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Jan 04

Intercultural Weddings: How Cross Cultural Awareness Can Help to Create a Lifetime of Happiness

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture No Comments »

It might appear surprising that when two people fall in love and decide to spend their life together, they often face their first real test as a couple when they start organising their wedding ceremony. Organising weddings can be quite a challenge for the couple and their families, especially when the wedding unites two people from two or more different cultures.

Muslim Bride Shelton Muller i Intercultural Weddings: How Cross Cultural Awareness Can Help to Create a Lifetime of Happiness

© istockphoto.com/Shelton Muller

Intercultural weddings are becoming increasingly popular as people become more prone to global mobility and cross-cultural relationships. Although the number of intercultural weddings is on the rise, many couples still lack the fundamental understanding they need to make sense of and successfully cope with the numerous cross cultural differences they will face in their intercultural relationship. A high level of cross cultural awareness is vital to successfully bringing together two families through an intercultural wedding.

An interview by Helyn Trickey on CNN highlighted how the number of intercultural weddings grow as the number of people living and working in different countries increases. Often when people of two or more different cultural backgrounds get married, they tend to blend their different nationalities and cultures into one to form a new family culture. In many cultures intercultural weddings have traditionally been seen quite negatively, but an increasing number of people feel more optimistic about the positive possibilities a long-term intercultural relationship can bring.

When a couple starts planning the wedding ceremony, they may struggle at times to both celebrate and respect their own cultural traditions and heritage. Susanna Macomb, author of the book Joining Hands and Hearts: Interfaith, Intercultural Wedding Celebrations says that one way to make an intercultural wedding ceremony an enjoyable experience for all members of both families is for the couple to consider and clarify the different cultural traditions and values they believe in to create a mutual understanding before attempting to plan the ceremony.

This allows the couple to identify any aspect of the other culture which is either drastically different or perhaps considered offensive to the other culture. This in turn will not only help to ensure that they deal with any cultural differences of how they’d like to celebrate their wedding ceremony, but it will also help them to further discover the things that they have in common which will strengthen their relationship even more. Being aware of the symbolism used in both cultures can make a wedding more meaningful for both families.

One Hindu-Catholic couple who recently celebrated an intercultural wedding were able to combine traditions to create something even more special. Candles and fire play an important role in both Hindu and Catholic weddings. In Hinduism, an oil lamp with five wicks resembles the five elements wind, earth, fire, sky, and water. In Catholicism the lighting of candles is a symbol of devotional intention. Rebecca and Jayant Menon were married by interfaith minister Macomb who took into account both of the meaningful elements from Catholicism and Hinduism to build a bridge between the two different cultures and religions.

Making a wedding work between two people representing different cultures is not too different from making any intercultural interaction work, whether social or professional. An awareness and consideration of what each person values and respects can create more fruitful relationships and reduce cultural misunderstandings. Cross cultural awareness can help both intercultural couples and multicultural team members to be more open and understanding of each other to communicate and love successfully when encountering the adventure of a different culture and might thus even make the walk to the couple therapist redundant.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Dec 01

Living and Working in the UK: Harnessing the Best of British Culture

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture No Comments »

Every culture has a unique set of stereotypes that have been formed and reinforced throughout the years and the UK is no exception. Even in some of the most popular guides Britain and its population are presented in such a way that confirms what many consider as typical British peculiarities. Anyone living and working in the UK however should be aware that many of these cultural stereotypes are not always true in every situation.

Westminster Graeme Purdy i Living and Working in the UK: Harnessing the Best of British Culture

© istockphoto.com/Graeme Purdy

The UK does not always have a very good reputation abroad. Brits are often seen as a mass of overweight people with a terrible sense of humour and the inability to cook good food. Some believe that Brits will never skip their sacred afternoon tea ritual which is usually followed by a simple dinner such as fish and chips or a greasy meat pie. Many think that these meals are usually eaten in local pubs, accompanied by a pint of beer, and followed by scenes of public drunkenness.  While many Brits enjoy having a cup of tea or evening meal out in the pub, the idea that they do these things every single day is indeed a cultural stereotype that has been built up over generations.

Some stereotypes and perceptions of Brits are more neutral and positive. For example Brits are well known for their British values of fair play and keeping calm in the face of adversity. These attitudes of honesty, equality and calmness are ever present in many British behaviours, but not more so than in the “art of queuing”. Brits are well known for their ability and need to queue, whatever the situation. In fact the need to respect and master this art of queueing is considered so important in British society that understanding how to queue properly has been included in the new citizenship tests immigrants have to take.

