International Business and Anthropology - Essay Example

International Business by Anthropology Ways Traditional approaches to organizational management and research have been characterized by the adoption of mathematical and scientific frameworks for the purposes of assessing the business landscape, in comparison with this observation, the discipline of anthropology and its associated concepts are marked by subjectivity and the utilization of qualitative research methods (Tian and Walle 59). Despite of the presence of these contrasting perspectives with regards to business and anthropology, Hamada observes that the integration of these competing disciplines is becoming increasingly common with a significant percentage of Ph.D.s in the United States defying conventional beliefs regarding anthropological careers by pursuing business-related positions within organizations (2). A further development of this notion sheds light on the vast applications of anthropology and how the theories, concepts and knowledge of this discipline can assist the operations of international business. Even though, the amalgamation of international business and anthropology may appear to be a novel concept to the masses, the role of industrial and cultural anthropologists in organizations can be traced back to as early as the 1930s (Hamada 2; Ferraro 10). Ferraro and Andreatta define cultural anthropology as a systematic study of the similarities and differences between cultures on the basis of various features and characteristics (10). Accordingly, the research process for cultural anthropology is classified under the categories of basic research and applied research in accordance with the design which governs other subjects of social science (Ferraro and Andreatta 19). Kedia and Willigen state that career opportunities for anthropologists within the context of international business are endless with special focus on employee development, growth and training prospects (251). A cultural anthropologist can opt for a range of positions within a business organization such as international business consultant, cross-cultural consultant, international economic development worker and an international human resources manager amongst several others (Ferraro and Andreatta 19). Of utmost importance to international business is applied anthropology which aims to comprehensively prepare and effectively equip practitioners with relevant perspectives, theories and learning of anthropology to ensure that this knowledge is applied for uncovering the solutions to the problems of the real world (Peoples and Bailey 412). Kedia and Willigen identify three key capabilities and proficiencies that anthropologists can promote within an organization to maximize value, these areas are classified as; 1) vast scope of knowledge and information about culture and its related concepts, 2) expertise in ethnography and its application and 3) focused knowledge regarding specific cultures such as the ability to communicate with various groups of individuals (251). While, the first two components that have been identified in the aforementioned discussion are indeed important in business operations, the anthropological expertise that is most relevant within the context of international business is a practitioner’s ability to understand, examine and communicate with individuals belonging to a variety of cultures. Kedia and Willigen understand the dynamics which have led to the globalization of business and how these observations translate to business activity and organizational performance, for example, strategic actions that are taken to enhance a company’s ability to reach its aims, goals and objectives such as a plan for expansion in another country has several anthropological implications (257). In order to successfully expand its operations in another country an organization must examine the distinct needs of its business landscape by employing the services of a cultural anthropologist. Kedia and Willigen recommend that it is desirable for an organization to hire an individual with local knowledge and the ability to interact with the natives in their first language (257). The ideal candidate for this anthropological position should be an individual who has the relevant skills to adjust and comprehend the norms, values, traditions and customs of another culture which come as a consequence of investing considerable time and effort in language training and acquiring cultural education. The strategic decision to commence business operations in another country is one of the many examples which represent the need to incorporate applied anthropology within the context of international business practice. Emphasizing upon the application of cultural anthropology, Ferraro adds that organizational success in foreign locations is also attributable to the manner in which a company’s workforce is able to exercise its expertise in an unfamiliar business situation (11). Perhaps, the most detrimental error which companies commit in commencing their business in other countries is that they underestimate the significance of cultural differences in international business and hold the presumption that the success which was achieved in their home country can be replicated in a foreign land (Ferraro 12). As noted by Kedia and Willigen the diversity of cultures which is observable in the current business environment and the global marketplace is anticipated to progress even further in years to come (257) thereby, increasing the number of international business ventures and assignments. Similarly, an extensive analysis that was published in Business Week magazine highlighted the fact that anthropologists today play a critical role as members of new product development