Even when North Americans know about a particular set of cultural differences, they do not know how to use the information. It can take some time before they find out. There are two significant information gaps. One is a genuine lack of information about the other. The other is a 'what to do with the information now that we've got it' gap.
Confusion exists due to a real lack of experience in working with people having different values.
Making the assumption that any single person is going to reflect the group or even the group norm, can lead to terrible misunderstandings. There is also the danger of viewing a culture as a static entity instead of an evolving, fluid, environmental situation. Both sides must recognize the other side as part of the process. Equality in attitude cannot always be assumed by each side. The other is responsiveness.