Question

Current Events

Using a contemporary or current event (within the past five years), locate an intercultural business situation context, and by Thursday, post a link to the article, video clip, YouTube video, picture, or news story for your peers. (If you choose a video, try to find one that includes a transcript or correct captioning; if the video does not have a transcript or is not captioned, notify your instructor.) In your post, identify the five components of social episodes expressed in your selected current event.

In particular, discuss the relationship of the event to the business context expressed. Why was this situation interesting or noteworthy to you? How does it relate to or differ from any business situation you have experienced? Compare or contrast the situation you selected with another current event, either in the United States or internationally.

Answer 1

The Article: “FT employees are in for a corporate cultural shock by Des Collins”.

The five components of social episodes are as follows:

1. Cultural patterns: The judgment on what the world is, what it should be and the widely accepted expectation about how the world should behave.
2. Social roles: The set of behaviors expected from people in a particular position.
3. Rules of interaction: Unwritten and unsaid rules; might be related to attire, social behavior, unspoken expectations etc.
4. Interaction scenes: Comprises of repetitive and recurring topics that people talk in social conversations.
5. Interaction contexts: The situations and setting in which social episodes take place.

The article discusses the takeover of Financial Times from Europe by Nikkei of Japanese newspaper digital media.

• Cultural pattern or expected Japanese behavior is autocratic compared to European behavior where all decisions are consensual and most companies follow a democratic system of operations.
• Social Roles: In Japan, the decision and the company’s culture follows strict hierarchy whereas European are concerned with Work-life balance and employee welfare.
• Rules of Interaction: The Japanese unsaid business rules state it is dangerous and unwise to questions the superiors. The European work style is flexible and fluid.
• Interaction Scenes: The Japanese are strict about business targets and not achieving targets can be a death to their career even if they need to lie or create false data to show their achievements. The Author discusses Toshiba who over reported earnings by $1.2 billion over a 5 year period. The team was unable to report to seniors that they have failed to achieve the target. In contrast European team if facing a crisis in achieving targets will be understood and targets will be reworked.
• Interaction Contexts: The Japanese will not trust any Japanese and they are told to verify personally all details before making a decision.

This discussion is noteworthy as the international business acquisitions and mergers are going to be the norm of the global world. The business is expected to merge worldwide and will lead to many cross-cultural and global collaborations. There is a critical need to understand the global business culture. The global business integration and cross-cultural business synchronizing are critical for future business.

A similar situation is seen when we need to conduct business internationally, a large French tire company Michelin with the French style of management had to adapt to southeast labor standards in Thailand/China and Indian business standards when they set up a plant in these geographic locations. Their team took many years to collaborate with the local team and workers. Their code of ethics and standards of business were maintained but the management style was adjusted to local culture and customs.

Another similar situation is seen when McDonald's adapted its menu to introduce local variants across the world to meet the local tastes. The menu was made more versatile and suitable to increase business and improve sales.

To sum it up it is critical to understand the cross-cultural differences and try to adapt to the local etiquettes and customs.

Reference:

"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/ft-employees-are-in-for-a-corporate-culture-shock-1.2296526"