Nov 30

Cultural Sensitivity Training – Helping your Company to Work Successfully across Cultures

Cross Cultural Training, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources No Comments »

Working across cultures is commonly seen as a challenging experience, with many obstacles and differences often hindering progress or success. Even the best employees can fail when they are operating outside their usual and familiar cultural context. Working successfully across cultures does not have to be challenging, however, especially if you have the right intercultural knowledge, support and cultural sensitivity training. There are several examples of successful international managers who have proven that it is possible to succeed in a cross cultural context.

Business Meeting 13 track5 i Cultural Sensitivity Training – Helping your Company to Work Successfully across Cultures

© istockphoto.com/ Track 5

Is there some kind of “secret recipe” to ensure this success? Schools of global management like Thunderbird University claim that a global mindset increases the cultural sensitivity of international managers, allowing them to excel regardless of the culture they are dealing with. But what exactly do we mean by “cultural sensitivity”?

Anyone with a high level of cultural sensitivity will adapt more easily and effectively to the values, attitudes and communication styles of another culture. With a high level of cultural sensitivity, international managers or members of international teams are able to better understand and harness the potential of their multicultural team. Cultural sensitivity can help anyone working across cultures recognise what motivates people in that culture and know how to reward performance while avoiding cultural faux pas and incidents that could put the cohesion and success of the team at risk.

Cultural sensitivity can also be useful for companies when it comes to selling to or making strategic decisions with organisations or individuals from a different culture. Many western brands have shown a terrible lack of cultural sensitivity when they tried to do business across cultures. When Pepsi used light blue for its product packaging in South East Asia, for instance, they did not realise that light blue was actually the colour of mourning in that specific culture so sales decreased and Pepsi lost money changing their marketing campaign. Providing cultural sensitivity training to the Pepsi team responsible for this new branding could have helped avoid a costly and unnecessary situation.

Developing cultural sensitivity can take time but it can be increased through experience working across cultures.  Employees working across cultures can benefit immensely from cultural sensitivity training courses which will give them a solid cross cultural framework and skills to help them to avoid cultural pitfalls and misunderstandings. The combination of international exposure and cultural sensitivity training will give anyone working across cultures the skills they need to reach their full potential in any cultural environment.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Nov 25

Is Cultural Sensitivity Training the Key to Successful Global Marketing?

Cross Cultural Training, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management 1 Comment »

Global marketing is now vital for international firms wishing to sell their products abroad. While most international companies conduct thorough research and market surveys, they often fail to consider the impact of culture on their global marketing strategy. This absence of cultural sensitivity can create huge financial and credibility losses even for world renowned brands. Companies starting to sell their products in a new market need to carefully consider the differing attitudes and expectations between their domestic and their international customers. Perceptions of key elements such as brand, colours, packaging, selling methods and slogans can vary widely from one culture to another. Failing to acknowledge and understand this carries significant risks.

Globes Mike Bentley i Is Cultural Sensitivity Training the Key to Successful Global Marketing?

© istockphoto.com/ Mike Bentley

There are several examples of famous brands that failed to show the appropriate cultural sensitivity and unwittingly created cultural faux pas which came with high costs. When McDonald’s opened in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Flag was printed on the take-out bags. This created a massive scandal as a short extract of the Qur’an is written on the Saudi flag. Most Saudis were infuriated to see an excerpt from their holy book printed on an American burger bag! With greater cultural sensitivity, the people behind this marketing initiative would have been able to avoid costing millions of dollars to their company.

Such incidents can be caused by the belief that all cultures are “the same” and have the same expectations. This assumption of similarity is often the main reason behind poor judgment or initiatives. It takes great cultural sensitivity and knowledge to adapt a brand name or an entire marketing campaign to a new cultural environment.