One book that looks closely at British behaviours is Watching the English: the Hidden Rules of English Behaviours by Kate Fox. In this anthropological study of the English population, Fox traces behavioural rules that seem to govern every aspect of English life. There are chapters about how Brits behave at work, in the pub, on the bus and at home. She also looks at how Brits talk, what they talk about, how they dress and many other social topics.

Through her research Fox identified what she calls a social “dis-ease” that governs every aspect of British behaviour. She argues that there is a constant awkwardness, embarassment and clumsiness that characterises any kind of British social interaction. Although Fox’s book might be perceived as an exaggeration and reinforcement of many British stereotypes, it can be an extremely useful resource for people who have never had much contact with Brits.

Whether or not you have had some contact with British culture, be aware of the many cultural idiosyncrasies and underlying values that will impact how your British counterparts think and behave. For example, when living and working in the UK, it can be very beneficial to understand British irony and humour which plays a big, although very implicit, role in communication that can often go unnoticed.

Knowing how to approach your British counterparts and build relationships with them will help you to ensure that you avoid any cultural faux-pas or wasted time. Reading books like that written by Kate Fox is one way of improving your understanding of British culture. This combined with a cross cultural training course such as Living and Working in the UK will help you to ensure that you effectively break down and interpret the many stereotypes that exist about British culture so that you react appropriately in any British context.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Nov 03

Bonfire Night: An Essential British Experience for Anyone Living and Working in Great Britain

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture No Comments »

Every year on 5 November people in Great Britain celebrate Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night. Anyone living and working in Great Britain should be aware of this tradition as it can be a great opportunity to experience local culture and socialise with friends and family. Understanding British customs and traditions can also help you to more effectively integrate into British society and establish better working relationships with your British counterparts.

Fireworks ludwig wagner i Bonfire Night: An Essential British Experience for Anyone Living and Working in Great Britain

© istockphoto.com/Ludwig Wagner

So what is Bonfire Night and how is it celebrated? Bonfire Night commemorates the events of 5 November 1605 which are sometimes also referred to as the Gunpowder Plot. The protagonist of these events was a man called Guy Fawkes who was part of a group of English Catholics who were unhappy with the protestant King. Guy Fawkes, Robert Catesby and a group of other Catholics started plotting the King’s assassination.

On the night of 5 November the conspirators attempted to kill the King by placing some explosives under the House of Lords. Their aim was to kill the King as well as many other members of the monarchy and government. One of the most active participants in this murder attempt was Guy Fawkes who was responsible for guarding the explosives in a cellar under the House of Lords. The plan was foiled and Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellar. After being tortured for several days, he confessed and was then executed.

On that same night in 1605 people set bonfires alight to celebrate the King’s survival. This tradition has been respected ever since and people all over Great Britain and in some Commonwealth nations like New Zealand and Australia celebrate this day with bonfires and fireworks. In addition to bonfires and fireworks, some will make “guys” – effigies of Guy Fawkes made out of old clothes and newspapers that will then be burnt in the bonfires.

Another tradition observed on this day is the State Opening of Parliament. Ever since these events of 1605, the King or Queen will traditionally only enter Parliament once a year on 5 November. Before the event, the cellars of the Palace of Westminster are inspected by the Yeomen of the Guard to assure the monarch’s safety and commemorate and celebrate the historical event.

Being aware of traditions and customs like this can help anyone living and working in Great Britain to understand the culture. Attending a cross cultural training programme like Living and Working in Great Britain will provide you with all the information you need about British customs and traditions like Bonfire Night as well as other useful information on British social and business culture.

So if you are living and working in Great Britain be sure to take part in one of the events going on in London or other cities in Great Britain this weekend.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Jul 01

Living and Working Abroad – The Expatriate Experience

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation No Comments »

Recent research by Mercer, quoted in an article by the Financial Times, suggests the number of expatriates around the world has increased by 4% since 2009 despite the economic downturn and the many cuts companies are implementing. As more and more companies send employees to live and work abroad, they need to consider a number of key factors including the importance of selecting the right location, understanding the local culture and providing the right level of cultural awareness training for relocation initiatives.

Airplane Maurits Vink i Living and Working Abroad The Expatriate Experience

© istockphoto.com/Maurits Vink

Location, Location, Location.

