Investigative Report: Expanding Operations Abroad

You have been asked to brief your boss, Dori Lundy, about the status of women in business, customs, and general business etiquette in a coun- try that may not be friendly to Western businesswomen. Ms. Lundy is planning an international trip to expand her high-tech company.

Your Task. Select a country to investigate that has a culture markedly different from our own-for example, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Japan, or South Korea, but don't forget Italy, Spain, Germany, or the Scandinavian countries. Collect data from CultureGrams, to which many libraries subscribe; search CountryWatch and other Web sites. Interview international students on campus. See Activity 13.7 and Figure 13.5 in Chapter 13 for additional ideas on gathering information on intercultural communication. Collect information about customary greetings, business ethics, dress codes, and other topics of interest to a traveling businesswoman. The purpose of your report is to promote business, not tourism, and to help your boss avoid embarrassment or worse. Prepare a memo report addressed to Dori Lundy, president of Paradigm CompuTech.

Text Book: Business Communication: Process and Product By Mary Ellen Guffey, Dana Loewy.