Academy of Management Conference, Philadelphia,
August 3-8 2007
PDW: Interactive Teaching Methods in International
Management: How to Enrich Case Discussions
by Incorporating Experiential Exercises
Günter K. Stahl, INSEAD
© Günter K. Stahl
Using Exercises to Enrich Case Discussions: Examples
Topic
Examples of Case(s)
Exercise(s)
Managing Across
Cultures
David Shorter/Bob Chen (Ivey);
Johannes van den Bosch (Ivey)
Role plays;
Coaching exercise
Managing Change
Nissan Turnaround (INSEAD)
IBM Turnaround (HBS, INSEAD)
Guangdong Electronics (INSEAD)
ChangePro
Simulation
Performance
Management
Wolfgang Keller at Koenigsbraeu
(HBS)
Role plays;
Coaching exercise
Aligning People
With Strategy
Southwest Airlines (Stanford)
GE Talent Machine (HBS)
Strategy Mapping
exercise
International
Assignments
Andreas Weber (INSEAD)
Jaguar or Bluebird? (INSEAD)
Europa Construction
Intl. exercise (LBS)
Ethics
Changmai Corporation (INSEAD)
Negotiation simulation;
Role plays
© Günter K. Stahl
Shorter/Chen Cases: Suggested Timing (3-hour session)
Understanding and Working With Cultural Differences
14:00 – 14:30
Introduction: Culture and its impact on management
14:30 – 14:50
Table discussion: Personal experiences working across cultures
14:50 – 15:30
Understanding cultural differences: Cultural frameworks
15:30 – 15:45
[Break]
15:45 – 16:15
Group work: Shorter/Chen cases (case analysis and role play
preparation)
16:15 – 16:45
Role plays and debriefing
16:45 – 17:30
Creating cultural synergy: The Map-Bridge-Integrate approach
(if time permits, followed by coaching exercise)
© Günter K. Stahl
Perceptual Processes and Mental Models
Vary Across Cultures
Source: Nisbett (2003). The geography of thought:
How Asians and Westerners think differently.
New York: Free Press.
Example of item measuring whether judgments of
similarity are based on family resemblance or rules
© Günter K. Stahl
Nonverbal Negotiating Behaviors Vary Across Cultures
Behavior
Silent Periods
Americans
Brazilians
Japanese
3.5
0
5.5
10.3
28.6
12.6
3.3
5.2
1.3
0
4.7
0
Number of silent periods greater
than 10 seconds, per 30 minutes
Conversational Overlaps
Number of overlaps per 10 minutes
Facial Gazing
Minutes of gazing per 10 minutes
Touching
Not including handshaking, per
30 minutes
Source: Graham (1985), The Influence of culture on the negotiation process. Journal of International Business
Studies, 16, pp. 81-96.
© Günter K. Stahl
Cultural Orientations
Basic issues that all societies throughout history faced, but different
societies developed different ways of coping with these issues.
1. Environment: What is our relationship with the world around us?
(Harmony-Mastery-Subjugation)
2. Human Nature: What is the basic nature of humans?
(Good-Mixed-Evil)
3. Relationships: To whom and for whom do we have responsibility?
(Hierarchical-Collective-Individualistic)
4. Mode of Activity: What is the primary mode of activity?
(Being-Doing-Thinking)
5. Time: How do we think about time? (Past-Present-Future)
6. Space: How do people see and use space? (Private-Public)
Source: Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck (1961). Variations in value orientations. Evanston: Row, Peterson and Company.
© Günter K. Stahl
Example: Cultural
Analysis
Indonesian
Culture
German
Culture
Relationship to Environment
Mastery/
Control
Subjugation/
Fatalism
Tolerance for
Uncertainty
Uncertainty
Avoidance
Social Relationships
Individualistic
Collectivist
Egalitarian
Hierarchical
Universalist
Particularist
Ascriptive
Achievement
Mode of Activity
Doing
Being
Task-oriented
Relationshiporiented
Human Nature
High Trust/
Good
Low Trust/ Evil
Time
Monochronic
Polychronic
Short-term
Long-term
Space
Non-Contact/
Private
Contact/
Public
Language and Communication
Low Context/
Explicit
© Günter K. Stahl
High Context/
Implicit
Cases: David Shorter – Bob Chen
Source: Joe DiStefano & Neil Abramson, Ivey Business School
James-Williams: The New Enterprise Group Organizational Chart
David Shorter*
Joe Silverman**
Pat Czarski
Mary Delehanty
Jane Klinck**
Mike McLeod**
Erin Cole
Tak Li
Bob Chen
* Practice Director
© Günter K. Stahl
** Other Partners
David Shorter – Bob Chen: Case Questions
1. Taking the perspective of either David Shorter or Bob Chen,
please explain the situation as of the end of the case. What
are the causes of developments up to now?
2. Prepare to play the role of either Shorter or Chen in their
upcoming meeting.
a) What is the outcome you desire for the meeting?
•
b) What will you do and say to help this come about?
•
c) What assumptions do you have about the other
person's motives and his likely responses to your
plan for the meeting?
© Günter K. Stahl
David Shorter and Bob Chen: Different Perspectives
Issue
Motivation
Shorter and others
Chen
Get Chen to comply with
doing the Softdisk audit
Get transfer now, as promised
(friends have been transferred
without any audit responsibilities)
Loyalty to client and
to the organization
McLeod and Silverman frustrated,
low confidence
Perception
Communication
Discouraged about chances of
resolution, feels trapped
Chen is disloyal and hypocritical, is
not being straight
Shorter hasn’t protected me, others
want to persuade me
Personality problem
Problem is firm’s need
Tell Chen to do the audit
Get others to tell them no
Meetings are for disclosure
and discussion
Meetings are for persuasion
and coercion
Express disagreements openly and
directly
Express disagreements indirectly
and avoid conflict
Source: Joe DiStefano, IMD, Teaching note: Bob Chen/David Shorter.
