ABSTRACT
Context is about how much you need to know before you can communicate eff ectively and how much shared knowledge is taken for granted. In specifi c cultures, there is a tendency toward low-context communication, meaning that people are straightforward in their communication regardless of the context they are saying it in. In diff use cultures, there is a tendency toward high-context communication. Here, people tend to say diff erent things in diff erent contexts, for example, when the boss is there. Or they use one word where the meaning diff ers depending on the context, such as when an Englishman says something is “interesting.” Strategies for Getting to Know New Business Partners/Strangers in Diff erent Cultures High-context people tend to “circle around” new business partners. It is important to get to know them diff usely. However, it takes time to establish trust. One is therefore advised to get to the specifi cs of the business only later. Strangers must be “fi lled in” before business can be properly discussed. Communications are rich and subtle in their meanings and may carry a lot of “baggage.” Foreigners may never really feel comfortable or fully integrated. You do not
get trapped in an eight-year relationship with a dishonest partner because you detect any unsavory aspects early on.
