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Aug 12

The Importance of a Global Mindset for Success Overseas

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 »

In the current worldwide economic situation, being culturally aware and interculturally competent is a must for success in this highly competitive international market. Successful business people from all over the world are competing for top positions in international organisations. Being business savvy and having a good track record at home is no longer enough to secure the best roles in the global arena.

© istockphoto.com/ Kasia

According to new research published by the Harvard Business Review, a ‘global mindset’ is what candidates need to be successful in a global role in which they will need to be capable of adjusting to different environments and have the ability to work effectively with international colleagues. This ‘global mindset’ is defined as having three key elements: intellectual, psychological, and social capital.

Looking at how two people, one with and one without a global mindset, deal with cultural difference and international situations can give us a very good idea of how important having a global mindset is for anyone in a global role.

Alan, a promising employee at a US-based manufacturer was sent to Beijing as general manager for consumer products. He was excited by the challenge and looked forward to helping his company through a difficult period which was due to internal tensions that were interfering with the growth of the company. Before he started his new role he researched Chinese culture and read that the Chinese tend to think collectively and prioritise the interests of the group. As he started his work in China he emphasised the need for cooperation and teamwork amongst his employees in order to improve the situation and achieve the desired results.

After 60 days however there were no visible improvements and Alan found that although his employees had agreed to all of his suggestions, they had not committed to any specific action and were also not holding anyone accountable for the lack of improvements. Alan soon started to lose confidence in his abilities, took a dislike to Chinese food and Chinese culture and ended up returning to the US before the end of his international assignment in China costing the company wasted time and money.

Debra, Alan’s colleague, had a completely different experience when she was sent to Sao Paulo under similar circumstances. She was expected to turn around operations affected by low productivity and poor staff morale in a short timeframe. Unlike Alan, Debra was born in Venezuela to US military parents, had travelled extensively throughout her life and was fluent in several languages. Debra quickly embraced her new position and sought input from the local staff about what needed to be done to improve productivity. She did her research and took every opportunity she could to reach out to her staff. Within months, her project was back on the right track.

So although Debra’s background was more international than Alan’s, why were their experiences so different?

According to experts, the intellectual, psychological and social capitals that make up a ‘global mindset’ are each comprised of three key attributes that can guarantee organisations that their assignees are ready and likely to succeed in an international assignment. These attributes are:

Intellectual Capital: Global business savvy, cognitive complexity and a cosmopolitan outlook.

Psychological Capital: Passion for diversity, thirst for adventure and self-assurance.

Social Capital: Intercultural empathy, interpersonal impact and diplomacy.

Debra’s previous experiences abroad and her knowledge of other languages and cultures helped her to better understand her new employees and how she needed to deal with them in order to increase staff morale, confidence and productivity. She possessed, apart from talent, the ‘global mindset’ required for the international assignment set by her company. While Alan was talented as well, his skills weren’t as transferable to another culture given his lack of previous exposure to an international environment.

Debra was born into a different culture and had international experiences from an earlier age than Alan. However, the skills necessary for success in international assignments are not necessarily skills you are born with but can be acquired through cross cultural awareness training and international exposure.

Cultural awareness training programmes can equip you with the relevant tools and strategies to communicate efficiently with foreign counterparts and reduce the stress coming from a new and international context. They can also help you to adapt your management styles and understand the motivation factors and expectations of your new counterparts, ensuring a good working atmosphere. Getting familiar with their cultural values will also help you to decipher their behaviours and thus avoid critical incidents which can jeopardise a project or a profitable business opportunity.

Communicaid’s specialist courses such as cultural training for Relocation, Managing International Teams or Effective Global Leadership can provide you and your company the necessary knowledge and skills required to thrive in the international arena. By being culturally aware and prepared to work across different cultures, employees of international organisations who posses this ‘global mindset’ are invaluable assets to their company, capable of increasing their chances of success and of profitable international assignments.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Aug 02

Maintaining Peace in a Country at War: How can Cultural Awareness Training help Soldiers on the Front Line?

