Reference no: EM133675383
Assignment:
"Greg James at SUN Microsystems"
1. In your opinion, who is responsible for the H.S. Holding crisis in the SUN Microsystems case (you may identify one or more people)? Briefly, explain your response.
2. Virtual Communication : We have discussed "communication task-technology match" as an important virtual communication strategy (session 3) for selecting appropriate communication technology/media for different types of communication tasks.
a. How effectively has the Sun Microsystems team applied the "communication task-technology match" strategy? Support your response by describing examples of effective and/or ineffective implementations of this strategy from the case.
b. Describe two ways in which the modes of communication used by the team led to team dynamics that contributed to the HS Holdings crisis. Clearly explain the link between these team dynamics and the crisis.
3. Cultural Differences : Members of the Sun Microsystems team come from different cultures and lack shared understanding about their cultural differences. This has led to dysfunctional conflict and reduced trust in the team. For example, the UAE team members think that other members of the team view them as incompetent (and therefore trust them less) because the UAE members "consistently missed the deadlines set by James." They are frustrated because their teammates do not understand that they are missing deadlines because the UAE culture "required extensive-and time-consuming-relationship building before contracts and commitments could be finalized.
a. What cultural value difference between the U.S. and UAE members best explains this cross-cultural misunderstanding? Explain your reasoning.
b. Recommend how the team could apply a fusion adaptation approach (session 6 and session 7 live class) to prevent the cross-cultural issue in part (a) of this question. (Avoid vague/general suggestions such as "give all team members cultural intelligence training." Instead, describe a solution that directly resolves the specific issue in part (a) so that team members can work together better.)
c. Using the Cultural Comparison Tool on the Hofstede Insights website provided in session 5, identify another major cultural difference between the U.S. and UAE (different to the one you discussed in part a) that could also explain why the UAE team members take longer to finalize contracts and commitments. Explain your reasoning based on your understanding of this cultural value, not based on evidence from the case.