Corporate Culture

The Importance of Knowing Culture in Business

2011-11-14T05:59:00.000-08:00

“I think I saw you at the Delhi airport,” I said to the woman sitting next to me on the flight from Amsterdam to Minneapolis. After confirming that she, indeed, was making the air-o-than of nine hours from DEL to AMS; nine hours from AMS to MSP, she told me that it was her first trip to the sub-continent. When she learned I taught cultural anthropology and had visited India often, she had a lot of questions.

Working for a large multi-national corporation, this trip took her to Chennai to visit engineers. She was in the country less than a week, though she said she found the India interesting and her experience positive, there were some cultural issues that had her confused.

“There was one engineer in the company in Chennai that was clearly smart and had great potential for advancement. We pressed the manager of the company to allow this junior employee to get additional training to enhance his skills, but the manager never granted permission for such training.

Why?

“We were told , by another employee, that it would not look if a junior employee had more advanced training than the manager.”

There is nothing more important in India than status and role. Status is often due to caste ranking. Ascribed status is seldom coupled with achievement, and to have an employee of lower status to rise in the ranks though achievement is a cultural impossibility.

“Another thing we could not figure out,’ she continued was their ‘head wagging.’ My colleague from the U.S. was really upset with this behavior and complained that he thought the Indians were ‘blowing me off,’ with their head wagging.”

I smiled and told her that’s the way south Indians show agreement. They weren’t disagreeing with the American, they were actually showing they were understanding and agreeing with what he had to say.

She laughed when I explained the meaning of the Indian head bobble and said, “I can’t wait to tell my colleague as he was really upset with the whole experience.”

“Doesn’t your company not offer any cross-cultural training for your employee’s?”

“Some,” she answered, “but not much.”

I did a bit of a head wobble myself as I got off the plane, but not in agreement, with my travel companion, but in dismay. With all the money multi-nationals spend for global business, it looks like they would spend a little time and money teaching their employees how to communicate and understand people of other cultures. Cultural anthropology is not important for people going to work with tribals in the jungles of Africa but for multi-nationals companies seeking ways to enhance their business in a global working environment.

Ethnocentrism and World View

2011-10-12T04:16:00.000-07:00

By far the most popular post on this blog is one written five years ago on "Ethnocentrism and Business." It's natural for all of us to be proud of our nationality and ethnicity. The map below is a light hearted, but interesting, way many Americans see the world. See if you agree.

I shared the map above with my students in India. They didn't get it. Then I flashed the map below on the screen and they howled. We all see the world and the world of other people a bit differently. Sometimes it's ethoncentrism, sometimes it's just funny.

Timing a Decision

2011-09-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

About this time last year my 90-year old father was becoming a physical challenge for my 86-year old mother. They lived in an apartment and with each passing day dad’s ability to walk, feed and bathe himself was declining. Some members of the family wanted to immediately move dad into a nursing home, but since I was given the charge to determine their medical decisions I was reluctant to move him into a full care facility. Why? My mother was not ready to be separated from dad and, being a very proud man, dad would have resented such a move.

Visibly angry I was taken to task by one member of the family who told me in no uncertain terms that, “No decision IS a decision.” I’ve thought a lot about the statement over the past year. Is no decision a decision? I have come to the conclusion that the decision was not the issue, but the timing of the decision. The decision was a predetermined conclusion. There indeed would be a time when mom could no longer take care of dad and he would need full time care. But the issue was when, not what and the conflict rose because of timing, not substance. One person wanted immediate action, the other person, me, wanted to wait.

The hallmark of American business people is their quick decisions. I’ve heard most of my life that the characteristic of a leader is one who makes quick and decisive decisions. It is actually a flaw in character, perceived by some, that if someone does not make a decision that somehow they are weak or cowardice. No decision IS a decision, they are told. But is that true?

“If you love me you will marry me now,” a boy says to the girl. She does indeed love him and, yes would like to marry him, but now? If she says let's wait awhile is she making a decision on marriage or timing?

