...number of cultural frameworks exist that characterize and describe cultures along different value dimensions. The most widely used framework for categorizing national cultures is the one developed by Geert Hofstede. I am limiting myself to this framework as far as this assignment is concerned. According to Hofstede, everyone, from wherever in the world, has his or her unique personality, history, and interest. Yet all people share a common human nature. Our shared human nature is intensely social: we are group animals. We use language and empathy, and practice collaboration and intergroup competition. But the unwritten rules of how we do these things differ from one human group to another. "'Culture" is how we call these unwritten rules about how to be a good member of the group. Culture provides: • moral standards about how to be an upstanding group member; and • defines the group as a 'moral circle". It inspires symbols, heroes, rituals, laws, religions, taboos, and all kinds of practices - but its core is hidden in unconscious values. We tend to classify groups other than our own as inferior or (rarely) superior. In our globalized world most of us can belong to many groups at the same time. But to get things done, we still need to cooperate with members of other groups carrying other cultures. Skills in cooperation across cultures are vital for our common survival. Hofstede’s Five Dimensions of Culture Cultural Dimension #1: Individualism (IDV) This refers to the...
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...International Students are a huge part of every university. Every year, hundreds of thousands of students from all over the world come to the US. These students expect many things from the universities in America. Almost every student before coming to the US researches about the changes in cultures, lifestyles and behaviors. Some students even try to implement these changes in their daily life in their home country. However, they experience different culture, environment and surroundings than expected. This astonishment is termed as culture shock. This is not a mere woe of a single person; it’s common for all the aliens! So to adjust in a new place and adapt to a new culture, different organizations within the college should conduct different...
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...Culture and its Impact on International Business Introduction As businesses have grown and expanded to the international level; certain aspects of business have become abundantly clear. One thing that has become the norm when doing business on the international level is dealing with different cultures. Culture, as defined by Geert Hofstede is “the collective programming of the human mind that distinguishes the members of one human group from those of another. Culture in this sense is a system of collectively held values.” The concept of a culture has been around for a very long time; in-fact, when people exist in the same place together they end up following a set of rules. These rules can be called a “social norm” or culture and can be made up of simple things like how to act in certain situations all the way to a very devout set of beliefs or values. This paper will focus on the role that culture plays on multinational businesses around the globe and the differences that culture plays from one area of the globe to the next. An in-depth look will be taken on the obstacles that may arise due to culture, adjustments that need to be made, and any ethical conundrums that may arise due to different cultures. Literature Review D. Elenkov and d. Kirova, state that “MNCs should not underestimate the importance of the cultural specificity of the host countries because different staffing, selecting, training, motivating and compensating practices should be applied in accordance...
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...Difference Culture In International Business Report between Saudi Arabia & U.S.A Culture in International Business Culture Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experiences, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religions, nation of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving. Culture is a fuzzy set of basic assumption and value, orientations to life, beliefs, policies, procedures and behavior and his/her interpretations of the ‘meaning’ of other people’s behavior. (Spencer- Oatey 2008:3) ‘Culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiment in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i.e. historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attached values; culture systems may. On the other hand, be considered as products of action, on the other. As conditional elements of future action.’ (Kroeber and Kluckhohn 1952: 181; cited by Adler 1997: 14) Culture differences in International Business Doing business with others countries, the difference culture is a point that a business man should aware of. A key to being successful in business internationally is to understand the role of culture in international business...
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...Conclusion---------------------------------------------------------------------------9 6. Reference----------------------------------------------------------------------------10 Introduction United Kingdom is a region with a large population. Also with the high diversity of the population, people tend to have different culture backgrounds. Walking along the streets in NTIC, you might find yourself in another Europe city as there is a large amount of African, Chinese, Indian and some people from other culture backgrounds. So this issue leads to the research which the author wants to dig in, will they really get along well with each other with different culture backgrounds or are they really that different? Also the author has set three objectives as followed which this research needs to complete. Objectives: 1. Find out does the cultural differences exist or not. 2. Analyse the main reason that is causing the cultural differences. 3. Find a way to improve the misunderstanding of cultural differences if it does exist. Literature Review The so-called “culture” is defined as those people who live in a same environment and they are sharing the same “common psychological procedures”. Moreover, culture is not just how this individual characteristic acts, also with a same experience in the common social. Mostly a same education is a background of some psychological activities. Different people from different countries or places may have different...
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...the sights of Bogota, the professors seem to be simply not interested in Jim’s offerings. The lunch finished at 2:30, but Jim hasn’t accomplished his goal at all, he was didn’t understand what went wrong and very upset about it. When he came to his friend’s home later, he met friend’s father Dario, who was a businessman and had conducted business with people from different countries. He told about the meeting and asked for the advice. Dario reminded that Jim is Bogota now, not in the USA and the way of negotiations and doing business is simply different. First of all it is important to build trust and friendship, because people don’t do business with those they hardly know. He assured Jim that the meeting went fine according to Colombian culture and he will get the contact soon. Case analysis. In this particular case the main...
