On the long flight back from South Korea, Aaron had plenty of time to reflect upon the challenges of his business trip that took him to four Asian countries. His goal to sell his company's state-of-the-art bicycle pump to several foreign firms certainly could have gone better. Although the 10 companies he visited didn't turn him down, only one agreed to place an order. Representatives from one Indonesian firm and two Chinese firms asked him when he planned to come again! As Aaron reviewed his memories and notes, he pondered, "Didn't they realize the expense of these international trips?" Aaron is experiencing:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Aaron's experience suggests a cultural difference between high-context and low-context cultures. In high-context cultures, much of the communication is implicit and understood through social cues and context, while in low-context cultures, communication tends to be more explicit and direct. Aaron's frustration with the lack of orders and the prospective buyers' lack of understanding about the expenses of international trips indicates a mismatch in communication styles between Aaron's low-context culture and the high-context cultures of the prospective buyers.

On the Long Flight Back from South Korea, Aaron Had