Multicultural Management

  • Upload
    motaqi

  • View
    13

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

An introduction to Multicultural Management.

Citation preview

  • Undergraduate Degree Multicultural Management and Leadership

  • Asif Iqbal

    MS Electrical Engineering South KoreaMBA PakistanMIT PakistanMA Sociology Pakistan (Online)MA International Relations(Online)MA Political Science(Online)Diploma JournalismInternational Research Articles IEEE

  • Why Multi Cultural Management

  • Cultural communication differencesBroadly speaking, body language can be divided into the following categories:Facial expressionsEye contactTouchUse of spaceGesturesSounds and other actions

  • Touch Some cultures, particularly in the middle east, may touch once or not at all, while North Americans could touch each other between two and four times an hour, according to some researchers.

    People from the United Kingdom, certain parts of Northern Europe and Asia touch far less, while in France and Italy people tend to touch far more frequently.

  • Personal SpaceAn individual's need for personal space varies from culture to culture. In the Middle East, people of the same sex stand much closer to each other than North Americans and Europeans, while people of the opposite sex stand much further apart. Japanese men stand four or five feet apart when having a discussion. Europeans and North Americans would probably regard having a conversation at this distance rather odd.

  • GoodThe thumbs up sign has positive connotations in the UK and US

  • Good?In Iran and Spain the 'thumbs up' sign is considered obscene

  • Okay?The 'okay' sign is obscene in Greece, parts of Eastern Europe and Latin America. It could also mean 'worthless' or 'zero' in France. In Japan, this means money.

  • However, in Latin America and France it is considered as an insulting and has negative connotations attached to it. In Australia, it means zero, and in Germany it may mean a job well done or an offensive insult depending on the region you visit. In New Zealand, this sign is not used much and considered a cheap way of saying OK. In Turkey, the OK sign means one is a homosexual.

  • hand gesture in Philippines. This is because this is one of the worst forms of hand gesture that is to be used only for dogs. This hand gesture could get you arrested in Philippines or maybe even punishable by breaking your finger.In Asian countries like Japan, the dog call is considered a rude gesture. In Singapore, it is indication of death.The Dog Call Hand Gesture

  • Snapping fingers over and over may mean one is trying to remember something someone has forgotten. In Latin America = asking one to hurry up. In Great Britain and America = one remembers something or gets an idea. However, in many cultures, snapping fingers close to someone's face = an offensive gesture.Finger Snap Hand Gesture

  • In America and European cultures = rude. This hand gesture is an indication of a dominant - to - subordinate behavior in the professional world. It is considered a gesture to single out an individual from a crowd. This aggressive signal is not liked by many, as no one likes to be singled out.Pointing Fingers Hand Gesture

  • The meaning of the V sign is partially dependent on the manner in which the hand is positioned: If the palm of the hand faces the signer (i.e., the back of the hand faces the observer), the sign is an insult. This usage is restricted largely to Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and United Kingdom. With the back of the hand facing the signer (palm of the hand facing the observer), it can mean: Two (the number); Victory in a setting of wartime or competition; V (the letter) used when spelling in American Sign Language.The V Hand Sign

  • Nodding

    Moving the head from side to side could indicate agreement in Asia, whereas elsewhere in the world a similar shaking of the head means the opposite.

  • How to be rude without realisingSit with the soles of your shoes showing. In many cultures this sends a rude message. In Thailand, Japan and France as well as countries of the Middle and Near East showing the soles of the feet demonstrates disrespect. You are exposing the lowest and dirtiest part of your body so this is insulting.

  • How to be rude without realisingWave hand with the palm facing outward to greet someone. In Europe, waving the hand back and forth can mean No. This is also a serious insult in Nigeria if the hand is too close to another persons face.

  • True or FalseThe following expressions are universalAnger Disgust, contempt Fear Happiness Interest Sadness Surprise

  • True or FalseEye contact is a universal sign of respect and attentionStaring is always rudeLowering eyes is a sign of respect in all culturesRussians have the most control over their facial expressions and Americans the least

  • Afro-Caribbean peopleCommunication tips While in Western cultures eye contact is taken to mean honesty, in some Caribbean cultures people avoid eye contact as it is considered disrespectful and rude. Some African cultures have a longer look time, which people from Western cultures may interpret as a stare.

  • Asian people Communication tips In some Asian cultures people tend to avoid eye contact as it is considered disrespectful and rude. Some Asian women may find it difficult to converse with males, particularly when subjects of a personal nature are being discussed.

  • Chinese peopleCommunication tips Some Chinese people nod or bow slightly when greeting another person. A handshake is also acceptable. Some Chinese people do not like to be touched by people they dont know. A smile is preferred to a pat on the back or similar gesture.

  • Personal Space and British people British people like a lot of space around them.

    They tend not to make physical contact of any kind with strangers and feel very uncomfortable if anyone stands too close to them. They will instinctively draw away if anyone comes too close.

  • Personal space

    Whenever I travelled on a bus in UK the British person next to me would draw away from me as if they were afraid of catching a disease or of the colour rubbing off my skin.(Kenyan student)

  • The indirect BritishIn making polite requests, British people tend to use very indirect language, using the conditional tense and negatives.

    For instance, I dont suppose you could open the window, could you? rather than Please open the window.

  • British people never get to the point. They go around this way and that way, using twenty words where three would do. Its really hard to communicate with them. (Israeli student) `Some nationalities do not always seem very polite; `I want this or `I want that, no smiles nor a please nor a thank you. (British University Official)

  • Smiling British people smile a lot, compared to many national groups often for no particular reason.

    The British smile as a greeting, smile when asking for something, smile on receiving it.

  • I am Running Out of Time

  • I am Running Out of TimeMany times when one is getting late or wants to indicate running out of time, they tend to watch their wrist. This is despite the fact that they may or may not be wearing a watch on the wrist. This is a subconscious gesture to indicate an end of conversation or a subtle way that one should take leave. However, do not attempt this gesture in Middle Eastern countries. It is believed that once a conversation starts, it should be allowed to take its time to complete. Gesturing to end the conversation is considered a rude insult.

  • The British are so insincere. They smile even when they are not happy or pleased to see you. One woman smiled at me every time we passed each other and I thought she really liked me. So I asked her to come out and help me ,but she refused. She was leading me on and then turned me down (A male overseas student)

  • Naming systems Afro-Caribbean names The vast majority of Afro-Caribbean names conform to the traditional British pattern.

    Black Africans may adhere to one of a variety of naming structures. Generally, both men and women have up to four personal names, which may be shortened or lengthened. Here are some examples:

    Adeyemisi (female) Ade, Adeyemi, Yemi, YemisiAdeyetunde (male) Ade, Yetunde, Tunde, Adetunde

    Black African women tend to keep their own name on marriage.

  • Chinese names Traditionally, Chinese names are made up ofa family name followed by a personal name.

    Family namePersonal nameLeungLan-Ying

    Despite usually coming first, the family name should be regarded as the equivalent of the traditional British surname.