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...The Importance of Understanding Culture in International Business | Business Management in an International Context | | The increasing number of interactions between independent countries, companies and people has highlighted the importance of an understanding of global cultures, both national and organisational. Culture plays a large role in the way individuals behave and interact with one another and therefore plays an important role in business interactions across cultures. Many definitions of culture are offered, but one more relevant to culture in international business is : “Culture is the way in which a group of people solves problems and reconciles dilemmas.” (E.Schein 1985) The first way in which countries can be broadly categorized is into either a high context or a low context culture. High context cultures place more emphasis on the importance of group identity. They have a high sensory involvement and participate more readily in bodily contact. Low context cultures prioritise individualistic properties. They use body language less frequently and are monochronic thus placing a high importance on timing and scheduling. Most Northern European countries and other western societies are low context cultures. It has been suggested by the acclaimed social scientist, Norbert Elias (1978) that the development of society and the basis of its’ cultural contexts are closely associated with the prominent historical groups of the region leading to an establishment...
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...International Students: Bridging the Gap between Two Cultures Irma Ahmad Wan Norhaizar Harun Nurisyalliena Ishak Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) Abstract Cultural differences play an important role in the academic environment. It is often being overlooked by university, society and even among the international students themselves. When dealing with international students, there is an overlap between perception and acceptance towards readiness and adaptation to the cultural differences. International students’ readiness and ability to adapt with local cultural has influenced on how the university and society view and accept them. In this paper, it explores the understanding and challenges for international students to adapt themselves in UniMAP. It also looks on the effectiveness of university effort in building an inclusive academic environment for its international students. Introduction The Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia has taken a big step in becoming a hub for the international students. The aim is proven by the number of international students in Malaysia. As for the year 2008, it was reported that 16,991 students from foreign countries are studying here (Bernama, Dec 3 2008). In order not to be left behind, University Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) has adhere to the Ministry Of Higher Education aspiration by taking 168 international students that come from various countries namely China, Yemen, Iraq and Pakistan. 74 of them are the undergraduates’...
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...Impact of Culture in International Human Resource Management Martin Human Resource Management relates to the processes involved in managing people in international enterprises (Helfrich, et al., 2008). Although the literature has identified several criteria to classify the degree or intensity of an enterprise´s multi- or transnationality for this short abstract a multinational enterprise can be defined as “an enterprise which conducts it activities, control production or service facilities and activities that add value in more than one country” (Zurawicki, 1979). Among the first enterprises driving global business were those who signed on crews and chartered ships, handled, loaded and imported tea from India for the British market. Today according to (Keohane & Nye Jr., 2000) globalisation is “the state of the world involving networks or interdependences at multinational distances…through flows and influences of capital, goods, information and ideas, people and forces”. Diversity has become a fact of life for most companies. They are now composed with a virtual mosaic of employees who differ in culture, national patterns of childhood, formative experiences and education, language, geography gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, religion, disability and other group memberships. The challenges which international human resources face are versatile but the greatest impact is culture. Focusing on the culture (Hofstede, 1991) defines culture as the “collective...
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...markets. 2. Standardization vs. adaptation 3. Concentration of marketing activities: the extent to which activities related to the marketing mix are performed in one or a few countries. 4. Coordination of marketing activities: the extent to which marketing activities related to the marketing mix are planned and executed interdependently around the globe. 5. Integration of competitive moves: the extent to which a firm’s competitive marketing tactics in different parts of the world are interdependent. management orientations Ethnocentric orientation His/her home superior to the rest. Opportunities outside the home country are largely ignored domestic companies. Those who conduct business outside home country international companies: products of home country are superior. Leads to standardized or extension approach. Major internal weakness. Polycentric orientation The opposite. Each country is unique localized or adaptation approach. Such a company is an multinational company. Regiocentric orientation For example a European company that focuses its attention on Europe....