In many of the countries I have worked decisions are often a slow process for two reasons. One is consensus, the bringing on board as many people as possible before a decision is made. Consensus drives American leaders crazy. “Just do it, for heavens sake,” they scream. “You don’t have to take a poll, just make a decision.” What these “deciders” don’t realize is that making independent decisions in their context is rude, arrogant and self-serving.

The other reason for going slow in making a decision in other cultures is because of family considerations. Whether it is making the decision in marriage, where to go to school or a business deal the family structure is often so tight that individual decision making is unheard of. As one Korean leader stated recently, “Americans focus on projects rather than people.” That’s being kind. In many situations American leaders believe that the project is more important than people, regardless of family concerns.

Though often a laborious process, if one is working in an egalitarian or hierarchal social environment it’s best that the foreign leader learn the rules of decision making before going in and making a demand for a ruling. To be a decider may make you feel efficient, but in the process you may well destroy your legitimacy.

Dad fell ill a few weeks after the family confrontation, which required he be hospitalized. It was at that time I made the decision for dad to be transferred into a nursing facility. The timing was perfect as mom was able to recognize her inabilities to take care of dad and, for dad, his transfer from the VA hospital to the Veterans home was almost seamless and he was able to accept the decision. The decision was never the issue and we all knew it would be a tough decision. Waiting for the proper time may not have been “efficient” for some, but it was the right decision at the right time.

Market, Fashion, Consumption and Piety

2011-01-04T14:45:00.000-08:00

In a recent article in the American Ethnologist (2010:617-637), Materializing piety: Gendered anxieties about faithful consumption in contemporary urban Indonesia, author Carla Jones writes about piety among Muslim women and the wearing of the jibab (scarf and floor length dress). Jones describes the tension within a devout Muslim society and modernization, fashion and piety.

Since the events of 9/11/2001 Muslims throughout the world have been more aware of the symbols of their religion, not only within their own culture but also to the non-Muslim world. There was a time when young women considered wearing the jibab as something that was a necessary devotion to piety, sometimes forced upon them, most of the time merely an expectation by the norms of religious practice. Today the jibab and other symbols of Islamic religion is giving way to the market as entrepreneurs capitalize on the yield toward fashion and consumption while at the same time promoting fashion symbols as a means for piety.

“The Islamic lifestyle and the Islamic market segment encompass an almost limitless variety of goods and services. From CD’s and MP3 recordings of sermons, halal fast food and the Islamic finance to hajj packages, hajj gold, religious ringtones, themed weddings, gated Islamic housing communities, and even fesyen Islami (Islamic fashion, including socks, gloves and makeup), what one might generally gloss as religiously identified commercial offerings cover the spectrum from high to low consumer culture” (617).

One advertising company estimates that the halal (permissible/lawful) consumer market is at 1.8 billion people in 57 countries and worth $2.1 trillion in annual sales, $560 million of which is spent on cosmetics.

Piety consumption is certainly not only an Islamic market phenomenon. Hindus, Buddhist and most certainly Christians integrate commerce and faith as well. Go to the average Bible book store and you will see nearly as many trinkets (pictures, plagues, CD’s, DVD’s, wrist bands and bumper stickers) as there are books. Christians are more verbal with their faith than outward attire, but where there is faith there will be someone who can manipulate devotion into profit.

Manufacturing is the engine for economic growth, but so, too, are goods and services. If there were no religion, the world would still build and produce products. But, thanks to faith, there is, as Marx suggested, a link to religion, materialism, capitalism and consumption. The jibab, the plastic idol of Ganesh, yoga books and classes, the gold crucifix or the porcelain image of Mary; the edifices of the giant Mosques, Golden Temples and Cathedrals, all point to a capitalist transubstantiation to the Divine. Perhaps Jesus had no place to lay His head; Buddha may have renounced all human impulses and the founder of Jainism, Mahavira, may have rejected all creature comforts, including clothing. Nevertheless, the faithful still pay big bucks, yen, rupees and pesos to be fashionably pious.

