Comparison between Norwegian and American Styles of Management - Research Paper Example

The paper "Comparison between Norwegian and American Styles of Management" is a perfect example of a management research paper. The purpose of this study was to compare the Norwegian and American styles of leadership. This comparison is important for managers in both countries to determine how they manage their businesses in international markets to meet the local needs of the host country. The findings of the study are also important because different cultures affect the management styles of countries, so it is important to understand the nature of this influence and how differences of cultures are reflected in management approaches.

The research used case studies of two U.S. companies (Coca-Cola and GE) and two Norwegian companies (Norsk Hydro and Orkla Group). The study shows that Norwegian companies exercise the Human relations style of management with a flat/horizontally hierarchical structure whereby power is concentrated at the top and major decisions are made by managers. On the other hand, American companies exercise democratic and authoritative leadership styles depending on the nature of their business environments. Generally, U.S. companies have a high focus on performance, and their power and decision-making authority comes from the top.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Background

This study outlines and discusses the differences and similarities between the management style of Norway and America. Different countries have different cultures, and different cultures have different styles of management that lead their organisations through strategic and tactical approaches to achieve competitive advantage, growth and profitability. As the international business environment evolves, companies expand to various international markets to take advantage of new market opportunities for their products, brands and businesses. By doing so, managers from different countries have to interact with each other more frequently than ever. Businesses operating in the international market may disagree in various aspects due to cultural differences. Therefore, this study attempts to provide solutions for international businesses to understand the cultural differences that could impact their management styles and their relations with other international businesses and customers in the international market.