Aug 10

Time at Work: Business Reality Contradicts Popular Cultural Stereotypes

Cross Cultural Training, Culture 1 Comment »

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently published a study about how much time people dedicate to work in different countries around the world. The initial survey was conducted across the 26 OECD member countries as well as China, India and South Africa. The survey required people from the ages of 15 to 64 to describe what they did on a typical day. The results of the survey are very interesting, particularly as they tend to contradict the many stereotypes that exist about how much time people spend doing business in other cultures.

Business People biffspandex 2 i Time at Work: Business Reality Contradicts Popular Cultural Stereotypes

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Indeed, the cliché of a lazy Mexican, tired from the sun and sleeping in a hammock appears to be absolutely wrong as the study shows that Mexicans actually work the hardest. They work the longest days, are less paid compared to western countries, and also spend a lot of time doing chores at home. The image that Mexicans often portray through their more laid back cultural values and focus on relationships and family is deeply engrained in people’s minds as a culture which does not work very hard.

This is just one popular cultural stereotype that was proven wrong by the OECD study. Considering how many stereotypes can be misconstrued or false, it’s important to always look deeper than what you find on the surface to make sure that the assumption or judgement you have about a particular culture is accurate. Doing business in another culture can be hindered through inaccurate stereotypes or generalisations.

For instance the idea that French never work, often supported by coverage of the’35-hour work week’, is countered by the statistics that show that the French appear to be some of the most productive employees in the world. Some incorrectly believe that countries in Eastern Europe take the most holidays when they actually take fewer days than most of the developed countries in the European Union. In fact Germany not only has a high number of holidays, but its workforce spends the least amount of time working in the OECD.

Many cultural stereotypes are even more questionable as opinions tend to vary widely depending on whether the people are working in their home country or living in another as immigrants. For example, Mexicans in the US are seen as very hard workers who often work long hours and do harsh jobs, an image far from that we illustrated earlier.

By creating and supporting stereotypes that contradict real facts, people can risk making bad decisions based on false assumptions that could harm their business significantly. It’s important therefore to always question cultural stereotypes and check how accurate they may be. It is possible to use cultural stereotypes to your advantage as they can help you to simplify situations and anticipate behaviour across cultures, however if you are wrong you may find yourself facing drastic circumstances.

If you are doing business in another culture or if you are working with international counterparts, don’t get caught up believing what you hear as a false cultural stereotype can forever alter your relationship and success with them. The best way to completely understand the cultures you are doing business in is to participate in a cross-cultural awareness training programme. By providing you with detailed information about beliefs, values and behaviours you will find in the target culture, training will better equip you to break down stereotypes and build stronger business relationships based on cross-cultural trust.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Apr 06

Becoming a Cultural Chameleon: Adaptability Skills Essential for Cross Cultural Success

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

Have you ever noticed how, in the many conversations you have with different people throughout a typical day, the topics of your conversations and your style of conversation change depending on who you’re speaking to?

If you were to pick a random topic, such as the weather or a recent film you have seen, and you discussed it casually with a few different people, you will most likely notice that even if your conversation covers the same topic, your style will vary depending on the other person’s position (your boss or work colleague), profession (lawyer, shopkeeper), relationship to you (relative, friend, someone you have just met on a street), age (a child, an older person) or culture (national, religious etc).

We tend to speak in different ways to different people, our work colleagues, family, friends or just strangers we meet on a street or in a supermarket. Our speech adapts and changes depending on our interlocutors. We may adapt our choice of language like the vocabulary or jargon we use, or our accent, dialect or intonation. At times you may find yourself imitating someone else’s accent or use of vocabulary to get closer to them and gain sympathy, especially when working across cultures. This is the central tenet of Communication Accommodation Theory, which was developed by professor of communication Howard Giles of the University of California Santa Barbara.

Definition Language kdow i1 Becoming a Cultural Chameleon: Adaptability Skills Essential for Cross Cultural Success

© istockphoto.com/kdow

 

Practical examples of this are when, for instance, we speak slowly when communicating across cultures so that our international counterparts can understand us, or how we use grammatically simple language with children (baby talk). In the same way, you can strategically choose to speak with a certain accent or use certain expressions in order to emphasise your membership of a group, or conversely, distance yourself from another.