Cross Cultural Communication from “Outsourced.”

2010-12-11T10:35:00.001-08:00

The movie is about a U.S. novelty company selling their products from a call center in India. If these clips are uncomfortable, seen in poor taste, offensive, crude, well, that’s the point. Learning cultural rules and how to communicate properly runs both ways.

My name is....

Symbols: Even Obama Must Learn Their Importance As He Visits India

2010-10-21T02:26:00.000-07:00

On his visit next month to India, President Obama will not visit the Golden Temple in Amristar, the holy shrine of the Sikh in the north. The reason is because of a symbol -- a scarf, cap or handkerchief, to be worn on the head by both men and women who enter this holy site. Obama and his handlers are afraid of the perception that a head-covering might have from Americans back home, many which still believe he is a Muslim. Never mind most Americans don’t know the difference between Sikhs and Muslims; it’s the unfamiliar symbol that’s the issue.

Symbols are powerful tools of communication. Most people wear symbols everyday that identifies their religion (crucifix-Christians, turban-Sikhs, kufi (skull cap)-Muslims; their occupation (overall’s-farmers, suits-business leaders, scrubs-nurses and doctors; their social status (Wal-Mart-middle/low income, Dillards-middle upper, Neiman Marcus-upper income).

The first thing a Russian looks at when meeting someone is their shoes, women in India look at the fabric of another woman’s sari, kids around the world check out the kind of cell phone their friends have and of course the auto industry remains viable as people judge another’s status by the car they drive. By our symbols mankind are indeed walking/talking signboards.

A cross-cultural Christian worker must be aware of symbols and adopt or reject symbols based on knowledge of those symbols, not just having an emotional response. Though I would, out of respect, wear a covering into a temple, I might not receive tilak (red mark on forehead as a sign of blessing). I might touch the feet of a respected elder but not avoid touching a Dalit. Determining what symbols are culturally acceptable for believers to practice or accept is determined through observation and learning culture. It's a lame argument to reject a ritual or symbol based only on the fact that it is what Hindu’s, Muslims or Catholic’s do.

If President Obama had demonstrated an unequivocal faith in Christianity in the past perhaps he could wear a covering without worrying about what message it would send to his country back home. But politicians are very wary of symbols. Bill Clinton had to abandon the idea of riding an elephant when he was president visiting India when because he didn’t want the Republicans to capitalize on the powerful symbol of a Democrat president rinding on the symbol of their party. And he certainly didn’t want to ride on the symbol of his own party, a donkey, for that image, too, would be used as a negative symbol around the world.

Visiting the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi

2010-08-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

In the interest of cultural studies, I found this article helpful for visitors visiting the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India. No kissing in public, dress modestly, don't discuss religion.

Act Like You Care

2010-04-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine in New Delhi works with international corporations teaching cross-cultural studies. He asked me recently before one of his sessions, “What do Indians need to know about working with Americans?” My answer, “Tell them to ACT LIKE THEY CARE. Americans hate it when people have an ‘I could care less’ attitude. We are a ‘is right’ mentality. Customer service is a big deal for us, whether it is from people who live in another country or from those at our local store.”

My brother is a business consultant and works internationally. He has some great stories on this subject. He told me of a friend of his who walked into a bookstore in Russia and asked the owner if he could see the book on the top shelf. The owner asked, “Are you going to buy it?” The guy said, “I might, but I want to read the cover and table of contents first? The shop owner replied, “If you’re not going to buy it, I’m not going to climb up to get it down.”

Recently he was in Cyprus and he told the group he was working with that in America when he walks into a Wal-Mart store there is always a “greeter” at the door. He said if I need to know what aisle the toothpaste is on he can ask the greeter and that person will direct him to the area of the store he could purchase that item. He intentionally went to a store in their country and stood in one spot looking around, hoping someone would come up and ask if they could help. After fifteen minutes he gave up, not one person in the store acted like they cared whether he was being served or not. He told the company, “In your country you have people at the door to make sure the customer doesn’t take a bag inside or to make sure people don’t walk out without paying for a product, but you don’t have anyone who is there to help the customer.”

