1. COURSE AIMS Recognise how cultural differences impact on the
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

2. PREVIEWING TASK What process of globalisation is this company
OHT 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?
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

3. ICEBERG THEORY B1 B2 V1 V2 B = Behaviour (what you do and say)
OHT 3 B1 B2 V1 V2
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

4. THE MIS FACTOR MIStrust MISperception MISevaluation MISinterpretation
OHT 4
MIStrust
MISperception
MISevaluation
MISinterpretation
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

5. TYPES OF CULTURAL GROUPS
OHT 5
Nationality • Age
Gender • Physical ability
Socio-economic class • Sexual orientation
Political group • Organisational
Educational level/type • Functional
Religion • Manchester United supporters
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

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

7. 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

8. 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
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
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

9. INDIVIDUALISTS v COLLECTIVISTS
OHT 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 privacy
Loosely 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
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

10. GAVIN’S STATE OF MIND GAVIN
OHT 10
GAVIN
I was beginning to feel that I was pushing water uphill.
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…
I’m thinking of the headaches!
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

11. HIGH v LOW CONTEXT message message Lower Context Higher Context TEXT
OHT 11
TEXT
message
message
CONTEXT
Lower Context
Higher Context
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

12. HIGH v LOW CONTEXT HIGH CONTEXT 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

13. High Context Low Context
OHT 13
Mexico
The Middle East
Philippines
Brazil
India
Singapore
Greece
France
Austria
Scandinavia
Israel
Swiss Germans
Japan, Indonesia
Africa (all)
China
Malaysia Spain
Italy
Costa Rica
England
Australia USA
Germany
The Netherlands
Low Context
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

14. COMMUNICATION MEDIA Telephone (including conference calls)
OHT 14
Telephone (including conference calls)
Video conference
Answering machines/voice mail
Face-to-face meetings
SMS
Fax
Groupware (eg discussion forums)
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

15. 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 message
Direct/explicit language
Clarity important
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

16. EXAMPLE EMAIL 1 From: X To: Y CC: Subject: Urgent problem Dear…,
OHT 16
From: X
To: Y
CC:
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
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES

17. EXAMPLE EMAIL 2 From: X To: Y CC: Subject: A request
OHT 17
From: X
To: Y
CC:
Subject: A request
I had problems with my s 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

18. EXAMPLE EMAIL 3 From: X To: Y CC: Subject: A slight worry… Dear …,
OHT 18
From: X
To: 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

19. BRITISH INDIRECTNESS From: X To: Y CC: Subject: A slight worry…
OHT 19
From: X
To: 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

20. GAVIN’S EMAIL TO ALBERTO AND EVA
OHT 20
From: Gavin
To: 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

21. EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF CULTURE SHOCK Anxiety Disconfirmed expectations
OHT 21
Anxiety
Disconfirmed expectations
Exclusion
Ambiguity
Confrontation with one’s prejudices
Based on Richard Brislin
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS CULTURES