Auto Ethnographer with John Stech

This is the final episode of The Auto Ethnographer podcast. After 53 episodes exploring the human stories of expats, cross-cultural professionals, and the quiet logic behind unfamiliar behavior, I am closing this chapter. Not because the stories stopped mattering. Because the urgency has shifted. In this final episode, we take a global tour of ageism. The numbers are stark: USA: 64% of workers ove...

Four years ago, I moved abroad. Three weeks ago, I went back for a visit. In Episode 51, I told you I was returning to the United States with a certain degree of hesitation. I had some honest apprehensions about what I would find. And I promised to bring you back a full report. This is that report. After four years of living overseas, returning to your home country is not the simple homecoming you...

What does it feel like to return home for a visit after years of living abroad? In this episode of The Auto Ethnographer, John Jörn Stech prepares to board a plane back to the United States — his home country — and discovers something unexpected: he is approaching the trip the way he would approach a country he has never visited before. With research, anticipation, and a degree of hesitation he di...

Fifty episodes in, and the conversation that matters most is still the simplest one: people are not their governments. Nations are not monoliths. Thank you to every guest who shared their story, every listener who kept showing up, and to my wife, Bernie, whose support made this channel possible from the very beginning. Episode 50 of The Auto Ethnographer returns to the idea that drives everything...

What if the cultural frameworks your organization relies on are actually reinforcing the very stereotypes they were designed to eliminate? In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Jerome Dumetz, cross-cultural management expert and author of 199 Cross Cultural Case Studies , we explore why real-life case studies offer something no theoretical model can: the full, messy, human context of intercultura...

Have you ever moved to a new country, convinced you'd adapted perfectly — only to discover the cultural gap was hiding in plain sight? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, The Auto Ethnographer sits down with Dr. Jerome Dumetz, one of the world's most respected voices in intercultural management and cross-cultural communication. A self-described "consulting professor," Jerome Dumetz has spent...

🌍 Your first impression of a new country isn't just incomplete — it might be completely wrong. In this episode of The Auto Ethnographer, host John Jörn Stech breaks down the 6 powerful psychological dynamics that distort your early perceptions when you move abroad — and why most expats don't realize it's happening until they've already made costly misinterpretations. Moving overseas is one of the...

Melissa Rodway left Toronto at 35 for a months-long backpacking trip across Southeast Asia — and came home a different person. Fifteen years later, those raw, unfiltered emails she sent from the road became her travel memoir, The People You Meet . In this episode of The Auto Ethnographer, host John Jörn Stech sits down with Melissa to unpack the life-changing friendships, cultural shocks, and hard...

Are you dreaming of living abroad but feel completely overwhelmed by where to start? Whether you are trying to figure out exactly how to move abroad or you are desperately searching for the ultimate  moving abroad checklist , we have some incredibly exciting news for you! Welcome to the official launch of "Your Ticket Abroad" – the ultimate, comprehensive online course designed to turn your d...

Learning a new language is one of the most humbling, hilarious, and deeply human experiences we can have. In this light‑hearted episode, I explore the universal journey from sounding like a broken GPS to finally communicating like an actual human being. I start with my own early bilingual beginnings, from growing up speaking German before moving to the United States and absorbing English on playgr...

In this episode, host John Jörn Stech explores how contracts reveal the deeper cultural logic behind global business. Drawing on real experiences from the United States, Germany, Russia, China, Brazil, and Egypt, it uncovers how written agreements reflect national attitudes toward trust, risk, negotiation, and long‑term partnership. Whether you work in international business, cross‑cultural manage...

Welcome to the first episode of the new year — and the beginning of a major new chapter for The Auto Ethnographer. In this episode, host John Stech shares the story behind his five international relocations, the overwhelm that nearly stopped him, and the lessons that shaped his new mission: helping you turn your dream of living overseas into a real, actionable plan. For years, listeners have writt...

Living as an #expat outside of your home culture is the ultimate challenge. In this 2025 year-end special, I’ve distilled the most powerful insights from 41 episodes of The Auto Ethnographer into one essential guide. Join me as I revisit the most impactful moments from every featured guest this year—professionals who have navigated the complexities of the automotive industry and beyond in foreign...