    One word of warning, though: some Chinese have changed their names so that the family name comes after their personal name. So how do you know which is which? Well, its usually pretty easy because personal names tend to be hyphenated. However, if neither of the names are hyphenated, then its always best to ask the person how they wish to be addressed.

  • Hindu names Hindu names have up to three components:

    Personal name Middle nameFamily nameRaviNathShah

    Hindu women generally take on their husbands family name when they get married. However, some Hindus have dropped their family name in rejection of the caste system. In this case, their middle name should be regarded as their surname, which may mean that married couples have different last names.

  • Muslim names (Male) Male Muslim names may have up to three components:A personal name and a religious name, in either order, possibly followed by a hereditary name.

    Personal (1st/2nd)Religious (1st/2nd)HereditaryAminAllahChoudhury

    A Muslim should never be addressed by his religious name alone it would be the equivalent of calling a Christian Christ or God

  • Muslim names (female)Female Muslim names usually have just two components:

    A personal name, followed by either a titular name or second personal name, which is the equivalent of the traditional British surname.

    PersonalTitularSecondFatimaBibiYasminJan

    This means that married Muslims often have different last names, though some women do take their husbands hereditary name upon marriage in this country.

  • Sikh names Sikh names have up to three components:A gender-neutral personal name, followed by a religious designation Singh for males, Kaur for females - which in some cases is followed by a family name.

    Personal ReligiousFamilyDavinderSinghGrewalKuldipKaurSohalMany married Sikhs may have different last names.

  • Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common. Celebrate it every day.

    Anonymous

  • Course Content

    Culture. Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory. Trompenaars' Cultural Factors. Organizational Culture. Multicultural Corporation. Multicultural Leadership. Multicultural Team Building. Multicultural Communication. Leading Multicultural Change. Cross-Cultural Presentation & Advertising. Cross-Cultural Negotiation & Disputes. International Business Meetings. Cultural Gift Giving & Dining Etiquette. Cultural Blunders and Taboos.

    Every day you waste is one you can never make up.

  • Working in a rapidly changing globalized environment, we have to deal with people who speak different languages and live by different customs and values.6/25/2010www.commlabindia.com

  • 6/25/2010As a manager, you will have to vary your managerial style to suit each individuals needs and find common ground to cope with issues across cultural boundaries.

  • 6/25/2010Some of the challenges faced are

  • 6/25/2010Cultural differences.

  • 6/25/2010Lack of proper communication. www.commlabindia.com

  • Difference of communication styles, working styles and quality of work.

  • Difference in time zones .

  • 6/25/2010Cultural differences at the work place are taking priority.

  • How do you as a manager, manage multi-cultural teams? Many successful managers use four-point strategies to tackle problems related to multicultural team management. They are:www.commlabindia.com

  • Adaptation

  • 6/25/2010Physical intervention

  • 6/25/2010Administrative involvement

  • 6/25/2010Exit www.commlabindia.com

  • Just as every person is unique, so too is every culture. It allows us to share a richness of experience if we can allow ourselves to be open to it.

  • The most commonly used methods to deal with multi-cultural teams are

  • 6/25/2010Communicate goals/objectives openly and clearly.

  • 6/25/2010Identify conflicting areas of interest and practices for each culture.

  • Coordinate cross-culture training sessions. www.commlabindia.com

  • Focus on connecting corporate strategy with brand strategy for clients.

  • 6/25/2010Recognize any progress and provide positive feedback.www.commlabindia.com

  • 6/25/2010Treat individuals as individuals.

  • Trust and Motivation.

  • 6/25/2010If your male employees are from a culture where they consider women not their equals, don't put them on a co-gender team.

  • 6/25/2010Give people a chance to participate in discussions and debates.

  • Working with a cross-cultural team is significantly challenging as the manager must develop strategies to cope not only with differences but also motivate the team to be productive and efficient.www.commlabindia.com

  • Despite the challenges, there are advantages too, such as

  • People from different cultures bring with them an array of creative and innovative experiences and ideas.

  • Multi-cultural teams have the advantage of 24-hour work rotations.

  • Offices across various geographical locations. www.commlabindia.com

  • A multi-cultural team has the potential to address various business issues.

  • Culturally, it's a good thing because neighborhoods become multicultural and we get to understand each other a little better. - Clarence Boykins

  • To read more such articles, please visit www.commlabindia.com [email protected]://blog.commlabindia.com/http://www.facebook.com/CommLabGlobalOnlineUniversityhttp://twitter.com/commlabindiaThank you

  • Course Content

    Culture. Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory. Trompenaars' Cultural Factors. Organizational Culture. Multicultural Corporation. Multicultural Leadership. Multicultural Team Building. Multicultural Communication. Leading Multicultural Change. Cross-Cultural Presentation & Advertising. Cross-Cultural Negotiation & Disputes. International Business Meetings. Cultural Gift Giving & Dining Etiquette. Cultural Blunders and Taboos.

    Every day you waste is one you can never make up.

  • The manager who knows only his or her own country is doomed to become obsolete. Most organizations can no longer afford to employ culturally myopic managers. - Philip R. Harris & Robert Moran, Managing Cultural Differences.

  • CultureCulture: the sum total of the beliefs, rules, techniques, institutions and artifacts that characterize human populations or the collective programming of the mind.

    It is a system of communications that makes a human society possible and that incorporates the biological and technological behavior of human beings with their verbal and nonverbal system of experiencing behavior

  • The meaning of culture is the means to establishing modes of conduct, standards of performance, and ways of dealing with interpersonal and environmental relations that will reduce uncertainty and increase predictability, and thereby, promote individual and growth among members of societyCulture gives countries, corporations and individuals an anchoring point, an identity, as well as codes of conduct to do business.

    Culture

  • FUNCTIONS OF CULTURE Culture enables us to communicate with others through a language that we have in common.

    2. Culture makes it possible to anticipate how others in society are likely to respond to actions.

    3. Culture provides the knowledge and skills necessary for meeting sustenance needs.

    4. Culture helps us to identify with others of similar background.

  • One of the biggest problems in business is ethnocentrism, which is the belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group, overriding concern with race.

    These groups tend to take for granted their own values. U.S. cultural characteristics (individualism, informality, materialism, change, and time orientation) for example, differentiate us from other cultures.

  • Elements of culture

  • LanguageLanguage is critical to culture because it is the primary means used to transmit information and ideas.Knowledge of local language can:permit a clearer understanding of a situation;provide access to local people;allows the person to pick up nuances, implied meanings, and other information that is not stated outright.

  • ReligionReligions influence lifestyles, beliefs, values and attitudes and can have a dramatic effect on the way people in a society act toward each other and towards those in other societies.Religion also influences:the work habits of people;the work and social customs (from the days of the week on which people work to their dietary habits);politics and business.

  • Values: Attitude:Customs manners

  • Corporate cultureCorporate culture is a term used to characterize, how the managers and employees of particular companies tend to behave.Corporate culture is also used by human resource managers and senior management in their attempts to proactively shape the kind of behaviour (innovative, open, dynamic, etc.) they hope to nurture in their organizations. Promoting a distinctive corporate culture is also expected to enhance the sense of community and shared identity that underpins effective organizations.

