Assignment task:
TechX is a multinational corporation with company headquarters in the United States and manufacturing facilities in Japan. The company's employees are diverse and come from different cultural backgrounds. Management is observing some challenges in communication and collaboration between employees. One such challenge relates to decision-making. In the United States, decisions are often made quickly and based on data and facts. However, in Japan, decisions are made more slowly and are based on relationships and consensus-building. This has resulted in misunderstandings and conflicts. In another example, issues arose during discussions about a new project for a client based in Europe. During the process, the Japanese team relied heavily on nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions and body language, to convey their messages. However, the American sales team focused more on explicit communication and the use of precise language to convey their messages. The discussions quickly became problematic, with both sides feeling frustrated and misunderstood. The Japanese team felt that the American team was being too direct and not respecting the importance of relationships and personal connections in business dealings. On the other hand, the American sales team felt that the Japanese team was being too vague and not providing enough information to make informed decisions. The company's Chief Operating Officer observed that Japanese team members were more focused on building personal relationships with their colleagues and emphasizing group harmony. They preferred to communicate indirectly and politely, often using implicit language and relying on nonverbal cues to convey their messages. On the other hand, the American team members were direct and explicit in their communication style, preferring a concise manner and precise language to avoid any misunderstandings.
Question: Explain the intercultural business communication issues in the case, according to Hall's (1976) insights into high and low context cultures. Use case evidence to justify your response