Managers should take time out to study the cultural eccentricities of their business counterparts before attempting to make contact with people in other countries. As Kinicki & Williams state, "And you'll have to deal with managers above and below you whose outlook is different from yours. For instance, Japanese companies, with their emphasis on correctness and face saving, operate in significantly different ways from American companies".
What would you think about a situation, for example, a different culture where eye contact was a form of insult or indignation? What other cues might you use to make your assessment? Since the world is becoming a smaller place, this may be a reality you might face at any time?