  • Geert Hofstedes four cultural dimensionsPower distance: measures the degree to which less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept the fact that power is not distributed equally.Uncertainty avoidance: measures the extent to which people feel threatened by ambiguous situations and have created institutions and beliefs for minimizing or avoiding those uncertainties.

  • Individualism vs. collectivismIndividualism: the tendency of people to look after themselves and their immediate family only. Collectivism: the tendency of people to belong to groups who look after each other in exchange for loyalty.Geert Hofstedes four cultural dimensions (Continued)

  • Masculinity vs. femininityMasculinity: the degree to which the dominant values of a society are success, money and material goods.Femininity: the degree to which the dominant values of a society are caring for others and the quality of life.Geert Hofstedes four cultural dimensions (Continued)

  • Figure 5.2 Hofstedes power distance against individualism for 20 countriesSource: Hofstede, G. (1983). The cultural relativity of organizational practices and theories, Journal of International Business Studies, Fall, p. 92. Copyright Geert Hofstede

  • Fons Trompenaars sevencultural dimensions 1. Universalism vs. particularismUniversalism: the belief that ideas and practices can be applied everywhere in the world without modification.Particularism: the belief that circumstances dictate how ideas and practices should be applied and somethings cannot be done the same everywhere.

  • 2. Individualism vs. collectivism: centres on whether individual rights and values are dominant or subordinate to those of the collective society. 3. Neutral culture vs. emotional culture:Neutral culture: A culture in which emotions are held in check.Emotional culture: A culture in which emotions are expressed openly and naturally.Fons Trompenaars seven cultural dimensions (Continued)

  • 4. Specific vs. Diffuse: measures whether work relationships (e.g. the hierarchical relationship between a senior manager and a subordinate) are workplace specific or extend (diffuse) into the social context outside the workplace.5. Achievement vs. Ascription: measures whether ones status within organizations is based on merit (achieved) or on class, gender, education or age (ascribed).Fons Trompenaars seven cultural dimensions (Continued)

  • 6. Attitudes toward time Sequential: cultures that view time in a sequential or linear fashion; order comes from separating activities and commitments.Synchronic: cultures that view events in parallel over time; order comes from coordinating multiple activities and commitments.Fons Trompenaars seven cultural dimensions (Continued)

  • 7. Attitudes toward the environment: measures the emphasis, a particular culture places on peoples relationship with nature and the natural environment.Fons Trompenaars seven cultural dimensions (Continued)

  • The GLOBE projects ninedimensions of culture1. Assertiveness. 2.Future orientation: A propensity for planning, investing, and delayed gratification.3.Gender differentiation: The degree to which gender role differences are maximized.4.Uncertainty avoidance: A reliance on societal norms and procedures to improve predictability, a preference for order, structure and formality.5.Power distance.

  • Institutional collectivism: individualism vs. collectivism. In-group/family collectivism: A pride in small-group membership, family, close friends etc.8.Performance orientation: (much like achievement orientation). 9.Humane orientation: An emphasis on fairness, altruism and generosity.The GLOBE projects nine dimensions of culture (Continued)

  • Cross-cultural management

  • Figure 5.4 Management dimensions of culture

  • Useful strategies for managing cultural diversitySome useful strategies for managing cultural diversity Recognize diversity.Build diversity issues into recruitment, HRM planning, strategy, location decisions, alliances and partnerships. Identify where and to what degree local divisions should be encouraged or empowered to take the lead in expressing and managing diversity. Encourage cross-border discussion and interaction as well as focused training. Aim for a cultural balance in particular areas of strategic and tactical decision-making.Lead from the top.

  • Multinational organizational structures: imperialist or independent?Ethnocentric: top management is dominated by home-country nationals and procedures and management styles are transferred from head office and imposed on regional subsidiaries in place of local ways of doing things.Polycentric: firms tend to act like a federation of semi-autonomous organizations with financial controls or strict reporting structures holding them together. Geocentric: An equal sharing of power and responsibility between headquarters and subsidiary.

  • Trade Culture Dimensions Professor Trompenaars has studied how people in specific countries resolve dilemmas. After analyzing problem resolution behaviors, Dr. Trompenaars has identified 7 basic dimensions for culture. International trade consultants and lawyers consider these cultural dimensions when designing sales strategies where buyers and sellers originate from different cultures. This is particularly true for emerging markets unaccustomed to dealing with businesspersons from so-called more developed countries.

  • Achievement vs. Ascription In an achievement culture, people are accorded status based on how well they perform their functions. High achievers are given status in achievement-oriented countries including Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Achievers must continue to prove their worth, as status is accorded based on their actions. In an ascription culture, status is attributed based on who or what a person is. This is based on age, gender and social connections.

  • Individualism vs. Communitarianism

    People make their own decisions and achieve success alone in highly individualistic countries including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and France. Emphasis is on personal responsibility and decision-making, and negotiations are made on the spot. Communitarianism is a culture like Japan that places the community before the individual. Success is achieved in groups, decisions are referred to committees and groups jointly assume responsibilities.

  • Internal vs. External

    In an internalistic culture like the United States, people believe that what happens to them is their own doing. Many Asian countries have an external culture in which the environment shapes their destiny. Because they dont believe they are in full control of their destinies, often externalistic people adapt to external circumstances.

  • Neutral vs. Emotional

    In neutral cultures like Japan and the United Kingdom, emotions are held in check. People dont show their feelings.

    In an emotional culture, feelings are expressed naturally and openly. People smile a great deal, talk loudly when excited and greet each other with enthusiasm. Mexico, Netherlands and Switzerland are high-emotion countries.

  • Specific vs. Diffuse

    In what is called a specific culture, individuals are open to sharing a large public space with others and a small private space they guard closely and share with only friends and associates. Specific cultures like Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States show a strong separation between work and private life. Invitations to public spaces are common.

    A diffuse culture features similarly sized public and private spaces. Like most introverts, diffuse culture people guard both spaces carefully, because entry into public space also affords entry into private space. China, Spain and Venezuela are examples of diffuse cultures where work and private life are closely linked but intensely protected.

  • Time Orientation

    In sequential cultures like the United States, people tend to do one activity at a time. Appointments are strictly kept, with a strong preference for following plans. In synchronous cultures like France and Mexico, people usually do more than one activity at a time. Appointments are approximate, subject to change at any moment.

  • Universalism vs. Particularism Universalistic countries focus more on formal rules than relationships. Nations characterized by high universalism believe that their ideas and practices can be applied worldwide without modification. Australia, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom are universalistic countries. America is also highly universalistic, which explains why U.S. multinationals repeatedly ignore relationships in a foreign culture. For example, Starbucks unsuccessfully launched its coffee shop in Chinas Forbidden City while Germans rejected Wal-Marts standard big box stores.

