An American sales team offended a group of Peruvian businesspeople by starting its sales presentation without first engaging in informal conversation as expected in the Peruvian culture. The communication barrier in this instance could be attributed to
A)bypassing.
B)poor listening skills.
C)a failure to recognize different frames of reference.
D)emotional interference caused when senders or receivers are distracted by internal feelings.

Question

An American sales team offended a group of Peruvian businesspeople by starting its sales presentation without first engaging in informal conversation as expected in the Peruvian culture. The communication barrier in this instance could be attributed to 
A)bypassing.
B)poor listening skills.
C)a failure to recognize different frames of reference.
D)emotional interference caused when senders or receivers are distracted by internal feelings.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sales team's failure to engage in informal conversation suggests a lack of recognition of the different frames of reference between the American and Peruvian cultures. Peruvian businesspeople may view these introductory conversations as important for building trust and establishing a relationship before discussing business matters. By bypassing this step, the sales team failed to effectively communicate with their audience, leading to offense and a breakdown in the sales presentation.

An American Sales Team Offended a Group of Peruvian Businesspeople