What happens when a single career stretches across continents, cultures, and some of the most storied automotive brands on earth? In this episode of Auto Ethnographer, we dive into the remarkable global journey of Toscan Bennett, a man whose life has been shaped by movement, adaptation, and an uncanny ability to bridge worlds that rarely understand one another. Host John Stech welcomes Toscan for...

Do Thai citizens love cars? And what attracts them to different brands? Those are the questions that John Jörn Stech, host of The Auto Ethnographer, set out to answer at a large motorshow in Bangkok, Thailand. This week the 42nd Thailand International Motor Expo is bringing car fans and curious consumers from around the country to the IMPACT Challenger show hall. A wide range of brands hail from E...

Alexandra Strassburger joins John Stech, host of The Auto Ethnographer podcast, with a story that transcends borders, industries, and expectations. Her 11 years living and working in China as a German citizen shaped not only her worldview but also her leadership style, family life, and strategic contributions to one of the world’s most iconic automotive brands. In this episode, Alexandra shares ho...

In this episode of The Auto Ethnographer podcast, host John Stech welcomes back Chinese culture trend forecaster and brand strategist Grace Mou for a deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation. Fresh from her first-ever trip to Europe - visiting France and Italy - Grace shares her candid impressions of Western culture, technology, and branding through the eyes of a Chinese professional imm...

In this episode of The Auto Ethnographer, host John Stech explores the cultural and diplomatic shockwaves following a U.S. immigration raid at a Korean-run EV battery plant in Georgia. Nearly 500 Korean nationals - engineers, technicians, and students - were detained despite holding valid visas. The raid triggered not only legal action but also a deep rupture in trust between South Korea and the U...

Today’s episode is a bit of a back-to-school episode. Until now you have heard truly insightful stories from automotive executives that have navigated different cultures. Today we break out the chalkboard and try to fit a simple, yet complex, framework around those conversations. That framework was developed by Geert Hofstede. Let’s have a short introduction to Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions...

The news media are continuously reporting on the declining fortunes of foreign automakers in China. But what are the manufacturers doing to turn that story around? In this episode of The Auto Ethnographer, host John Jörn Stech takes a look into Volkswagen’s efforts to stem the decline and fuel a future rise. Despite decades in China as one of the first automakers, and a commanding market share for...

Two weeks ago John Stech, host of The Auto Ethnographer, traveled from Bangkok to the Philippines to visit his wife’s family. Together with them, we traveled from Manila to the center of Luzon and then to La Union on the northwest corner of the island. There was much to see but one thing was a constant: the hard working Jeepney. This episode focuses on that Filipino icon. Jeepney’s are unique to t...

In Part 3 of a 4-part series, Grace Mou, Chinese trend forecaster and brand strategist, explains why Chinese consumers are flocking to Chinese automotive brands, especially electric vehicles. Together with Auto Ethnographer host, John Stech, she discusses consumer mindset. Chinese consumers compare styling, technology, price, and features to arrive at a purchase decision. Grace clarifies what does...

In Part 2 of a 4-part series, Grace Mou, Chinese trend forecaster and brand strategist, explains how China has emerged from its past of copycatting foreign goods and brands, and is now rapidly advancing its own innovation. Together with Auto Ethnographer host, John Stech, she discusses the so-called soft power of Chinese brands and the increase in their global export. Grace explores the rise of th...

Grace Mou joins host John Stech on this week’s Auto Ethnographer Podcast for the first of a four-part series on the Chinese market, marketing, branding, and trend forecasting. She helps to unravel the current consumer sentiment in China, the world’s largest consumer market. With a background in marketing and branding as a strategist and researcher, Grace Mou has honed her forecasting skills to det...

Philipp Schiemer is equally comfortable leading a dealer meeting at Mercedes-Benz Brasil or driving a cutting-edge performance car around the track at Mercedes-AMG. And it’s no wonder because he has been CEO of both companies. This week’s Auto Ethnographer podcast, with host John Stech, features Philipp Schiemer, a highly adaptable German automotive executive. Philipp spent a combined twenty years...