Source: Deft, R. L. (2018). The Leadership Experience (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage. pp. 286-287.

Christmas was fast approaching. Just a short while ago, Chuck Moore, national sales manager for Hunter-Worth, a New York–based multinational toy manufacturer, was confident the coming holiday was going to be one of the company’s best in years. At a recent toy expo, Hunter-Worth unveiled a new interactive plush toy that was cuddly, high-tech, and tied into a major holiday motion picture expected to be a smash hit. Chuck had thought the toy would do well, but frankly, the level of interest took him by surprise. The buyers at the toy fair raved, and the subsequent pre-order volume was extremely encouraging. It had all looked so promising, but now he couldn’t shake a sense of impending doom.

The problem in a nutshell was that the Mexican subsidiary that manufactured the toy couldn’t seem to meet a deadline. Not only were all the shipments late so far, but they fell well short of the quantities ordered. Chuck decided to e-mail Vicente Ruiz, the plant manager, about the situation before he found himself in the middle of the Christmas season with parents clamoring for a toy he couldn’t lay his hands on.

In a thoroughly professional e-mail that started with a friendly "Dear Vicente," Chuck inquired about the status of the latest order, asked for a production schedule for pending orders, and requested a specific explanation as to why the Mexican plant seemed to be having such difficulty shipping orders out on time. The reply appeared within the hour, but to his utter astonishment, it was a short message from Vicente’s secretary. She acknowledged the receipt of his e-mail and assured him the Mexican plant would be shipping the order, already a week late, in the next 10 days.

"That’s it," Chuck fumed. "Time to take this to Sato." In the message to his boss, he prefaced his original e-mail and the secretary’s reply with a terse note expressing his growing concern over the availability of what could well be this season’s must-have toy. "Just what do I have to do to light a fire under Vicente?" he wrote. He then forwarded it all to his supervisor and friend, Michael Sato, the executive vice president for sales and marketing.

Next thing he knew, he was on the phone with Vicente—and the plant manager was furious. "Señor Moore, how dare you go over my head and say such things about me to my boss?" he sputtered, sounding both angry and slightly panicked. It seemed that Michael had forwarded Chuck’s e-mail to Hunter-Worth’s vice president of operations, who had sent it on to the Mexican subsidiary’s president.

That turn of events was unfortunate, but Chuck wasn’t feeling all that apologetic. "You could have prevented all this if you’d just answered the questions I e-mailed you last week," he pointed out. "I deserved more than a form letter—and from your secretary, no less."

"My secretary always answers my e-mails," replied Vicente. "She figures that if the problem is really urgent, you would pick up the phone and talk to me directly. Contrary to what you guys north of the border might think we do take deadlines seriously here. There’s only so much we can do with the supply problems we’re having, but I doubt you’re interested in hearing about those." And Vicente hung up the phone without waiting for a response.

Chuck was confused and disheartened. Things were only getting worse. How could he turn the situation around?

Questions:

1. Based on Vicente Ruiz’s actions and his conversation with Chuck Moore, what differences do you detect in cultural attitudes toward communications in Mexico as compared with the United States? Is understanding these differences important? Explain.

2. What was the main purpose of Chuck’s communication to Vicente? To Michael Sato? What factors should he have considered when choosing a channel for his communication to Vicente? Are they the same factors he should have considered when communicating with Michael Sato?

3. If you were Chuck, what would you have done differently? What steps would you take at this point to make sure the supply of the popular new toy is sufficient to meet the anticipated demand?

1. Based on Vicente Ruiz's actions and his conversation with Chuck Moore, there are cultural differences in attitudes toward communications in Mexico compared to the United States. In Mexico, there seems to be a preference for more direct and personal communication, such as picking up the phone and talking directly to someone, rather than relying solely on written communication like emails. Vicente's secretary's response reflects this cultural norm. In contrast, in the United States, written communication like emails is often considered the primary mode of business communication. Understanding these cultural differences is important because it can help individuals navigate and adapt their communication styles when interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds.

2. The main purpose of Chuck's communication to Vicente was to inquire about the status of the latest order, request a production schedule for pending orders, and seek a specific explanation for the delays and quantity shortages. The communication to Michael Sato served the purpose of escalating the issue and expressing Chuck's growing concern over the availability of the toy. When choosing a channel for communication with Vicente, Chuck should have considered the urgency and importance of the matter, as well as the preferred communication style in Mexico, which emphasizes direct and personal contact. On the other hand, when communicating with Michael Sato, factors such as the need for documentation and the hierarchical structure of the organization might influence the choice of channel, such as using email to provide a formal record of the situation.

3. If I were Chuck, I would have approached the situation differently. Instead of immediately escalating the issue to Michael Sato, I would have attempted to have a direct conversation with Vicente, either through a phone call or an in-person meeting, to address the concerns and seek a resolution collaboratively. It is essential to establish open lines of communication and build rapport with Vicente to foster a better understanding of the challenges faced by the Mexican subsidiary. To ensure a sufficient supply of the popular new toy, I would work closely with Vicente and the operations team to identify and address the supply problems, explore alternative solutions, and potentially involve other departments or external partners to overcome the obstacles. Effective communication, collaboration, and problem-solving would be key in this situation.

Note: The response is based on the information provided in the given source and does not reflect real-world experiences or current practices.

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