  • Particularistic countries place more emphasis on relationships than rules. Countries that practice high particularism include China, Indonesia and Venezuela. Particularistic peoples believe that circumstances dictate how ideas and practices are applied. Therefore, ideas and practices cannot be applied the same everywhere.

  • Organizational Culture Organizational culture is defined as A pattern of shared basic assumptions invented, discovered, or developed by a given group as it learns to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration that have worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think and feel in relation to those problems

  • It has also been defined as "the specific collection of values and norms that are shared by people and groups in an organization and that control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside the organization."

    organizational culture is a set of shared mental assumptions that guide interpretation and action in organizations by defining appropriate behavior for various situations.

  • Several methods have been used to classify organizational culture. While there is no single type of organizational culture and organizational cultures vary widely from one organization to the next, commonalities do exist and some researchers have developed models to describe different organizational cultures. Two are described below:

  • Hofstede identified four dimensions of culture in his study of national influences: Power distance - The degree to which a society expects there to be differences in the levels of powerUncertainty avoidance reflects the extent to which a society accepts uncertainty and risk. Individualism vs. collectivism Masculinity vs. femininity

  • Robert A. Cooke Constructive Cultures, in which members are encouraged to interact with people and approach tasks in ways that help them meet their higher-order satisfaction needs.

    2) Passive/Defensive Cultures, in which members believe they must interact with people in ways that will not threaten their own security.

    3) Aggressive/Defensive Cultures, in which members are expected to approach tasks in forceful ways to protect their status and security.

  • Multinational Corporation

    A multi national corporation (MNC) or enterprise (MNE), is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has defined an MNC as a corporation that has its management headquarters in one country, known as the home country, and operates in several other countries, known as host countries.

  • Seven Methods of managing across cultures 1) Hierarchy: "This refers to the way people view how much they defer to people in authority, whether they feel entitled to express themselves and how empowered they feel to take the initiative on matters before them. For example, Canada believes in egalitarianism, while nations like India, Japan, China, Germany, Mexico are highly hierarchical." 2) Group focus: This refers to whether people consider that accomplishment and responsibility are achieved through individual or group effort, and whether they tend to identify themselves as individuals or members of a group. Canadians are individualists while Brazilians, Chinese, Mexicans and Japanese are group- focused.

  • 3) Relationships: This is about whether trust and relationships are viewed as a prerequisite for working with someone. Canadians focus primarily on the transaction, rushing to deal, while the Chinese, Italians, and Spaniards, for example, focus on nurturing relationships first.

    4) Communication styles: This covers matters like verbal and non-verbal expression, how directly or indirectly people speak, and whether brevity or detail is valued in communication. Israel, Denmark, Germany and Sweden use a direct style, while indirect communication styles are the norm in China, United Arab Emirates, and Japan

  • 5) Time orientation: This refers to the degree to which people believe adhere to schedules. United States, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland follow schedules while countries like Saudi Arabia, Spain, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates are unconcerned about schedules and deadlines.

    6) Change tolerance: How people are comfortable with change, risk-taking and innovation. Along with Australians, Canadians are the most tolerant of change, while Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Mexico and Russia are change-averse.

  • 7) Motivation: work/life balance: This characteristic examines whether people work to live or live to work. Canadians are driven by work and the status it provides - although not as much as people in China, Japan, and the U.S. - while in Norway, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, India and Mexico, family-work balance is treasured.

  • Leadership Across Cultures The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people. Woodrow Wilson

    Todays leaders need to be adept at leading and managing people of different cultures; they need to listen to the voices of the people as well as understand what those voices may actually be telling them. This in essence is the crux of the challenge; when people perceive the world, communicate and view their leaders in different ways, the leaders ears may be ringing with misunderstood messages. The leader will come across cultural issues in many different guises. By way of illustrating the challenges of cross-cultural leadership and for the sake of brevity this article will examine two interdependent issues: the role of a leader and communication.

  • The Leader

    When thinking through the role of a leader one can not escape the concept of hierarchy. Based on academic paradigms we can generalize that all cultures fall somewhere on a scale of hierarchical vs. egalitarian. Where a culture falls will impact their perception of a leader, their role and how they deem it appropriate to interact with them.

  • Egalitarian cultures:

    Prefer self-direction with minimal guidance from above Like flexibility in their roles and others Reserve the right to challenge authority Make expectations, interpret rules and use common sense Treat sexes equally

    Hierarchical cultures:

    Take and expect clear guidance from superiors Like clearly defined roles with boundaries and limitations Respect and rarely challenge those in power Enforce regulations and guidelines See sexes as naturally different

  • CommunicationThis relates to the manner in which people communicate and interact with one another. We can scale cultures according to their willingness to be direct or indirect in the manner in which they communicate. Those in the direct camp (Germans, Americans, Scandinavians) tell it how it is and are not overly concerned with sentiment. Why say anything else but the truth? Those in the indirect camp (Arab, Indian, British) would find such a style rude and inconsiderate as it puts people in embarrassing situations. The latter is concerned with face, honor and harmony in personal relationships.

  • Direct cultures:

    Are less concerned with how something is said but rather what is said Openly confront difficult issues Do not leave things to interpretation Do not rely on non-verbal cues Indirect cultures:

    Focus on what is said and also how it is relayed Avoid open confrontation Express difficult issues with diplomacy and tact Count on the listener to interpret meaning

  • Multicultural Team Management & Leadership Multicultural teams have become very common in recent years. With cross border mobility becoming much easier the number of people moving from one country to another has grown significantly. This has also led to more people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds intermarrying. Their children could be born and grow up in different countries and have hybrid cultural identities. Globalization and the advances in communication and transportation technology have reduced trade barriers and increased interaction among people

  • The skills needed for managing with people from diverse backgrounds at work or outside the workplace can be very different because in the workplace we are in our work roles and there are many external constraints to our behavior. Many people actually spend more time awake with their colleagues than with their spouse and children. So any problems arising in this area will definitely spill over onto the private life.

  • Looking carefully into the factors that affect multicultural team leadership or management, we can identify five factors that operate at team levels:

    1. National culture 2. Corporate culture of the organization 3. Nature of the industry or functional culture (coal mine, marketing, accounting) 4. Stage of team development 5. Personal attributes

  • Intellectual Leader Present day business requires working and dealing with people of different cultures. It is so whether the companys dealings are in international level or national level.

    Culture shapes the behavior of individuals. The leaders of the company are expected to be skilled in handling people of different cultures. They should grab the core of each culture as early as possible.

    Effective intercultural leadership is a long route but not tough. It will give rise to greater flexibility and creativity. Working across cultures has become a way of life at present. And intercultural communication is a challenge. Learning the culture, communication style and behavior of others will make the people of different culture closer.

    Reading of books of established academicians like Geert Hofstede, Fons Trompenaars, David Hall etc. will go a long way in dealing with ins and outs of culture.

