NAME: _________________________________

Decision-Making Scenarios*

Directions: The following is a set of 10 scenarios. Each scenario

is followed by two options. Please imagine yourself in the
situation. Remember that there are no correct answers, only
your gut-level reaction of what you consider to be the most
appropriate response for you.

Distribute five points between the a and b choice to indicate

how strongly you prefer each choice. Use all five points per
question (e.g., write a 4 for a and a 1 for b). The higher the
number, the stronger you endorse the choice. You may use
zero, if it is appropriate (e.g., 0 for a and 5 for b).

1.When you enter a room full of people, what is your typical

reaction?
_____a. I want to blend in and not be noticed.
_____b. I seek out a stranger and introduce myself.

2. Suppose you have two job offers to choose between. Which

is the most important factor in making your decision?
_____a. The position that will result in the greatest job
satisfaction.
_____b. The location of the job in relation to my family
and close friends.

3. You and you coworker have been up for a company

promotion. You just found out you got it, but your coworker
did not. What will you say when your coworker asks if you
have heard any news?
_____a. Tell your coworker you have not heard anything
yet.
_____b. Tell your coworker you got the promotion.
4. A controversy has developed in your workplace, and you
need to take a position.
Which is your most likely course of action?
_____ a. Analyze the controversy on your own and voice
your position.
_____ b. Discuss the controversy with your friends and
take their views into account.

5. New Year’s is right around the corner and you’ve already

planned a long weekend off, with early notification. Your
manager asks you to work during the New Year’s Eve
weekend at the last minute because everyone else wants
the day off. You say, “No thanks.”
_____a. in a tactful way and offer a reason and
apologize.
_____b. directly with no reason given.

6. Your parents do not approve of your romantic relational

partner. What do you do?
_____a. Tell your family to respect your partner and
treat her or him properly.
_____b. Tell your partner that he or she must make a
greater effort to fit in with the family.

7. Teams of four people entered a creative training exercise

contest. Your team won first place and a prize of $400. You
were efficient and did 95 percent of the work on this project.
How should the money be distributed?
_____a. You would split the prize money equally.
_____b. You expect to get $380 (95 percent of the
money) and the rest goes to the other members.

8. During the first week of your new job, your supervisor

consistently mispronounces your name. What will you do?
 _____a. Correct your supervisor you do not want the
error to continue.
_____b. Say nothing and let it go.

9. Your neighbor has been playing loud music for the past
three nights up until 1:00 A.M. You will most likely
_____ a. grin and bear it--and hope the music will stop
eventually.
_____ b. approach your neighbor assertively.

10. Your supervisor praises you publicly on the results of a

successful team project. You are likely to respond;
_____ a. “Thanks--I really worked hard on the project.”
_____ b. “Thanks--the team really worked hard and
pulled together on the project.”

NAME: ___________________________________

Scoring for “Decision-Making Scenarios”

Low-Context Tendencies High-Context Tendencies

Add the points on: Add the points on:

1b _____ 1a _____

2a _____ 2b _____

3b _____ 3a _____

4a _____ 4b _____
 5b _____ 5a _____

6a _____ 6b _____

7b _____ 7a _____

8a _____ 8b _____

9b _____ 9a _____

10a _____ 10b _____

LCC Total: __________ HCC Total: _________

Circle: Male Female

Ethnicity: ________________

1. Watanabe-san's persuasion style reflects the

a. self-credentialing verbal mode.
*b. self-humbling verbal mode.

2. Watanabe-san's overall verbal communication

characterizes the
a. informal verbal style.
*b. formal verbal style.

3. Watanabe-san's motivational speech is reflective of

a. individualistic, small power distance values.
*b. collectivistic, large power distance values.
 Let’s now analyze William Wilde's persuasive verbal
styles:

4. William's persuasion styles reflect the

*a. self-credentialing verbal mode.
b. self-humbling verbal mode.

5. William's overall verbal communication characterizes

the
*a. informal verbal style.
b. formal verbal style.

6. William's motivational speech is reflective of

*a. individualistic, small power distance values.
b. collectivistic, large power distance values.

A Critical Incident: A Motivational Speech?

A Japanese multimedia subsidiary in the United States

had just completed a very successful year. All of the company
goals were met or surpassed. As a result, the annual sales
conference was held in Disneyland Resort Hotel in California.
Many of the salespeople brought their spouses to the
conference to celebrate and enjoy a well-earned vacation. The
audience at the dinner celebration consisted of mostly
American salespeople and their spouses, and some Japanese
technical support personnel. The Japanese president gave a
brief welcome in halted English, but the audience appreciated
his remarks.
Next, the American director of sales, William Wilde, got
up and introduced the Japanese vice president, Satoshi
Watanabe-san. They had planned ahead of time to give two
short motivational speeches to kick off the conference.
Watanabe-san was about 50 years old, and he had used the last
two weeks to memorize his carefully prepared speech in
English. When Watanabe-san stood up, his posture was rigid,
his face was serious, and his tone sounded harsh. Here is what
he said:

Thank you for your hard work this fiscal year. We have
broken many records, but ... we need to be careful and
not to appear too proud. We need to keep up our fighting
spirit! Our competition is working to defeat us this very
minute while we are celebrating. You have done a good
job ... but you must do more. There's no time for frivolous
activities. You must prepare yourselves to work twice as
hard this coming year. The company has invested a lot of
money in new manufacturing facilities. These facilities are
producing our new product lines. It is your duty to this
company to sell these products as efficiently as possible.
You must not fail! You must not be content! I hope you do
a better job in the new fiscal year. Thank you."

The American audience sat in stunned silence during

most of Watanabe-san's speech. The American director of
sales, William Wilde, stood up quickly, physically backed away
from the Japanese vice president of sales, and with an
awkward smile said,

Disregard everything he just said. We are here to

celebrate your fantastic achievements this year! We've
out-performed all our competitors this past year and your
success is far beyond expectations. So give yourselves a
big round of applause, and, let the festivities begin!

The audience applauded. William gave the signal to the

hotel staff to serve the
dinner. For the rest of the conference, the tension between
Watanabe-san and William Wilde was obvious, and most of the
other Americans were irritable.

Source: Adapted from Clifford H. Clarke & G. Douglas Lipp

(1998). Danger and Opportunity: Resolving Conflict in U.S.-
Based Japanese Subsidiaries. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural
Press.

NAME: ______________________________

Interactive Probes for “A Motivational Speech?”

(Ask yourself and probe your classmates' reactions)

1. What kind of persuasion style is Watanabe-san using?

2. How would you explain the American audience's

interpretation of Watanabe-san's speech? What was their
expectation?

3. What kind of persuasion style is William Wilde using?

4. What would be your analysis of the American audience's

interpretation of Wilde's speech? What was their expectation?
5. What are the hidden cultural values behind Watanabe-
san's motivational speech?

6. What are the hidden cultural values behind Wilde's

motivational speech?

7. If you were an intercultural consultant to this

organization, what specific recommendations would you offer
to both of them?