Case Study 3: 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 2 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?