  • Ten Tips of Intellectual Leader Study cultures from people around you. You can take the help from websites. 2. Respect the other culture. Observe individuals of other cultures. That will pave way for close relationship with the members of that culture. 3. Get trained by intercultural specialists. You will then realize what effects the culture has on you. 4. Participate in events that will expose you to different culture. Watch how people communicate with each other. 5. Humor is an international term. There is none in the world who does not like humor. So induce some humor when dealing with them. But ensure that your joke is mistaken for an insult.

  • 6. Watch your own communication style. Make necessary corrections where necessary and do your best to improve. Thereby set an example for others. Make a note as to how good you are at communication, how clean and clear are your words. 7. Be prepared for uncertainty. It is bound to be there while dealing in business across different cultures. You cannot expect concrete answers and exactly at the time you want. 8. Wait patiently. You will have to allow for some time for the knowledge to come. Working in an intercultural environment may be tiresome. Things may not as easy and fast as you wish. Patience can be considered to be the need of the hour. 9. Watch your progress. Make necessary corrections and adjustments where required. 10. Be ready to apologize for your mistakes. That will only take you closer to the People and you will be appreciated. Take help when necessary. Clear your doubts.

  • Cross Cultural Communication The financial breakdown occurring in the modern day world has led to a large block to the cross cultural business communication bringing down the business levels in joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions. Deficiency in cross cultural training and lack of communication languages results in investment shortage leading to poor internal unity. The outcome of restricted cross cultural communication leads to a number of problems such as loss of influential and prospective clients/customers, unmanageable staff maintenance, downfall in the competitive field, internal misunderstandings/ power struggles, unhealthy working conditions, stress and tension, low outsource along with poor income and shortage of cooperation and understanding.

  • The hurdles that exist in the path of cross cultural communication can be outlined as follows:

    Communication deficit:

    Language:

    Inappropriate language usage:

    Foreign languages:

    Culture:

    Company culture:

  • Cross-Cultural Leadership: How to Build Mutual Trust?For leaders of todays and tomorrows businesses the ability to connect people and build successful teams in cross-cultural environments is a crucial competency. Many companies operate in globalized markets and leadership has to deal with cross-cultural differences. How do modern leaders create effective collaboration between members from different cultures? How do they build trust in each other? How do they install a sense of belonging together within the company?

    Understanding how to create people alignment is crucial for todays leaders. People alignment is more than just aligning functions and tasks. The essence of people alignment is creating a sense of relatedness. A sense of relatedness builds mutual trust between people. People that sometimes literally come from different worlds. This requires not just an operational focus, but also a mental focus.

  • Successful leaders understand the importance of creating cross-cultural understanding and trust in their company. They understand their behavior individually and as leadership team sets an example for others. They understand it is part of their role to show how they build successful cross-cultural relationships themselves. They understand they probably have to go outside their comfort zone for it, and they show courage by doing it. Leaders who are successful in creating cross-cultural alignment show a specific set of behaviors, that is fueling mutual trust:

    Actively build cross-cultural relationships themselves

    Get outside their comfort zones

    Embrace diversity and explore its potential

    Act themselves towards relatedness

    Persistence

  • Helping Global Teams Compete In global organizations, every team intervention - from measuring team performance to team development training to other consulting initiatives - needs to consider the dynamics of global teams. The definition of "good team member" varies from country to country. The concept of "effective leadership" may also differ. As a result, global teams sometimes find themselves reconfiguring into national collections of sub-teams - that is, a Japanese sub team, an American sub team, a French sub-team, and so forth - that may misunderstand each other's expectations and approaches.

  • Cultural values

    Cultural and language differences

    Miscellaneous interferences

    Why use measurement?

    Outside intervention

    Combining team training and leadership development

  • Cross Cultural Communication Languages Communication is an exchange of thoughts that take place between any two people or among larger number of people. Every person has a right to think, act and speak freely their own thoughts.However for the purpose of expanding ones limited information exchange of ideas, debuts, discussions all help a person only by means of communication with a mixture of people. The term cross cultural communication refers to the communication that takes place between people of diverse cultures situated in the different parts of this whole wide world. Cultural differences exist due to a large number of reasons such as nationality, language, belief, borders, behavior and diverse cultures. For a harmonious existence of humans in this world, healthy cross cultural communication must be present so that mutual respect, love and understanding prevails among all populations and generations

  • Diverse language knowledge, foreign travel, etc. are needed for getting prepared for cross cultural communication. A few guidelines that can be kept in mind for boosting communication skills have been listed below.

    Listening skills:

    Speaking skills:

    Patience:

    Flexibility:

    Observation:

    Keeping in mind these five points cross cultural communication and bonds can be strengthened to higher levels of success.

  • Ten Tips for Cross Cultural Communication Be lucidOne at a time Evade off-putting queries Take turns Note down Be compassionate Verify gist Shun jargon Stare at the humor Maintain etiquette

  • Hurdles to Cross Cultural Business Communication International businesses are facing new challenges to their internal communication structures due to major reforms brought about through internationalization, downsizing, mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.

    Lack of investment in cross cultural training and language tuition often leads to deficient internal cohesion. The loss of clients/customers, poor staff retention, lack of competitive edge, internal conflicts/power struggles, poor working relations, misunderstandings, stress, poor productivity and lack of co-operation are all by-products of poor cross cultural communication.

  • obstacles to cross cultural co-operation: Lack of Communication

    Language

    Culture

    Company Culture

  • Six Stepladder for Intercultural Communication The world that we live in is defined as an extremely complex one because it is mixed with a wide variety of cultures, faiths and languages. For the success of the business world one of the inevitable part is the intercultural communications.

    Effective communication between the team members of a particular team from different cultural backgrounds ensures its work melodiously.

    The following six steps are the basic batons which all teams should be aware about to ensure rather than a barrier culture becomes a guide for affirmative progression

  • Break assumptions Empathize Involve Discourage herd mentality Avoid numb behaviorsBe shrewd

  • Intercultural Communication Tips Working across cultures is a new experience for many people. Intercultural communication can be a dynamic and creative affair but occasionally due to the inability to interpret people correctly it can be a challenge. Building an understanding of other people's cultures, their communication styles and behaviors can go a long way in improving relationships and being more successful in an intercultural environment.

    Even without trawling through lots of books, articles or even taking part in an intercultural communication workshop it is possible to implement some basic principles to help improve one's intercultural communication skills. The following intercultural communication tips are provided to help people working in international and multicultural environments get some basic insight into dealing more effectively with people and not letting culture become an issue

  • Be Patient: Establish Rules: Ask Questions: Respect:The Written Word: Time:Humor:Always Check: Be Positive: Self-Reflect:

  • Leading Change: What does Change Mean to You? The other day I heard a senior leader say: More than ever we live in times of change. Our organization will have to face the fact that what was will disappear. We will have to adjust and reinvent ourselves or we will be pushed aside and others will take our place. True, we live in times of change. But, do we face more change than ever before? Is that true? Many of us like to believe that. Yes, Globalization, rising of the BRIC countries and other emerging economies, technological innovation, social media, to name a few, they all have a strong impact on organizations and societies. And yes, companies are facing a lot of changes. And yes, these changes can cause uncertainty, and temporary chaos and disruption. But is it actually worse than ever before?

