Your decision to turn down several offers from Fortune $500$ companies to join a start$-$up instead is starting to pay off. After only six months on the job, your boss, the company$$s founder, has asked you to meet with her about a potential new manufacturer for the company$$s newest product idea. The manufacturer is based in the Kingdom of Volsenia, a remote and small island country renowned for its natural beauty and striking architecture. One of the reasons you were attracted to your company in the first place was the opportunity to travel, and you hope that this meeting with your boss will lead to your first international trip.

Your company, Activate Brands, makes fitness tracking devices for runners, walkers, and other physically active people. The company$$s newest product idea is a handheld performance tracker that measures distance, pace, heart rate, and burned calories while also incorporating safety features including a flashlight, an audible alarm, and GPS location sharing. The product concept has received favorable reviews from focus groups, and customer demand is expected to be high. The only problem is that projected manufacturing costs have been much higher than anticipated, with US$-$based manufacturers citing the multiple features as the reason for the high estimates.

You know your boss wants to price the device at $$149$ to compete with other fitness devices and watches. Unfortunately, the manufacturing quotes are averaging $$126,$ leaving the company with a slim margin on each unit produced. One of your colleagues discovered Knoxai, a family$-$owned manufacturer in Volsenia known for quality and affordability, and shared her research with your boss.

Your boss is a serial entrepreneur who is always thinking of the next big idea. She has grown Activate Brands to a multimillion$-$dollar venture, and this new product is positioning the company for additional growth. As you enter her office, she is on the phone and motions for you to take a seat. When she ends the call, she excitedly shares her idea for a new dog leash that incorporates many of the same components of the handheld device.

$$Do you know how large the pet market is in the United States? Over one hundred billion dollars,$$ she exclaims before you have a chance to respond. After a few more minutes talking about the new idea, your boss turns her attention to the task at hand. $$I believe Knoxai may be the key to our success,$$ she says. $$Based on my initial conversations, I believe they can manufacture our product for less than fifty dollars per unit. I need you to go to Volsenia and close the deal. Obviously, we have some wiggle room given the other quotes, but I know you can negotiate a deal close to fifty dollars per unit. I believe in you.$$ Before you can respond, she adds, $$By the way, I$$ve arranged a meeting. You leave tonight.$$

The flight to Volsenia is fourteen hours long, so you spend your time on the plane researching the national culture, customs, and values. You discover that Volsenia is collectivistic, meaning that there is more emphasis on the group and cooperation. In other words, individuals expect the group to be cohesive and look after one another. As you read more, you realize that this is in sharp contrast to US culture, which tends to be more individualistic in nature. You further find that Volsenia$$s culture is one of high power distance, meaning that there is strong respect for those in authority and differences in power and status are accepted. Again, you think of the United States, where formal positions and status are less rigid. You further learn that Volsenian culture values long$-$term relationships over transactional achievements. Before you doze off, you take one more look at Knoxai$$s website. For the first time, you notice that all of the company profiles are of men, but rationalize that this is because it is a manufacturing company. With roughly five hours remaining on the flight, you close your computer and attempt to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day.

You are awakened by the pilot announcing the initial descent into Volsenia. You look out the window to see crystal blue waters in every direction. On the horizon, you can make out an island$$the island nation of Volsenia. It$$s $7$:$30$ a$.$m$.$ local time, which is $6$:$30$ p$.$m$.$ back home, and your meeting is two and a half hours away. You feel ready and excited about your visit. If you can negotiate a deal quickly, you$$ll have some time to explore the area before departing for the United States tomorrow afternoon.

After landing and gathering your luggage, you hail a cab to the hotel. You are immediately struck by the Neoclassical architecture prevalent in Volsenia. You pass a number of caf$$s$,$ museums, parks, and beaches and can$$t wait to see them all for yourself. You arrive at the hotel in time to take a quick shower before your meeting at Knoxai$$s headquarters, which is conveniently only a few blocks away. You put on your Activate Brands polo shirt, go o