Solution Frequency

Hypothesis 6: SL, CW and CL are the solutions most frequently used to correct communication breakdowns in interculteral business communications via email.

Recall the solutions are:

C1a2:  Solution - Humor
C1b2:  Solution - Patience
C1c2:  Solution - Simplified Language
C1d2:  Solution - Changed Words
C1e2:  Solution - Repetition
C1f2:  Solution - Strengthened Relationship
C1g2:  Solution - Changed Media
C1h2:  Solution - Face-To-Face
C1i2:  Solution - Written Follow-Up
C1j2:  Solution - Asked For Clarification
C1k2:  Solution - Switched Languages
C1l2:  Solution - Communicated More Often
C1m2:  Solution - Hired A Translator
C1n2:  Solution - Read/Reread Till Understood

The absolute frequency of solutions employed are as follows:

Here we are testing the hypothesis that the frequency of employed solution is greater than 50%, the random frequency test. This allows us to quote a significance level to large percentage of solution useage. SL and CL are among some of the solutions most frequently used to correct communication breakdowns in interculteral business communications via email

Hypothesis 7. _X_ is most effective in solving problems encountered with intercultural business communication via email.

We let the data speak for us here; the most effective solutions are Patience, SL, Changing Media, Strengthened Relationship, and Face-to-Face meetings.  These were determined by selecting the self-reported effectiveness at levels 4 and 5 (Effective to Most effective) which exceeds the marginal or non-effective solutions, as read from the frequency histograms.  

We note that the most effective solutions do not necessarily coincide with those most often employed (Hypothesis 6) except in the cases of Patience, SL and Changed Media.

The solution effectiveness histograms follow. Although the effectiveness scale for solution employed was supposed to have only responses {0,1,3 and 5}, the data came back {0,1,2,3,4 and 5}, yielding a 6-step scale which we implement as follows:

5 = most effective remedial action(s)
4 = More effective
3 = some postive effect on the solution
2 = hard to tell
1 = very little impact on the solution
0 = no impact on the solution

If additional information is needed, please contact dobelman@stat.rice.edu