Some companies have perfectly understood that displaying the appropriate level of cultural sensitivity is a shortcut to success. The example of Tesco selling methods in China immediately comes to mind. Tesco executives understood that Chinese customers have their own preferences when buying certain products and decided to adapt to their specific expectations. Fish, for instance, is not sold in plastic packaging like in most western countries but is displayed while still alive in water tanks enabling customers to choose their favourite fish and buy it. This kind of initiative has made Tesco one of the most successful western retailers in the Chinese market.

Cultural sensitivity training courses are an excellent way to learn and understand the cultural factors that come into play when selling across cultures. From language to humour to the use of symbols, a cultural sensitivity training programme will help you to create the best marketing strategy and to understand the expectations and purchasing motives of your new customers. It will allow you to penetrate specific markets more easily and provide you with the relevant marketing tools to make sure that your products are well received by the local population.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Nov 18

Living and Working in Italy – Getting the Most Out of La Dolce Vita

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources No Comments »

Living and working in Italy can be both a fascinating and challenging experience at all once. While some aspects of Italian culture may be quite familiar, there are others which often catch people by surprise and cause frustration and confusion when living and working in Italy. The fact that Italian culture can vary dramatically between the north and south tends to make things even more confusing for anyone living and working in Italy.

Coliseum Hedda Gjerpen i Living and Working in Italy – Getting the Most Out of La Dolce Vita

© istockphoto.com/ Hedda Gjerpen

An imaginary line known as il Meridione, roughly at the height of Rome, divides the country into Northern and Southern Italy which are considerably diverse in terms of history, traditions, economy, as well as weather, food and people. Understanding how the north and south differ can be a huge benefit for anyone living and working in Italy. Whether you are in Rome, Milan or Florence, cross cultural training programmes like Living and Working in Italy can provide you with the knowledge you need to correctly interpret the business culture and behaviours in each part.

The south of Italy is generally less developed and industrialised than the north, particularly outside the major cities where most live a very rural lifestyle. Interpersonal relationships in Italy are governed by traditional family ties, and religious values remain particularly strong. The almost year-round sunshine and beautiful coastline make southern Italy a very popular tourist destination. Italians are generally very welcoming and open to visitors so don’t be surprised if you are invited into the homes of perfect strangers for a meal.

Being invited into a stranger’s home would be unlikely to happen, on the other hand, in the north of Italy, where individuals have a more individualistic approach to relationships, rarely expanding outside their established group of close friends and family members. If you are living and working in Italy, be ready to dedicate time to developing a network of friends and connections as these will be your gatekeepers to new ventures and opportunities.

Italians both in the north and south have an affective communication style, visible through a constant use of hand gestures and explicit body language when interacting. You will be expected to shake hands with people maintaining eye contact the first time you meet, and most likely every time after that. As you get to know people, don’t be surprised if you receive a kiss on the check, even from members of your own sex. Italians’ particular concept of personal space means contact happens both naturally and frequently.

Another concept shared by northern and southern Italians alike is that of ‘bella figura’, which can be roughly translated as ‘looking and behaving in the right way’. It describes the widespread idea that one should do his/her utmost to look his/her best at all times and maintain a respectful and formal behaviour in all interactions. Anyone living and working in Italy should be conscious of this and make an effort with their professional attire to make a good impression.

From a linguistic point of view, showing respect when living and working in Italy can be heard in the use of the courtesy form ‘Lei’, used to address anyone who is either older or more senior than the speaker. Italians are often baffled by the fact that English only has ‘you’. It also means that how you present things – whether it is in the way you dress or in the materials you use for a presentation – is just as important as what you are presenting.

If you are planning a move to Italy or are already living and working in Italy, you could benefit from a cross cultural training programme such as Living and Working in Italy. A cross cultural training programmewill provide with you in-depth knowledge about Italy and Italian culture, both on a social and professional level. You’ll also have the opportunity to discuss any concerns about life in Italy and develop strategies to help you adapt to your new life and make the most of it. Understanding what cultural differences might impact you the most while living and working in Italy will be of immense help throughout the duration of your time there.

