going on a business trip to china

In this assignment, you will take the role of mentor to Judith and evaluate her experiences and behaviors. 

Write a memo of least 525 words providing feedback to Judith on the scenario and Judith’s performance. Address the following in your memo:

• Summarize some of the cultural mistakes Judith made during the meeting that illustrated a lack of knowledge about China.

• Explain the cultural dimension differences of individualism and collectivism evident during the visit.

• Evaluate the degree to which Americans hold task-based versus relationship-based style of business in China.

• Recommend how Judith and Bo could build and maintain a cross-cultural work relationship by establishing trust and empathy.

• Evaluate in a conclusion paragraph how to improve cross-cultural communication

COM/295 v7

Copyright 2020 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

Signature Assignment:

Case

: Going
on a Business Trip to China

Introduction

Business professionals who are high in cultural intelligence possess skills and attributes to work
effectively with members of other cultures. They respect, recognize, and appreciate cultural differences;
possess curiosity and interest in other cultures; avoid inappropriate stereotypes; adjust conceptions of
time and show patience; manage language differences to achieve shared meaning; understand cultural
dimensions; establish trust and show empathy across cultures; approach cross-cultural work relationships
with a learner mind-set; and build co-cultures of cooperation and innovation.

In this exercise, you evaluate the experiences of an operations manager going to China to examine
factories and potentially take bids for some of your company’s operations. You will notice differences in
communication across cultures and analyze the interactions in terms of cultural intelligence and the
following cultural dimensions: individualism and collectivism, egalitarianism and hierarchy, future
orientation, assertiveness, and humane orientation.

Read the case below and complete the instructions that follow.

Case
Recently, senior managers at Judith Carey’s company concluded that some of the company’s operations
needed to be produced in lower-wage locations for the company to stay profitable. They placed Judith in
charge of learning about options in China, a country she had never visited.

After several months of making contacts via phone and email, Judith traveled to China to meet some
potential manufacturers. She brought two of her staff members along with her on the trip. She also asked
Mei, one of the company’s sales representatives in China, to join the group and act as an interpreter. Mei
had joined the company’s sales department in China two years ago. Because she gained a marketing
degree in a Canadian university, Mei’s English was excellent.

The first stop on the trip would be with representatives of the Shunde Manufacturing (SDM) Company, a
potential manufacturer for the company’s line of dolls. After a long plane trip and a sleepless night at a
hotel in Shanghai, Judith started the first day of work in China tired and slightly disoriented. Her team first
met the company’s president, Bo Chen, and seven other men from SDM for lunch. Judith was seated next
to the company’s president for the duration of the two-hour lunch, which included course after course of
foods Judith had never seen or eaten before. Judith sampled most of the dishes but was clearly
uncomfortable.

During the meal, the company president asked Judith, “Ms. Carey, what are your impressions of China?”
Judith replied, “Well, Bo, I don’t really know too much. I’m not quite used to the air here, with all of the
pollution. Of course, I’ve always known about the one-child policy, but not much else. Do you think the
policy is fair?” Bo stated, “China and America must solve their problems in their own ways.” Then, he

Signature Assignment: Case: Going on a Business Trip to China
COM/295 v7
Page 2 of 2

Copyright 2020 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

talked about the final dish for the meal—a fish. He explained that ending the meal with the fish had
special symbolism in China and signaled a prosperous future for their relationship.

Near the end of lunch, Bo told Judith, “We’ll meet for dinner and a reception later at 6 p.m. I’ve arranged a
tour for you this afternoon. Several of our staff members will take you for a walk along the river, to some
beautiful Chinese gardens, and to the Shanghai Museum.” Judith was a bit dismayed. She wasn’t really in
the mood for touring. Rather, she wanted to get down to business, but she obliged for the afternoon tour.
During the tour, Judith asked Mei, her interpreter, “What should I do this evening to make sure we can
talk about business?” Mei replied, “Tonight, you should make friends with President Chen. Give him a
nice toast in front of his employees. Enjoy the wonderful food. Tomorrow you can talk about business.”

That evening, Judith and her team were taken to a large private room at a restaurant. The SDM Company
was now represented by more than 20 employees. Judith and Bo spent most of the dinner discussing
family and professional experiences. Judith enjoyed the food, gave a toast mentioning “future
cooperation” and thanking “President Chen for his hospitality,” and even sang karaoke when invited.

The next day, Judith arrived at the company’s headquarters. She and her team discussed options for a
partnership with SDM representatives for the duration of the day. At the end of the day, both parties
agreed to continue their conversations in approximately one month.

Note: Scenario reprinted with permission from McGraw-Hill.

Instructions

In this assignment, you will take the role of mentor to Judith and evaluate her experiences and behaviors.

Write a memo of least 525 words providing feedback to Judith on the scenario and Judith’s performance.
Address the following in your memo:

• Summarize some of the cultural mistakes Judith made during the meeting that illustrated a lack of
knowledge about China.

• Explain the cultural dimension differences of individualism and collectivism evident during the
visit.

• Evaluate the degree to which Americans hold task-based versus relationship-based style of
business in China.

• Recommend how Judith and Bo could build and maintain a cross-cultural work relationship by
establishing trust and empathy.

• Evaluate in a conclusion paragraph how to improve cross-cultural communication and the
characteristics of cultural intelligence important for global business leaders.

Format your memo with a heading, purpose section, discussion section, and conclusion. Use correct
grammar, spelling, and sentence structure.

Introduction
Case
Instructions