David Shorter and Bob Chen

The story of Bob Chen and David Shorter is quite revealing. It reflects most of the common imperfections that exist in people’s interactions with each other and with other systems. I think that every student studying this case has been able to recognize the situations illustrated from his/her own experience. As I read through the case, I could feel what Bob was experiencing at almost every moment of the development. His dead-end situation, his feeling of being misunderstood and not heard, feeling that everyone was against him and his ultimate decision that he could no longer work with those people truly echo my personal experience.

I would like to analyze the actions and circumstances that brought this young individual to a state which Bob Chen identified as “trapped”. I hope that this analysis will help me to anticipate and to eventually avoid the situations that undoubtedly left Bob with a disagreeable feeling for the rest of his life.

Cross-cultural communication

Cross-cultural miscommunication between Bob and his Canadian associates is the issue that underlies a set of problems leading to his dead-end situation in the firm. Bob was born in Hong Kong. His Canadian education westernized him, but not to such an extent as to create harmony between his Asian values and Canadian mentality of people around him.

The Geert Hofstede analysis for Hong Kong shows Long-term Orientation as the highest-ranking factor (96). Values associated with Long Term Orientation are thrift and perseverance. This explains the extraordinary persistence with which Bob tried to specialize in tax. Bob initiated five meetings with David Shorter, the practice director, and finally obtained his agreement to work for the tax partner. This also explains why Bob was so reluctant to do audit work that he perceived as a temporary area of practice. He was focused on a long-term objective; he wanted to pursue a career in tax consulting. In contrast, Canada's lowest ranking Dimension is Long...