1. You are the new manager in an Indian office. You ask one of your supervisors to move a desk and place it in another corner of the office. The next day you notice it has not yet been done.

Why?

The supervisor was offended you asked them  and refused to do anything about it

The supervisor could not find a laborer to move it and would not do so themselves

Because things get just get done really really slowly in India

2. You are making a proposal to a group of Japanese executives when you notice a few of them sat with their arms folded and eyes closed.

They are:

Listening intently

Tired and catching up on some sleep

Pretending to be asleep to show you that they think your presentation is poor

3. While in South Korea, you present a gift to a new client to thank him for his hospitality and to cement your business relationship. He/she refuses to accept the gift.

You should:

Apologise for offending him/her

Insist he/she takes it until it is accepted

Offer it to someone else from his/her company

4. You are asking a question of a junior Japanese colleague and he/she looks down and answers you.

They:

Have something to hide

Are paying you respect as their senior

5. Your German colleague says about a proposal you have put together, "no offense but this idea is ridiculous".

They:

are merely expressing their opinion and mean no harm

are being blunt and have zero manners

are being rude to undermine your position

6. A potential Mexican client arrives 45 minutes late for a business meeting.

They:

Have arrived late on purpose to show that they are the party in the driving seat

Have simply arrived late as punctuality is taken lightly in Mexico

Have arrived late to let you enjoy your surroundings before discussing business

7. You are beginning negotiations with a Chinese company. From the start of the meeting the Chinese team show great humility and deference.

You should think:

Such behaviour is a ploy designed to gain concessions

Such behaviour is just the way Chinese people are

Such behaviour shows these negotiations will be easy

8. During a break for a meeting between you and a group of Saudis, you walk into the men's room to find a few of them washing their feet in the sink.

You think:

They must have had smelly feet

They are simply freshening themselves up

They are preparing to read their prayers

9. There are three of you interviewing an Afghani man for a position in your company.

Of the interviewers, two of you are women. The interviewee only ever gives eye contact to the man and never to the women.

This is because:

He is nervous around women

He is showing respect

He sees women as second class citizens

10. In Spain, the main purpose of a team meeting would be to:

Make decisions by discussing in the length the pros and cons of an issue

Reach agreements by consensus and brainstorming

Brief the team on a decisions already taken