Perspective B: Bob Peters, 36 years old, Afro-American, middle-management position, B.A. Economics, M.B.A., based in the USA, is on the plane to Germany, musing about his upcoming meeting with his new German colleagues: "Gee, I'm kind of nervous about meeting those German guys tomorrow. Sure, I can see the opportunities in this merger and the transatlantic cooperation. It's going to save us billions by combining our market power, and we are really going to gain a competitive edge. But what I've heard so far about working with the Germans makes me wonder whether we are not loosing out. These folks seem to be very gracious hosts, but then they switch to being superformal in meetings and hit you with tons of paperwork. Waste of time, all those unnecessary details. These bureaucrats totally steamroller our people, and aren't willing to listen to our ideas, or change their approach. Makes me wonder if their rigid style has something to do with their militaristic national character?" Consider the following questions: What are the main challenges for Bob? Can you pinpoint some of Bob's stereotypes about Germans? How might they impact the interaction? Can you pinpoint some American values which drive Bob's behavior? How do these values affect his way of doing business? Which changes in perspective might be helpful for Bob? What steps can Bob take to make the relationship with his German colleague a success? Want to know more? Then look at the article "Intercultural challenges of a transatlantic merger"