No matter where you end up, living and working in Italy can be an exciting adventure where you will meet some amazing people and experience many new things, all of which will be memories to last a lifetime.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Nov 16

Doing Business in India – the Impact of Durga Puja

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

Durga Puja, a Hindu celebration in honour of the goddess Durga, is one of the most important socio-cultural events for Hindus and must be understood by anyone doing business in India. This five day annual holiday is celebrated in many Indian States such as West-Bengal, Assam and Delhi as well as in countries like Nepal and Bangladesh. Hindu cultural organisations in the UK, the US and many other countries also hold Durgas.

Indian palace holgs i Doing Business in India – the Impact of Durga Puja

© istockphoto.com/ Holgs

According to the Hindu solar calendar, Durga Puja takes place on the first nine days of the months of Ashwin which this year was in the month of October. At the beginning of celebrations people will offer thanks to their ancestors and pray. The traditional puja rituals of praising the goddess Durga are very complicated and require an expert priest. For this reason, many Hindu families no longer celebrate Durga Puja the traditional way. In modern society Durga Puja is more of a community festival. Many people gather with their friends, enjoy a large meal with the neighbours or go shopping.

Although worshipping the goddess Durga is the main idea of Durga Puja, its celebration varies greatly from one location to the next. In Maharashtra, a state in West India, teenage girls are often introduced into society during this celebration. The girls dance, sing and draw an elephant in the ancient Indian art form of rangoli. In the south western Indian state of Kerala, Durga Puja marks the beginning of school education for every child between three and five.

With such a large number of people celebrating Durga Puja, it has a big impact on both India’s and Bangladeshi’s economy. According to Subrata Chowdhurry, president of the Bangladesh Puja committee, more than TK 200 crore (equivalent to approximately £180, 000) is used during the festival in Bangladesh. Most of the money comes from members’ subscription fees and donations.

Entertainment companies in India as well as organisations in the lighting and decoration business seize the opportunity and often see more than 30% growth in total turnover compared to other times. Many books and films are also released during this time, similar to Christmas in the west, making it highly profitable business opportunity for many film and media companies.

When doing business in India during Durga Puja celebrations, it’s important to show an awareness of the traditions and importance of this festival in the life of many Hindus. Although fewer families practise the fairly complicated rituals, you will find that your Hindu business counterparts will still fast and pray during Durga Puja so be aware of this when planning business meetings or projects in India. Most businesses remain open, but you may find that working hours and employee attendance may vary from state to state.

A cultural awareness training course will help you to understand this aspect of Indian culture and increase your effectiveness when doing business in India. To understand other festivals and how they impact Indian business culture, behaviours and values, it’s important to spend time with an Indian expert who can give you the knowledge you need. Participating in a Doing Business in India cross cultural awareness training course will provide you with information about Indian culture that will help you build more successful business relationships when doing business in India.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Nov 12

Cross Cultural Attitudes to Risk and Uncertainty

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

Risk and uncertainty are integral elements of doing business, but they are even more present when dealing with international teams and global counterparts. Attitudes to risk and uncertainty can differ widely from one culture to another and can strongly influence the way we are perceived by others. Cross cultural awareness trainingcan provide an understanding of how cross cultural attitudes to risk and uncertainty influence working practices, cross cultural communication and international management.

Businessmen viewed from top sjlocke i Cross Cultural Attitudes to Risk and Uncertainty

© istockphoto.com/ Sjlocke

Cross cultural sociologist Geert Hofstede examined how values in the workplace are influenced by culture. Through the research he conducted in the 60s and 70s, Hofstede collected and analysed data from over 100,000 individuals from forty countries. Using these results Hofstede developed a model of five key categories that cultures can be measured against. One of the dimensions called Uncertainty Avoidance looks at how cultures deal with and are influenced by ambiguity, uncertainty and risk. Understanding your global counterparts’ attitudes to risk and uncertainty will help you to understand why they behave, plan and communicate the way they do in international business.