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...the utility of dimensions of national culture to an international manager. International University College, Dobrich, Bulgaria Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK International Business Management BA (Hons) International Business & Cultural Difference Assignment 1 Philippe Bergonzoli Bergonzoli.ph@gmail.com Content Introduction 2 Hofstede’s dimensions 2 1-The Power Distance Index 2 2-Individualism versus Collectivism 3 3-Masculinity versus Femininity 4 4-Uncertainty Avoidance Index 4 5-Long Term-Orientation versus Short Term Orientation 5 6-Indulgence versus Restraint 6 Comparison Overview 7 Others theories 7 Schwartz’s dimensions 7 Inglehart’s dimensions 9 GLOBE dimensions 10 Culture Measurement 10 Culturally endorsed implicit leadership (CLT) 11 Conclusion 12 References 13 Introduction The globalization has been the key which allowed the exchange and diversification of different culture. Nowadays, the proper understanding of cultural differences has become a daily matters for businesses because employees, products, services,… are located, are sold and bought across the world (Mirja Ivonen, Diane H. Sonnenwald, Maria Parma, Evelyn Poole-Kober, August 1998). The subject is not new and has been discussed and analyzed for the past four decades (Xiumei Shi, Jinying Wang, 2010). Geert Hofstede, a Dutch social psychologist and professor emeritus of organization anthropology and international management is one of the pioneer in this...
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...Book review: “Business culture in international business: from collision to an understanding” written by Richard D. Lewis Prepared by Kamalov Artem In the present time Internalization of business and economics has become a global problem. Entrepreneurship goes far beyond national boundaries, drawing into its orbit increasing number of people with different cultural views. As a result cultural differences are starting to play an increasing role of business organizations and stronger influence on the marginal efficiency of business. This book “Business culture in international business: from collision to an understanding” created as study materials for practitioners, business mans, who want to avoid some conflicts and misunderstanding because of their own ignorance. I chose this stuff, because logic and the main idea of writer are easy. At the beginning he talk about the basic concepts and ideas of language in culture and about the culture of which he defines as "the collective programming of behavior." The second biggest part represents analysis of aspects common for all types of business culture and specifically for each other: use of time, space, structure of decision making, rituals, humor and so on. Finally, at the third part, he characterizes business culture of separate counties, regions including Russia. The main idea of this book is help to understand a local culture from different countries. In theoretical plan R. Lewis suggested a highly original approach to solving...
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...Is culture really all that International Human Resource Manager is about? * Introduction * Diversity Management * IHRM & Culture issue * Conclusion * References Introduction People have always been the driving force of business and management. This force is a challenge and if not addressed with the right skills, it will develop into disturbing elements that are very dangerous for the management of the company. The challenges of global talent selection and mobility of labor, established by a career concept that transcends national borders and organizational groups and the emergence of virtual collaboration on international projects requires companies to develop new skills in their employees to be effective in the complexity of today's contexts. The workforces are people, and as we are human, we are all different from various points of view. This paper aims to answer the question: “Is culture really all that International Human Resource Manager is about?” I’ve analyzed the differences between HRM and IHRM based on the concept of diversity, characteristics that influence both topics but in a different way. After this, the next stop is to define IHRM and the concept of culture to reach the conclusion that managing cultural differences in an international team is the major challenge to IHRM. Due to the movement of employees between foreign subsidiaries and headquarters and between foreign locales, HRM professionals are likely to...
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...International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures, Text and Cases, Seventh Edition SEVENTH EDITION FEATURES • Streamlined text in eleven chapters, with particular focus on global strategic positioning, entry strategies and alliances, effective cross-cultural understanding and management, and develop- ing and retaining an effective global management cadre. The seventh edition has been revised to reflect current research, current events and global developments, and includes company examples from the popular press. In Chapter 1, we introduce trends and developments facing international managers and then expand those topics in the context of the subsequent chapters. For example, we discuss developments in globalization and its growing nationalist backlash— in particular resulting from the global financial crisis. We discuss the effects on global business of the rapidly growing economies of China and India and other emerging economies such as those in Africa, and the expansion of the EU; the globalization of human capital; and the esca- lating effects of Information Technology and the global spread of e-business. We follow these trends and their effects on the role of the international manager throughout the book. For exam- ple, in Chapter 6 we focus further on strategies for emerging markets, while also dealing with changing strategies to respond to economic decline around the world and an increasing level of nationalism in some industries; we have a...
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...It’s easier to stick together: International students in US colleges and their lack of adaptation to the American culture. INTRODUCTION The number of international students enrolling in Americans colleges is greatly increasing every year. According to the IIE (Institute of International Education), 819,644 students were enrolled in the USA in 2012/2013 and their number increases by about seven percent every year. Chinese, Indians and South Koreans constitute the majority of them but nonetheless over 100 different countries are represented within the international student population. This study will follow a phenomenon that can be seen at Minnesota State University Mankato within this population. The phenomenon involves international students interacting little or even not at all with American students and creating a barrier between the two populations. International students lack of awareness towards activities that Americans tend to practice and do not wish to get involved with them and vice versa. I then will be observing International students in public spaces to try to understand where this phenomenon comes from and why it is so drastic. As a participant observer, I will use my own bias to explain how it feels to be in the skin of an International student and try to convey why they separate themselves so much. In my study I wish to introduce a concept that wasn’t visited a lot in communication studies, the concept of international students that tend to “stick together”...
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