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for the Public sector 1 Comment »

The debate concerning the international involvement in Afghanistan is currently raging after the massive leak of reports on the internet site Wikileaks. According to these reports, the situation in Afghanistan is extremely difficult, mainly because of the lack of support from the Afghans who some consider to be quite hostile to the international task force. There are around 100,000 multinational soldiers currently in Afghanistan carrying out duties ranging from fighting the Taliban to maintaining law and order to rebuilding projects.

In order to reduce the resentment of the local population toward the soldiers, many military commanders are starting to provide language training alongside intercultural training courses to their troops. This new approach is particularly interesting as it shows that military officers acknowledge the fact that interacting with the local population requires a specific set of cross cultural and linguistic knowledge and skills. Indeed, understanding the local population, unique customs and cultural values can help the soldiers to adapt to their new environment and interact more effectively with Afghans.

© istockphoto.com/Matthew Rowe

Knowing how to appropriately behave, especially with women or children, can greatly help soldiers in their daily roles. Cultural awareness training courses are important as they can also help soldiers understand essential do’s and don’ts to avoid critical incidents.

To take a simple example, while the “ok” sign formed by connecting your thumb to your index finger is perfectly acceptable for westerners, it is a particularly rude symbol in Afghanistan. In situations where there is a lot of noise or distance soldiers may signal to others with this sign. Afghans can take great offense to this and react violently.

Another example of cultural faux pas in Afghanistan that cultural awareness training can help soldiers avoid is that of the prayer rug. In many Afghan homes and even temporary accommodation like tents, Afghans will have a prayer rug. Without an understanding of the underlying cultural and religious values, many soldiers may mistake prayer rugs for normal rugs and walk over them with their shoes. This can be considered a great insult to their religion and therefore them as individuals. Having cultural awareness training before any post will help soldiers be aware of factors or actions that can cause great insult or offense damaging any relationship they are trying to build.

Cross cultural awareness training courses are even more effective if they are blended with language training courses as this combination will improve soldiers’ ability to socialise with the local populations. Being able to socialise with Afghans is extremely important as it prevents the creation of enemies, limits conflict and helps soldiers gather valuable intelligence about the situation on the ground. Most importantly, the knowledge gained in cultural awareness training blended with language training will help soldiers reduce the risk of dealing with the locals in Afghanistan and reduce the number of (sometimes deadly) critical incidents.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jul 30

BP has a New CEO: Did Culture Play a Role?

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

BP recently announced the appointment of a new CEO: Robert Dudley, an American citizen who will take the helm of the oil company. Dudley will replace British national Tony Hayward who had been in charge of one of the world’s largest organisations for the last three years.

This decision did not come as a big surprise. Hayward is paying for the Mexican Gulf disaster which is considered one of the worst ecological disasters ever seen. Hayward’s very public role as CEO combined with several PR gaffes in the days that followed the platform incident have all played a role in him being replaced.

Most US journalists and communication specialists have pointed out a lack of commitment, concern and apologies from BP’s CEO during the oil spill. Hayward was also described as distant and not really interested in the events occurring in the Mexican Gulf.

© istockphoto.com/ Nick Cook

These accusations seem somewhat strange, however, if we look at the bigger picture. How could a CEO remain unconcerned when his company is responsible for a massive oil spill that will harm the brand’s image and potentially market value for decades? As emotions run high in the US and particularly in the Gulf of Mexico States it is easy for Americans to accuse the besieged BP Chief of being a callous polluter.

One of the key elements of this case is the nationality and culture of Hayward. As a British national, his communication style and core cultural values are different from those which you typically find in Americans. More precisely, Hayward is less likely to show his emotions openly. Brits are renowned for their reserve, straight face and lack of emotional display, even in tense and dire situations. Foreigners often perceive this to be quite cold and a sign of disinterest – hence the reaction from the American public.