The principle also covers non-verbal aspects of communication, such as posture and eye contact, which are especially important aspects of cultural awareness. For example, when two people speak one may seek eye contact while the other may wish to avoid it. In that instant, almost unconscious negotiation takes place as one has to adapt to the style of the other.

Most of these verbal and non-verbal adjustments are psychologically motivated and common among all people around the world. What differs is how we accommodate our language and behaviour to communicate with others across cultures more effectively and gain their appreciation, trust or acceptance.

Adapting to another person can come naturally and often imperceptibly in a mono-cultural environment, but if the interaction spans different cultures a certain degree of uncertainty comes into play, as the parties involved will very likely have different expectations of how communication should unfold. Cultural awareness training can help reduce this element of uncertainty and ensure you have the right level of cross cultural skills to communicate effectively across cultures.

Understanding varying levels of eye contact is just one example of this theory in action. Broadly speaking, western individuals associate a lack of eye contact with insecurity and even untrustworthiness at times. When a German manager meets a new member of his team, he will look him straight in the eye, accommodation assures his gaze in turn will be met. All of his German counterparts know this shows both mutual respect and that the new team member is confident and ready to meet the challenges of the new assignment.

Things are different when doing business in Japan, where respect for your superiors should be shown by not meeting their gaze. Accommodation means that a Japanese junior member of staff will not look his boss in the eye when he or she talks to him, and know that by doing this all expectations are met.

What happens when business relations bring the German junior team member into contact with the Japanese manager? Who, if at all, will accommodate their communication style when doing business with the other? What are the consequences of this not happening?

One way to eliminate any uncertainty that arises from this scenario is through cultural awareness training. By providing insight into your own culture and communication style, as well as those of the host country you are doing business in, it is possible to develop a level of cross cultural awareness that will help you to make the necessary cultural adjustments that come so naturally when communicating with someone from your own culture.

Confidence, awareness of what to expect and skills to react appropriately, all developed through cultural awareness training, can eliminate at least part of the uncertainty inherent in international business relations and lead to more economic success.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Mar 16

Intercultural Training – Essential for Global Success

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

Today’s world is characterised by global organisations with operations and employees across the world in constant contact via traditional and modern communication methods. The coming together of different nationalities offers organisations access to an unrivalled talent pool. However, it also creates new obstacles that internationally focused companies and institutions have to deal with in order to be successful.

Business People walking urbancow i Intercultural Training Essential for Global Success

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Intercultural training can help employers and employees navigate the challenges of international working rooted in cultural differences by helping them develop their intercultural competence which is essential for global success.

International organisations working across the globe should provide intercultural training options for its employees to ensure they:

  • Understand the implications of cultural difference on business
  • Understand how they are perceived by their international counterparts
  • Communicate effectively across cultures
  • Build successful cross cultural relationships
  • Help the organisation have a competitive edge in the international market

A high level of competence in the areas above, developed through intercultural training, will result in more successful financial cross cultural business endeavours, an improved corporate image and long-term relationships with international counterparts.

Understand the impact of cultural difference on business

Intercultural training programmes like Working Effectively across Cultures provides employees with a foundation for understanding the impact of culture on business. Through the analysis of several key dimensions of culture, employees are able to understand how their own cultural values compare to those of their international counterparts. Being aware of different attitudes to things such as time, hierarchy and risk raises awareness of potential differences and helps to develop strategies for successfully working across cultures.

Perception and Image

One of the most important things intercultural training develops is self-awareness. By understanding both their own culture and that of their international counterparts, employees are able to better identify differences which they will need to adapt to. Through an increased awareness of how they might be perceived in other cultures, both individually as representatives of the company, they will avoid any potential miscommunication and improve global business.

Effective Intercultural Communication

Another important area that intercultural training helps develop is intercultural communication. Different verbal and non-verbal communication styles can cause misunderstandings and frustrations that can potentially affect international business relationships and cause a decrease in productivity and efficiency due to the lack of knowledge or appreciation of cultural differences.

