Taken from Hofstede, Pederson, & Hofstede (2002.), pp’s 22 – 25.

How would you feel?

Below are short incidents in which you picture yourself interacting with somebody. This person’s behavior stimulates expectations within you about his or her intentions toward you, or causes you to make moral inferences about the person. From a list of available responses to each incident, please choose one or more.

The Shabby Guitar Player

You are in a restaurant having dinner with an acquaintance. A shabby man with a guitar comes to your table and offers to play. How do you feel about this?

1. The man is a beggar and should find a job.

2. The man is filthy and disgusting.

3. The man is to be pitied.

4. You do not know this man, and you have nothing to do with him.

5. Could be interesting, maybe he plays well.

6. The waiter should remove this man.

Shabby = みすぼらしいなりをした, ぼろをまとった；acquaintance = 知り合い; beggar = こじき；pity =　こわいそうに思う; have nothing to do with = you do not want to communicate with this man at all

A Welcome at the Airport

You are headed to a formal business meeting with somebody you have never met before. When you get off the airplane, a warmly smiling woman wearing jeans and sandals is holding a sign with your name on it. What do you think?

1. She must be a secretary.

2. She is probably the person with whom you will have the meeting.

3. It is wonderful to be welcomed so warmly.

4. How dare someone meet you in such an informal outfit.

5. There must be an error, because you are expecting a formal looking gentleman.

How dare someone meet you in such an informal outfit ~ あえて,そのような格好で向かいに来て、失礼な。。。

What would you do?

Read the below incidents and choose from the options how you would act:

The Returning Athlete

You are the mayor of a small town. An athlete from your town took part in the Olympic Games. The athlete is due to return tomorrow, having obtained fourth place in an event. What sort of official welcome will you prepare for her?

1. None, because a fourth place is not worth anything. If only it had been a gold medal…

2. None, because there is not protocol for officially receiving returning sports players or participants.

3. A big one, because even if she did not win, she did participate in the Olympic games and that is a great achievement.

4. A grand one, because she is one of us and she has honored our town.

5. You will ask the city council for advice.

Protocol = rule

A Virtual Contact

On the Web, you have found the site of somebody you might want to start a business relationship with. How would you establish the first contact?

1. Write a formal, polite paper letter on your company letterhead.

2. Send an e-mail starting “Dear Mr. so-and-so” and ending “Kind regards, X.”

3. Send an e-mail starting “My name is X and I have a proposal that might interest you” and ending with your first name.

4. Have your secretary arrange a phone call.

5. Call the person on the phone yourself.