  • Why then do leaders experience difficulties in leading change? Why do leaders perceive the changes of today as more complex compared to before? A big part of the answer can be found in the fact that the technological evolution in the world shows an exponential growth. During our grand parents lives there was a great technical evolution, during our lives even more, and in our childrens lives this evolution curve will still grow steeper. The impact of this technological progress, its consequences and its possibilities are huge. The speed of change has increased and the time for companies, leaders and employees to respond and adjust to it seems to be shorter and shorter.

  • Lets put it in more black and white terms: you find two kinds of leaders, those who lead change as a continuous learning experience versus those who do not yet. And their mental models are reflected in the successes their people achieve. A difference between two kinds of leaders: Those who see change as being continuous versus those who see it as a one-off assignment Those who see their success as something temporary versus those who are fighting to keep it Those who believe everything is possible versus those who believe their future depends on the past Those who let change evolve versus those who hide in procedures to keep everybody between the lines Those who see live as non-stop learning experience versus those who believe they have reached their destination and dont want to move anymore Those who keep their teams alert for change versus those who let their teams nod off Those who see resistance to change as fuel for dialogue, improvement and insight versus those who regard it as disturbing and annoying Those who radiate energy and personal motivation versus those who show fatigue and negative emotions Those who believe they can gain something versus those who believe they will lose something

  • Leading Change: How Great Leaders Deal with Criticism We live in times of change. Shifting powers between West and East, technological evolutions, emerging countries and changing economic landscapes, financial systems that are under severe pressure, new innovative companies that change market places. As I described in an earlier post these times demand from leaders to be able to deal with exponential change. Also interesting to read is John Kotters recent article in Forbes Can you handle an exponential rate of change? As part of my work I am especially interested to observe how leaders nowadays behave, communicate, make decisions, inspire and motivate others under these circumstances. A variety of successful and less successful behaviors can be witnessed. Several qualities distinguish the great leaders from the not so great leaders, but there is one specific quality that is often overlooked or underestimated, and that is how great leaders deal with criticism.

  • Todays leaders are dealing with an exponential change rate, and with information and communication channels that are easier accessible, faster and more widespread than ever before. Leaders are exposed to external influences and pressures that are less predictable and more quickly come and go. Leading change requires leaders to cope with this higher level of complexity. It also means that they, as part of their job, will almost inevitably face criticism in many occasions. Great leaders are aware of this and deal with criticism constructively. They see it as a normal part of their role and they approach it with an open mind. They have a fundamental and positive impact on the change, precisely because they deal with criticism effectively.

    Look around you and you see numerous examples of leaders dealing with criticism. Maybe yourself are facing criticism. Observe closely how great leaders show some specific leadership traits when dealing with criticism. I made a list of 6 specific traits that stick out:

  • Dont take it personallyUse criticism as fuel for improvement Make complexity understandable to others Communicate clear values Admit your mistakes Engage critics and keep them informed

    Great leaders dont push away critics, they pull them aboard.

  • Cross Cultural Presentation Understanding intercultural differences is decisive in ensuring successful interpersonal communication. Intercultural awareness goes a long way in eliminating misunderstandings caused by intercultural differences. Resultantly it improves business potential. Intercultural awareness is inevitable in business presentation. Business personnel, who have to deliver presentations regularly to an audience from a different culture, have to consider the following factors for successful presentation which will ultimately have a bearing on their business

  • Language:

    Body Language:

    Time:

    Emotions:

    Style of Presentation:

    Use of Technology:

    Content:

    Audience Participation:

  • Cross Cultural Advertising

  • Cross Cultural Advertising

    Cross cultural communication helps in bringing the people of different cultures closer and to understand each others culture. Cross cultural solutions are applied in Human Relations, foreign trade etc. Cross cultural advertising requires Cross cultural communication solutions. The aim of advertising is to make the customer know how good a product is for the society. However before starting a campaign in another country, it is a must to know the culture of that country in detail.

  • Language:

    Communication Style:

    Cultural Values:

  • Cross Cultural Negotiation Cross cultural negotiation is one of many specialized areas within the wider field of cross cultural communications. By taking cross cultural negotiation training, negotiators and sales personnel give themselves an advantage over competitors. There is an argument that proposes that culture is inconsequential to cross cultural negotiation. It maintains that as long as a proposal is financially attractive it will succeed. However, this is a nave way of approaching international business. Let us look at a brief example of how cross cultural negotiation training can benefit the international business person: There are two negotiators dealing with the same potential client in the Middle East. Both have identical proposals and packages. One ignores the importance of cross cultural negotiation training believing the proposal will speak for itself. The other undertakes some cross cultural training. He/she learns about the culture, values, beliefs, etiquette and approaches to business, meetings and negotiations. Nine times out of ten the latter will succeed over the rival. This is because 1) it is likely they would have endeared themselves more to the host negotiation team and 2) they would be able to tailor their approach to the negotiations in a way that maximises the potential of a positive outcome.

  • Eye Contact:

    Personal Space & Touch:

    Time:

    Gift-Giving:

    Meeting & Greeting:

  • Techniques for Resolving Cross-Cultural Disputes From a business perspective it's valuable to have a workforce that is representative of the communities in which you do business. If you are a local business, and do most of your sales to a homogeneous client base, the need for cross-cultural representation in the workforce may be less than if you are a large international/ interstate company that sells its products across cultural lines. Though this may be true, it is important to understand the benefits of cultural representation.

    The value of cross-cultural representation in your workforce is that it adds to your ability to understand the product and marketing needs of your potential customers. Just like Mel Gibson in What Women Want, it is very difficult for those outside a gender, or cultural group, to know the needs of others.

    Though it is always dangerous to generalize when discussing specifics, it is important to understand the potential for disputes to arise in our multi-cultural work environment. These disputes may involve the ordinary disputes that we as humans get ourselves into, and they may include those that are based on ignorance and a lack of understanding of other people.

  • Techniques

    Don't assume all disputes that involve people of different cultures, have a cultural component. 2. Provide a thorough explanation of the dispute resolution process. Never assume that what you are saying is being understood. 3. If feasible, draft documents in the language of all parties. 4. Provide for, or allow for, the use of interpreters. 5. Respect the other person's point of view.

  • 6. Ask for frequent expansion on points that you are unfamiliar with, especially if they relate to cultural issues. 7. Investigate the cultural norms of the people that are involved in the dispute. It could be a matter of misunderstanding. This is also useful for validating cultural claims. 8. Confront cultural discrimination in the workplace and show no tolerance for it. 9. Highlight the presence of the various cultures at your work and foster understanding through cultural events. Tolerance is built on understanding. 10. Recognize and investigate the cultural differences in the use of body language, emotions and problem solving.

  • 11. Create opportunities for the parties to validate the concerns of each other. This includes the recognition and constructive expression of differences. Likewise, cultural similarities should be creatively sought out and highlighted. 12. Educate those from other cultures on the values and norms of our society, so as to diminish the potential for culture clash. 13. Be patient, flexible and willing to learn. 14. Be creative in fashioning solutions. Think out of the box and encourage input on how things are done "over there".

