The listing of references/sources is NOT expected or required, and you should not quote any outside materials.

Aliens from another planet want to visit the Earth in order to trade for some of our unique cultural products. Their homeworld prizes beer and and sorghum-based alcohol, so the aliens arrange for one space shuttle to visit San Marcos, California and another space shuttle to visit Maotai, China. The team of aliens on board each of the spaceships has spent years in space mastering the local language and cultural traditions for their respective destinations.

The aliens are planning to land in San Marcos and Maotai tomorrow. Unfortunately, their space shuttles unexpectedly crash into a Tesla Roadster outside of Earth’s orbit, which their advanced telescopes had not previously detected as a risk. As a result, the two shuttles are forced to swap their landing approaches, with the China- trained team sent to San Marcos, California and the U.S.-trained team sent to Maotai, China.

In a state of panic, the aliens trade a few of their harvested bitcoins and use the proceeds to hire YOU as a cross-cultural consultant. After getting over your initial surprise and some tough negotiating, you agree to provide advice to ONE of the two teams (your choice) on what they should know and how they should best communicate with the earthlings at their landing site. [In other words: Pick China or the U.S. – don’t answer for both!

4 PAGE, double-spaced, 12-point font, 1” margins essay that incorporates the following:

• How would you describe life in Southern California or China using Hofstede’s Dimensions of culture? (note: you are not expected to explain any regional differences in Chinese culture – focus on national-level orientations).
• What is the time orientation of the people who live in San Marcos/Maotai, according to Hall’s theory (monochronic/polychronic)?
• What are the communication preferences of the people who live in San Marcos/Maotai, according to Hall’s theory (high context/low context)?
• How would you go about making a trade arrangement for craft beer/ sorghum-based alcohol with the people in San Marcos/Maotai?
• How would you recommend avoiding any communication blunders/mistakes (“faux pas”) in San Marcos/Maotai?

Answer  preview

As with many international business relations, uncontrollable factors like culture, politics, and economics, factors can influence trade. The cultural aspects influences exports and imports as cultural differences distinguish foreign markets from one another. Understanding different cultural differences can break or make a trade opportunity as that country’s culture will determine how the business will be carried out. Culture functions are essential on many levels making cross-country, cross-cultural, and trade more complicated than just learning how to be great business partners.

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