Casse (1981) developed an exercise to encourage his students to develop their empathic skills. He asked them to listen to a recording of a dialogue between John Miller (a US project manager in Kenya), and Costa Maniatis (a Greek agronomist involved in the same project managed by Miller, his boss). Below is a transcript of the dialogue and comments from the narrator.

To find an answer to this last question, the students were then asked to identify as many cultural assumptions as possible, assumptions underlying the words of Miller and Maniatis. These assumptions were to be based on the cultural frame of each protagonist, not of the students themselves. Which assumptions do you consider to be the most appropriate? Write down the assumptions against each part of the dialogue given in the table below. You can give several answers against each. To help you determine the cultural profile of Miller and Maniatis, look at the following websites:
● http://international-business-center.com/geert-hofstede/index.shtml

● www.kwintessential.co.uk/intercultural-business-communication/tool.php

The first assumptions are suggested in Table 18.3 .......

Transcribed Image Text:

Costa Maniatis: (knocking on door) Did you call me Mr Miller? John Miller: Ah, Costa, yes... come in. (door shuts) It is about the report required by the Ministry of Agriculture. How long will it take you to finish it? CM: (surprised) I don't know, Mr Miller... umm... Do you think...? JM: No, Costa, no! You are in the best position to analyse time requirements. CM: Well, let's say 10 days. JM: Ten days... OK ... let's say 15 - alright? Then ... it is agreed you will do it in 15 days. CM: Yes, Mr Miller. Narrator: In fact, the report needed 30 days of regular work. So the Greek worked day and night, but at the end of 15 days he still needed one more day's work. The following dialogue took place 15 days later in Costa Maniatis' office: JM: Well, Costa, where is the report? CM: It will be ready tomorrow. JM: But we agreed it would be ready today. Narrator: From that day, the relationship between Costa Maniatis and Miller became more and more difficult, and three months later, Costa asked for his transfer to another project. Why did Maniatis leave?