CHAPTER ONE
1. INTRODUCTION
Globalization phenomena brought upon growth and internationalization of businesses, consequently resulting in necessity and practicality of studying cross-cultural communication. The potential financial prosperity may turn into disastrous situation due to the implications of cross-cultural communication with business partners outside of own culture (Scollon and Scollon, 2001).
A common misconception among the managers of small firms is that business communication is believed to be universal and not affected by cultural differences. However, it is evident that individuals brought up in different cultures think and behave inversely, even in business context. As authors of “Managing Cultural Differences,” Harris and Moran (2007) state “at the root of the issue, we are likely to find communication failures and cultural misunderstandings that prevent the parties from framing the problem in a common way, and thus make it impossible to deal with the problem constructively” (p.4).
2. Organizational business facts
Yeshadam Trading Plc is established in March 2008 and stepped in to the Ethiopian market 5 years ago by two close Ethiopian friends namely Ato Ashenif Adamu (the writer member of this study and the Manager of the company) and Ato Tewodros Yeshanew (the deputy manager of the company). Yeshadam’s business model is importing Scientific Educational Materials such as Physics apparatus, Chemistry apparatus, Biological equipment, Anatomical models, Emergency training models, Nursing skills training models , Maternal and Infant training models, Laboratory chemicals, Laboratory glass wares, Laboratory plastic wares and other scientific equipment for research and educational purposes.
The company’s major customers are science training universities, health colleges and universities, junior and high schools, NGOs that aid educational supplies to schools and higher education institutions, regional...