Although much of Hayward’s communication style could be influenced by his national culture and values, much of his communication strategy was poor and things he said were inappropriate. This is where cultural awareness training can be really helpful. If he had known what kind of audience he was communicating to, what expectations they had of him and the style of communication they preferred, he could have adapted his approach to be more positively received.

A better understanding and awareness of US culture and communication styles could have helped Hayward to adapt and choose a better strategy to deal with this crisis. Americans are known to be more open and direct and tend to expect their leaders, businesspeople and celebrities to openly apologise in public when they have done wrong. Recent American history is full of incidents where famous “wrongdoers” have publicly apologised and been “rehabilitated” by the American public. After all, “To Err Is Human, to Forgive Divine” (Alexander Pope).

BP will have a new CEO in October. His primary objective will be to mend the image of the company around the world but particularly in the US. The fact that he his American will probably help him to find the right tone and style to accomplish this difficult task. Hopefully, his previous experience in other countries will also help him to adapt to other cultures as BP continues to work and expand in other international markets over the next few years.

Cross cultural awareness training programmes such as Communicaid’s Doing Business in the US or Managing International Mergers and Acquisitions can help organisations to deal with such cultural differences and react more effectively to crisis such as this one. Understanding the key differences in communication styles as well as cross cultural perceptions and business practices is essential for any organisation working in the international arena.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jul 29

Avoiding Cultural Faux Pas in an International Context: Perceptions of Touching

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 »

Touching is perhaps one of the most dangerous aspects of non-verbal communication and one that is often misinterpreted. While touching someone on the arm or shoulder during a conversation can be accepted and encouraged in some cultures, it can be regarded as highly inappropriate and nearing sexual harassment in other cultures.

© istockphoto.com/ Neustockimages

The vast majority of cultures however have a complex approach to this particular question. In most Islamic countries for instance, touching a woman can be completely taboo but it can be perfectly acceptable for men to hold hands in public as this is regarded as a sign of friendship. When and who you can touch, whether a handshake or an encouraging touch on the shoulder, can be hard to understand if you are not familiar with cultures where Islam plays an important role.

Another good example of where touch can be misinterpreted or confusing is in France. When doing business in France you may find that your counterparts maintain a high level of formality and will not have very much physical contact. The only time French tend to have any physical contact at work is when they greet and say goodbye, typically with a firm handshake or kisses on each cheek between close colleagues.

In more informal situations the French will usually greet other with a kiss on both cheeks, sometimes twice and sometimes four times depending on the region and relationship. Even men can be seen greeting other men with kisses on the cheek provided they are close relatives or friends. Once again, this kind of behaviour can be puzzling for anyone doing business in an unfamiliar culture, leading to critical incidents or awkward situations that may prevent them from effectively working in that culture.

Knowing and deciphering different non-verbal behaviours and gestures is crucial for anyone working across cultures, whether as an international assignee, global manager or project team leader. Cross cultural awareness training courses like Doing Business in France or Living and Working in Saudi Arabia can increase your understanding of non-verbal communication and other cultural differences to ensure you have the most relevant cultural tools and strategies for a successful international experience.

© Communcaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jul 27

How Politeness Impacts International Business

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 »

Each culture has a set of unique idiosyncrasies. In other words, behavioural traits which have grown out of historical experience. These traits are so engrained in the psyche of the culture that it can be difficult to explain their origins or why they are still followed years, decades or even centuries later.

Outsiders or international assignees entering a new culture may be perplexed by what they perceive as strange or unnatural behaviour. Without proper pre-departure cross cultural training and support which gives international assignees an understanding of the culture, these cultural idiosyncrasies will remain distant, unexplained oddities that can prevent the assignee from having a successful expatriation in the new country.

