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CMA Foundation · Fundamentals of Business Laws and Business Communication · Intercultural and International Business Communication

During a negotiation, an Indian executive notices that her Japanese counterpart stays silent for several seconds after her proposal. She immediately lowers her price. Which skill has she most clearly failed to apply?

She failed to interpret nonverbal cues, here silence, in the other party's cultural context. In many cultures, including Japan, silence signals thoughtful consideration rather than disapproval. Reading it through her own norms led to an unnecessary price concession, showing why cultural sensitivity to silence matters in negotiations.

  1. AInterpreting nonverbal cues such as silence in their cultural contextCorrect
  2. BUsing written confirmation after meetings
  3. CChoosing a suitable communication channel
  4. DKeeping the message concise

Explanation

In some cultures silence signals reflection or respect, not rejection. She read it through her own cultural lens and reacted hastily. The other options are not what the situation shows, since the problem lies in misinterpreting a nonverbal cue.

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