A case study on cross-cultural partnerships, intercultural communication and high context versus low-context communication.

Alan is a British living in Taiwan and is meeting with Grace Wei, who is a government official that frequently deals with the public. Alan is interested in forming a partnership with Grace Wei, a local businessman with whom Fiona has worked in the past. Alan wants to know if Fiona thinks partnering with Grace Wei is a good idea.

Alan: Do you happen to know Grace Wei?

Fiona: Of course, I have worked closely with her on a number of projects over the past 10 years. I know her very well.

Alan: I was thinking about meeting her and seeing if there might be a possibility for collaboration. What do you think?

Fiona: Yes, you should meet with him, and you should also meet with others.

Alan: Thanks. Who else should I meet with?

Fiona: You know there are some girls who fall in love with a boy who is very popular, well dressed, and good looking. After they get married, they realised that they made a mistake 3 because the boy has no substance. Other girls will look for a guy with good character – checking out his family situation and talking with his friends about him. When she gets married, she is much happier than the girl who married the popular guy.

Reflection:

Should Alan meet with Grace Wei? Why or why not?

Why does Alan ask about other people to meet with?

Why does Fiona talk about a hypothetical marriage?