بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Managing Across Cultures

Meeting the Challenge

n  Many MNCs are committed to a globalization imperative

n  A belief that one worldwide approach to doing business is the key to both efficiency and effectiveness

n  Many factors are facilitating the need to develop unique strategies for different cultures

1.    The diversity of worldwide industry standards such as those in broadcasting, where television sets must be manufactured on a country-by-country basis

2.    A continual demand by local customers for differentiated products, as in the case of consumer goods that must meet local tastes

3.    The importance of being an insider, as in the case of customer who prefer to “buy local”

4.   The difficulty of managing global organizations, as in the case of some local subsidiaries that want more decentralization and others that want less

5.   The need to allow subsidiaries to use their own abilities and talents and not be restrained by headquarters, as in the case of local units that know how to customize products for their market and generate high returns on investment with limited production output

 

Globalization vs. National Responsiveness

n  Advertising (as an example

  n  Germans

n  Want advertising that is factual and rational

n  Typical German spot features the standard family of two parents, two children, and grandmother

n  French

n  Avoid reasoning or logic

n  Advertising is predominantly emotional, dramatic, and symbolic

n  Spots are viewed as cultural events—art for the sake of money—and are reviewed as if they were literature or films

n  British

n  Value laughter above all else

n  Typical broad, self-deprecating British commercial amuses by mocking both the advertiser and consumer

n  Adding value to the marketing approach

n  Tailor the advertising message to the particular culture

n  Stay abreast of local market conditions; don’t assume all markets are basically the same

n  Know the strengths and weaknesses of MNC subsidiaries; provide them with assistance needed in addressing local demands

n  Give the subsidiary more autonomy; let it respond to changes in local demands

Cross-Cultural Differences and Similarities

n  Parochialism

n  Tendency to view the world through one’s own eyes and perspectives

n  Simplification

n  Process of exhibiting the same orientation toward different cultural groups

Cultural Variations

Six Basic Cultural Variations

               Orientations                                Range of Variations

1. What is the nature of people?Good (changeable/unchangeable A mixture of good and evil*Evil (changeable/unchangeable

2. What is the person’s Dominant*

relationship to nature? In harmony with nature Subjugation

3. What is the person’s relationship      Lineal (hierarchic)to other people?            Collateral (collectivist) Individualist*

4. What is the modality of  Doing*

human activity? Being and becoming Being

                                                                                                                                        

5. What is the temporal focus of Future* Presen Past human activity?                                                                                                                                        

6. What is the conception of space?          Private*  Mixed   Public

   

Cross-Cultural Differences and Similarities

n  Similarities across cultures

n  It is not possible to do business the same way in every global location

n  Procedures and strategies that work well at home cannot be adopted overseas without modification

n  But, some similarities have been found

n  Russia and the U.S. (for example)

n  Traditional management

n  Communication

n  Human resources

n  Networking activities

n  OB Mod

 

n  Differences across cultures

n  Far more differences than similarities are found in cross-cultural research

n  Wages, compensation, pay equity, maternity leave

n  Importance of criteria used in evaluation of employees

 

  Netherlands           France          Germany           Britain

    Reali               Imagination      Leadership     Helicopter

    Analysis        Analysis            Analysis         Imagination

    Helicopter     Leadership         Reality            Reality

    Leadership      Helicopter       Imagination     Analysis

    Imagination      Reality          Helicopter       Leadership

 

Cultural Clusters

 

Problems with U.S. Employee Stock Plans in Select Countries

Country                                    Reasons for lack of success

Luxembourg            Tax haven. Great place to set up a trust to administer stock plans.

Mexico                        May regret it. Labor laws can force a one-time stock grant into  an annual event.

Philippines              Time-consuming. Requires government approval and lots of        worker education.

Belgium                    Problematic. Some stock plans conflict with a government-                                             imposed wage freeze.

Brazil                        Impossible. Foreign-exchange controls prohibit out-of-country                           stock investment; phantom stock plans are a headache.

Britain                       Easy. But sometimes labor unions can get in the way.

Eastern Europe      Forget it. Even if you get government permission, chances                                              are you talked to the wrong bureaucrat.

Germany                  Can I get that in deutsche marks? U.S. plans suffer when the                                           dollar is weak.