Current expat trends show that Western Europe and the US are the two biggest poles sending and receiving expats. London and Geneva are considered to be the best cities in Europe while New York seems to be the favourite in the US, especially for bankers. The Asia-Pacific zone is currently experiencing an important rise in expatriates, especially in Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong. However, there is a visible drop in expatriations in Africa due to the current political tensions and wars.

Sending employees abroad can provide significant opportunities for companies as well as for employees.  For expatriations to be a success for both parties, however, companies must carefully consider the following aspects when selecting a location:

  • Current market situation and opportunities
  • Added value of the country and its knowledge in a specific field
  • Local savoir-faire and experiences that can be shared with other parts of the business
  • Expat expectations and specialisations. For example, engineers in the oil and gas industry are ideal for assignments in the Middle East or Africa
  • Expat profile and situation (gender, family, etc.) which determines the level of living conditions required

The Pros and Cons of Expatriations

Attitudes towards expatriations can be very mixed. While some see the benefits, many employees are often more worried about the many challenges international assignments can present. From losing touch with the parent company to not receiving adequate cultural awareness training support, employees can sometimes fail to see the many benefits an international assignment can bring both personally and professionally.

Any company hoping to send employees abroad therefore needs to actively present international assignments as positive opportunities by emphasising their advantages.  Highlighting some of the following topics can help companies avoid creating mistrust or misunderstanding with potential expatriates:

  • Potential for career progression
  • Increased salary or compensation in many cases
  • Attractive perks and benefits for the whole family
  • Development of professional skills that could lead to future promotion
  • Enhanced personal experiences and potential opportunities for travel they will have abroad
  • Discovery of new people, traditions, landscapes and ways of working
  • Familiarise kids to a new language and culture and open their mind
  • Added values and benefits that the employee will contribute to the company

Expatriates need to understand that it is the right moment to go abroad and that it will result in benefits not only for the company but for themselves.

“Fortune favours the prepared mind” – Louis Pasteur

When relocating abroad, expatriates face a whole new set of cultural norms, attitudes and behaviours. Their ability to integrate their new cultural surroundings with their own unique cultural background and expectations is paramount to the success of the expatriation.

Expatriates must have an in-depth understanding of the destination country in order to avoid culture shock and to build more profitable relationships with locals. Living and working in another country can be radically different so it’s essential that expats have the cultural skills they need to adapt to and understand the new customs and traditions they encounter to optimise the expatriation.

Cultural awareness training for relocation programmes such as Living and Working in China can vastly help to improve an expatriate’s experience and success when living and working abroad. Cultural awareness training helps to prepare future expatriates and their families for their relocation abroad and provides them with a global understanding of the culture, values, customs and traditions of the new country.

The family should also be involved in cultural awareness training, as studies show that if the family does not successfully adapt to the host country, the whole expatriation could be in jeopardy. By having expatriates and their families participate in a culture for relocation programme, companies will get the most out of the employee’s assignment, thereby increasing their ROI.

Expatriations offer a unique experience for both the expatriate employee and their family. As such the importance of cultural awareness training programmes should not be underestimated. Providing the right level of cultural support and training combined with selecting the most appropriate location and marketing the benefits of the assignment, companies can truly benefit from sending their employees to live and work abroad.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Oct 26

The Ryder Cup – When Culture Meets Sport

Cross Cultural Training, Culture 1 Comment »

The recent 2010 Ryder Cup, arguably the most exiting golf event of the season, proved to be a success with millions of golf fans around the world. The competition, which takes place every two years,  brings together the best players from the US and Europe.

Golf Dan Bachman i The Ryder Cup – When Culture Meets Sport

© istockphoto.com/ Dan Bachman

The origins of the Ryder Cup remain a mystery. Most believe it stems from American journalist James Harnett who had the idea to have a US/UK golf tournament in 1920. A lack of sponsors forced him to abandon his idea however until Samuel Ryder decided in 1926 to officially create a tournament and provided the cup that now bears his name.

From 1927 to 1977, the tournament only included teams from the US and the UK. For 50 years the US domination was overwhelming as they managed to win 19 out of 22 tournaments. In 1979 other European countries were able to enter the competition, transforming the British team into the European team. This modification had a major impact on the success of the European team which has subsequently won nine out of the sixteen Ryder Cups played since .

The Ryder Cup is a fantastic occasion for Europeans and Americans to compete. While playing styles and techniques may vary from one continent to another, cultural values and differences have also contributed (and still do) to some of the most memorable moments.

