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Chapter 12
Case Study – Effective Communication: Partnership in Italy
Melissa Chang was asked to travel to Venice, Italy and meet with her company’s
partnering company. Preparation for the trip was stressful. Not only had her colleague
cancelled their recent trip to Moscow at the last minute, making the US partner look bad,
but the Italian partner had made several requests for information which none of Melissa’s
colleagues had fulfilled. She learned all of this information upon making phone contact
with their office to confirm her travel plans.
Once in Venice and face-to-face with the partners, Melissa quickly realized their source
of frustration. From their perspective, the US partner had not upheld their end of the
business deal by providing some basic product information. Melissa had that information
with her and easily provided the files. She was able to answer all their questions and
explain the business process in the US during the first meeting.
The second day of business meetings was even more productive. Melissa noted a change
As the week drew to a close, both Melissa and the Italian partners drew up a projected
plan for the next fiscal year. Italy was on track to set new sales records. Their requests
for information were basic in her opinion, and Melissa was able to provide them accurate
details before her departure. While a few of the finer points she did not understand fully
due to the language barrier, Melissa felt reassured seeing firsthand how committed they
were to the product. She could not find anything that would cause concern for their
business transactions going forward. She chuckled to herself thinking how much she had
dreaded this trip initially.
success. He also praised her for the quick actions and decisiveness she demonstrated
during their meetings.
Discuss how Melissa’s communication style impacted the performance of the Italian
partners.
She read their body language and listened closely to their questions. Her responsiveness
What do you think were the primary sources of information prior to Melissa’s visit?
What do you think the primary sources of information will be after Melissa’s visit?
What might account for Melissa’s change in attitude about dealing with the Italian
partners after her visit?
She has met them face-to-face and established her own relationship with them. It can be