teams which also comprise of engineers and product designers (Tian and Walle 61). Furthermore, the need for cultural anthropology within the context of international business is evidenced by the failure of major corporations in foreign countries. Ferraro relates the example of Frank Perdue, former CEO of renowned U.S company Perdue Farms who unknowingly translated one of his most memorable advertising catchphrases into Spanish and with the meaning of the slogan left entirely changed failed to generate desired results for his company (12). This example highlights the importance of hiring the services of an anthropologist to ensure the success of international business assignments as one of the key proficiencies of a practitioner of cultural anthropology is his/her command over languages (Kedia and Willigen 251). Moreover, another dimension of international business which requires the incorporation of perspectives, theories and knowledge of applied anthropology is the management of foreign workers and cross-cultural teams to maximize employee performance. Drastic differences in Japanese and American cultural practices are directly related to the manner in which the workers of each country wish to undertake or perform assigned tasks and conduct designated responsibilities. An example of this is that when an American manager awarded the most efficient member of a Japanese marketing team by advancing him to the position of group leader, overall performance levels declined tremendously within the group, contrary to the expectations of the American manager who expected the measure to act as a contributor towards overall performance (Ferraro 12). Ferraro comments that the reason for this decline is attributable to the cultural implications that impact Japanese work practices (12). Unlike the characteristics of American culture which are marked by individualism, the Japanese culture teaches collectivism which is why employees value working as a cohesive unit. Anthropologists have tremendous expertise in interacting with individuals from multiple cultures; this specialized knowledge assists practitioners in understanding the context of business operations to formulate appropriate recommendations that are applicable within the business context. The practical application of business anthropology is not limited to human resource management processes and top-level strategic decisions. In fact the discipline of business anthropology can assist organizations with the development of other functional areas of business such as marketing (Tian and Walle 62). Moreover, companies today are readily utilizing the services of anthropologists in creating business development plans and establishing the tenets of corporate culture (Tian and Walle 62). International business executives and managers hold the responsibility of conducting effective negotiations for the purposes of advancing an organization’s corporate objectives. In doing so, business executives must understand that generalizations based on cultures should be avoided at all times because general observations on culture can be deceptive even for nations that share their core values with each other. Ferraro understands that the inability to comprehend cultural contexts and the failure to act in accordance with its stipulations carries severe penalties for a business which can even result in the loss of important contracts (12). Tian and Walle state that, “both public and private organizations seek employees and researchers who understand the cultural context of business…” (59) this understanding stems from the enhanced realization of the importance of culture in international business. Ferraro and Andreatta confirm that the participation of applied anthropologists in international business is critical due to the emergence and dominance of globalization on the world stage (203). An anthropologist has the ability to comprehend the notion of globalization from multiple perspectives; these considerations include cross-cultural assessments, information regarding the presence of gender issues within an organization, ethnographic assessments and the appreciation of social discrepancies (Ferraro and Andreatta 204). The presence of globalization implies that even if an organization operates on a local scale it is bound to be affected by changes in the global business environment through competitive pressures or interaction with foreign suppliers. Consequently, as organizations prepare extensively to cope with the global economic scenario a change in their corporate objectives may guide them towards the adoption of strategic decisions that recommend exploring foreign markets and capturing a larger customer base. This observation becomes even more certain within the context of international businesses that are bound to face challenges that can only be dealt with effectively if the organization is guided by the discipline of anthropology. Works Cited Ferraro, Gary P. The cultural dimension of international business. Pearson Education, 2002. Ferraro, Gary P., and Susan Andreatta. Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective 8e: An Applied Perspective. Cengage Learning, 2011. Hamada, Tomoko. "Practicing anthropology in business organizations."Practicing anthropology 21.4 (1999): 2-4. Kedia, Satish, and John Van Willigen, eds. Applied anthropology: Domains of application. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005. Peoples, James G., and Garrick Alan Bailey. Humanity: An introduction to cultural anthropology. Cengage Learning, 2010. Tian, Robert G.. and Alf H Walle. "Anthropology and business education: Practitioner applications for a qualitative method." The international journal of management education 7.2 (2009): 59-67. Read More