© istockphoto.com/ Jacob Wackerhausen

A good example of where cultural idiosyncrasies often baffle foreigners is the UK. People who are not from Britain often say that the country is obsessed with courtesy and good manners. The British way of communicating is peppered with politeness markers and their behaviour can sometimes be perceived as too conciliatory.

In fact, in the UK the most minor omission of a politeness marker such as ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ or the wrong word order in a sentence can cause offence. Failing to observe the queuing culture or asking a question too directly can leave people with the impression that you are rude or disrespectful. International assignees living and working in the UK must therefore have an understanding of the culture and these unique politeness traits if they want to communicate effectively with their British counterparts.

The intricacies of politeness in the UK are complex and mostly subconscious behaviours that are considered the norm. Politeness markers are often used with complete sincerity or pre-thought. Let’s look at an example where a man and woman approach each other in a busy corridor both carrying papers. As they pass in the corridor, the man bumps into the woman and knocks her, causing her to drop some of her documents. The man says ‘sorry’, which would be considered quite normal for many as he is the one who knocked into her. However the woman also apologises. This happens frequently in the UK, and often confuses those who are unaware of the culture of politeness.

Another example often cited by non-natives revolves around taking the bus. Most British have the habit of thanking the bus driver as they get off the bus. There is no real reason for doing this as the bus driver has to stop at the bus stop and let them off anyway, and most of the time the driver is behind a window which makes it difficult to hear them. Nevertheless, most British adhere to this cultural norm on a daily basis. In many cultures, people believe that because the bus driver’s job is to drive the bus and to let you off, they have not done anything special for you and therefore do not deserve a thank you.

These differences in expected courtesy also affect the way people convey certain messages in business. Being unaware of such discrepancies between what it is said and what it is meant can cause some problems, especially in the workplace. One common example of this is how British people often request tasks to be completed.

For instance, your manager might ask you ‘Would you mind finishing this piece of work by the end of today please?’. This can be perceived as a request to complete the job without much urgency while in fact your manager could really be trying to say: ‘Get on with it and finish it by the end of the day!’. This misunderstanding can often cause the employee to take a longer time than required. If this pattern persists it may well cause frustrations between manager and employees.

These are just a few simple examples of how politeness in the UK can be a confusing thing for many foreigners and how it can impact international business. By attending a cross cultural awareness training course such as Communicaid’s Living and Working in the UK or Doing Business in the UK, business travellers and international assignees can gain the cultural understanding they need to successfully communicate, build relationships and adapt to life in the UK.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jul 26

Global Leadership: What Makes the Perfect Leader?

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 »

Many anthropologists and intercultural specialists like Geert Hofstede and Fons Trompenaars have developed cross-cultural comparative models showing the main cultural differences between cultures. Their contributions as well as those of many other interculturalists such as Edward T. Hall are recognised as foundation models in the field of intercultural communication.

Although comprehensive, most of the work in the field to date is comparative, country-specific and focuses on elements of interaction and communication. Only of few cultural studies have focused specifically on how culture affects leaders and managers around the world. Even fewer studies have analysed the required set of skills and leadership capabilities managers need when working in a cross cultural environment.

© istockphoto.com/ Neustockimages

The GLOBE project is one research programme that looks to determine what qualities and characteristics the ideal leader should have in different cultures and what impact these cultural values and qualities have on global leadership, organisational culture and processes. Initiated by Robert J. House in 1991 and managed at Thunderbird University in Glendale California, the GLOBE project involves about 170 scholars from 61 countries.

By reviewing expected leadership qualities across these cultures, the GLOBE model shows what leaders should be aware of when operating in that country. For example, the research suggests that Americans look for leaders who will give them power and autonomy and lead the way with bold and clever ideas. Chinese on the other hand typically want their leaders to be able to give precise directions and orders but also inspirational and someone to look up to.

To find and isolate the most relevant cultural features, researchers working on the GLOBE project wrote and translated two questionnaires which focused on working styles within companies as well as the society as a whole. Through the analysis of the completed questionnaires nine cultural orientations were identified that relate to the characteristics of the perfect leader.  These nine cultural orientations are described briefly below.