Cultures showing high uncertainty avoidance have a low tolerance for ambiguity and vagueness in most day-to-day situations. In other words, they tend to be risk-averse and favour rules and a well-structured environment over unknown or unstructured situations. People in cultures with a low tolerance to uncertainty will also tend to establish laws, rules, regulations and control mechanisms to prevent any ambiguity or risk. In a business context, this means that in cultures that have a low tolerance to uncertainty you may find:

  • Employees tend to stay with one employer for a long period of time
  • Decisions are made by consensus
  • Traditional gender roles
  • Job roles often require a very high level of expertise
  • Projects are carefully planned
  • Many rules, laws and regulations in place

Countries in Latin America, Japan and Germany are some examples of where there is high uncertainty avoidance.

Low uncertainty avoidance cultures, on the other hand, are open to new ideas and influences. Flat organisational structures are favoured and people are flexible and more willing to take risks.
In a business context, this would mean that:

  • People will be more open to innovation and change
  • There is an increased willingness and readiness to take risks
  • People approach projects from different angles and have a more flexible attitude to deadlines
  • There is a preference for flexible rules and informal activities

Countries such as the US, the UK and Denmark are examples of where there is a low level of uncertainty avoidance.

Countries with a common history and similar cultural heritage tend to have many of the same value orientations and therefore share many of the same attitudes and behaviours. Cross cultural awareness trainingcourses such as Working Effectively across Cultures will explain why, for example, Latin cultures show similar degrees of uncertainty avoidance and often therefore have many of the same working practices and communication styles.

Working effectively across cultures requires an understanding of cross cultural values and attitudes towards risk and uncertainty. With this knowledge, international working employees will be better equipped to adapt to other cultural working styles and anticipate cross cultural challenges or frustrations that can stem from different attitudes to risk and uncertainty.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Nov 11

Ensuring your Expats’ Success in a Cross Cultural Context

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources No Comments »

A recent article in the Financial Times sums up some of the many challenges that can arise for expatriates going to a foreign country for a long or short term expatriation. From culture shock to homesickness and psychological distress, being an expatriate can become an ordeal and according to forensic psychologist Dr Hamden, expatriation is just not for everyone. But for those who can cope with the cross cultural challenges, an expatriation can become an enriching experience, bringing an invaluable global mindset.

Team cercle Rafal Zdeb i2 Ensuring your Expats’ Success in a Cross Cultural Context

© istockphoto.com/ Rafal Zdeb

The article takes the example of Michelle Brown, a PR executive sent by her organisation to Hong Kong in 2000. While she was looking forward to her expatriation, she certainly did not expect the great number of challenges she was going to face such as weather, food and culture shock. But the greatest difficulty she faced was probably how the locals behaved regarding the colour of her skin.

A young black woman, Michelle attracted a lot of curiosity from locals, especially as it was a place overwhelmingly inhabited by Chinese and white expatriates. Despite their behaviour, she coped admirably and even decided to live in a ‘normal’ part of Hong Kong instead of settling in an expat neighbourhood. She managed to adapt to her new environment, made friends and now has wonderful memories of her expatriation there.

Unlike Michelle Brown, many expatriates just can’t cope with the challenges of their new cultural environment. There are many reasons for a failed expatriation but some of the most popular ones include:

  • Difficulty adapting to a new culture
  • Impact of culture shock
  • Lack of social or professional activity (especially for trailing partners)
  • Homesickness

Expatriates need to consider all of these and others before going on an expatriation. According to the Financial Times, 6% of expatriation processes failed in 2010. Half of these failures are due to the inability of expatriates to adapt to their host culture. The result is a huge loss of money and time for international organisations which could have been avoided with the right cultural support and measures in place for expatriates.

