Managing Across Cultures - Essay Example

Managing Across Cultures In many countries personal relationships are the key to success. It isimportant to not expect to get down to business right away, but rather get to know a person first. In Mexico, for example, business deals are only made with friends, so one must develop a friendship with any business partner. It is considered polite to ask personal questions about family, and also to answer any questions about your family. Discussions are warm and friendly. Carefully chosen intermediaries are a necessity. Not only will the Japanese feel obliged to be loyal to them, but rank of one's associates will determine their status as well. A Japanese businessman will always consult within his group before making a decision. Because of their intense loyalty, one's identity is subsumed into the group. It is important to never single out a Japanese counterpart, even for praise or encouragement. Contrarily, the Spaniards have a hierarchy style of management and it is best to deal with "el jefe" or "el pardon"-the one who will be making the decision. Spaniards also will expect whomever they are dealing with to have decisions-making authority. Saving Face When dealing with Spain or most Asian cultures, it is also critical to understand the concept of "saving face". Any loss of control of emotions or embarrassment is considered disastrous in business negotiations in these cultures. Honor and personal pride mean everything and they must not be insulted. Because of this attitude it is very important to carefully prepare presentations so that they are easy for the audience to understand. Paying close attention to determine if anything is misunderstood during the presentation is also a must. Because of this concept of "saving face" the presenter will not know if they are having difficulties. Close attention must be paid to conversations in order to discern the sincerity of what is being said. In Japan, a deal is never refused directly, and any dealings with Japanese business culture should remain indirect. Business Cards In nearly all countries, it is important that business cards be printed one side in English, and the other in their language. When presenting the card, it should be presented with their language facing the recipient. In Japan, the exchange of business cards is not to be taken lightly. When you receive the card of a Japanese businessman, be sure to make a show of examining it carefully and then making a remark about the card. Ask any questions about anything on the card which is difficult to pronounce or understand. The card should then be placed in a case or on a near by table. A card shouldn't be shoved into a pocket or be written on. Concepts of Time Time orientation is an important cultural difference that Americans must pay close attention to. In America, time is viewed as a precious commodity. Time is related with productivity, efficiency, and money. Many other countries have a much more relaxed perception of time. They take their time, and enjoy it. In Mexico you can ask if a scheduled appointment is "en punto" (the precise time), or "mas o menos". "Mas o menos" appointments are often scheduled a half an hour to an hour before the actual time. With both Mexican and Japanese cultures it is also important not to expect instant results. Plenty of time should be allowed for contemplation and decision making. In Mexico it is important to adjust any expectations regarding deadlines and efficiency. Doing business over borders and through time zones has become commonplace in the twenty-first century. Technological advancements in communication and travel make it possible to do business across the globe almost instantaneously. Doing business with multiple cultures can be a challenging venture. International communication skills of an organization can determine success or failure. In order to interact with different cultures, it is necessary to understand the basic characteristics of the culture. This type of understanding helps to make adjustments and accommodations. We must rid our minds of pre-conceived notions, stereotypes, and prejudices. It is imperative that one be knowledgeable about such topics as: context, traditions, social rules, etc. It is equally important to possess competent listening skills and to be aware of one's own nonverbal messages. National Culture gives individuals uniqueness and differentiates them from other groups. Individuals within a culture share common values, beliefs and assumptions about what is right and wrong, effective and ineffective, based on the dominant societal cultural values. Increasing internationalisation, and the "global market" have forced exploration more closely to the correlation of differences and similarities in the way people are managed within organisations, and peoples societal cultural values. Nikandrou, I. Apospori, E. and Papalexandris, N., "Cultural and leadership similarities and variations in the southern part of the European Union" Journal of Leadership & Organisational Studies, 9(3), 61. In order to fully understand the aforementioned topic of discussion, one needs to identify characteristics of organisations and individuals in terms of universal cultural values. The expression "universal values" is sometimes used to mean values that apply - or should apply - to everyone, in every society and every culture. (Rajchman, 1995) Cultural universals such as language, are general practices found in every culture. Anthropologist George Murdock compiled a list of such universals, including athletic sports, cooking, courtship, dancing, family, games, music, religion, and sexual restrictions. Whilst Murdock's universals clearly span cross cultures, it important to note here that the manner in which such universals are expressed will vary from culture to culture. For example cooking, whilst the British food culture may include, fish and chips, such foods would not be consumed in India. Gallois and Callen (1997) concur with Murdock's above cultural universals and precede to suggest that individuals from all cultures have to deal with the same fundamental life situations and challenges. As such it is safe to say that similarities in the ways in which we deal with such situations and challenges are vast. The authors suggest that we must all find ways to feed, clothe and shelter ourselves, to reproduce and bring up the next generation, to deal with illness and death, to find relationships that sustain and protect us, and to find ways of expressing ourselves as individuals. Similarly there are some acts that threaten and hurt people in all cultures, acts which all cultures have strong sanction against, such as murder, robbery, rape and incest. However, although such universals highlight the argument of converging cultures, it is how groups meet their needs and apply such sanctions that makes cultures diverse. In consideration of the aforementioned point, Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs demonstrates divergence as opposed to convergence, whilst concurring with many authors' views