Problems in communication may arise from the obvious linguistic differences, but also from the often less apparent differences in cultural values which are often unconsciously embedded in people’s behaviour. The awareness gained from intercultural training about employees’ own cultural values and the impact they have on how they behave and are perceived is essential for anyone working in international organisations.

Build successful cross-cultural relationships

When working across cultures, it’s extremely important to consider the importance employees place on relationships. In some cultures, doing business means getting straight down to the tasks at hand while in others doing business is all about developing a solid relationship first. Stories abound about companies who were not able to build effective relationships with their international counterparts resulting in lost deals. Knowing how much time needs to be spent developing the relationship before starting negotiations or planning a project will ensure success. Intercultural training programmes can provide employees with the knowledge and skills necessary to build effective global relationships.

Increase competitive edge

Communicating and working across cultures often presents huge risks for international businesses. Communicaid’s intercultural training can help prevent wasted time, lost revenue and damaging misunderstandings which occur as a result of a lack of knowledge and understanding of the target culture. Understanding how people think and why they behave the way they do will help employees work more effectively, which in turn, will give the organisation a competitive edge over other organisations who lack this intercultural competence.

 
In an article about measuring the benefits of intercultural training John Schieman wrote, “Quantifying the business improvement from cross-cultural interventions is challenging, however it is clear that cross-cultural competence has the potential to make a significant contribution to top and bottom line results as well as individual performance.”

Intercultural training ensures international organisations maximise positive outcomes of intercultural interactions and reduce potential cultural faux-pas which could result in huge direct and indirect costs as well as lasting damage to the company’s performance and reputation abroad.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Mar 08

Challenges of Doing Business in Russia

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

Russian Palace 5 numbeos i 200x300 Challenges of Doing Business in Russia

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A huge country richly endowed with natural resources, Russia continues to develop both politically and economically. Russia’s cultural identity has been influenced by a mixture of ethnicities and a diverse history.

The largest country in the world, with the ninth largest population, Russia has recently established a consumer economy which is increasing business and investor confidence in Russia’s economic prospects.

 

While there are some clear benefits to doing business in Russia, an understanding of Russian business and social culture is essential to an international company’s success.

Punctuality – Russia is a polychronic culture, in other words, people tend to be flexible in the organisation of their priorities and attitudes towards punctuality are relaxed. Polychronic cultures also often feel it is more efficient to do several things at once; therefore meetings may not follow a linear agenda and may be interrupted by phone calls or people coming in. As a foreigner, you are expected to be on time to all business appointments, however social events are more relaxed and being up to 30 minutes late is acceptable. Patience is highly valued in the Russian society, try not to be mad when a colleague arrives late and do not expect an apology, they may simply be testing your patience.

Collectivism – Historically a country rooted in agricultural communes, Russia has maintained a collectivist spirit that pervades many sectors of society. The Russian affinity for the group can be seen in every day life, for example, Russians will often choose to join strangers in a restaurant, recreation is commonly arranged in groups and advice can sometimes be given to you by a complete stranger. This sense of co-operation and togetherness must be considered when doing business in Russia, especially when communicating. For example, it is important to remember to address the group rather than the individual.

Hierarchy – Hierarchy is an important aspect of Russian business culture with status being linked to age and position. It is important to be aware of the fact that usually meetings are held with people of equal status. Decision making is commonly done by the most senior employees in the company. Showing respect for seniority is essential for maintaining strong business relationships when doing business in Russia.

Personal relationships – Relationships start out quite formal within Russia but maintaining trust and a good working relationship from the beginning is invaluable for future business. When meeting someone for the first time, it is wise to address them by their patronymic name. This name is based on the name of the person’s father with the suffix “ovich” (son of) for men and either “ovna” or “evna” (daughter of) for women. The Russian language also has two forms of the word “you” distinguishing between the formal “vy” used to denote respect and the more casual “ty” used between friends.

Communication style – Russians tend to have a high context communication style. A high context preference translates to placing emphasis on relationships, emotions and body language and expecting the listener to read between the lines. Differing communication styles can often pose one of the most significant challenges for businesses working cross-culturally. When doing business in Russia remember that Russians are patient and will expect the same patience from you.

