course aims

COURSE AIMSOHT

1

• Recognise how cultural differences impact on the process of building effective international relationships

• Identify specific areas of cultural diversity (linked to communication style, business values and working practices)

• Agree on how best to work in multicultural teams, communicate across cultures and manage the distance factor

• Identify and develop the personal qualities required for working effectively across cultures

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

PREVIEWING TASKOHT

2

• What process of globalisation is this company seeking to go through?

• What is the role of Morel in this process?

• What advantage will the company attain from moving to a global structure in taking its new product to the market?


ICEBERG THEORYOHT

3


B1

V1

B2

V2

B = Behaviour (what you do and say)V = Values (beliefs about what is right to do and say)

THE MIS FACTOROHT

4


MISperceptionMISperception

MISevaluationMISevaluationMISinterpretationMISinterpretation

MIStrustMIStrust

TYPES OF CULTURAL GROUPSOHT

5

• Nationality • Age

• Gender • Physical ability

• Socio-economic class • Sexual orientation

• Political group • Organisational

• Educational level/type • Functional

• Religion • Manchester United supporters


TOLERANCE ZONESOHT

6


num

ber o

f peo

ple

Relationship focus essential before task is typical

Task focus before (optional) relationship focus is typical

Culture A Culture B

POLYCHRONIC PREFERENCEOHT

7

Belief: There are various ways to achieve our objectives so we should:• Keep options open as long as possible• Manage activities in parallel• Discuss things generally first• Be open to new inputs at all times• Value commitment to special people• Respond to changing priorities• Use schedules as guidelines• Invest time in people• Allow plans to evolve• Value multi-tasking behaviour Loosely based on the concepts of Edward T. Hall


UNIVERSALISTS v PARTICULARISTSOHT

8

UNIVERSALISTS

Belief: Common standards and rules should be followed and everyone should be treated the same. Exceptions weaken the system we depend on:

• Trust placed in systems and models• People are assigned to tasks• Core business focus• Standardisation & globalisation• Fairness & consistency• Transparency & simplification• Objective measurement• Similarity and linking (‘Yes, and…’)• Black & white photo – facts convince• Analytical marketing• Science of management

Loosely based on the concepts of Fons Trompenaars


PARTICULARISTS

Belief: Obligations to particular people and special circumstances come before abstract rules. Without exceptions, we weaken the human ties we depend on:

• Trust placed in networks of relationships• Tasks are assigned to people• Flexible customer focus• Customisation & localisation• Particular circumstances & requirements• Appropriateness & contextualisation• Subjective measurement• Exceptions and disparity (‘Yes, but…’)• Oil painting – opinions convince• Personal networking• Art of management

INDIVIDUALISTS v COLLECTIVISTSOHT

9

INDIVIDUALISTS• Values of freedom, honesty, self-actualisation

• ‘I’ identity

• Individual goals

• Look after yourself and immediate family

• Distinguish own priorities and opinions from others in the group

•Conflict is inevitable and if well channelled can lead to positive outcomes

• Control through personal guilt

• Low sense of in-group/out-group, individuals form groups based on common interests or tasks; low sense of personal obligation to members of the group

• There is a basic right to privacyLoosely based on the concepts of H. Triandis, S. Ting-Toomey and G. Hofstede


COLLECTIVISTS• Values of harmony, face-saving, meeting in-group’s needs

• ‘WE’ identity

• Group goals

• Group loyalty provides security

• Do not distinguish own priorities and opinions from others in the group

• Conflict should be avoided as it disturbs group harmony and so motivation

• Control through group shame

• Strong sense of in-group/out-group, high sense of personal obligation to in-group members and low or no obligation to out-group members

• Private life is invaded by groups

GAVIN’S STATE OF MINDOHT10

GAVINI was beginning to feel that I was pushing water uphill.

GAVINI mean, it was easy getting Morel to this stage…everyone on my team in England was singing from the same song sheet. But here, we had rock, jazz, classical…you name it …everyone brought their own piece of music with them…

DARRENA chance to lead an international team…Think of the challenge, Gavin…

GAVINI’m thinking of the headaches!


HIGH v LOW CONTEXTOHT11


TEXT

CONTEXTmes

sage

mes

sage

Higher ContextLower Context

HIGH v LOW CONTEXTOHT12

HIGH CONTEXT

Belief: Appropriate communication depends on decoding the situation, the relationship, the non-verbal behaviour (the context), so we should invest time in getting to know people to communicate efficiently using a shared code.Loosely based on the concepts of Edward T. Hall


LOW CONTEXT

Belief: Appropriate communication depends on using concrete logical, unambiguous task-orientated language (the text), so we should be explicit and transparent (personal relationships are nice but not necessary).

High ContextOHT13


Low Context

Mexico

The Middle East Philippines

Brazil

India

SingaporeGreece

France

Austria

Scandinavia

Israel

Swiss Germans

Japan, Indonesia

Africa (all)China

Malaysia SpainItalyCosta RicaEngland

Australia USA

Germany

The Netherlands

COMMUNICATION MEDIAOHT14

• Telephone (including conference calls)

• Video conference

• Email

• Answering machines/voice mail

• Face-to-face meetings

• SMS

• Fax

• Groupware (eg discussion forums)A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

EMAIL FEEDBACK ORIENTATIONSOHT15

HIGHER CONTEXT

• Problem is a ‘We’ issue – no finger pointing

• Relationship focus is high

• Feedback to be delivered in higher context mode

• Indirect/implicit language

• Face saving important A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

LOWER CONTEXT

• ‘I’ have a problem with ‘You’ issue

• Task focus is high

• Feedback delivered within email message

• Direct/explicit language

• Clarity important

EXAMPLE EMAIL 1OHT16

From: XTo: YCC:Subject: Urgent problem

Dear…,

I’m very rushed, so I need to keep the information very short and direct. I’m sorry, but I’m very disappointed and unsatisfied with the way you are working on this project. It does not meet at all the criteria we agreed upon from the start. You really need to do this in a much more professional way and according to our goals and criteria. Otherwise we really have a problem. I suggest that we will have a talk tomorrow. Then I will explain clearly what I mean, in case you don’t know yet, but I’m sure you are aware. Speak to you tomorrow at 14.00



From: XTo: YCC:Subject: A request

I had problems with my emails for the past few weeks and I lost several of them. Could it be possible for you to send me again the information you have about the project X?

I’m sorry for the inconvenience.

Regards



From: XTo: YCC:Subject: A slight worry…

Dear …,

I’m a little concerned on the basis of my recent experience that we might be missing some important information from your area

We all agree that it was critical to share information comprehensively and quickly.

Can I perhaps suggest we meet on… to discuss a way forward?

Thanks


BRITISH INDIRECTNESSOHT19

From: XTo: YCC:Subject: A slight worry…

Dear …,

I’m a little concerned on the basis of my recent experience that we might be missing some important information from your area

We all agree that it was critical to share information comprehensively and quickly.

Can I perhaps suggest we meet on… to discuss a way forward?

Thanks


GAVIN’S EMAIL TO ALBERTO AND EVAOHT20

From: GavinTo: Alberto; EvaCC: Darren; Jack; Mohammed; JesseSubject: A slight hitch with the Market Research

Dear Alberto and Eva

Thank you for your input, however, there seems to be a bit of a problem with the European market research.

I think we might want to consider cooling some of the marketing activities until everything is OK.

I’ll be in touch soon.

All the best

Gavin


EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF CULTURE SHOCK OHT

21

• Anxiety

• Disconfirmed expectations

• Exclusion

• Ambiguity

• Confrontation with one’s prejudices

Based on Richard Brislin


course aims

Documents