One of the best examples of cultural difference at the Ryder Cup was the controversy that occurred during the tournament played at Brookline, Massachusetts in 1999. During the last game, American Justin Leonard successfully holed a a very long putt against his opponent, the Spaniard José María Olazábal. The US team, who were following this crucial match, ran onto the green to celebrate and congratulate their player before Olazábal had been allowed to putt out.

The US team did not break any written rules (albeit sportsmanship was ignored) but their behaviour was highly criticised by the British European captain Mark James who described it as an unacceptable lack of self control. Some may view this as a mere sporting controversy but it is in fact a perfect illustration of how different the US and the UK can be. The expression of strong feelings is perfectly understandable and acceptable in the US, but it is seen as unacceptable by the British as well as many other European cultures.

This incident shows us that while sports like golf can bring together cultures, it can also reveal our cultural differences. As a result, even sportsmen can widely benefit from cultural awareness training courses. In the case of the Ryder Cup, cultural awareness training could be interesting, especially for the European team, as it is brings together players from a multitude of countries across Europe and therefore combines many different cultural attitudes and preferences. Cross cultural training could also help the two teams to socialise and interact more smoothly on and off the course.

This year the Ryder Cup was free of any cultural clashes or misunderstandings and victorious for the European team. However, there is no doubt that the US team will muster its cultural strengths and winning desire to secure a victory in future tournaments.

© Communicaid Group Ltd.2010

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Oct 21

‘The New Mainstream’ – A Multicultural Consumer Population

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 »

“Numbers are the way we make decisions now” said Census Bureau Director Robert Grove in a recent interview with Guy Garcia, multicultural consumerism expert. The two speakers commented on the American census data in a conference at the ARF, an open forum for discussions on marketing and advertising. The outcome was an interesting new vision of the American social construct.

‘The New Mainstream’ A Multicultural Consumer Population ‘The New Mainstream’ A Multicultural Consumer Population

© istockimages.com/Sean Locke

If we are still thinking of Americans as loud, open and boastful people, perhaps it is time to reconsider our stereotypes. The census results are significant because they show major shifts in the cultural make-up of American citizens, from their age to their ethnical background. The record 14.6% of marriages between people of different ethnicities or race is just one example of how the population is changing a rapid pace.

The workplace is a mirror of such demographic change and will experience different approaches to meetings, negotiating, building trust and closing sales as a result, all of which will impact the success of doing business and selling across cultures. The ever changing lifestyle trends of an average American means that marketing and advertising initiatives also need to change. For instance, if Americans are increasingly marrying later in life, having pictures of a young couple advertising a home insurance policy might feel out of place.

International organisations are slowly beginning to recognise that a multicultural population like that of the US has a strong impact on marketing and business. A more diverse cultural background means that consumers’ preferences and habits are more varied and marketing campaigns must pay a lot of attention to the new social expectations and attitudes. However many organisations don’t realise that increasing immigration and the inevitable transformation of society means that cultural differences are present not only abroad but at home so they often fail to adapt their marketing campaigns accordingly.

Increased awareness of your potential clients’ requirements and expectations across cultures is the new way forward when doing business both abroad and at home. Adapting your sales and marketing techniques effectively to a multicultural consumer base requires a unique set of cultural skills and understanding.

Being culturally inclusive and aware is more than choosing a set of images that include a range of ethnically diverse people. Cultural awareness for marketing means being able to identify consumers’ unique cultural values, attitudes and preferences and being able to adapt the product or advert accordingly. Cross cultural awareness training courses such as Selling across Cultures will help you develop the cultural skills required for an effective marketing campaign aimed at a multicultural population.

The US is not the only country seeing such changes to the cultural composition of their population and workforce. Migration on a global scale affects most nations. Some countries such as the UK have a long history of dealing with multicultural differences with many waves of different nationalities migrating to the country over the years. Others, such as Italy, are new to the diverse and bulky flux of migrants and are facing new challenges in industries like clothing retail which is struggling against a strong Chinese competition.

These cultural differences can easily lead to miscommunication and tensions, ultimately causing loss of time, money and revenue to an organisation. An intercultural training course such as Developing Global Competence can help you to reduce the dangers and pitfalls that a multicultural working environment presents. A global economy requires marketing initiatives to be informed by cultural awareness the world over. Ultimately, capitalism is driven by diversity so successful business will be led by the ability to effectively adapt to such changes and cultures.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Sep 08

Getting your Expatriates Ready for an International Assignment

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Human Resources 1 Comment »

International organisations recognise the benefits of sending skilled employees overseas to open new offices, win new business, manage local teams, etc. Assuming that employees selected for an expatriation have the skills they need to be efficient in that role can be dangerous. Every culture has a unique set of values and working practices that can be difficult to understand, adapt to and manage if the expatriate does not have the appropriate level of intercultural preparation.