© Günter K. Stahl
Loyalty to mentor and
to the organization
Some Clues to Cross-Cultural Conflict
Bob Chen's current behavior vs. his reputation in the firm
 Resistance to doing the audit vs. previous accommodating behavior
 "He's out of line; fire him!" vs. solid performer, potential partner, liked by colleagues
 "He's acting crazy; must be a personality clash” vs. polite (indirect), civil (modest)
 Disclosure of reluctance to do audit to colleagues vs. shy, private person
Apparent agreement to do the audit vs. signals that he won't do it
 Seems to agree to audit three times vs. Mike doesn't sense real agreement
 Seems to accept 3 year tax program vs. tells Shorter he doesn't want it
 Agrees during the 3 hour meeting vs. Mike hears indirectly he won't do it
Past self-sufficiency vs. requests for help
 Has only dealt with Shorter regarding career issues vs. asks Jane for help
Source: DiStefano, J., Teaching note: Bob Chen/David Shorter.
© Günter K. Stahl
Shorter/Chen Cases:
Cultural Analysis
Chinese
Culture
Canadian
Culture
Relationship to Environment
Mastery/
Control
Subjugation/
Fatalism
Tolerance for
Uncertainty
Uncertainty
Avoidance
Social Relationships
Individualistic
Collectivist
Egalitarian
Hierarchical
Universalist
Particularist
Ascriptive
Achievement
Mode of Activity
Doing
Being
Task-oriented
Relationshiporiented
Human Nature
High Trust/
Good
Low Trust/ Evil
Time
Monochronic
Polychronic
Short-term
Long-term
Space
Non-Contact/
Private
Contact/
Public
Language and Communication
Low Context/
Explicit
© Günter K. Stahl
High Context/
Implicit
High Context and Low Context Cultures
Japanese
High
Arabs
Latin Americans
Italians/Spanish
French
English
North Americans
Scandinavian
Germans
Low
Swiss
Explicit
Source: Hall & Hall (1995)
© Günter K. Stahl
Messages
Implicit
Sixteen Ways to Avoid Saying ‘No’ in Japanese
Source: Ueda (1974)
© Günter K. Stahl
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Vague ‘no’
Vague and ambiguous ‘yes’ or ‘no’
Silence
Counter question
Tangential responses
Exiting (leaving)
Equivocation or making excuse
Criticizing the question itself
Refusing the question
Conditional ‘no’
‘Yes, but …’
Delaying answers
Internally ‘yes’, externally ‘no’
Internally ‘no’, externally ‘yes’
Apology
The equivalent of English ‘no’
Sixteen (and More) Ways to Avoid Saying ‘No’:
Bob Chen’s Communication Style
1. Vague ‘no’
10. Conditional ‘no’
2. Vague and ambiguous ‘yes’ or ‘no’
11. ‘Yes, but …’
3. Silence
12. Delaying answers
4. Counter question
13. Internally ‘yes’, externally ‘no’
5. Tangential responses
14. Internally ‘no’, externally ‘yes’
6. Exiting (leaving)
15. Apology
7. Lying equivocation or making excuse
16. The equivalent of English ‘no’
8. Criticizing the question itself
17. Avoid the other person(s)
9. Refusing the question
18. Get another person involved
19. …
© Günter K. Stahl
Common Stereotypes About Asian Americans
Observed Behavior of
Asian Americans
Common Stereotypical
Misinterpretations
Possible Cultural
Explanation
Nonconfrontational
Passive; does not care one
way or another
Values harmony
Quite;
reserved
Has no opinions
Values opinions of others and fitting in
with group
Agreeable; dependable
follower
Unassertive; no leadership
qualities
Values what is good for group; can be
assertive if needed for the group
Industrious
Make good “worker bees”
Values carrying their share of work;
believes hard work will be recognized
Technically and
scientifically competent
No management skills or
leader-type charisma
Values science as universal language
crossing cultural barriers; believes
leadership comes in many forms
Deferential to others
Not committed to own
opinions, judgments, or
preferences
Values being respectful of others;
believes in “saving face” for self and
others; values age and wisdom
Source: Osland, Kolb & Rubin (2001). Organizational behavior: An experiential approach (7th ed.). Prentice Hall: NJ.
© Günter K. Stahl
Update: What Happened During and After the Meeting
The meeting was, in Shorter’s words, “a disaster”. Chen felt that he had no
choice but to resign. He was sure that his relationships with the partners had
been so badly damaged that he could never recover. He also felt that he was
being taken advantage of because of his easy nature and that there were other
people who could have done the audit.
Shorter was stunned. He never expected such a turn of events. Even worse, he
hadn’t ever faced a male employee breaking down and crying in his office. He
didn’t know how to handle the emotions being displayed by the normally
reserved Bob Chen.
Shorter was unhappy to lose a good employee (and the Softdisk audit still had
to be done!), and Chen was unhappy to leave the firm that had given him the
opportunity to work and live in Canada.
Chen obtained employment as a financial analyst in a financial institution in
Toronto within three weeks of resigning at James-Williams.
Source: DiStefano, J., Teaching note: Bob Chen/David Shorter.
© Günter K. Stahl