Problem
Cross-Cultural Scenario:
Wendy Roberston, a vice president of marketing for a California cosmetic company has been sent by her company to France to select a new sales manager for the Paris area. After sitting through a sales presentation (which included numerous historical and literary references) given by one of the leading candidates, Wendy wondered why this person had been so highly recommended. While trying to concentrate on the candidate's presentation, Wendy questioned whether the candidate was compensating for his lack of technical knowledge by including excessive literary and historical references.
• What are the cultural differences which are impacting the selection process?
• What should Wendy do to ensure that her initial assessment is not flawed by her own ethnocentrism and that she is not discounting a potentially solid employee?