Acting like you care is a big deal. Whether one is selling nuts and bolts, tomatoes or computers one way to bring people back to your place of business is to ACT LIKE YOU CARE, even if you don’t.

Culture and Negotiations

2010-02-16T02:31:00.000-08:00

How much do you know about culture? If you were “negotiating” in a particular cultural environment, would you understand the rules by which that culture plays the game of life? Here are some examples, answer true or false.

The Chinese won't spend much time gathering and exchanging information since they are often eager to get started with the bargaining exchange.

Negotiators in Israel often use silence as a pressure tactic to obtain further concessions.

In the Netherlands, a person sucking their thumb is signaling that he or she does not believe you.

In Japan, prices rarely move by more than 10-15% from initial offer to final agreement.

For more questions on negotiation and cultures go to:

http://www.globalnegotiationresources.com/resources/quiz/

How did you do? Share your results.

Ethnocentrism versus National Pride

2009-07-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

4th of July is a big day for Americans. Not only is it a summertime holiday, it remains a day of pride for our country as we celebrate the birth of our nation. We remain proud of who we are as Americans and the things accomplished by this great nation we call home.

In my classes I spend a good amount of time on the subject on the curse of ethnocentrism in working with people of other cultures. Ethnocentrism is the attitude that one’s own culture is the best while looking down on other people in the process. The attitude that others are dirty, lazy, or stupid, has no place in the workplace, yet it often creeps into our mind-set, especially during times of culture stress. Ethnocentrism has been around since the beginning of time and is a universal behavior with every people group I have worked with. I remind my students that, while it is okay to have national pride, when one begins to evaluate others by their own cultural standard, pride becomes destructive and counter-productive in working with others.

In the late ‘70’s I was living in Kenya and being an American was not popular. We had just pulled out of Vietnam, Iran was in revolution, inflation was high, there were long lines for gasoline and we were in the grips of the Cold War. Our president at the time was on an apology tour reinforcing the feeling that everything American was evil and immoral. Thirty years later, history seems to be repeating itself. The question becomes, for me, is it possible to be proud of one’s country without being ethocentristic; can one humbly acknowledge our weaknesses without tearing down who we are as a people?

My favorite word, BALANCE, comes into play here. Recognize, first, that all cultures have their flaws. It’s as easy for me to look at what’s wrong with America as it is for me to see the imperfections of other cultures. It is not a matter of who is better but rather how can we change our attitude making us better in our values, behavior and respect for others. One does not need to go through a campaign or a forgiveness tour to acknowledge that indeed we, and all cultures, have imperfections. I reject, however, the attitude that we can justify our miserable state by merely saying, “That’s just who we are, deal with it.” My culture, and the culture of those reading this post, must recognize that every culture is often held hostage in a prison of disobedience. It’s indefensible to accept our moral failings, corporately as well as individually.

On the other hand, God, in His infinite wisdom, created cultures. It is through culture that He has used the best and worst of us to reveal Himself. Though I do not believe God favors America over other cultures, our history of faith and our core value that “all men are created equal,” has been used by God, as He has with other cultures. Without being ethnocentistic I can humbly be proud to be an American. That’s not a contradiction of terms…it is a balance approach that is always in tension, always to be worked through.

Cross-Cultural Communication. Lessons from James Carter

2009-06-12T06:20:00.000-07:00

“Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth?” LAPD James Carter yells at Inspector Lee in the movie Rush Hour. Of course Lee (Jackie Chan) understood Carter (Chris Tucker), but he played coy that he didn’t understand English, as he was amused with Carter’s antics. “Why is this guy screaming at me” he must have wondered? “I’m not deaf.”

