Cross Cultural Management

Challenges and opportunities of

doing business in different
countries

Submitted to
Dr. Sayel Sabha
Submitted by
Rashed Salem Almansoori
201620112 1
 "Cultural differences"

"For a German and a Finn, the truth is the truth.

In Japan and Britain it is all right if it doesn't rock
the boat. In China there is no absolute truth. In
Italy it is negotiable."

Richard D. Lewis

2
 Culture = Human mental
programming

Specific to individual Inherited & learned

Personality

Specific to group
Learned
or category Culture

Universal Inherited
Human Nature

3
 Nature of culture

Learned
Culture is acquired by learning
and experience

Shared
People as a member of a group,
organization, or society share
culture

Transgenerational
Culture is cumulative, passed
down from generation to
generation
4
 Manifestations of culture
 Symbols: words, gestures, objects that carry a
particular meaning which is only recognized by those
who share the culture.
 Heroes: persons, alive or dead, real or imaginary,
who possess characteristics which are highly prized
in a culture and who thus serve as models for
behavior.
 Rituals: collective activities, considered socially
essential.
 Values: basic assumptions about how things
should be in society.They are convictions regarding
right or wrong, good or bad, important or trivial.
Learned implicitly. Cannot be discussed.
 Practices: what is visible to an outsider.
5
 First approach to culture
Culture

The way you The way you The way you

live view things communicate

Customs, habits, traditions Beliefs, values Meaning of language

Food & its meaning Spirituality Interaction pattern
Music, clothing Perceptions Communications
Religious practice
practice Attitudes Verbal & non-verbal
Health practice Expectations
Child raising
Family structures
& relationships
relationships
6
 Diversity of values &
differences in ranking

USA Japan Arab

1. Freedom 1. Belonging 1. Family security

2. Independence 2. Group harmony 2. Family harmony
3. Self-reliance 3. Collectiveness 3. Paternalism
4. Equality 4. Age/Seniority 4. Age
5. Individualism 5. Group consensus 5. Authority
6. Competition 6. Cooperation 6. Compromise
7. Efficiency 7. Quality 7. Devotion
8. Time 8. Patience 8. Patience
9. Directness 9. Indirectness 9. Indirectness
10. Openness 10. Go-between 10. Hospitality

7
 Common problems…
 There are a number of problems that all
cultures try to address & bring solutions
to:
 relation to nature
 relation to others
 relation to power
 relation to rules
 relation to activity
 relation to emotions
 relation to space
 relation to time

8
Cultural answers through different
solutions…
 “ Culture, is the mechanism that
allows to select an attitude, an
interpretation, a solution as the one
that makes sense « de facto », when
facing a situation ( decision,
relationship, emotion…)”

9
 Universal problems & cultural
responses
Universal Cultural responses
Problems
Relation to nature Domination Subjugation
Relation towards Individualism Communautarism
others
Relation to power Hierarchy Equality
Relation to time Monetary time Living time
Relation to rules Universalism Particularism
Relation towards Do Be
activity
Relation to space Private space Public space
Relation to emotions Exteriorization Neutralize

10
Source:
Source: N.
N. Prime,
Prime, 2001
2001
 Culture?

 "Collective Programming"
 Starts from birth, is reinforced in school & by
education
 Relates to values & core beliefs
 Displayed in attitudes & behavior
 Some visible characteristics:
 Customs, behavior
 Some less visible ones:
 Values, beliefs

11
 Behavior & cultural differences

A foreign manager is conducting an annual performance

review with one of his direct reports. He begins the session
by discussing all the areas in which the employee’s
performance meets or exceeds goals. The employee listens
attentively with serious and thoughtful expression.

But when the manager begins to discuss weaknesses and

problem areas, the employee starts smiling. The sterner the
manager’s tone, the broader the employee grins. The
employee does not comment on anything the manager says
or defend or explain. The manager becomes angry because
he believes the employee is mocking him and treating the
evaluation as a joke.

12
 Cultural differences:

J. goes to the airport to meet Y. The two men

had talked several times on the phone but had
only met once before. When Y. spots J. in the
baggage area, he enthusiastically embraces
him and kisses him on both cheeks. J. feels
uncomfortable and hopes that nobody he
knows has witnessed this greeting.

Source: CCL, 2002

 Cultural differences

When Ms. H presents her proposal at the

meeting, V. reacts strongly. He pounds on the
table and questions her in a loud voice. When
Ms. H casts her eyes down in embarrassment,
V. seems to get more excited. He leans across
the table and jabs his hands towards her face.
 Conclusion

“Culture is more often a source of conflict than

of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best
and often a disaster. But if we really want to globalize,
there is no way around them so we better take them for
what they are.”

15