Uncertainty Avoidance: the extent to which person or organisation tries to avoid unknown or unexpected situations and controls future events. In a management context this can be illustrated by the number of processes companies implement, the use of social rituals or the importance of bureaucracy.

Power Distance: how the power is shared within society or an organisation. The power distance value directly impacts organisational charts, the way decisions are made or even how people interact.

Individual Collectivism: how organisations and society incite people to share or undertake collective actions. In the business world, this value impacts the way people work, for instance alone or within groups.

Societal Collectivism: the level of pride and loyalty displayed by individuals toward their family, social group or company.

Gender Egalitarianism: how power is shared between men and women and how differences between genders are perceived. In organisations, this value is illustrated by the presence (or not) of women within the decision making sphere.

Assertiveness: the accepted degree of directness and aggressiveness within social and work relationships between individuals.

Future Orientation: the extent to which persons and organisations are ready to plan for the future. In organisations this value is illustrated in the confidence displayed in the future, the will of investing or the entrepreneurial spirit expected from the employees.

Performance Orientation: how performance and striving for excellence is rewarded by society or organisations. Organisations in strong performance oriented cultures will emphasise professional success before personal development.

Humane Orientation: the degree of reward individuals can get through kind, generous and altruistic behaviour.

The research conducted to date has been presented in the following two books:

  • Culture, Leadership and Organisation – an overview of the methodology and an analysis of 62 countries
  • Culture and Leadership across the World – an in-depth analysis of 25 countries

Cross cultural awareness training courses like Effective Global Leadership or Building International Teams can increase your understanding of cultural models such as the GLOBE project and how you can use them in your working context. Being aware of cultural differences and leadership expectations around the world will help you to motivate, inspire and manage counterparts more effectively while minimising the risks of critical incidents or misunderstanding.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jul 19

Let’s Be Clear – This is Not How Cultural Awareness Should Be Applied

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 »

Being culturally aware and sensitive in the diverse world in which we live and work is a very valuable asset. As the job market continues to struggle and competition is fiercer than ever, multinational organisations are increasingly looking for people who can prove they are easily adaptable to different situations and can work well in multicultural teams and multicultural environments – what is often termed being “culturally intelligent”.

Indeed, cross cultural awareness training courses are becoming more and more popular as organisations in both the corporate and public sector look to equip their staff with the skills to develop successful international relationships and exploit the benefits that multicultural workforces present.

Recent articles by the BBC and the Daily Mail highlighted the extent to which cultural awareness training courses impact the views of those who take part in them. This week Greater Manchester’s Exchange shopping centre will unveil two ‘Asian-style’ squat toilets after bosses attended a cultural awareness training course run by a local Muslim community activist. Apparently, as one in ten members of the Rochdale community is of Bangladeshi or Pakistani origin, they prefer them for cultural reasons.

© istockphoto.com/ Mustafa Deliormanli

While this shows a culturally sensitive approach by the management of the shopping centre to accommodate the cultural preferences and customs of an ever increasing Muslim population, news of these toilets was met with scepticism by the wider community. As many pointed out, the great majority of Muslims in the UK do not install these toilets at home but rather use conventional western toilets. In fact, a large number of the Muslim community were born in the UK and may never have used squat toilets at all. So why should a business cater for a very small minority or even provide a service that was not required at all?

Many examples can be given to illustrate flexibility and adaptability to specific sectors of the ever increasing multicultural communities all over the world. McDonalds has added kosher or halal meals in predominantly Jewish and Muslim areas respectively to show their commitment to their customers’ beliefs and traditions. We have all seen supermarket shelf space reserved for produce targeted at specific communities, e.g. the Polish in West London or the Irish in northwest London. Meanwhile, schools and many companies also allow pupils or employees time and a dedicated space for holidays like Ramadan or prayer time. And while these measures include small changes for other members of the wider community, they are usually welcome as a sign of tolerance.