James Carter, like so many people, are clueless as to how to communicate effectively and especially when communicating cross-culturally. Some people think if they raise the volume of their voice somehow people will understand!

“Oh, now, I get,” they listener is expected to reply, “Thanks for yelling at me, things are so much clearer now!”

Communication are not mere words, they are symbols of meaning. But it helps to know the right words within context. In Swahili, “nyanya” can refer to either grandmother or tomato. If you said to someone their “nyanya” looks plump and delicious, you’d better be looking at their garden!

Speaking of tomatoes, a friend of mine on Facebook asked how our garden was doing (my wife planted 46 tomato plants) and if we had tomatoes coming out the “wazoo.” A student in India asked me the meaning of “wazoo.” I had to transliterate its meaning rather than give the literal translation.

Want to communicate cross-culturally? Make sure you know the meaning of both your words as well as the words of others.

Jet Lag and Wal-Mart

2008-11-08T13:39:00.001-08:00

The journey isn’t complete until your body and mind merge into the same time zone. After 30 hours of travel, 18 of them in an airplane and the balance in airports, my journey to Asia and back is nearly complete. Eight weeks and 40,000 miles of travel are over, but one cannot quite say they are home until they can sleep right through the night and can stay awake throughout the day.

For me, jetlag is a part of the job, so I am forever trying to learn new ways to make the transition less painful. Staying awake all day without so much as a power nap is nearly impossible. When the body tells you it’s 3 a.m. in Bangalore yet you jut finished lunch in Arkansas, there is no way to convince the sleep sensors of the brain differently. I fight to stay awake until 9 p.m., but succumb to the lure of the mattress and pillow before 8, convinced that I will not wake again for at least three days. Four hours later my eyes pop open, I feel refreshed, but why is it still dark outside? And, by the way, where am I? Stumbling for the light in a room that I vaguely remember, I discover that it’s 1 a.m. Now what do I do until the light of day?

Two options at the beginning of closing the journey is Wal-Mart or zolfresh.

For my non-Western friends, Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the U.S., with annual revenue of over $300 billion. Most of their stores are open 24/7, selling everything from eggs to tractor parts -- if Wal-Mart doesn’t have it you probably don’t need it. The superstores are nearly 10 acres of clothes, house wares, electronics, food and even a full service pharmacy where you take your own blood pressure. When your body doesn’t know you should be prone rather than upright, nothing is more interesting than walking the aisles of Wal-Mart and observing who else can’t sleep.

The other option is chemically telling your body that you’ve had it and YOU WILL GO TO SLEEP! Taking 10 mg of this little pill is forcing the body into submission, but it still doesn’t help the drowsies in the afternoon, so you end up at Wal-Mart anyway.

When I asked a flight attendant what she did to beat international jetlag she shrugged and said matter-of-factly, “Not much. I just brace myself to feel like crap for three days.” Not exactly the answer I was looking for, but reality is a harsh teacher.

Vulnerability as Strength

2008-05-08T05:55:00.000-07:00

Standing behind his son’s casket, pastor Ngure spoke for at least an hour. John, twenty-five years old, hung himself two days before and there were a lot of questions that accompanies every suicide. Why would he do such a thing? What was so wrong in his own world that it would push him to take his own life? Many questions, no good answers.

The short answer -- the motivation for John to end his life was the breakup with his fiancé. The boy and girl loved each other, wanted to get married, but the parents of the girl opposed the marriage because their daughter was going to the university and John had only attended a technical school after high school. When the discussion broke down, John became despondent and even told his girlfriend of his plans of ending his life. The girl sent an SMS to John’s sister of his intentions two days before he carried out his plan. Of course all funerals are sad, but this was particularly difficult. The death of young person is tragic at every level, truly senseless.

As the service continued (it was three hours long) I was interested from an anthropological perspective, how Kenyan culture handles these situations. In America suicide is something one does not talk about; it’s an embarrassment to family. My friend, working in Japan, informs me that suicide can be an act of honor, resolving a conflict or a bad circumstance. This funeral revealed to me again how Kenyans view vulnerability as strength, not weakness.

