Dual Interaction of Interest and Norm in Transcultural Communication: A Case Study of KH Agricultural Company’s Everyday Operations in Nkoranza, Ghana

Abstract

For the past two decades, more and more Chinese companies have been investing in Africa and operating in local communities, and it is inevitable for them to interact with internal and external entities on different levels in their daily operations, which contain both business activities and everyday life. Taking a Chinese agricultural company that promotes caster-oil plant in Ghana as an example, this paper depicts and explains its interaction with Ghanaian employees, community residents and local authority from both the “interest” and “norm” interaction. However, insufficient trust, emotional incoordination and unequal power relationship in everyday life left the company in an extremely unstable state. Under the impact of some accidental events, contradiction escalated step by step, ultimately causing the company to withdraw itself from Ghana. This also provides a warning for other Chinese enterprises operating overseas, especially those deeply involved in local communities, because they need to deal with the “interest-norm ” interaction in their business activities and achieve mutual understanding in everyday life at the same time.