 

Meeting Neustockimages i1 Getting your Expatriates Ready for an International Assignment

© istockphoto.com/ Neustockimages

 

Culture shock is probably the first and most important challenge expatriates will encounter when relocating abroad. The different lifestyle, food, language and environment among other things can result in a feeling of culture shock that needs to be considered by both the expatriates and the organisation in order to prevent serious performance issues. The inability to cope with culture shock can result in a failed expatriation which can represent a huge financial loss for any organisation.

Culture also widely influences working practices. Attitudes to time for instance can vary dramatically from one culture to another. Germans tend to consider time as linear and will schedule projects carefully and do their best to follow the project plan or agenda. Indians on the other hand, tend to consider time as circular, meaning they usually don’t plan their actions throughout the day and are likely to do several tasks at a time. Bringing the two cultures together without an expatriate intercultural program before their collaboration can result in frustration and misunderstandings about when things should be completed. Attitudes towards authority, decision making or reward systems are other examples of where working practices can also vary significantly across cultures.

Communication styles are another factor of international working that can greatly differ from one country to another making it difficult at times to decipher your foreign counterpart’s message. Non-verbal communication such as eye contact, touching, smiling or even the distance between people can have totally different meanings depending on your culture. Other elements of communication such as context, accents, acronyms or specific vocabulary (e.g. American vs. British English) can also be obstacles for expatriates communicating across cultures.

Expatriate intercultural programs like Living and Working in Germany can ensure that expatriates have the right knowledge of cultural attitudes and how they impact business practices in other cultures. The importance of expatriate intercultural programs should not be underestimated as with the right level of intercultural preparation expatriates can avoid cultural conflict, loss of time and failed assignments.

© Communicaid 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 »
Business People 9 Jacob Wackerhausen i2 How Politeness Impacts International Business

© istockphoto.com/ Jacob Wackerhausen

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.

 

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.

 

Business People 4 Neustockimages i Global Leadership: What Makes the Perfect Leader?

© 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 23

Benefits of Doing Business in Italy

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

Thanks to its position within the European Union and its highly diversified economy, Italy offers a number of benefits to companies looking to expand their operations internationally. Below are some of the key benefits of doing business in Italy.

Coliseum Hedda Gjerpen i1 Benefits of Doing Business in Italy

© istockphoto.com/ Hedda Gjerpen

 

Access to the Eurozone
Italy’s industrial triangle (Milan, Turin, Genova) is favourably positioned near other rich areas such as the Rhone-Alpes and the European core of the heavy industry: the Rhine-Ruhr region. In addition to this, as the EU has gradually expanded to the east and embraced former Eastern Block countries, Italy has gone from being the southern border of the Union to occupying its very centre. Whilst Italy’s territory mostly borders the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas, Italy shares its frontiers with fellow EU members France, Austria and Slovenia, as well as with Switzerland. Moreover, a short ferry trip separates it from Greece and all the former members of Yugoslavia. In the future, a project to create a rail and motorway corridor linking Western Europe with the Balkan Peninsula will place Italy at the very heart of modern Europe making it a great place for doing business.

A Flexible and Diversified Economy
As well as Italy’s excellent geographic position which offers international organisations doing business in Italy access to both its internal market and that of its bordering countries, the country also boasts a strong and diversified economy. Vibrant sectors in Italy include tourism, raw mineral extraction and processing, textiles, car production and of course fashion. Although it did suffer in the 2008 credit crunch, Italy boasted one of the highest per capita incomes in the Union (CIA World Factbook) for a long time and has one of the highest export rates in the world.

Government Support and Initiatives
GDP dropped by 0.2% in the last three months of 2009, but there are signs of recovery. Italy can in fact count on a unique combination of a small number of large companies that can rely on regular support from the Italian government – such as the car manufacturers FIAT and telecommunications group Telecom Italia – and a large number of SMEs, usually family-run, that manufacture high-quality consumer goods.

The combination of local businesses on the one hand and government-backed groups on the other has given rise to a unique economic landscape whose intricacies are hard to grasp without access to insider knowledge. Communicaid’s Doing Business in Italy cross cultural awareness training course offers the tools to address the cultural barriers a company doing business in Italy is highly likely to encounter, as well as strategies from individuals who have extensive experience living and doing business there.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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