People in the West not only do not highlight their vulnerabilities, they actively conceal them. Call it pride, egotism or even denial from reality, either way, most people in America and Europe will not show their weak side because it reveals our limitations. Africans, for the most part, do not mind sharing their frailties. Pastor Ngure talked at length about his relationship with his son, including the day before he found him hanging in the bathroom. He talked to the young people assembled, John’s friends, telling them that no situation, even a broken heart, is worth taking your own life. He talked to the parents, encouraging them to remain close to their kids and keep the lines of communication open, even as he tried with John. For an hour, along with a grieving mother, three sisters and a younger brother, Pastor Nugre revealed his vulnerability as a sign of strength. Incomprehensible behavior for me, respected by everyone else assembled.

As I tell my student’s, the issue of behavior in culture is not right or wrong, it’s just different. If you come from the West working in a vulnerability of as strength culture, you may need to be a bit more open about your life, family and work. If you are from Asia or Africa going into a vulnerability as weakness culture, you may want to hold off telling people everything personal in your life. I am reminded of these truths standing by a grave in Africa.

Generosity and Fools

2007-11-23T13:20:00.000-08:00

Standing on the railway platform my friend noticed a coolie carrying bags for a European. The going rate for such labor is about $1, but the coolie asked for $10. The visitor didn’t have the change in the local currency so he gave him the equivalent of $12 and told him “keep the change.”

As the coolie walked away he said to his friend, “God blessed me with a fool early today.” My friend, overhearing the remark, rebuked him and told him he should be grateful for other people’s generosity and not make fun of them. The coolie sneered at my friend and went his way.

Last week my friend and I took a cycle rickshaw to have supper. My colleague, who is a very compassionate fellow, ordered for our driver “take out” so he could eat as well. When the rickshaw walla took us to our final destination we paid him more than a fair fare. Instead of being grateful, he asked for more with an attitude that somehow we had insulted him by offering him less. My friend sighed and said, “Sometimes guys like that make me not want to be generous.”

There is always a tension between the rich and poor, generosity and ungratefulness. The European hardly will miss being overcharged twelve times the rate. The coolie, whose lot in life is one of carrying other people’s bags, no doubt can use the extra money. However, if a foreigner thinks for a minute that his generosity will be seen as an act of charitable kindness, they are sadly mistaken. Not all poor people see the rich as fools in which to manipulate for as much as they can get out of them, but the truth is there are more with the attitude of the coolie and the rickshaw driver than we imagine. My take on tipping in a developing country is to learn the rules of the game and behave from those cultural rules. Its okay to be generous, but try to do it within reason of the local economy. People will respect you if you are kind and charitable, but they have a disdain for rich fools.

Business Seminars

2007-10-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

A popular activity among business leaders is traveling to developing countries to teach seminars on everything from leadership principles to how to create a start-up business. Following up on that thought I sent a post to a network of business professionals with this question.

Do you think that the average businessman from the West can effectively communicate micro-business startups? Yes or No. Why?

I received this response from a financial advisor:

“No! I don't think a western business person is a good teacher.

I have been a business consultant in Indonesia and have learned the severe limitations of advising small businesses. The smaller the business the more difficult it is to advise because the culture effects small businesses the most. Micro business are generally out of the understanding of a western business person.”

This businessman went on to say that few people from the West understand the obstacles of business in developing countries that are corrupt or play by different ethical rules. With laws that are slanted against certain castes or tribes, it is difficult for some small business projects to get a license or permit. The whole issue of paying a bribe to set up a business is also an issue that most westerner’s are not equipped to address.

Another issue that makes it difficult for western businessmen teaching in developing countries is the use of inappropriate business models. Loans, advertisement, distribution, inventory, profit margin, are all good terms but usually are either unrealistic or unheard of in countries where business is a means of putting daily food on the table. Using models that are sustained by outside capital has no relevance within a culture where risk is not even an option.

