The Halls noted that when an American executive (M-Time) meets a French executive (P-Time), the American feels "ignored" when the Frenchman takes a phone call during a meeting, while the Frenchman feels the American is "inhuman" for refusing to be flexible.
The Halls argue that culture acts as a "giant computer" with hidden programs that guide human responses. Their 1990 work synthesizes decades of research into three primary dimensions: hall and hall 1990 understanding cultural differences pdf
The Halls conducted extensive interviews and observation studies with executives from the three nations. Unlike theoretical textbooks, Understanding Cultural Differences is a practical, comparative guide. It was published by Intercultural Press (now part of Nicholas Brealey Publishing). The demand for a has skyrocketed because the book goes in and out of print, and universities frequently assign excerpts for cross-cultural psychology and business courses. The Halls noted that when an American executive
The United States and Germany are monochronic cultures. Time is viewed as a tangible commodity—something that can be spent, saved, or wasted. The United States and Germany are monochronic cultures