Interview A Foreigner

1.
Interview a foreigner (preferably with business experiences) and collect information on

the areas listed in the table below. You also are required to give a brief introduction of
your interviewee. If you are from another country, the information could be based on
your own experiences. However, you should NOT be an interviewee of your classmates
at the same time.
2. Use 8-10 sentences to elaborate each area. This assignment will be submitted through
the Writing Assignments link on Blackboard menu. However, you also are required
to bring a draft to class on 09/22 for discussion. No late work will be accepted.
Country & Introduction of Your Interviewee

Handshakes, greetings and gift
giving
Business deals
(What are the approaches to make

business deals in the interviewees
country? In a direct way or
making friends before making
deals?)
It is not wrong when business owners include giving gifts in the

process of making business deals in Nigeria. However, most
individuals do not give gifts so as not to associate personal
relationship with business. What matters most is if the business
owner (s) is knowledgeable and capable of getting the job done.
Although Nigeria has a custom of individuals genuflecting
towards older individuals, business owners do not practice this
when making business deals. Most business owners would
perceive it as a susceptible attitude and would try to take
advantage of it. As a result, business owners mostly practice
handshakes. In addition to handshakes, business owners also
adhere to greetings, which is a common form of showing
courtesy. Showing these common courtesies increases the
chance of getting a business deal.
Both approaches are customarily acceptable in Nigeria.
Adopting the friendly approach to making business deals and
developing a close relationship with business partner (s)
beforehand, has its consequences. One is that risk of getting
disappointed if the business partner (s) did not prove to be
valuable to the future and success of the company. In addition,
when things go wrongly and one discontinues the partnership, it
would seem, to the opposite side, as an act of betraying the
friendship. An advantage, however, is that the family members
may benefit from each other if there appears to be a marriage
situation. In a direct way, however, they are no personal
relationships involved, so it would be less burdensome for one
to put a halt to a partnership. It would also keep a professional
rather than a personal business environment with both parties.
There would also be room for more privacy since there are no
close ties.
Culture Shock*
(What kind of culture shock has this interviewee experienced

when he/she just came to the US?)
In the United States, business owners, when making business
deals, are more courteous than they are in Nigeria. When they
have conversations with potential business partner (s), they
speak and act cautiously. They choose their words more wisely
and act more intelligently. This is also the case with Nigerians
except for the fact that they exaggerate those actions here in the
United States. Another culture shock is the low level of power
distance they have here in the United States in comparison to
that of Nigeria in both the business and political world. In
Nigeria, there is a high probability that a person in an
authoritative position will exert his/her power on a person with
lower authority. Individuals with less authority, in an
organization, know that they are unequal with individuals with
higher authority. As a result, these individuals would guard and
restrain themselves in both words and actions. There is no
equality in the workplace, so there are no chances of people
voicing their opinions in a work environment. They are also
less/no working together with employees to better the future of
a company.
Individualism vs. Collectivism**
Nigeria has a 30% Individualistic society. This indicates that it

is a collectivist society were business people value the
relationship they have with their business members. My
(Access to The Hufstede Center
interviewee, however, believes Nigeria is more of an
through this link: http://www.geertIndividualistic society in terms of business owners valuing their
hofstede.com/hofstede_china.shtml.
relationship with a family member over that of a business
Find out the score of
member. An instance is, in most cases, a situation where a
Individualism of your
business owner would put a family member in a position of
interviewees country and compare
authority rather than an individual who is more skillful and
it with what your interviewee
knowledgeable in that aspect. They do this in order to not only
perceive in this aspect. )
show an establishment in the work force but also secure their
familys income. It shows untrustworthiness in the business
owners decision-making skills. My interviewee also stated, that
act, is the mostly the reason why most business do not turn out
to be successful. Either they go bankrupt or the company gets
sold to an individual who has better skills and experience
managing the business.
Reflection on your learning from

this interview experience
This interview experience broadened my knowledge of the

business world of Nigeria. It revealed certain characteristics of
Nigerian business owners. It also educated me on the
differences between Nigerias power distances to that of the
United States. I discovered how liberated employees are in
United States as opposed to Nigeria. The employees have more
of a freedom to express their opinions and thoughts without
being admonished by people in a higher position since law
protects them. I also learned about the difference between a
collectivist society and an individualistic society. Observing
another persons views on Nigerias individualistic society over
its collectivism, and the formal view on Nigerias collectivistic
society over its Individualistic society was an interesting
experience. Learning my interviewees culture shock experience
gave me the opportunity to analyze and judge the information.

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1.

Interview a foreigner (preferably with business experiences) and collect information on

Country & Introduction of Your Interviewee

(What are the approaches to make

It is not wrong when business owners include giving gifts in the

(What kind of culture shock has this interviewee experienced

Individualism vs. Collectivism**

Nigeria has a 30% Individualistic society. This indicates that it

managing the business.

Reflection on your learning from

This interview experience broadened my knowledge of the

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