Question: Your coffee franchise cleared for business in all three countries (Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and China). You now have to develop your global franchise team and start construction of your restaurants. . You invite all of the players to the headquarters in the United States for a big meeting to explain the project and get to know one another since they represent the global division of your company. In preparation for the meeting, you want to avoid cultural silos, while ensuring all parties engage with each other and a generative climate is created.

You are concerned with the following two issues.

Part 1: Effective communication with participants

• Discuss the national cultural profiles of Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and China that are relevant in cross-cultural business communications. Refer back to Unit 2 Hofstede cultural dimensions, as well as the political, economic, legal, and ethical systems and other variables relevant to global business communication.

• What are the implications of the cultural variables for your communication with the team representative from each country in the face to face meeting?

• Address Hall's high and low context regarding verbal and non-verbal communication. The United States is a low context culture, while each country is high context.

• Tip: Write at least one substantive paragraph for each country

Part 2: Effective communication among participants

• What are examples of barriers and biases in cross-cultural business communications that may impact the effectiveness of communication among the meeting participants? Consider ethnocentrism, communication apprehension, and culture shock.

• What are some of the issues you should be concerned about regarding verbal and nonverbal communication for this group to avoid misinterpretations and barriers to communication?

• Identify 3-5 mistakes made during business negotiations that could inhibit the team from building strong relationships? Consider and direct and indirect styles.