How Different Cultures Effect Business Management and Strategy - Case Study Example

One school of thought takes the position that “business is business” everywhere. The second school of thought takes the position that business is required to temper their business management strategies to “individual cultures”.  Thus, in establishing business strategies consistent with an individual culture, business managers must ensure that their approaches are accepted and not rejected.  This paper examines the various effects the different cultures have on business management and strategies to ensure acceptance as opposed to rejection.

  In this regard, this paper is divided into three main parts. The first part of this paper will describe and analyze culture and its significance to the business environment.  The second part of this paper identifies different cultural theories applicable to business management.  The final part of this paper explains and analyses different approaches to cultural influences in business management and business strategies by reference to independent case studies. Management behavior was previously explained by reference to influential factors such as norms, values, roles, organizational activities and regulations (Berrell et al 1999).

  However, beginning in the 1980s, researchers concluded that culture has a significant impact on all managerial features.  Culture is present in a number of diverse business contexts.  According to Morschett et al (2010) culture is present within each business organization and between business organizations with the result that business operations are influenced by the diverse cultures of those involved in business activities. The purpose of this paper is to identify and demonstrate the cultural theories and assumptions that support the contention that culture effects business management and strategies.

  In this regard, Hofstede’s (1980 and 2001) five dimensions of culture and Hall’s (1989) high/low context culture models are instructive as they aid this research study in the identification of how culture affects business management and strategies. Four independent case studies will be used to demonstrate how these theories of cultural influences on business management function.  It is first necessary to identify culture and how it influences the behavior of individuals who make up a particular organization.

  After identifying and defining culture, attention is then turned to the theories and practices demonstrative of cultural influences on business management and strategies.  In the final part of this research study, the four case studies will be used to identify how cultural influences operate to influence management and strategies.