Cultural Differences in Business
Touro University International
MGT 501
Module 1, Case Assignment
Dr. Debra Louis
INTRODUCTION The purpose of this report is to identify at least three specific ways that cultural differences would affect doing business internationally, as well as what specific skills global managers would need to address with these differences, and finally if I think expatriate or foreign-national managers would be better equipped to deal with these challenges. This report will provide the reader with some facts on cultural differences and the affect on business internationally. It will also give some skills global managers can utilize to address those cultural differences. By discussing these topics I hope to offer some knowledge and solutions on the affects of cultural differences. I will conclude this report with a brief summary of the entire analysis, highlighting some of the most significant parts that the report contains.
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES In the book “Blunders in International Business” by David A. Ricks he explains, “Cultural differences are the most significant and troublesome variables … the failure of managers to fully comprehend these disparities has led to most international blunders.” Some ways that cultural differences could affect doing business internationally could first start with technology. In the article titled, ‘What Does the Future Look Like?’, Peter Cochrane explains “we are very, very good at predicting what technology is going to evolve into and at approximating when. But we’re bad at predicting what people will do with the technology when they get it.” I think that technology plays a huge part in the cultural differences. For example In the United States (which is technological giant), we have become very dependent on computers playing a huge roll in our daily work load. In my job as a Health Service Management Administrator, I use many computer-based programs to input medical diagnoses and medical fee schedules. I
MGT 501
Module 1, Case Assignment
Dr. Debra Louis
INTRODUCTION The purpose of this report is to identify at least three specific ways that cultural differences would affect doing business internationally, as well as what specific skills global managers would need to address with these differences, and finally if I think expatriate or foreign-national managers would be better equipped to deal with these challenges. This report will provide the reader with some facts on cultural differences and the affect on business internationally. It will also give some skills global managers can utilize to address those cultural differences. By discussing these topics I hope to offer some knowledge and solutions on the affects of cultural differences. I will conclude this report with a brief summary of the entire analysis, highlighting some of the most significant parts that the report contains.
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES In the book “Blunders in International Business” by David A. Ricks he explains, “Cultural differences are the most significant and troublesome variables … the failure of managers to fully comprehend these disparities has led to most international blunders.” Some ways that cultural differences could affect doing business internationally could first start with technology. In the article titled, ‘What Does the Future Look Like?’, Peter Cochrane explains “we are very, very good at predicting what technology is going to evolve into and at approximating when. But we’re bad at predicting what people will do with the technology when they get it.” I think that technology plays a huge part in the cultural differences. For example In the United States (which is technological giant), we have become very dependent on computers playing a huge roll in our daily work load. In my job as a Health Service Management Administrator, I use many computer-based programs to input medical diagnoses and medical fee schedules. I