The challenge in working cross-culturally is the same regardless of the subject. Whether it is finance or issues of HR, the key is to first understand the context. Before a short-term team from the states launches out on doing business seminars, perhaps they should learn the context of the host culture to insure that they know the questions before giving the answers. The world isn't as flat as some think.

How Business Cultures Think

2007-08-26T12:29:00.000-07:00

How Institutions Think, was written twenty one years ago by anthropologist Mary Douglas. Her argument was basically that all institutions generate their own world of images, symbols, ideas, and past experiences, and people in the institution, to some degree, must accept this thought-world in order to function. Thus the institution as a whole largely shapes individual decisions in an institution. As an expatriate worker assigned to do business overseas I would suggest the first thing they need to learn is how the host culture thinks.

Douglas’ typology for categorizing cultures is based on the concept of grid and group. Grid relates to how many roles are in a society, business or institutions. The more roles (like the military or university) the higher the group. Fewer roles, such as a local Subway franchise, is identified as a low grid social environment.

Group is measured by strength of membership of a collective body in a social environment. The stronger the group the greater the requirements for association, as well as conformity to collective values. A strong group business is found in companies like Samsung of Korea; a low group business would likely be like Home Depot in America.
As the graph shows, the four major categories of social environments are Individualist, low grip/low group, which I call Franchisers; Bureaucratic, high grid/low group, tagged The Man; Hierarchy, high grid/high group, The Chief and; Egalitarian, low grid/high group, called Facilitators.

In the next few posts I will try to unpack these classifications. For now, generally speaking, most Americans operate as franchisers, most large companies function as bureaucrats, many Asian companies operate in a hierarchy and small companies are often facilitators. Of course there are exceptions to every rule. But the point is, to be more effective living overseas it’s helpful if we understand how cultures think.

Don't Use Idioms

2007-05-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

The American at the podium was speaking to a group of businessmen and women in Delhi when he said, “To be successful in business one must serve with excellence 24/7.”

I glanced around the room and looked at the puzzled faces of the audience as the guest speaker spewed out more idioms.

“Don’t lose your cool.”

“That’s a bunch of baloney.”

“Put the cherry on the top.”

In communicating cross-culturally one of the cardinal rules is don’t use idioms. I understand what it means to serve with excellence at all times, but the shops here don’t operate all night and every day, so the audience didn’t understand the metaphor. It’s true that a person should treat their customers with respect and without losing their temper, but I’m pretty sure many of the crowd did not get it when the speaker lost his cool and produced an American idiom. Should we put the cherry on top of the baloney, and by the way, what is baloney anyway? In a vegeterian country processed meat is non-existent. Though the audience was educated and international, I wondered how much of the message got lost in the idioms?

Communicating cross-culturally takes effort. You can be an expert in your field and lose your audience by turning a phrase that is meaningless to your audience. When speaking to the masses, keep in mind those who are listening. Don’t use idioms.

More Than JUST A Kiss

2007-04-19T05:55:00.000-07:00

There is just some things you shouldn’t do, even if your rich, famous and just having fun.

Richard Gere is not a novice to international travel. As a movie star and activist for HIV/AIDS prevention, he has made many a port-of-call throughout the globe. Gere, a Buddhist, has visited India many times, partly for social issues but certainly to visit with the Dali Lama. If anyone should understand cultural sensitivity you’d think Gere would know. Obviously not.

Last week while in New Delhi promoting safe sex awareness, his Indian hostess was Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty (you might remember her for winning the Big Brother UK earlier this year, in the midst of controversy that she was the target of racial slurs). As Ms Shetty was introducing Gere he grabbed her hand and kissed it. Then, with horror and embarrassment, he gave Shilpa a big hug, then several kisses on the cheek, and finally, appallingly, dipped the stunned hostess backwards, still lavishing kisses on her.

