Mini Assignment #1

1. If I were in charge of the Asian operations for McCain I would recommend starting a joint venture with an existing, established, well known Chinese potato company, for a year or so, or until McCain has the recognition and ability to stand on its own. Creating a joint venture with an established Chinese company would give McCain the entry it needs into the Asian potato market. McCain would be able to learn the ways that companies handle business deals in China, as they most likely differ from business deals in other parts of the world, and will also introduce McCain to future customers. Another recommendation would be to purchase a small, well known, Chinese potato company. This would give McCain access to the Chinese market through a company that is already know, and has already created a name for itself. I would make sure that McCain abides by all Chinese laws, and all customs, to the best of my ability. 2. When interacting with Chinese business colleagues, McCain might face challenges with most, if not all, of Hofstede’s culture dimensions. For example, when looking at power distance, Canadian managers at McCain could face challenges because Canada has a much lower power distance than China, and workers may not feel comfortable with this power dynamic. A Canadian manager may try to get workers to work harder so they can achieve greater success, but Chinese power distance doesn’t allow this; in China, one works and does not have aspirations that exceed one’s position within the company. When it comes to individualism and collectivism, China has a much lower score than Canada (http://geert-hofstede.com/china.html). This might create challenges for Canadian managers because Chinese workers generally “stick together”. If a Canadian manager promotes one person from a collective group, that could create problems, so the manager must take that into consideration before making any decisions. Canadian managers may also face challenges with time