Relationships
While Western cultures proclaim to value relationship-based marketing and business practices, in Eastern and high-context cultures, a relationship involves longtime family ties or direct referrals from close friends. Judgments made in business often are made based on familial ties, class and status in relationship-oriented cultures, while rule-oriented cultures believe that everyone in business deserves an equal opportunity to make their case. Judgments are made on universal qualities of fairness, honesty and getting the best deal, rather on formal introductions and background checks.