Assignment
1: As a manager for a large, multinational corporation, you travel around the world to different countries giving presentations and conducting meetings. You always try to include humor as an icebreaker. What potential barriers could you face when delivering your presentation in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and India? Are you able to give the same presentation in all four locations? Why do you think this?
2: What different persuasive approaches would you use on the following audiences: a boss, a peer, a challenging person, or an open-minded person? Why would your approach differ?
3: You must also be careful because although humor may be appreciated in a foreign culture, the type can vary greatly. In addition, humor may not be acceptable in certain situations. For example, in India, many business meetings begin with small talk about one's family. This is the acceptable way to begin a meeting rather than with the use of humor. The bottom line is that you need to do a great deal of research regarding business communication norms and practices before giving any type of presentation in a foreign country.
4: Absolutely! The way to compose a persuasive message is to know your audience. So it all comes back to audience analysis. To whom are you speaking? What information do they need? Are they interested in the information? etc. The answers to these questions will help you craft the best message.