There have been several solutions over the last century that continue to help expatriates and improve their international experience. Some of these include:

  • Increased use of virtual communication and improved technology that helps them maintain a social link with their family and friends while on expatriation
  • Increased ability to travel by plane allowing them to spend more face-to-face time at home with family and friends as well as colleagues
  • Psychological support and the wider use of cross cultural training courses to help them to cope with the challenges of expatriation

According to the Financial Times, 83% of international organisations declared that cross cultural training coursesare a great way to ensure the success of an expatriation.

International companies increasingly recognise the importance of culture in the expatriation process. They now have available new tools such as The International Profiler which helps them review competencies expatriates may need to develop to be successful in the target country. They also have access to a plethora of intercultural training courses such as Living and Working in Hong Kong or Living and Working in India which provide future expatriates with a comprehensive understanding of their own and host cultures. Providing cross cultural awareness trainingand follow-up support to expatriates will help them to settle more easily and thrive in a new cultural context.

Ensuring the happiness of your expatriates is essential as it will help them to maintain a high level of performance in their new position abroad and reduce the chances of an early return which can be costly and time consuming. Providing expatriates with the cross cultural training courses and support they need will help guarantee an excellent return on investment for the organisation and a happy life changing experience for the expatriate and their family.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Nov 10

France and the UK Sign Historic Military Cooperation Agreement – Time for Some Cultural Awareness Training?

Cross Cultural Training, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

A new chapter has been written in the long history between France and the UK. The British Prime Minister David Cameron, and Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President recently signed a treaty of military co-operation. This historical treaty, signed in these new austere times, will see, amongst other things, the creation of a joint expeditionary force and coordination in the area of nuclear warhead testing and development.

Military Salute Arthur Carlo Franco i2 France and the UK Sign Historic Military Cooperation Agreement – Time for Some Cultural Awareness Training?

© istockphoto.com/ Arthur Carlo Franco

While this treaty has caused debate and raised eyebrows on both sides of the English Channel, it is far from a surprising move. In fact, a co-operation treaty was already under discussion between Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac several years ago, but disagreements over Iraq war brought the whole project to an abrupt end. But now the treaty has been signed and a force of thousands of British and French soldiers and their superiors are now tasked with getting on with it. But is it that simple? Experience in both the corporate and public sector has shown that any culture looking to work closely with another will benefit from receiving cultural awareness training.

Let’s look at the history of Anglo-French military cooperation more closely. Since 1904, and the proclamation of the “Entente Cordiale”, both countries’ armies have been co-operating on a regular basis. The most famous occasions were of course, the two World Wars, the Suez crisis, and more recently the involvement in the Gulf war, Kosovo and Afghanistan. However, despite this long period of friendship and military cooperation, one wonders if this unprecedented treaty will resist the wide cultural differences that separate these two great nations and military powers with a long tradition of independence.

As in any international co-operation project, cross cultural challenges and issues need to be clearly assessed and analysed by members of both armies to enable successful and effective interactions. Obvious differences such as language or organisation within the chain-of-command are only the start. Deep disparities exist between the UK and French cultures in areas such as communication styles or attitudes to time. While some may argue that being part of the military family would erase or smooth over these differences, it is a fact that culture shapes the way we act, regardless of our profession.

Resolving cultural differences between soldiers is also important. As we know, developing an esprit de corps is vital to ensure the effectiveness of an entire unit. Helping the members of the joint military force to socialise quickly and effectively will enhance their performance on the field. The same goes for the multicultural team responsible for the development and maintenance of the nuclear arsenal. They need to be able to communicate clearly to avoid cross-cultural misunderstandings that would hinder their work.

To ensure success, both armies’ personnel will have to learn more about their own culture, how it is perceived and interpreted by their new military partner and how their counterparts think. Providing both British and French squaddies as well as their military leaders with cultural awareness training must be the way forward. The benefits are huge and the potential for failure significant. Cross cultural training programmeswill provide both sides with the cultural insights and knowledge they need to work and co-operate effectively helping both nations to meet their strategic needs and ensuring that miscommunication or lack of understanding does not cost lives.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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