upon universals, Maslow clearly identifies, through the five tier theory that developing countries have certainly not progressed through the tiers as speedily as richer countries, for example citizens of the USA and UK, tend to have met their needs of food, drink and social belonging and thus would not find these factors a motivation within companies, however citizens of developing countries will work purely to feed their families as opposed to reaching the top stage of self actualisation (Kim, 2001) Having looked into cultural universals this essay shall precede to concern itself with (Schneider and Barsoux, 2003) convergence hypothesis'. The authors offer two hypothesis regarding the contention of converging national cultures, within both hypothesis the essay will portray the authors' accuracies as well as the flaws contained. "Convergence Myth One: the world is getting smaller," through it's identification of advances in communication and transportation, for example, email and telecommunications, clearly highlights organisational universal cultural values and concurs with Marshal McLuhan's concept of a "global village." It is suggested however that McLuhan's "global village" is an ambiguous concept, a notion that not only portrays interconnectedness, but also closeness and reciprocity in relationships all of which are considered, "a very large scale idyll" (Hannerz, 1996) Bearing in mind Hannerz view upon McLuhan's "global village" one could point out that this notion alone is two sided. That is, organisations may well feel closeness and connectedness through technological and communicational advances and emerging globalisation, creating cross cultural organisational homogeneity, yet on the other hand however, cross national social groups still conflict for example through religious differences. (Guirdham, 1999) Within Schneider and Barsoux first hypothesis, the contention of convergence is further highlighted through the authors' acknowledgement of what they describe as a "melting pot." Large cities, for example Paris, London, Toronto and Bombay, housing and attracting individuals from all over the world, bringing together a mix of extremely diverse cultures. However, the authors precede to highlight the cultural fragments found in other large cities, for example, New York, where such cultures are widely dispersed, where one finds distinct neighbourhoods, Little Italy, Chinatown, and Germantown to name but a few. The above angle of the authors convergence myth clearly indicates that it is not cultural convergence we see taking place, rather, "each race developing a competitive language and culture." (Schneider and Barsoux, 2003, p4) In consideration of the above points made, it is here that the mention of the Cultural Imperialism Theory becomes relevant. Through the writings of (Crane, 2002) it would appear that Schneider and Barsoux's "melting pot" actually appears to better portray Cranes interpretation of imperialism - a spread of a social system from one centre of power to another, across the globe. Schneider and Barsoux's second hypothesis, Convergence Myth Two - "management is management, leans towards the idea that principles and techniques can be universally applied, for example management by objectives. The authors adopt the notion that being scientifically engineered, management practice adopts the ability to transcend national boundaries. Within this hypothesis however, the authors recognise the problem of misplaced assumptions. The authors suggest through their "management is management" notion that comparisons between foreign organisations cannot easily be made, through differences in accounting principles, economic policies and management approaches, we see clear differences between the likes of German and Swedish firms, along with Japanese and American firms. Although we see numerous global firms adopting similar values, as highlighted in Hofstedes 1967 - 1973 IBM survey - identifying cultural clusters - it is clear through Schneider and Barsoux's second hypothesis that although through technology organisational cultures are converging, societal cultural values tend to hinder the concept of a complete global culture. (Tomlinson, 1999 and Hofstede, 2001) Having seen the limitations of convergence theories and studied the extent of which national cultures have converged, it is imperative to understand the importance of individuals and organisations alike to act sensitively when visiting or operating across cultural boundaries. Asia is certainly a continent warranting cross cultural sensitivity. For example, if one were socialising with business people in some Asian countries, one should not attempt to discuss anything important over a meal. Food here is often seen as something to concentrate on without distractions. They are far more likely to socialise over drinks. (Hall and Gay, 1996). Mattock (1999) concurs with the above and also points to the strong sense of hierarchy among Asian organisations. The authors suggest that Asian business people expect that the boss should be special, he should have the accessories, drive the flash car. Asian business culture is such that if one is not visibly a powerful leader, one is not to be respected. In terms of business decisions, (Hall and Gay, 1996) identify maturity as an element of required sensitivity, the authors highlight the variations between the US and some EU countries in the maturity expected in certain positions. It is suggested that some European executives have a problem reporting to a manager who is younger than they are. In comparison, US companies tend to be accustomed to merit based promotion, whereas in many parts of Europe experience based promotion is still the accepted norm. In conclusion, this essay has highlighted that there are many sides to accompany each argument as to the extent of the level of convergence of national cultures. Whilst host countries seem to accept cross cultural values and methodologies, this does not necessarily mean that they are adopted. It has been highlighted through, Hofstedes notion of cultural clusters and Cranes cultural imperialism that although national cultures maybe converging and may continue to do so, dominant nations along with neighbouring nations are likely to lead the way. Works Cited "Etiquette and Local Customs". The Traveler's Yellow Pages Online. http://www.infoservices.com/stpete/342.htm. InfoServices International, Inc., 2002 "What to Know Before Negotiting" Execitive Planet.com. http://www.executiveplanet.com/business-culture.html. Crane, D. (2002) Global Culture. New York: Routlede Gallois, C, and Callan, V. (1997) Communicating and Culture. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd Guffey, Mary Ellen. Business Communication: Process and Product, 4th ed. Mason, Ohio: South-Western, 2003 Guirdham, M. (1999) Communicating Across Cultures. London: Macmillan Press Ltd Hall, S. and Gay, P. (1996) Questions of Cultural Identity. London: Sage Publications Ltd Hannerz, U. (1996) Transnational Connections. 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