Maybe Yes, Maybe No
When the 17th century philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal wrote: Vérité en-deçà des Pyrénées, erreur au-delà. (“There are truths on this side of the Pyrénées which are falsehoods on the other” translation, Geerte Hofstede), he wasn’t just saying that the Pyrenees mountain range accounted for the differences between Spanish and French viewpoints. He meant that truth is subjective.
In the US, we generally adhere to an “absolutist” or “Manichean” system of ethics. Behaviors are divided into right and wrong, or good and evil, and many US citizens use the Ten Commandments when they make those judgments. The eighth, “Thou shalt not lie,” applies to our perception of the truth. Philosophically, we believe lying is wrong. Perhaps that is why it is so disturbing to US executives when international associates seem to feign interest in commitments, but don’t always follow through.
Avoid “No,” “Nyet,” and “Bu!”
If you couldn’t figure it out, “Bu” is Mandarin for “No.” But whatever the language, in many cultures, bluntly saying “No” is anathema. The word itself is so widely recognized, that it has gotten English speakers who overuse it into trouble.
Denne historien er fra April 2018-utgaven av Business Traveler.
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Denne historien er fra April 2018-utgaven av Business Traveler.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Fast Company - In a partnership with SpaceX, United is rolling out revolutionary high-speed Wi-Fi on all its flights
United has become the first major U.S. airline to announce a groundbreaking partnership with SpaceX to equip more than 1,000 aircraft with Starlink WiFi. Passengers will soon enjoy high-speed, lowlatency Internet service, enabling seamless gate-to-gate connectivity across domestic and international flights.
Special Sauce - Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products
Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products
The Censoring of Social Media? - Why legislatures continually try to regulate freedom of expression, and what the courts are doing about it
There seems to be bipartisan agreement that everything from teen suicide rates to poor mental health and more is due to social media. The obvious solution, they believe, is to impose government oversight on how such services can be provided. Congress is considering sweeping social media legislation and a number of states have already enacted such laws.
Golden Age
Porsche celebrates a half-century of its 911 Turbo with a limited-editon model
The Season's Best Underseat Carry-Ons
Bags that make the most of your space while providing carefree convenience
Crystal Palace
Baccarat offers sparkling cocktails in Midtown Manhattan
East Meets West
Chef Cyril Lignac fuses French and Japanese cuisine in the heart of London
Bigger.Better.
American Express relocated and improved its Centurion Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to address issues with overcrowding and enhance the customer experience
High Style
A nonstop journey from Singapore to Los Angeles in Business Class
Art History
A venerable Seville hotel doubles as a museum celebrating the culture of Andalusia.
