An international team is being organized. The members of the team are from Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United States. The main language of the group is English. The German member criticized the Mexican member for not being committed to the project because the Mexican had arrived late for the first meeting.

What does commitment mean to each of these cultures? As they started working on the project, they discovered that some of the members had goals that were separate from the project goals.

How would task- and group-maintenance functions differ between an international team of workers and a single country? What prejudices might these members have against other members of the group? Given what you know about these four cultures from this textbook and any other cultural materials you may have, discuss the situation.

Why were the members acting as they did?

What would everyone need to know as a member of an international team? How would exploring each other’s beliefs, norms, and values at the initial meeting of the team affect the group?