Negotiating – In negotiating, Russians often take their time and will not rush to make a decision. Russians tend to avoid compromise, which they see as a weakness and expect to either win or lose a negotiation. Therefore, expect negotiations to be tough and occasionally theatrical. Do not be surprised if you witness the occasional loss of temper, people leaving the room and threats to call off the deal, this is all part of the process of driving a hard bargain.

Russian woman dmbaker i 300x199 Challenges of Doing Business in Russia

© istockphoto.com/dmbaker

Although recognising that cultural differences exist is an important first step when doing business in Russia, international organisations must also understand the reasons and implications of these differences in order to develop effective strategies for coping with these challenges.

A Doing Business in Russia cross cultural training programme will help organisations maximise the benefits and opportunities of doing business in Russia. Cross cultural training programmes also create a workforce with a high level of intercultural competence which is a huge asset to any organisation working in a competitive global environment.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Mar 04

Cross Cultural Training for Business and Management

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

Business relations are no longer limited by national borders. Individuals and organisations from different national cultures meet, compete and collaborate on a daily basis, making cross-cultural working and communication, whether virtual or face to face, an essential part of a company’s day to day business.

iStock 000007271257Medium 300x199 Cross Cultural Training for Business and Management

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However technically prepared, employees’ performances may suffer when working across cultures without adequate cross cultural skills which enable them to not only recognise cultural differences in working preferences and communication styles, but to also be able to deal with them. Such intercultural skills can be developed by participating in a series of cross cultural training programmes for business and management.

Cross-cultural training programmes provide both a foundation of intercultural awareness and an understanding of the impact of stereotypes and generalisations on business interactions, a lack of which can cause serious misunderstanding and financial risk when working internationally. Intercultural training also provides strategies to manage intercultural conflict and build cross-cultural relationships with greater success.

As quoted in the book Riding the Waves of Culture, “Culture still seems like a luxury item to most managers, a dish on the side. In fact, culture pervades and radiates meanings into every aspect of the enterprise. Culture patterns the whole field of business relationships.”

Cross cultural training is an integral step to ensuring international organisations harness the benefits of doing business in an intercultural context and reduce their risk of financial loss.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Mar 03

Benefits of Doing Business in Russia

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

Russia is by far the largest country in the world. The country covers an area all the way from Europe in the West to North America in the East and bordering with Asia in the South, and boasts a vast geography that spans eleven time zones.

Russian building 2 Dmitry Mordvintsev i 425x283 Benefits of Doing Business in Russia

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Emerging as a diverse nation after a long and eventful history, Russia’s growing and strengthening consumer economy, with a market of over 140 million people, is evolving into a prime location for investment. Business opportunities can be found in many sectors of Russia’s economy and strong support exists for investors from both the government and the Foreign Investment Advisory Council (FIAC).

Doing business in Russia offers the following key benefits:

Stable and Growing Russian Economy
According to Invest in Russia, Russia boasts one of the most dynamically developing and attractive economies in the world. Since 1999, GDP growth has averaged 6.8% per year and reached 8.1% in 2007 (compared to 4-5% average world economic growth). Thanks to the strengthening rouble, in dollar terms the 1999-2007 GDP growth was an astounding 26% per year, far outstripping international growth rates.

Egalitarian Attitude
Russians generally subscribe to attitudes that promote equality, reciprocity and mutual advantage in business and a “deal” is often regarded as an opportunity for equally shared benefit. Personal relationships are also of great importance in Russia. When doing business in Russia it is worth investing time initially in creating strong bonds, as these are likely to form a solid basis for future business negotiations.

Large, Educated Consumer Market
There is untapped potential in Russia’s captive market of over 140 million people whose incomes are steadily improving. Additionally, Russia’s strong educational system has a good reputation for producing a highly skilled workforce and discerning consumers. The talent of the Russian people is starkly evident in the achievements of Russian art, music, literature and architecture.

