ABSTRACT
Gaming jurisdictions often attract hundreds of foreigners from all over the world to stay and work in its casino and gaming-related industries. When someone from a different culture sets foot in a different country, it is common for him or her to interpret the new environment on the basis of his or her own culture. This tendency to judge another culture based upon one’s own culture is often termed ‘self-reference criterion’. For a foreigner taking up a new supervisory position in a foreign country, the tendency to judge their local employees, customers or business partners based on their own cultural values can lead to management disaster. A high-context Chinese culture often uses and interprets other elements surrounding a message in order to develop an understanding of that message. Rules and laws become a foundation for low-context culture, while a long-term personal relationship is all the more important in a high-context culture.
