My African Posting

(Marketing executive posted to an African subsidiary.) I’d say my overseas posting cost me overt $50,000. I had to sell my house at a loss because property prices were low at the time of my transfer. When I got there, I was amazed at the cost of living. I tell you, I couldn’t save a cent. And living conditions were unbelievable. One time, I had to go without a bath for a month because of water shortage. The job was awful. My African boss obviously didn’t want me there – or any American for that matter. When I got back to head office three years later, I expected to become Marketing Manager. But someone else got the job.

Case #16

Visiting a Japanese Home

“When I mentioned my invitation to a Japanese home, my friends said I had been honored. Rarely do gaijin (foreigners) get such an invitation. So I felt delighted when I went. I brought my friend’s wife flowers and candy for the children.

As I stepped form the genkan (enclosed porch) into the house, the hostess gasped, the host spluttered, and the children frowned. I had committed an unpardonable sin: I had failed to take off my shoes.

How was I to know? At home we never take off our shoes when going into a house. The evening passed okay, although the host and hostess seemed cool. I never did get invited back.” (Experience of an American who visited Japan.)

Case #17

Korean vs. American Values

“When I travel abroad, I note subtle deference (respect) to persons of high status by persons of lower status. My Korean friend, a multimillionaire, who in my view as an American shouldn’t defer to anyone, is bowing and scraping forever to persons who by some act of good fortune hold a higher status in life. My Korean friend can buy and sell a hundred times over the people he defers to, and he’s downright servile in the process.

My friend, who also is a university professor as sort of a sideline to his money-making enterprises, gets upset when I don’t knuckle under to the people he bows to. He disapproves that I don’t worship his department chairman, a person half as good as my friend. Why should I? I was a chair myself, and chairs aren’t better than anybody else. But that’s the Korean way – different than the American.” (Experience of an American who visited Korea.)

Case #18

Caregiver

A nurse works in an elderly-care home in Canada where you are the nursing supervisor. Her work habits are beginning to bother a lot of people, including several physicians and numerous residents. The latter complain that she is always late for her tasks, whether it’s bathing them, helping them to the toilet, or taking them down to the dining room at mealtime. They say she’s too friendly by which they mean she spends too much time chattering with people (who nevertheless appreciate it a lot), and this puts her behind the schedule. Physicians and other nurses complain that she’s late to meetings and often reports late to work, which means someone on the shift before hers has to stay on until she arrives. Everyone likes this woman – she’s outgoing and very compassionate – but she can be exasperating when it comes to managing her time. What’s your next move?

Case #19