While demonstrating openness and respect of other cultures are traits that we would expect of any member of our communities here in the UK, the onus on adaptability and flexibility should not solely rest with the population of British nationals – whether they can trace their ancestors back to Boadicea or are second generation Sikhs living in Hounslow. Newcomers to the UK should also be adaptable and respectful of the traditions and customs of their new home country and understand if they do not always match the customs and traditions of their country of origin.

The most successful international organisations are not those that export their country and corporate culture around the world, but those such as McDonalds that have understood how they need to fine tune their product offering and approach to each new country. The role of cultural awareness training is to help companies to understand this while leveraging their undoubted sector expertise.

After reading the news articles about the installation of squat toilets we asked ourselves many questions – did the local Muslim community ask for this? Do they really want this? Do they want to be particularly singled out? What will be the impact on the non Muslim community?, etc. Obviously we are not privy to the conversations and work carried out by the shopping centre and the local community leader who carried out this training.

Communicaid’s intercultural training courses are specifically designed for organisations to understand how much they should adapt to their new markets while at the same time keeping their own “corporate” and core values intact.

As important as it is to cater for the needs of our multicultural society and workforce, it is also vital for people to learn to adapt themselves to their new surroundings as much as possible. This will ensure a much better experience for all involved without risking offence for either locals or visitors.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jul 16

Cross Cultural Theory: Expressing your Emotions across Cultures

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

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt your business counterparts were holding something back from you? Or perhaps you’ve been in a meeting and not been able to tell how your colleagues feel about your proposals? Conversely, have you ever found yourself feeling that your international counterparts should learn to keep to themselves and control their emotions?

The extent to which people express their emotions can often be described using the terms affective and neutral. People from affective cultures tend to express their feelings and emotions openly whereas people from neutral cultures usually try to hide their thoughts and feelings. One of Fons Trompenaars’ seven cultural dimensions, these two opposing concepts can help us to understand behaviours and reactions to situations so that we avoid making false interpretations or judgments about others when working across cultures.

© istockphoto.com/ Track 5

When doing business in Brazil or living and working in Italy, both affective cultures, you may find that your counterparts show their reactions immediately and directly through verbal and non-verbal channels such as increasing the level of their voice, using gestures or making more physical contact. However, if you are from a neutral culture like the US or Finland, this may make you feel uncomfortable and sometimes even aggressed. Meanwhile, your Brazilian or Italian counterparts may find your lack of outward expression of feelings confusing and might perceive you as being cold and reserved.

When working across cultures it’s important to be able to recognise how the display of emotions or lack thereof can impact relationships and cross-cultural communication. Failing to understand how your business counterparts express themselves can result in major misunderstandings or misjudgement.

Participating in a cross cultural awareness training course like Doing Business in Brazil or Living and Working in Italy, you can learn not only how to correctly interpret your international counterparts but also how to control your own reaction to it.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jul 08

Intercultural Communication in Action – UNESCO’S ‘International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures’

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 »

UNESCO is the United Nations’ organisation charged with the task of building ‘the defences of peace in the minds of men’ by developing international cooperation in its fields of competence such as education, sciences, culture and communication. It is fitting, therefore, that UNESCO has been asked to lead the initiative of the United Nations’ ‘International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures’ during 2010.

© istockphoto.com/Kasia

The goal of this International Year is to increase the extent to which the rapprochement of cultures is involved in policy-making at local, national, regional and international levels and to involve as many stakeholders in this as possible. Their policy document explains that this will ‘involve integrating the principles of dialogue and mutual knowledge in all policies, particularly education, science, culture and communication policies, in the hope of correcting flawed cultural representations, values and stereotypes.’

