Cultural Lines
To combat:
• Ambiguity
• Interference
• Lack of equivalence
Some immediate challenges to interculturalists
1. Recognize differences
2. Build Your Self-Awareness
3. Describe and Identify, then Interpret
4. Don’t assume your interpretation is correct
5. Verbalize your own non-verbal signs
6. Share your experience honestly
7. Acknowledge any discomfort, hesitation, or concern
8. Practice politically correct communication
9. Give your time and attention when communicating
10. Don’t evaluate or judge
CROSS-CULTURAL MANAGEMENT
MINIMIZES:
Misunderstandings of etiquette, values, and behaviours.
Japanese
Arabs
Surrounding Latin Am ericans
Inform ation
Necessary for Italians
Understanding
British
French
North Am ericans
Scandinavians
Germ ans
Swiss
Japan China
India Mexico
JAPAN
To help her American Company establish a
presence in Japan, Mrs. Torres wants to hire a
local interpreter who can advise her on business
customs. Ms. Tomari has superb qualifications
on paper, but when Mrs. Torres tries to probe
about her experience, Ms. Tomari just says, “I
will do my best. I will try very hard.” She never
gives details about any of the previous positions
she has held. Mrs. Torres begins to wonder if
Ms. Tomari's résumé is inflated.
CHINA
Stan Williams wants to negotiate a joint venture
between his American firm and a Beijing-based
company. He asks Tung-Sen Lee if the Chinese
people have enough discretionary income to afford
his product. Mr. Lee is silent for a time, and then
says, “Your product is good. People in the West
must like it.” Stan smiles, pleased that Mr. Lee
recognizes the quality of his product, and he leaves
a contract for Mr. Lee to sign. Weeks later, Stan
still hasn’t heard anything.
INDIA
Gloria Johnson is proud of her participatory management
style. Assigned in Bombay on behalf of her U.S.-based
company, she is careful not to give orders but to ask for
suggestions. But the employees rarely suggest anything.
Even a formal suggestion system she established does not
work. Worse still, she doesn’t sense the respect and
camaraderie that she felt at the plant she managed in Texas.
Perhaps the people in India just are not ready for a woman
boss.
MEXICO
Alan Caldwell is a U.S. sales representative in Mexico
City. He makes appointments with Senõr Lopez and is
careful to be on time, but his host is frequently late. To
save time, Alan tries to get right to business, his host wants
to talk about sightseeing and about Alan’s family. Even
worse, the meetings are interrupted constantly with phone
calls, long conversations with other people, and even
customers’ children who come into the office. Alan’s first
report to his home office is very negative. He hasn’t yet
made a sale. Perhaps Mexico just isn’t the right place to
do business.