  • Effective Multi-Cultural International Business Meetings Of the many areas in international business where cultural differences manifest is in the corporate meeting room. International meetings are an area where differences in cultural values, etiquette, interpretations of professional conduct and corporate rules are at their most visible and challenging to control.

    In international business meetings, cultural differences between professionals can and do clash. Although it cannot always be avoided, the negative effects of cultural differences can be minimized with careful and effective planning, organization and consideration prior to meetings.

    Culture influences what we do, say, think and believe. Culture is different in different countries and contexts. In the context of international business it affects how people approach, perceive and contribute towards meetings. A few examples include

  • Time Hierarchy The Purpose of Meetings Meeting Etiquette and Mannerisms Expectations of Meetings Take a Relaxed Approach to Meetings Group Sizes in Meetings

  • Multi-Cultural Meetings

    A major mistake made when dealing with diverse cultures in one meeting room is to suggest that those of similar backgrounds work, group or be seated together. Rather than allow for greater fluency in the meeting this will have the opposite affect. Once cosy in their cultural groups, participants will slip into their cultural patterns. It is vital you mix up your meeting. The additional benefit to this approach is that it allows for cross cultural interpersonal relationships to develop, strengthening staff bonds.

  • International Business Doing business around the world has been streamlined with telephone calls, e-mails and video conferences. But the importance of a personal meeting with associates and clients will never be replaced by modern technology. At times the meeting will be between, or among, trusted colleagues who have done business together for years. At other times, a first meeting will be taking place with the hope of establishing a beneficial and rewarding relationship. When a meeting is scheduled with people from other cultures, its wise to be cognizant of that cultures protocol. To establish a professional tone for the meeting and make a good first impression, become familiar with the standard greeting for the country, or the cultural group within the country, you will be meeting.

  • The handshake is used as a greeting throughout the world. In western countries its the standard, and in other countries it has replaced the more traditional greeting. For countries that may use the handshake, in addition to a traditional greeting, it is nice to know both. Then, when greeting the other person, pause and wait for a clue as to which greeting you should use.

    Men are safe in extending a hand to another man. However, the rules may change when a man greets a woman; or a woman greets a man, or even another woman. Following are several tips that will simplify the greeting and give you some helpful information.

  • Germany and the United States have firm handshakes, with the German being very brief and the US being about three to four seconds France, Guatemala, and Japan have more limp handshakes Singapore has a longer handshake (10+ seconds)

    Women should be the first to offer a hand for a handshake in New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, or Taiwan In South Korea, more respect is shown by cupping your left hand under your right forearm, as if supporting your right forearm during the hand shake A traditional bow may be used in China, Hong Kong, or Japan Traditional greeting in India is namaste -place the hands in a praying position, palms together with the fingers just beneath the chin, bow and say namaste Traditional greeting in Thailand places the hands, palms together, in front of the chin, bow the head to touch the top of the fingers, and say Sawasdee - the word that means Good Luck Women may greet other women by patting the right forearm or shoulder in Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, or Panama Countries with Hindu and Muslim religions forbid public contact between men and women. When in these countries, follow your hosts cue to determine if religious tradition will be followed. Women should wait for a man to offer his hand first in a Hindu or Muslim country, If a western handshake is going to be used

  • Cross Cultural Gift Giving Etiquette Within the interdependent, global and multi-cultural marketplace of the 21st century, cross cultural differences in the approaches to and practices of business people across the world are important to learn. A lack of cross cultural understanding can lead to misunderstandings which may result in offense. Cross cultural awareness and an understanding of foreign etiquette is important for today's globe-trotting business person. One area of importance in cross cultural awareness is in the different gift giving etiquettes of the world. Understanding gift giving and the etiquette surrounding it can help international business people cement better relationships with foreign colleagues, clients or customers.

  • Cross cultural gift giving etiquette involves considering the following points: Who is receiving the gift? Is it a person or a group? What is the status of the receiver(s)? What types of gifts are acceptable or unacceptable? What is the protocol associated with gift giving and receiving? Should gifts be reciprocated?

  • Gift Giving Etiquette in China

    It is the proper etiquette for gifts to be exchanged for celebrations, as thanks for assistance and even as a sweetener for future favours. It is however important not to give gifts in the absence of a good reason or a witness. When the Chinese want to buy gifts it is not uncommon for them to ask what you would like. It would be wise to demonstrate an appreciation of Chinese culture by asking for items such as ink paintings or tea. Business gifts are always reciprocated. Not to do so is bad etiquette. When giving gifts do not give cash. Do not be too frugal with your choice of gift otherwise you will be seen as an 'iron rooster', i.e. getting a good gift out of you is like getting a feather out of an iron rooster. Depending on the item, avoid giving one of something. Chinese philosophy stresses harmony and balance, so give in pairs.

  • Gift Giving Etiquette in Japan

    Gift-giving is a central part of Japanese business etiquette. Bring a range of gifts for your trip so if you are presented with a gift you will be able to reciprocate. The emphasis in Japanese business culture is on the act of gift-giving not the gift itself. Expensive gifts are common. The best time to present a gift is at the end of your visit. A gift for an individual should be given in private. If you are presenting a gift to a group of people have them all present. The correct etiquette is to present/receive gifts with both hands. Before accepting a gift it is polite to refuse at least once or twice before accepting. Giving four or nine of anything is considered unlucky. Give in pairs if possible.

  • Gift Giving Etiquette in Saudi Arabia Gifts should only be given to the most intimate of friends. Gifts should be of the highest quality. Never buy gold or silk as a present for men. Silver is acceptable. Always give/receive gifts with the right hand. Saudis enjoy wearing scent - itr. The most popular is oud which can cost as much as 1000 an ounce. It is not bad etiquette to open gifts when received.

  • Cross Cultural Dining Etiquette A lack of cross cultural awareness can result in misinterpretations which may cause offense. Such outcomes may end in your reputation being tarnished and your business objectives impacted. Cross cultural understanding and appreciation of foreign etiquette is important for today's globe trotting business person to avoid such negative repercussions. One area of importance in cross cultural awareness is the different dining etiquettes of the world. Understanding dining etiquette can help international business people polish their conduct and behavior while dining or entertaining.

  • Cross cultural dining etiquette involves considering the following points: Seating - is there a protocol as to who sits where? Should one wait to be seated? Is it acceptable etiquette for men/women to sit next to one another? Eating - what utensils, if any, are used? Is it a knife and fork, hands or chopsticks? Is there any etiquette around using them? Body language - how should one sit? Is it bad etiquette to rest elbows on the table? If seated on the floor what is the correct position? Conversation - is the meal the proper place to engage in conversation? If so, is discussing business appropriate? The food - what foods are common to eat? Is it good etiquette to compliment the cook and how? Does one finish everything on the plate? Is it polite to ask for more. Home/restaurant - what differences in etiquette or protocol would there be? Does one take a gift to the home? Who pays the bill at a restaurant?