Unique Geographical Location
Russia’s massive geographical presence spans a distance unmatched by any other single country. Linking Europe with Asia and bordering the North American continent, Russia has excellent access to sea, road and rail routes and is home to several major airports. Russia’s location is further supplemented by its vast natural resources of mineral reserves, coal mines, natural gas and timber.

Unified employees
Russia is a predominantly collective society, with a communal spirit perhaps stemming from its history and climate. Russia’s severe winters and geographical conditions have meant that collaborating, rather than competing has been necessary for survival. This sense of co-operation and togetherness must be considered when doing business in Russia, especially when communicating with Russian counterparts. For example, it is important to remember to address the group rather than the individual.

International organisations can profit immensely from the above benefits of doing business in Russia. Utilising these benefits comes with the necessity to create effective strategies for navigating the geographic, political and cultural diversity of Russian society. This requires a comprehensive understanding of Russian business and social culture on all levels.

International organisations employing people in Russia or doing business with Russia on a regular basis should therefore participate in cross-cultural training programmes for business and management such as Doing Business in Russia to ensure they develop the skills to successfully deal with the many cultural differences in working preferences, values and communication styles.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Feb 15

Cross-Cultural Concept of Time: Chronemics

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector 3 Comments »

The terms polychronic and monochronic are used to describe how we understand and use time as well as how time affects our attitudes, behaviours and communication. In The Silent Language (1959), Edward T. Hall used the term polychronic to describe the preference for doing several things at once. Conversely, monochronic refers to an individual’s preference to do their activities one by one.

People in monochronic cultures such as the U.S. or Germany prefer promptness, careful planning and rigid commitment to plans. They also tend to be task-oriented whereas people from polychronic cultures are people-oriented. Cultures such as Italy or Brazil are considered to be polychronic since they prefer to have multiple things happening at once. Polychronic cultures tend to prioritise relationships over tasks and do not consider time commitments to be binding.

The table below highlights some of the key differences between monochronic and polychronic preferences.


Monochronic Polychronic
One thing at a time Multiple activities at once
Rigid approach to time Flexible approach to time
Strict agenda No strict agenda
Focus on task Focus on relationship
Completion of job most important Relationships more important than the job
Emphasise promptness Promptness based on relationships


Cross-cultural training will provide you with a more comprehensive understanding of different approaches to time, including your own, and the impact this can have on doing business internationally. Whether intercultural training focuses on one specific culture such as Doing Business in India, or how to be more effective in any global context such as Communicating across Cultures, the concepts monochronic and polychronic are key to improving your ability to build strong relationships with your international colleagues.

While doing business in other countries, you should consider the different perceptions of time people might have. Everyday global business activities such as scheduling meetings, participating in conference calls or planning a project can be affected by attitudes to time.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Nov 30

Impact of Culture Shock

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector 1 Comment »

Culture shock, a natural state of psychological and physical disorientation that can occur when living and working in a new culture, can have a huge impact on international business if not recognised and dealt with effectively.

Most people think about culture shock as something that happens only when they are relocated to another country. In fact, it can also happen when doing business in another culture on a short-term basis, whether you are visiting for a week or a month. Being aware of the cultural differences and having the ability to deal with them is integral to ensuring a successful cross-cultural business endeavour or international assignment.

Cultural training for relocation such as Living and Working in France and cross-cultural business and management training such as Doing Business in India can help you better understand the culture thereby reducing the impact of culture shock.

Another common assumption about culture shock is that it only happens when you go to a culture which is significantly different from your own. However, culture shock can often be more intense when you go to a similar culture.

For example, a business person being relocated from the UK to the US may assume that they will not have difficulty adapting to American culture since they share the same language and have similar values and attitudes. However, what many people don’t recognise are the subtle nuances and behaviours unique to American culture which impact social and business communication and relationships and result in culture shock. Often, because these nuances and behaviours are very subtle, they are interpreted as rudeness or disrespect instead of a cultural difference.

The assumption that doing business in a similar culture will not be very challenging has been proven wrong by numerous studies which show that the majority of international assignments which failed were those where people were relocated to a culture very similar to their own. No matter where you are doing business or relocating to, cross-cultural training can help reduce the impact of culture shock on international assignments and global business.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2009

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