Valuing Cultures Through Critical Incidents: Analyses of Cross-Cultural Encounters and Their Implications for International Business Behaviors

This article explores six different cultures through a number of critical incidents involving cross-cultural communication encounters. Using an analytical learning approach, it suggests the use of cultural frameworks and dimensions to apply in analyzing unfamiliar cultures, and thus assist individuals to understand behaviors in the mini-cases presented and similar cross-cultural situations. A discussion of common errors is presented both as a preventative and self-awareness tool. Using similar techniques and a critical incident format introduced in Cushner and Brislin’s (1996) work, self-contained mini cases and teaching notes are presented to offer insights and implications for teaching in international business and international organizational behavior courses.