COURSE AIMS

OHT 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 TASK

• 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?

OHT 2 A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

ICEBERG THEORY

B 1 B 2 OHT 3 V 1 V 2 B = Behaviour (what you do and say) V = Values (beliefs about what is right to do and say) A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

THE MIS FACTOR

OHT 4 MIStrust MISperception MISevaluation MISinterpretation A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

TYPES OF CULTURAL GROUPS

• Nationality • Gender • Socio-economic class • Political group • Educational level/type • Religion • Age • Physical ability • Sexual orientation • Organisational • Functional • Manchester United supporters

OHT 5 A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

TOLERANCE ZONES

Culture A Culture B OHT 6 Relationship focus essential before task is typical Task focus before (optional) relationship focus is typical A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

POLYCHRONIC PREFERENCE

OHT 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

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

UNIVERSALISTS v PARTICULARISTS

OHT 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

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 Loosely based on the concepts of Fons Trompenaars

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

INDIVIDUALISTS v COLLECTIVISTS

OHT 9 INDIVIDUALISTS

• Values of freedom, honesty, self-actualisation • ‘I’ identity • Individual goals • Look after yourself and immediate family

COLLECTIVISTS

• Values of harmony, face-saving, meeting in group’s needs • ‘WE’ identity • Group goals • Distinguish own priorities and opinions from others in the group •Conflict is inevitable and if well channelled can lead to positive outcomes • 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 personal guilt • Control through group shame • 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 • 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 • There is a basic right to privacy • Private life is invaded by groups Loosely based on the concepts of H. Triandis, S. Ting-Toomey and G. Hofstede

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

GAVIN’S STATE OF MIND

OHT 10 GAVIN

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

GAVIN

I 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…

DARREN

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

GAVIN

I’m thinking of the headaches!

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

HIGH v LOW CONTEXT

TEXT OHT 11 CONTEXT

Lower Context Higher Context

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

HIGH v LOW CONTEXT

OHT 12 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).

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

High Context

Mexico Japan, Indonesia The Middle East Philippines Brazil India Singapore Greece France Austria Scandinavia Israel Africa (all) China Malaysia Spain Italy Costa Rica England Australia USA Germany Swiss Germans The Netherlands

Low Context OHT 13 A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

COMMUNICATION MEDIA

OHT 14

• 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 ORIENTATIONS

OHT 15 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

LOWER CONTEXT

• ‘I’ have a problem with ‘You’ issue • Task focus is high • Feedback delivered within email message • Direct/explicit language • Clarity important

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

EXAMPLE EMAIL 1

OHT 16 From: To: CC: Subject:

X Y 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

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

EXAMPLE EMAIL 2

OHT 17 From: To:

X Y

CC: 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

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

EXAMPLE EMAIL 3

OHT 18 From: To:

X Y

CC: 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

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

BRITISH INDIRECTNESS

OHT 19 From: To:

X Y

CC: 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

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

GAVIN’S EMAIL TO ALBERTO AND EVA

OHT 20 From: To:

Gavin Alberto; Eva

CC:

Darren; Jack; Mohammed; Jesse

Subject:

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

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF CULTURE SHOCK

• Anxiety • Disconfirmed expectations • Exclusion • Ambiguity • Confrontation with one’s prejudices Based on Richard Brislin

OHT 21 A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES