Bob Mitchell, a retired military attaché with considerable experience in the Middle East, was hired by a large U.S. computer software company to represent it in a number of Persian Gulf countries

Case 1:
Bob Mitchell, a retired military attaché with considerable experience in the Middle East, was hired by a large
U.S. computer software company to represent it in a number of Persian Gulf countries. Having received an
introduction from a mutual acquaintance, Bob arranged to meet with Mr. Saade, a wealthy Lebanese
industrialist, to discuss the prospects of a joint venture between their companies. Having spent many years in
the Middle East, Bob knew that they would have to engage in considerable small talk before they would get
down to business. They talked about the weather, Bob’s flight from New York, and their golf games. Then
Saade inquired about the health of Bob’s elderly father. Without missing a beat, Bob responded that his father
was doing fine, but that the last time he saw his father at the nursing home several months ago he had lost a
little weight. From that point on, Saade’s demeanour changed abruptly from warm and gracious to cool and
aloof. Though the rest of the meeting was cordial enough, the meeting only lasted another two hours, and
Bob was never invited back for further discussions on the joint venture.
• Where did Bob go wrong?
• How could you help Bob better understand this cross-cultural problem?
• Use intercultural theories to explain it and support your discussion.
• What would be your advice to Bob?
Case 2:
Stefan Phillips, a manager for a large U. S. airline, was transferred to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, to set up a new
office. Although Stefan had had several other extended overseas assignments in Paris and Brussels, he was
not well prepared for working in the Arab world. At the end of his first week, Stefan came home in a state of
near total frustration. As he sat at the dinner table that night, he told his wife how exasperating it had been
to work with the local employees, who, he claimed, seemed to take no responsibility for anything. Whenever
something went wrong they would simply say “Inshallah” (“If God wills it”). Coming from a culture that sees
no problem as insolvable, Stefan could not understand how the local employees could be so passive about
job-related problems. “If I hear one more inshallah,” he told his wife, “I’ll go crazy.”
• Where did Stefan go wrong?
• How could you help Stefan better understand this cross-cultural problem?
• Use intercultural theories to explain it and support your discussion.
• What would be your advice to Stefan?