In this article we present a brief case study entitled “Breathe Pure Chile” that illustrates some of the cultural issues that come up in international professional settings. The company exports fruits from Chile and uses new technologies to preserve the foods longer. More importantly, this case offers insights into the interaction between North American and Latin American professionals. The story is based on actual interviews that were conducted with employees of the company in Santiago, Chile; however, the names of the people and the company have been modifi ed. In order to analyze the various cultural issues, the contents of the case are reviewed using three different models of business communication: Victor’s LESCANT model; Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions; and Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars’s Cultural Dilemmas. Finally, this article also looks at analysis and comments that university students have made as they review the content of the case study. The pedagogical implication is that students are better able to analyze and interpret the cultural aspects of a case scenario when they have access to some model or framework to work from.
Kelm, Orlando R.
"Breathe Pure Chile: Teaching about the Cultural Differences in International Business,"
Global Business Languages: Vol. 16
, Article 10.
Available at: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/gbl/vol16/iss1/10