  • Dining Etiquette in Germany:

    It is good etiquette to remain standing until shown where to sit. Table manners are continental - fork in left hand and knife in right. Do not begin eating until the host signals to do so. It is bad etiquette to rest elbows on the table. Try and cut food with the fork as it compliments the cook by showing it is tender. Everything should be eaten on the plate. Indicate you have finished by lying the fork and knife parallel across the right hand side of the plate.

  • Dining Etiquette in Japan:

    An honored guest sits at the centre of the table furthest from the door and begins eating first.

    Learn to use chopsticks - never point them, never pierce food with them, rest them on the chopstick rest when breaking for drink or chat. It is good etiquette to try a bit of everything. Conversation is subdued.

  • Dining Etiquette in Turkey:

    Meals are a social affair. Conversations are animate and loud. The head of the family or honored guest is served first. It is good etiquette to insist the most senior is served first instead of you. Asking for more food is a compliment. If taken to a restaurant, Turkish dining etiquette has strict rules that the one who extended the invitation must pay.

  • Dining Etiquette in the USA: The fork is held in the right hand and is used for eating. To use the knife, the fork is switched to the left hand. To continue eating, the fork is switched back to the right hand. If you are more comfortable eating in the Continental manner it will not offend anyone. Foods or drinks can be refused without causing offense. Many foods are eaten by hand. Dining Etiquette in the Middle East: Guests are honored with prime choice of meats - head, eyes, etc. Eaten with right hand only. Meat is torn by holding down the piece against the dish and ripping off a desired amount with forefinger and thumb pressed together Rice is scooped up. Do not be afraid of making a mess. If you are finished leave food on your plate otherwise it will be filled immediately. It is proper etiquette to compliment the host on the food and his hospitality.

  • Cross Cultural Business Blunders

    American Motors tried to market its new car, the Matador, based on the image of courage and strength. However, in Puerto Rico the name means "killer" and was not popular on the hazardous roads in the country. Leona Helmsley should have done her homework before she approved a promotion that compared her Helmsley Palace Hotel in New York as comparable to the Taj Mahal--a mausoleum in India. When Pepsico advertised Pepsi in Taiwan with the ad "Come Alive With Pepsi" they had no idea that it would be translated into Chinese as "Pepsi brings yourancestors back from the dead."

  • The fast food giant McDonald's spent thousands on a new TV ad to target the Chinese consumer. The ad showed a Chinese man kneeling before a McDonald's vendor and begging him to accept his expired discount coupon. The ad was pulled due to a lack of cultural sensitivity on McDonald's behalf. The ad caused uproar over the fact that begging is considered a shameful act in Chinese culture. Pepsodent tried to sell its toothpaste in Southeast Asia by emphasizing that it "whitens your teeth." They found out that the local natives chew betel nuts to blacken their teeth which they find attractive. In Italy, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water translated the name into "Schweppes Toilet Water."

  • FEDEX (Federal Express) wisely chose to expand overseas when it discovered the domestic market was saturated. However, the centralized or "hub and spoke" delivery system that was so successful domestically was inappropriate for overseas distribution. In addition, they failed to consider cultural differences: In Spain the workers preferred very late office hours, and in Russia the workers took truck cleaning soap home due to consumer shortages. FEDEX finally shut down over 100 European operations after $1.2 billion in losses. A cologne for men pictured a pastoral scene with a man and his dog. It failed in Islamic countries dogs are considered unclean. An American oil rig supervisor in Indonesia shouted at an employee to take a boat to shore. Since it is no-one berates an Indonesian in public, a mob of outraged workers chased the supervisor with axes.

  • A soft drink was introduced into Arab countries with an attractive label that had stars on it--six-pointed stars. The Arabs interpreted this as pro-Israeli and refused to buy it. Another label was printed in ten languages, one of which was Hebrew--again the Arabs did not buy it.

    The concept of Big Brother was somehow taken to the Middle East. The show was pulled of the air after its first few episodes due to public protests and pressure from religious bodies stating the show's mixed sex format was against Islamic principles.

    A company advertised eyeglasses in Thailand by featuring a variety of cute animals wearing glasses. The ad was a poor choice since animals are considered to be a form of low life and no self respecting Thai would wear anything worn by animals.

  • A Japanese manager in an American company was told to give critical feedback to a subordinate during a performance evaluation. Japanese use high context language and are uncomfortable giving direct feedback. It took the manager five tries before he could be direct enough to discuss the poor performance so that the American understood.

    One company printed the "OK" finger sign on each page of its catalogue. In many parts of Latin America that is considered an obscene gesture. Six months of work were lost because they had to reprint all the catalogues.

    A golf ball manufacturing company packaged golf balls in packs of four for convenient purchase in Japan. Unfortunately, pronunciation of the word "four" in Japanese sounds like the word "death" and items packaged in fours are unpopular. In a Belgrade hotel elevator: To move the cabin, push the button for wishing floor. If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should press a number of wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by national order.

  • A sales manager in Hong Kong tried to control employee's promptness at work. He insisted they come to work on time instead of 15 minutes late. They complied, but then left exactly on time instead of working into the evening as they previously had done. Much work was left unfinished until the manager relented and they returned to their usual time schedule.

    A US telephone company tried to market its products and services to Latinos by showing a commercial in which a Latino wife tells her husband to call a friend, telling her they would be late for dinner. The commercial bombed since Latino women do not order their husbands around and their use of time would not require a call about lateness.

  • Cross Cultural Taboos Never touch the head of a Thai or pass an object over it. The head is considered sacred in Thailand.

    Avoid using triangular shapes in Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan. It is considered a negative shape. The number 4 is means Death in Japan and China. The number 7 is considered bad luck in Kenya, good luck in Czech Republic and has magical connotation in Benin, Africa.

    Red represents witchcraft and death in many African countries. The number 10 is bad luck in Korea.

    Green is considered to be the all in all color in Islamic countries. In Communist countries it is the Red. The Japanese consider Black as unlucky. In USA and UK 13 is considered as an inauspicious number.

  • Certain Japanese Airways avoid seat numbers 4 and 9. Chinese Cultures: Red is a lucky color; pink and yellow represent happiness; and the number 8 is the luckiest number. The colors black, white and blue and the #4, or four of anything, are negatively associated with death or funerals. Also included in this category are clocks, handkerchiefs, and straw sandals. Sharp objects like knives or scissors represent a severing of a friendship or relationship- including a business relationship.

  • Japanese Cultures: In Japan symbolism is important. A gift with a pair of items is considered lucky, but sets of four or nine are unlucky. Plus, the number 4 also means death; and the color red is associated with funerals, so dont give a pen with red ink, and dont write out a card using red. Books arent appropriate; and sharp objects like knives, scissors, and letter openers symbolize severing a relationship. Latin Cultures: Items associated with death or funerals that wouldnt be used include handkerchiefs, and yellow, red or white flowers. As in other cultures, sharp objects such as knives or scissors should never be given, since they represent a severing of a relationship

    ********************************