Project: Cultural Differences

This course has major project assignments that will be due in weeks 3 and 5. It will take more than a weeks effort to adequately complete them. Plan time to start the research and other work for those assignments earlier than the week in which they are due.   

The course project is based on a case study: System Modification for Japan. Click to download the case study. You will be submitting a portion of the course project in weeks 1, 3, and 5 during the course. As noted above, the week 3 and 5 submissions are considered major projects.

This week, read the Background section of the case study. Also review the first two discussion questions at the end of the case study document. Do not skip ahead to future sections of the case study or other discussion questions in the document for this weeks work. Many important issues for the case study lie below the surface and require both background research and critical evaluation to uncover. 

Based on the Background section, address the following topics:

1. Differing business practices among cultures
   • What business practices appear to be different among the cultures/organizations in the case study?
   • What are the cues in the case study that demonstrate the different cultural perspectives about business practices?
     • In particular, be sure to look at cues around the RFP and around task versus relationship themes to help you dig deeply into the business practices issue.
2. Best practices for easing tensions among cultures in international negotiators.
   • Based upon the cues within the context of the case study and the research you have completed, provide at least 3 best practices that international negotiators might use to ease the types of tensions developing in the case study. Provide research support for the best practices. 

Important hint: You might find it helpful to begin each section of the paper by discussing the key themes and cues you observe. Then, do research on those key themes to both broaden and deepen your evaluation of the case and your understanding of the important issues. In the final product, about half your written evaluation of each topic should be research. About half should be application to the case study. 

Recommendation for the level one headings for the body of your paper:

Differing Business Practices

Differing Communication Styles and Structure

Best Practices for Easing Cultural Tension

Submission Details:

• Submit your answers in a one page paper