1. American Business Culture
OUTLINE
The American Experience and Value System
Personal Qualities
Communication
Protocol
Mores and Morality
The Business Climate

2. American Business Culture
The U.S. is vast and has many different cultures of business Silicon Valley—innovative, risk taking, informal, individual freedom, visionary, teamwork, open communication, employees are valued

3. American Business Cultures
Wall Street—Greed is good, massive profit, lack of consequence thinking, flock mentality, competitive individualistic, aggressive Retail—strict control, poor pay, few rights, anti-union Thinking outside the box is not often appreciated, top-down Top down

4. The American Experience
Searching for the American Dream
Dislike of centralized systems which limited personal development
The importance of success
Material success as a measure of personal development: U.S. consumer debt: $13 trillion
Success is individual—individualism vs. feudalism
The emphasis on initiative vs. govt intervention

5. American Values Independence Freedom Individualism
Competition = Free markets
Skepticism toward central government = deregulation

6. Indvidualism: Positives and Negatives
Creates a need to perform because people are evaluated & rewarded on individual performance.
Make you customer a performer—”you will save your company X $ and increase its lateral communication.”
Remember the strain and worry that Americans are under. Help them!

7. Indvidualism: Positives and Negatives
Self-improvement mania—Americans want to be better so show them how your product will make them seem better.
The negatives include the feeling that failure is individual inspite of the fact that often it is the result of circumstances—especially today.

8. Positive Thinking
Positive thoughts are rewarded and negative thoughts often penalized.
Americans can fail to see the situation in a critical light and over-estimate what they are capable of—especially since individual performance is the basis of their survival.
Analysis/criticism can be viewed as negativism. Thus self-deception can result.

9. Positive Thinking A contradiction given the present situation
Although the American economy is recovering, 8 million jobs were lost and Americans worry about losing their jobs. Many jobs created are poorly paid. The threat of robots taking jobs.
Yet Americans are expected to be positive, which may help them keep their jobs, while their situation is the opposite.

10. Main Street
Main St.
Desperation: loss of jobs, homes. Anger which Trump played on
The greatest fear: loss of job, home and health insurance. What happens when Obama Care is weakened? Is greed good? Consequences of greed.
Are Americans in a state of denial?

11. The Present Situation
Minimum wage is $7.25/hour The Trump cabinet consists of billionaires— the latter traditionally don’t care about workers and the middle class There has been no mention of raising the minimum wage Recent legislation has weakened unions and made it difficult for workers to collect overtime pay

12. The Present Situation Salaries and Benefits Paid vacations--2-3 weeks
Can’t be taken consecutively
50 hour week not uncommon
Unpaid overtime for managers
Meritocracy, not seniority
Never ask about one’s salary
Health insurance--must be negotiated
Most benefits must be negotiated--no free lunch

13. The Present Situation
57% of Americans say that they are just barely making it. The middle class has declined from 62% in the 60’s to 43% today The upper 20% own 88% of all wealth. The lower 40% own 0.4% of all wealth.

14. The Present Situation
60% of the benefits of Trump’s tax plan will go to the upper 1% Is the U.S. tilted in favor of a smaller and smaller minority? One can get the feeling that the middle and working classes don’t count.

15. The Present Situation
U.S. CEOs earn 300 times that of their employees compared with 30 times (1970). Equality in the work place? Although productivity has increased over the last 45 years, none of the benefits have been passed on to the workers in terms of higher wages. Their buying power has decreased by 2% since 1970

16. Question
What is it in American culture/ American business culture that makes Americans accept this blatant inequality in society and working life?

17. Existing Illusions
The American Dream of social mobility is still alive.
Free markets benefit everyone.
Regulation prevents initiative and is bad for business.
Tax breaks for the rich generate GDP growth and higher salaries.
The U.S. is the greatest nation in the world.

18. Positive Aspects of American Business
Relatively limited government regulation—pro business orientation
Favorable tax structure
Access to venture capital—pro risk
Can-do spirit which encourages entrepreneurship
Huge consumption-oriented market

19. Negative Aspects of American Business Culture
Tremendous pressure
Job insecurity
Highly competitive—”Swim with the Sharks without being eaten alive”
Short term thinking
Hype
Wall St. mentality—quick profits, little responsibility, gambling, moral hazard.

