Home Random Page


CATEGORIES:

BiologyChemistryConstructionCultureEcologyEconomyElectronicsFinanceGeographyHistoryInformaticsLawMathematicsMechanicsMedicineOtherPedagogyPhilosophyPhysicsPolicyPsychologySociologySportTourism






Cultural differences

To be successful in international business and to be a good citizen of the international community one should learn how to honour and respect his own culture and also to develop appreciation, tolerance and respect for other cultures. Representatives of other nations doing business in China or other Asian country gain a real advantage when they show knowledge of local culture and cultural differences.
There is no secret recipe for effective international co-operation these points might help you to navigate successfully through the complexities of international relationship-building:
• Avoid making instant judgements(ńóęäåķč˙) or assumptions(ļšåäļīėīęåķč˙) about people from different cultures regarding their working style
• Try to do some research on any culture you will be working with
• Try to understand how your leadership style might be viewed through the eyes of team members from different cultures – they may view your style as bizarre
• Remember that not all problems encountered in international situations are the result of cultural differences – the issues could be personality-based, technical or commercial
• Just because people do things differently in another country does not mean that they are necessarily wrong in their approach – they might be wrong but they are not necessarily wrong. It is as important that you understand your own cultural approach as it is to understand the approach of others.
• A good idea is a good idea regardless of where it originates – you do not have all the answers
Behavior and gestures are interpreted differently:
Shaking the head in a horizontal direction in most countries means „no”, while in India it means „yes”, and in hindi language the voice lowers in pitch at the end of a question.
Showing the thumb held upwards means in Latin America, especially Brazil, but also in many other countries „everything’s ok”, while it is understood in some Islamic countries as well as Sardinia and Greece as a rude sexual sign. Furthermore, the sign of thumb up may signify the number "one" in France and a few other central European countries.
„Everything ok” is shown in western European countries, especially between pilots and divers, with the sign of the thumb and forefinger forming an „O”. This sign means in Japan „now we may talk about money”, in southern France the contrary („nothing, without any value”), in Spain, some Latin American countries, Eastern Europe and Russia it is an indecent sexual sign.
In North America as well as in Arabic countries the pauses between words are usually not too long, while in Japan pauses can give a contradictory sense to the spoken words by the meaning of pauses. Enduring silence is perceived as comfortable in Japan, while in Europe and North America it may cause insecureness and embarrassment. Scandinavians, by Western standards, are more tolerant of silent breaks during conversations.
Laughing is connoted in most countries with happiness - in Japan it is often a sign of confusion, insecureness and embarrassment.
In the UK Ireland and Commonwealth countries, the word „compromise” has a positive meaning (as a consent, an agreement where both parties win something); in the USA it may rather have negative connotations (as both parties lose something).
In Mediterranean European countries, Latin America and Sub Saharan Africa, it is normal, or at least widely tolerated, to arrive half an hour late for a dinner invitaiton, whereas in Germany and Switzerland this would be extremely rude.
In Africa, saying to a female friend one has not seen for a while that she has put on weight means she is physically healthier than before or had a nice holiday, whereas this would be considered as an insult in Europe, North America and Australia.




Date: 2016-01-14; view: 1085


<== previous page | next page ==>
People hacking into a system. | Communication systems.
doclecture.net - lectures - 2014-2024 year. Copyright infringement or personal data (0.006 sec.)