1. In terms of global business communication, what does this case help teach us?

What is this case

about?
It teaches us that some of countries’ cultures are not known in other countries. That is why
global divide is becoming eminent to leading and poor countries. It is about misunderstanding
situations and cultures of four Chinese friends that are misjudged to be lesbians because they
are holding hands while walking which is normal in China.
2. Babcock (2015) stated that “global business communication is going in the direction of
increasingly more complexity and diversity…which results in ‘competency levels’ of familiarity
and knowledge regarding how to communicate with others.” How do these concepts relate to
the cultural repercussions of the girls holding hands? In China? In North America? Other places
in the world?
Because of different languages that we use, it is really hard to communicate especially when you
are born in an Asian country. Western people assume that Asians can’t understand English. Also
Asian culture is not well-known in Western country that is why they sometimes down grade
Asians because of their nationality. Because we are born in different cultures, in America when
same sex people hold hands, people assume that they are couple because same sex relationship
is normal in their country, but in the other countries same sex relationship is not yet accepted
that is why the four Chinese women are ashamed of what they have said.
3. Face saving is a significant issue in Chinese culture. Cardon (2009) reported about the role of
face in Chinese business culture, such as giving face, protecting face, vying for face, and not
considering face. Cardon also included dominant face practices and related strategies based on
business relationships. How could the young women manage face saving in this particular
situation?
It is said in the passage that after the presumption of the American couple, they immediately
released each other’s’ hands in order for them to not be misjudged. It is also a way of saying
that their presumption is not true, that they are not lesbian homosexuals.
4. What judgments were made about non-verbal action? What could have been done to prevent
these judgments?
The American couple misjudged them for being lesbian homosexuals and also misjudged for not
understanding English. In order to prevent one’s judgment we should think before we say
something. We should understand the situation first, before concluding something because not
understanding things lead to misunderstand and misjudgment.
5. How did the perceived judgments impact the young women’s behavior for the rest of the
weekend and well-beyond?
Because of the judgment made by the America couple, their situation became awkward. They’ve
learned that you are assumed to be lesbians when you hold another woman’s hands. They
might not do this even in their country.