20. Personal Qualities Assertiveness
Loyalty—in spite of job insecurity—Corporate downsizers fire workers and their stock value goes up.
Team player--informative
Outgoing – sociable, enthusiastic – and polite
Confidence
Toughness, drive & dedication

21. Communication Style Informal Time is money--be brief
First names and nick names
Joking and bantering (one-upsmanship)
Extrovert behavior (highly respected)
Uncomfortable with silence—the Japanese weapon
Time is money--be brief
Conflict and confrontation accepted
Exhibit confidence—hype?

22. Protocol Dress--formal in business, informal socially
Time--punctual in business, 20 minute rule socially
Limited gift giving (Christmas)
Achievement based respect, not seniority
Not as rigid rules as Asia and perhaps Europe

23. Mores and Morality The importance of religious affiliation
2/3 go to church regularly
Churches and civic organizations are meeting places for making connections.
You must appear to be moral, but morality does not always extend to business dealings--i.e. Enron, Tyco, etc.

24. Morality? Stock options and huge salaries
In order to justify their huge salaries, C.E.O.s are tempted to cook the books.
over 700 companies were caught doing this, aided by auditors.
All of the major financial firms broke the law
But none of the C.E.O.s involved in the financial crisis have been convicted.

25. The New Religion Positive thinking and attractions
Mass churches where the congregation is motivated rather than preached the gospel.
The message is thinking positively and God will reward you.
”I believe God wants to give us nice things.”
”Think like God. Think big. Think increase.» «Think abundance. Think more than enough.”

26. Political Correctness
Conservative and distrust of social democracy
Life is a jungle, creates initiative
Best not to tout the value of social democracy. Is democracy threatened?
Harassment is the kiss of death
Avoid discussing politics
Labor relations--union membership is frowned upon: Walmart

27. Socializing Voluntary organizations are often meeting places
Americans are joiners--Rotary Club, etc.
Gentleman sports--tennis, squash, golf, hunting, alpine skiing are meeting places
Smoking is frowned upon
Expected to adapt to American values

28. Topics of Conversation
Sports—know the situation of the local teams. TV programs
American accomplishments
Both as a nation and the accomplishments of the company with which you’re dealing
Find common interests—hobbies
Get them talking about what they are into
Taxes in Norway—they’ll love it

29. Topics of Conversation
Avoid political issues, regulation & collective governmental responsibility
Sports-know about local teams.
TV programs
Find an area of common interest.
Americans like to talk about what they are into.

30. The Business Climate: Negotiating Tough negotiators
High/Low balling is common
Keep your bottom line a secret
Your opponent will be looking for it
Americans may promise more than they can deliver
A result of high expectations
Hype is common

31. Employer--Employee Relations
Short-term thinking
The quarterly report
The basis of fat bonuses for execs
Layoffs and firings
Increases stock value
Creates a loyalty dilemma
No job security, no loyalty
It’s a jungle out there
Informality does not mean concern

32. Employer-Employee Relations
Teamworking is important
Requires good communication skills and information sharing
Bosses can be tough and demanding, and pressure is part of the game
You must showcase yourself to be promoted
Teamworking and competition for promotion--a contradiction?

33. Employer-Employee Relations
A shocking Gallup Poll revealed that: 70% of the 150,000 employees polled said that they didn’t like their jobs. 17% were actively disengaged: complained constantly & looked for a new job 51% were passively disengaged; showed up for work but made no effort

34. Differences Between Norwegians and Americans
Decision making—individual vs. group
Getting individual Norwegians to take responsibility for a decision
Identification and self-definition through one’s job—are Americans more dedicated?
Separation between job and private life
Service mindedness
The protected Norwegian worker—protects incompetence? Sick-leave as a way out?
Openness and self-promotion

35. Differences Between Norwegians and Americans
Bureaucracy and regulation
The ease of starting new businesses
Employee protection
Distribution of wealth
Risk taking and access to venture capital

36. Questions
Will the election of Donald Trump as US President have a lasting effect on American business culture?
Is the U.S. still a democracy or is it becoming an oligarchy? $

37. Answers?
The Koch brothers spent nearly $1billion to insure that all the advantages for the upper class will be maintained through their candidates in Congress.
Companies can have a direct impact on legislation