Power Distance

As a student, I worked for some time behind the bar of an Indian Members Club in London, together with an Indian guy called Ali. One day, the waitress transmitted a wrong order to us, with the result that the customer did not receive what he wanted. Just at the time when the customer was complaining about this, the manager of the club entered, and he started reprimanding Ali and me for the mistake that had been made.

I replied to the manager that he had better inform himself seriously instead of jumping to conclusions, and that it was not really our fault. But Ali did not say anything to support me.

After the manager had left, Ali turned to me and said `How could you talk like this to the boss?’ In fact Ali seemed to be more mad with me than with the way the boss had treated us (D.B., Czech Republic)

Case 2
Stockholm, December 23. The Swedish King Carl Gustav this week experienced considerable delay while shopping for Christmas presents for his children, when he wanted to pay by cheque but could not show his cheque card. The salesperson refused to accept the cheque without legitimation. Only when helpful bystanders dug in their pockets for one-crown pieces showing the face of the King, the salesperson decided to accept this for legitimation, not, however, without testing the cheque thoroughly for authenticity and noting the name and address of the holder.2