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Cultural Variables at Work

Case: What cultural variable applies in this incident? What did each side expect? How could the problem have been avoided? A Question of Respect After returning from a business trip to the Netherlands a South Korean manager explained his shock and disappointment to his boss: He was on the phone when I entered his office and as I came in he raised his left hand slightly at me. Then he rudely continued his telephone conversation as if I were not even in the room with him. Only after he had finished his call five minutes later he did get up and greeted me with an enthusiastic, but insincere, Kim, happy to see you! I just could not believe it. (Trompenaars/Hampden-Turner, 1997, Page 124)

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