SUBTEXTIn Japan, where space is also at a premium, people have solved
the problem by putting a different psychological interpretation
on space. Crowding together is considered a sign of a warm and
pleasant intimacy. In certain situations the Japanese actually prefer
crowding.
Handling space is only one of the ways in which cultures differ
subtextually, and only one of the arenas in which a little subtextual
language skill can make a big difference in earning big profits
internationally. In preparing this chapter I spoke to many business-
people who had worked and traveled all over the world. Rather
than trust one person's judgment or observation I insisted on inter-
views from at least five different people for each country before I
settled on the person whose experiences I believe to be most
representative.
Since I was dealing with many variations in subtext, I was
reluctant to see any trait as a national characteristic unless it
was cited a number of times in different situations. Even then,
there are always exceptions to the rule, and what seems to be
prevalent in any country may not apply to everyone.
Almost all the businesspeople asked me not to use their names
or accreditations since they were still doing business in these
countries or acting as consultants to Americans doing business
abroad. I have respected their wishes for anonymity, but I have
told their stories with great exactitude. Here are their experiences.
EXPERIENCING THE SAUNA
John, a citizen of the United States, is a professor of management
at an outstanding university and has had thirty years of business
experience. For the last ten years he has been an international