When launching the International Year programme, Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, emphasised how essential intercultural dialogue and understanding are for a peaceful world and for international development. This point was reinforced by Irina Bokova, UNESCO’s Director-General who said ‘No culture can afford to live in isolation. It is through dialogue and creativity in all its forms, through exploring new opportunities for creating connections between people, that we can prove that diversity is our strength.’

In response to this, hundreds of international activities are planned throughout 2010. These include a Euro-Arab Dialogue Task Force, a Round Table to involve publishing and new technologies in the programme and regional meetings in Central Asia and the Asia-Pacific regions.

While UNESCO is planning many activities throughout 2010, they are also inviting individuals and organisations to contribute in their own ways. Many companies now have a global reach and an international, multicultural staff. ‘Correcting flawed cultural representations, values and stereotypes’, as Ban Ki-moon expressed it, can help companies with a multicultural workforce to improve intercultural communication and enable colleagues to work more successfully with each other and with clients.

Undertaking cultural awareness training courses such as Communicaid’s Working Effectively across Cultures or Managing International Teams programmes is one way organisations can bring together employees from different cultures and improve their cross-cultural communication skills. Intercultural training has proven to be an effective way of increasinge understanding between employees from different cultures by dispelling cultural stereotypes and enabling people involved to create valuable connections.

Offering these intercultural training opportunities to your employees can increase the ability of your organisation to benefit from the cultural differences within it and, as Irina Bokova, Secretary General of UNESCO said, make diversity your strength.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jun 28

Challenges of Doing Business in Vietnam

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 »

Located in South East Asia, Vietnam is a culturally rich country whose distinct history has helped to shape the development of the modern state. Independent since the mid 20th century, Vietnam spent 1,000 years under Chinese rule and 100 years as a French colony and aspects of both countries are still reflected in Vietnamese culture. The combination of both has influenced the unique Vietnamese culture, business, values, beliefs and traditions.

Understanding these influences is very important for every organisation wishing to do business successfully in Vietnam and build relationships with Vietnamese counterparts. Attending Communicaid’s cross cultural awareness training programme Doing Business in Vietnam will help your organisation maximise the chances of working successfully with Vietnamese counterparts and understand some of the following key challenges of doing business in Vietnam.

© istockphoto.com/Keith Molloy

Confucianism
The Vietnamese believe in the teachings of the early Chinese philosopher Confucius which emphasise the importance of relationships, responsibility and obligation. The teachings also promote respect for age and status. This philosophy is still a vital component of Vietnamese society. The principles of Confucianism can also be found in Vietnamese business culture, where the importance of the collective good is emphasised.

Face
The concept of face is crucial in Vietnamese society. Vietnamese will go to great lengths to prevent loss of face including avoiding confrontation or telling others what they want to hear rather than dealing with immediate issues. Criticising someone in public and not staying true to your word are ways in which people may lose face. In addition, it is considered imperative to show appropriate respect according to rank and seniority.

Collectivism
Vietnam is a collectivist country in which the needs of the group are often placed over the individual. Family and community concerns will almost always come before business or individual needs. The concept of society as an extension of the family is key to Vietnamese business culture. The Vietnamese tend to create business relationships on a personal basis and are relaxed about sharing their personal lives, including family issues, hobbies and opinions. This may be uncomfortable for foreign counterparts who are more accustomed to keeping their private and business life separate.

Family life
Vietnamese culture places a high value on family life and it is very common for several generations to live under the same roof. Following the Confucian tradition, the father is the head of the family and he is the one who makes important decisions. Vietnamese life is influenced by ancestor worship and children learn at a very early age that they owe everything to their parents and their ancestors. Respect for parents and ancestors is extended to all elders in Vietnam whose life experiences are valued. The importance of family is also apparent in business situations in Vietnam where the opinions of family members may be taken into consideration during decision making.

Any organisation doing business in Vietnam should consider attending a cross cultural awareness training programme in order to maximise their understanding of Vietnamese culture and approach new business situations with confidence.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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