Case Study:
The Presentation The next day the commercial attaché introduced the sales manager to the purchasing manager. First, there was a long wait in the outer office while people went in and out. The sales manager looked at his watch, fidgeted, and finally asked whether the purchasing manager was really expecting him. The reply he received was scarcely reassuring, “Oh yes, he is expecting you but several things have come up that require his attention. Besides, one gets used to waiting here.” The sales manager irritably replied, “But doesn’t he know I flew all the way down here from the United States to see him, and I have spent over a week already of my valuable time trying to find him?” “Yes, I know,” was the answer, “but things just move much more slowly here.” At the end of about 30 minutes, the purchasing manager emerged from the office, greeted the commercial attaché with a double abrazo, throwing his arms around him and patting him on the back as though they were long-lost brothers. Now, turning and smiling, the purchasing manager extended his hand to the sales manager, who, by this time, was feeling rather miffed because he had been kept in the outer office so long. As the purchasing manager ushered both men into his corporate suite, the attaché discreetly pointed to paintings by Diego Rivera, Joaquin Clausell, and other Mexican artists that were displayed on the walls. The sales manager looked but had no comment. As the sales manager took a seat, the telephone rang. The purchasing manager took the call; as he was speaking, an administrative assistant walked in carrying several checks and other documents that needed the manager’s signature. Then a second telephone call came in on another line; the purchasing manager quickly finished the first call and picked up the second call. Finally, after what seemed to be an all-too-short chat and many interruptions, the purchasing manager rose, suggesting a well-known café where they might meet for dinner the next evening. The sales manager expected, of course, that, considering the nature of their business and the size of the order, he might be taken to the purchasing manager’s home, not realizing that the Latin home is reserved for family and very close friends. Until now, nothing at all had been said about the reason for the sales manager’s visit, a fact that bothered him somewhat. The whole setup seemed wrong; additionally, he did not like the idea of wasting another day in town. He told the home office before he left that he would be gone for a week or 10 days at most, and made a mental note that he would clean this order up in 3 days and enjoy a few days in Acapulco or Mexico City. Now the week had already gone and he would be lucky if he made it home in 10 days. Voicing his misgivings to the commercial attaché, he wanted to know if the purchasing manager really meant business, and if he did, why could they not get together and talk about it? The commercial attaché by now was beginning to show the strain of constantly having to reassure the sales manager. Nevertheless, he tried again: “What you don’t realize is that part of the time we were waiting, the purchasing manager was rearranging a very tight schedule so that he could spend tomorrow night with you. You see, here they don’t delegate responsibility the way we do in the States. They exercise much tighter control than we do. As a consequence, this man spends up to 15 hours a day at his desk. It may not look like it to you, but I assure you he really means business. He wants to give your company the order; if you play your cards right, you will get it.” The next evening was more of the same. Much conversation about food and music, about many people the sales manager had never heard of. They went to a nightclub, where the sales manager brightened up and began to think that perhaps he and the purchasing manager might have something in common after all. It bothered him, however, that the principal reason for his visit was not even hinted at. But every time he started to talk about electronics, the commercial attaché would nudge him and proceed to change the subject. The next meeting was to be held over morning coffee at a café. By now the sales manager was having difficulty hiding his impatience. To make matters worse, the purchasing manager had a mannerism that he did not like. When they talked, he was likely to put his hand on him; he would take hold of his arm and get so close that he nearly spit in his face. Consequently, the sales manager kept trying to dodge and put more distance between himself and the purchasing manager. Following coffee, they walked in a nearby park. The purchasing manager expounded on the shrubs, the birds, and the beauties of nature, and at one spot he stopped to point at a statue and said: “There is a statue of the world’s greatest hero, the liberator of mankind!” At this point, the worst happened. The sales manager asked who the statue was of and, when told the name of a famous Latin American patriot, said, “I never heard of him,” and walked on. After this meeting, the American sales manager was never able to see the purchasing manager again. The order went to a Swedish concern.
Q1. What impression do you think the sales manager made on the purchasing manager?
Q2. How would you critique the quality of the communication between all parties in this case?
Q3. Is a high-context culture or a low-context culture at work in this case? Explain your answer.
Your answer must be, typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman font (size 12), one-inch margins on all sides, APA format and also include references.