross-cultural problem, as inadequate understanding of
Japanese language lead Seattle-based lumber company to fail in negotiating this deal. Lack of
understanding of Japanese language acted as a major issue which lead company and Bob to
suffer.
Use intercultural theories to explain it and support your discussion.
Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory:
Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions significantly offers a framework to understand
differences among cultural as various social context. Furthermore, it has been identified that
Individualism–collectivism mainly focus upon the relationship among the individual and the
group. In addition to the power distance duly tell the manner in which influences is distributed in
a culture (Mayer and Oosthuizen, 2021). While in terms with Masculinity–feminity it
demonstrates whether dominant values are nurturing or a assertive. With the help of this theory
business organisation or individual with company can effectively emphasize upon other country
cultural aspect. It will significantly help them to persuade them in more effective manner
according to their requirements.
The integrative communication theory of cross-culture adaption:
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Theory of cross-cultural adoption mainly explain the manner in which individual born and
raised in one culture adopt to a new and completely unfamiliar culture environment. Main aim of
this theory is to effectively fit into a new cultural environment and emphasize upon components
and factors of cultural adaptation in effective manner (Thelen, 2021). Furthermore it has been
identified that this theory is basically a theoretical framework that duly explains certain key
elements which influence the process of resettling theory. Business individuals with the help of
effectively fit into a new culture can acquire information and knowledge of the host country.
This will help them to effectively assure successful business while ensuring more growth and
development opportunities in respective country. It is essential for organisation to provide proper
training of cross-cultural communication to individuals within an organisation in order to engage
with business deals with other countries in more effective manner.
Thus, by duly focusing upon these intercultural theories organisation in which Bob is
performing role as a marketing vice president can undertaker advantage of a diverse range
techniques to promote inter culture understanding (Vargas-Hernández, 2021). It will effectively
help them to deal with other countries in more effective and efficient manner. It will also
significantly assist organisation to assure a higher success and growth opportunities.
What would be your advice to Bob?
Cross culture knowledge and proper understanding of cross-cultural communication plays
essential role for a business organisation or business individual especially for those who deals
with other countries for their business operations. As per the case study analysis it has been
evaluated that due to lack of communication language Bob fails to present negotiation ideas to
Japanese executives. In this Bob is advised to have proper understanding of intercultural
awareness in order to assure success (Wetton, 2021). Multinational companies engage with
people across border on day-to-day basis. In this they are required to collaborate with companies
with different cultural background to have high success possibilities. Understanding of
intercultural awareness and proper knowledge of Japanese language will allow Bob to clearly
demonstrate negotiation ideas to individual efficiently. Proper understanding of cross-cultural
knowledge will significantly assist Bob to communicate their prospective in an effective manner.
Thus, it has been identified that cross-cultural knowledge and cross-cultural communication
plays essential role which help business organisation to assure success. From the analysis of the
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case study, it has been identified that cross cultural communication is acting as a major issue
which arises communication mis-management among the executives and bob. Thus, it has been
significantly advised to bob to clearly have proper and efficient understanding of cultural
perspective of an individual to present ideas significantly and communicate ideas efficiently.
With the help of having proper in cultural knowledge and understanding of communication of
Japanese language Bob can efficiently promote negotiation contract to Japanese executives and
can assure success. However, lack of knowledge of Japanese language acted as a major concern
which affected Bob in adverse manner.
CONCLUSION
According to the above-mentioned report it has been concluded that cross cultural
management plays important role for organisation deals on international platform, as it allows
them to effectively understand different perspectives of people whom they are engaged to
perform business operations. With the help of proper cross cultural management business
organisation can efficiently assure success and can identify the matter to deal with individual
coming from different countries. Cross cultural management significantly aid organisation in
terms of assuring high success, as it promotes trust and better form of relationship. From this
report it has been identified that cross culture is becoming essential for globalisation of an
organisation. This allows company to expand their market for more growth and development
opportunity. Lack of emphasize upon cross cultural management will lead organisation to face
number of consequences in terms of loss of contracts and more. From this report it has been
identified that cross culture and inter-culture awareness plays important role for the success of
company as this will allow them to effectively collaborate understanding cultural background.
This helps in providing high level of success possibilities.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aleksandrova, N., 2021. Enhancing leadership qualities for conflict management in intercultural
business environments (as part of professional and foreign language preparation of
future economists of international economic relations). International Scientific Journal
of Universities and Leadership, (11), pp.192-200.
Barmeyer, C., Bausch, M. and Mayrhofer, U., 2021. Constructive Intercultural Management:
Integrating Cultural Differences Successfully. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Corner, A.J., Liu, L.A. and Bird, A., 2021. Intercultural competencies for emerging markets: A
contextualized approach. International Business Review, 30(3), p.101792.
Garg, R. and Poljsak-Rosinski, P., 2021. Overcoming challenges in intercultural interviewing:
the role of intercultural training for early-career researchers. In Field Guide to
Intercultural Research. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Mayer, C.H. and Oosthuizen, R.M., 2021. Positive Intercultural Management in a Diverse and
Global Workplace: A Four-stage I4. 0 Management Model. In Intercultural
Management in Practice. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Thelen, G.G., 2021. Leadership in a Global World Management Training Requirement Using
The Example of The Asian Studies Program at University of Applied Sciences (HTWG)
Konstanz. International Journal for Applied Information Management, 1(3), pp.125-
135.
Vargas-Hernández, J.G., 2021. Socio-Intercultural Entrepreneurship Capability Building and
Development. Handbook of Research on Novel Practices and Current Successes in
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, pp.259-276.
Wetton, R., 2021. Managing Virtual Teams: Creating a Virtual Community. In Intercultural
Management in Practice. Emerald Publishing Limited.
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