Question

Imagine you are a Starbucks executive traveling to China from the company’s U.S. headquarters. You are going to Beijing to negotiate a commercial real estate deal. Based on what you know about high and low context differences between the United States and China, what should you avoid doing?

Multiple Choice:A. discussing non-business-related topicsB. relying on situational cuesC. quickly getting down to businessD. shaking hands after the negotiations are completeE. dressing in formal attire

Answer 1

In China, a high-context culture, it's important to avoid quickly getting down to business, instead focusing on building relationships and trust.

Step-by-step explanation:

When traveling to China from the United States to negotiate a commercial real estate deal, it is important to be aware of the cultural differences between high and low context cultures. In this scenario, the answer is C. quickly getting down to business. High-context cultures, like China, value relationships and trust-building, which often involve non-business related interactions and a slower approach to business dealings. Therefore, as a Starbucks executive, you should avoid the tendency of low-context cultures like the U.S., which is to quickly get down to business without adequate relationship-building. Other professional behaviors such as dressing in formal attire and shaking hands after negotiations could be appropriate depending on the specific circumstances and the preferences of the Chinese counterparts.