View
221
Download
1
Category
Tags:
Preview:
Citation preview
How to deal with cultural differences in an international business environment
Sales Managers’ Club 2008Mallorca, May 19-21
By Vincent Merk
Game: “Tower for the Derdians”
Build a (paper) tower Objectives of the game:• Develop cultural awareness• Train intercultural
sensitivity • Train knowledge transfer • Develop group dynamics
and team spirit• Address some cultural
dimensions
Developing Intercultural Competence:the ability to reconcile seemingly opposing
values (by F. Trompenaars) - The 4 Rs:
• Recognise cultural
differences
• Respect cultural
differences
• Reconcile cultural
differences
• Realise and Root
A definition…
« Culture is a set of beliefs, values, norms or standards, shared by a group of people, which help the individuals to decide what is, what can be, how to feel, what to do and how to go about doing it. » Goodenough
But…• Culture is learned !
• Culture is forgotten - we stop being conscious of it
• Our culture follows us everywhere – we can’t just take it off and leave it outside !
“Culture is the way we do things here”(Deal & Kennedy)
Dividing “here” into 4 levels:
– The personal culture
– The national culture
– The professional culture
– The corporate culture
Corporate Culture
Person oriented Task orientedH
iera
rch
ical
Eg
alit
ari
anIncubator Guided missile
Family Eiffel Tower
ORG. CHAOSMBPLEARNING
STRATEGYMBOPAY FOR PERFORMANCE
NETWORKMBSPROMOTION/POWER
STRUCTUREMBJDEXPERTISE
The onion model
TROMPENAARS MODEL:Seven Dimensions of Culture
• RULES versus EXCEPTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS– Universalism versus Particularism
• INDIVIDUAL versus GROUP ORIENTATION– Individualism versus Communitarianism
• EMOTIONS: CONTROLLING EMOTIONS versus EXPRESSIVE– Neutral versus Affective Relationships
• SEGMENTING versus INTEGRATING RELATIONSHIPS– Specific versus Diffuse Relationships
• STATUS based on: “What you do” versus “Who you are”– Achievement versus Ascription
• TIME– Monochronic versus Polychronic
• RELATIONSHIP with NATURE / ENVIRONMENT– Internal Control (dominate nature) versus External Control (part of nature)
You are riding in a car driven by a close friend. It is getting dark outside. He hits a pedestrian crossing the street. You know he was going at least 40 km/h in a residential area where the maximum allowed speed is 30 km/h. There are no witnesses. His lawyer says that if you testify under oath that he was only driving 30 km/h, it may save him from serious consequences.
What right does your friend have to expect you to testify to the lower figure? What do you think you would do in view of the obligation of a sworn witness and obligation to your friend?
UNIVERSALISM – PARTICULARISM: a case study
32
37
44
47
54
68
69
73
83
87
90
91
91
92
93
93
97
0 20 40 60 80 100
Venezuela
Korea
Russia
China
India
Japan
Singapore
France
Czech Rep
Germany
Netherlands
Australia
United Kingdom
Sweden
USA
Canada
Switzerland
UniversalismMy friend has no/some right and I would not help
%
RULES & SYSTEMS EXCEPTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Obligation to universal systems, contracts
“It depends” - The particular situation
Positive connotation
Consistency Flexibility
Negative connotation
Rigidity Corruption
Issues/problems between the two:• The meaning of a contract• ‘Objective systems’ from headquarters: focus on global products, systems, documenting vs local adaptation and exceptions
Universalism versus Particularism
INDIVIDUAL ORIENTATION GROUP ORIENTATION
“I” comes first “We” comes first
Positive connotation
Personal initiative, Commitment,accountability teamwork
Negative connotation
Egoism, anarchy Conformism
Issues/problems between the two:
• Reward systems
• Decision making
Individualism vs Communitarianism
Encounter Specific and Diffuse
Public
Private
Danger Zone
Private
Intercultural communication is:
Verbal vs. non-verbal communication
Words, images, song & dance
High and low context
Create and maintain trust
Non-verbal communication - greetings
High and low context
High context cultures
Low context cultures
Information implicitlycontained
Information explicitlyconveyed
An example:A group of Dutch tourists asks a Malaysian if Lumpur is far from here. Seeing they look tired, he sympathises and replies: “No”. After 2 hours of walking, they still have not reached Lumpur. Reaction?
High and low context
High context cultures
Low context cultures
Information implicitlycontained
Information explicitlyconveyed
• Asian (Chinese, Japanese)• Arabic/ Mid. East• Latin-American• Italian, Spanish• Slavic• British English• French• American English• Scandinavian• German• Dutch• Swiss-German
Communication Commandments:
- Know (some of) the local language:"Impossible is nothing," a sign in Beijing's airport and one of those funny mistranslations of the common phrase, "Nothing is impossible."
- Know about the local culture, history, traditions, happenings, events, current news, etc.
- Know your partner: job, family, hobbies, background, etc.
- And finally… Wonder, observe, listen, absorb, ask, wait, expose, try out, honour, etc.
ANALYTIC, SEGMENTING HOLISTIC, INTEGRATED
Segmented relationships Connected relationships
Positive connotation
Easy contact Personal involvement
Negative connotationSuperficial Formal
Blunt Indirect
Issues/problems between the two:• ‘Losing face’• Explicit / implicit communication styles• Different ways of problem solving
Specific versus Diffuse
Achievement versus Ascription
STATUS ?
What You Do Who You Are
Ascribed Status
• Family
• Age
• Gender
• Education
• Position in hierarchy
Time perception
Monochronic Polychronic
External Control:Nature as an
organismSubjugation to
nature
Nature: Internal vs External Control
Internal control:
Dominance over nature
We control the environmentIn charge of our own destinyTechnology push
Harmony with environmentFate, luckMarket pull
Positive connotation
In control Adaptive
Negative connotationDominant, arrogant Fate used as an excuse
Issues/problems between the two:• Perceive the other as weak or as arrogant• Different ways of strategising, planning
Internal control vs External control
A few recommendations:
In international business, it always takes 2 to…
Tango!
Beware of stereotyping…
Don’t take too much for granted !
Don’t go native, trying:“When in Holland, do as the Dutch do…”!
But just be yourself…
…and adapt to the local situation!
And watch your language!
The language of international business is…
…BAD English!!
Recommended