 

 

International Human Resource Management

 

Cultural Differences in Selected Countries and Regions

1. Doing business in China
   1. The Chinese place values and principles above money and expediency.
   2. Business meetings typically start with pleasantries such as tea and general conversation about the guest’s trip to the country, local accommodations, and family.
   3. The Chinese host will give the appropriate indication for when a meeting is to begin and when the meeting is over.
   4. Once the Chinese decide who and what is best, they tend to stick with these decisions. Although slow in formulating a plan of action, once they get started, they make fairly good progress.
   5.  In negotiations, reciprocity is important. If the Chinese give concessions, they expect some in return.
   6. Because negotiating can involve a loss of face, it is common to find Chinese carrying out the whole process through intermediaries.
   7. During negotiations, it is important not to show excessive emotion of any kind. Anger or frustration is viewed as antisocial and unseemly.
   8. Negotiations should be viewed with a long-term perspective. Those who will do best are the ones who realize they are investing in a long-term relationship.
2. Doing business in Russia
   1. Build personal relationships with partners. When there are contract disputes, there is little protection for the aggrieved party because of the time and effort needed to legally enforce the agreement.
   2. Use local consultants. Because the rules of business have changed so much in recent years, it pays to have a local Russian consultant working with the company.
   3. Ethical behavior in the United States is not always the same as in Russia. For example, it is traditional in Russia to give gifts to those with whom one wants to transact business.
   4. Be patient. In order to get something done in Russia, it often takes months of waiting.
   5.  Russians like exclusive arrangements and often negotiate with just one firm at a time.
   6.  Russians like to do business face-to-face. So when they receive letters or faxes, they often put them on their desk but do not respond to them.
   7. Keep financial information personal. Russians wait until they know their partner well enough to feel comfortable before sharing financial data.
   8. Research the company. In dealing effectively with Russian partners, it is helpful to get information about this company, its management hierarchy, and how it typically does business.
   9.  Stress mutual gain. The Western idea of “win–win” in negotiations also works well in Russia.
   10. Clarify terminology. The language of business is just getting transplanted in Russia so double-check and make sure that the other party clearly understands the proposal, knows what is expected and when, and is agreeable to the deal.
   11. Be careful about compromising or settling things too quickly because this is often seen as a sign of weakness.
   12. Russians view contracts as binding only if they continue to be mutually beneficial, so continually show them the benefits associated with sticking to the deal.
3. Doing business in India
   1. It is important to be on time for meetings.
   2. Personal questions should not be asked unless the other individual is a friend or close associate.
   3. Titles are important, so people who are doctors or professors should be addressed accordingly.
   4. Public displays of affection are considered to be inappropriate, so one should refrain from backslapping or touching others.
   5. Beckoning is done with the palm turned down; pointing often is done with the chin.
   6. When eating or accepting things, use the right hand because the left is considered to be unclean.
   7. The namaste gesture can be used to greet people; it also is used to convey other messages, including a signal that one has had enough food.
   8. Bargaining for goods and services is common; this contrasts with Western traditions, where bargaining might be considered rude or abrasive.
4. Doing business in France
   1. When shaking hands with a French person, use a quick shake with some pressure in the grip.
   2. It is extremely important to be on time for meetings and social occasions. Being “fashionably late” is frowned on.
   3. During a meal, it is acceptable to engage in pleasant conversation, but personal questions and the subject of money are never brought up.
   4. Visiting businesspeople should try very hard to be cultured and sophisticated.
   5.  The French tend to be suspicious of early friendliness in the discussion and dislike first names, taking off jackets, or disclosure of personal or family details.
   6. In negotiations the French try to find out what all of the other side’s aims and demands are at the beginning, but they reveal their own hand only late in the negotiations.
   7. The French do not like being rushed into making a decision, and they rarely make important decisions inside the meeting.
   8. The French tend to be very precise and logical in their approach to things, and will often not make concessions in negotiations unless their logic has been defeated.
5. Doing business in Arab countries
   1. It is important never to display feelings of superiority, because this makes the other party feel inferior. Let one’s action speak for itself and not brag or put on a show of self-importance.
   2. One should not take credit for joint efforts. A great deal of what is accomplished is a result of group work, and to indicate that one accomplished something alone is a mistake.
   3. Much of what gets done is a result of going through administrative channels in the country. It often is difficult to sidestep a lot of this red tape, and efforts to do so can be regarded as disrespect for legal and governmental institutions.
   4. Connections are extremely important in conducting business.
   5. Patience is critical to the success of business transactions. This time consideration should be built into all negotiations.
   6. Important decisions usually are made in person, not by correspondence or telephone. This is why an MNC’s personal presence often is a prerequisite for success in the Arab world. Additionally, while there may be many people who provide input on the final decision, the ultimate power rests with the person at the top, and this individual will rely heavily on personal impressions, trust, and rapport.