Some Indians were highly offended, marching in the streets, burning effigies of Gere and demanding an apology for his offense. Not being sensitive to cultural mores was the charge – display of affection is not acceptable in this country (even in Bollywood movies they don’t kiss, though suggestive clothing, sexually explict dialogue and sensual dance is okay).

The next day, Ms Shetty told the press that it was no big deal, that Gere did in fact call to apologize and that it was “just a kiss.” Well, Shilpa is an international figure, knows the ways of the “other” world, but for many Gere’s action was not just a harmless kiss.

It seems that whenever someone from another country makes a cultural faux pas they often say, “Well, that’s just the way we do things in our country,” or “That is just our custom,” or, even worse, “People just need to get over it, that’s just the way we do things.”

I would dare say that most people reading this blog are not as rich or famous as Richard Gere. The consequences of improper behavior may cost you a client, your job and, in some places a fine, imprisonment and deportation. It may be just a hug or a kiss to you, but when you are in another country you play by their rules, not yours. That is JUST a fact.

Business and Subcultures

2007-02-05T03:40:00.001-08:00

When defining CULTURE, it’s important to differentiate between CORE and SUB cultures. Core refers to the dominant ethnic culture in society. It’s not a stretch to generalize and say there is an American, African, African or Latin American culture. I lived in Kenya for many years and crossing the continent to West Africa wasn’t that much different except they spoke French instead of Swahili or English. Middle Eastern people, whether they are from Jordon or Kuwait have basically the same worldview. To make a broad statement that they have a Latin culture is true if they are from Mexico or Paraguay. Core culture is the base of how people see their world, many times even their value system and how the do business.

To really understand people, however, is to look at the sub-cultures within society. (Subcultures are not always the weird or exotic, though they could be. Fringe groups are better described as counter-culture). The people of Paraguay, though Latin, are not exactly like the people of Mexico. Mexicans living in Monterrey are not like those living in Xpujil. The layers of sub-cultures are vast and complicated. Sub-cultures include the rich, poor, educated, uneducated, rural, urban, tribal, caste, women, men, teen-agers, Christians, Muslims, etc. Within each of these categories are other layers, e.g., such as Christians (Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, Orthodox) or Muslims (Shia or Sunni). Then there are the special interests groups that makeup sub-cultures. Doctors, IT specialists, florists, astronomers, German Shepherd breeders, geocaching enthusiasts. Political activists can be a sub-group, as well Rotary Club members or social action groups. In every culture there are artists, craftsmen and people with unique cultural professions that could be considered a sub-culture. In Delhi most of the taxi drivers are Sikhs. Several years ago I taught a group of deaf Christians who protested that they were not a sub-culture (non-hearing Americans) but insisted they were a dominant culture. Perhaps, but the point is, in every social environment we find ourselves there are at least two cultures, and probably more, that we are interacting with; a core culture and the layers of sub-cultures.

When doing business with others go beyond knowing that people are from Uzbekistan and try to learn the sub-culture in which they belong. When you show an interest in people beyond their core culture identity you build relationships which enhances your ability to communicate in a meaningful way.

Kinship and Business

2007-01-22T14:33:00.000-08:00

What does the study of kinship have to do with business? Isn’t the study of lineage just the particular field of anthropologists? My answer is, understand the dynamics of families, of kinship, and you will find the key to communication, building relationships and eventually, a successful business.

In North America the subject of kinship is a non-starter and becoming more obsolete with each passing year. Fifty-percent of marriages end in divorce and a recent study concluded that half the women in the U.S. live alone. The family tree means little to us. We can tell you what we do for a living and what our interests are, but we can’t tell you a great deal about our great-great-grandfather, our heritage or even what country our forefathers came from.

Contrast this to my Indian neighbor, Mr. Jinghan. He is from Lahore in Pakistan. During the partition, because he’s Hindu, he had to leave his home and migrate south. Because of his caste and the region of his birth, all of his decisions in life revolves around his caste paternalistic family line, and he can trace it back as far as there is recorded history. Who Mr. Jinghan does business with, who he hires for business and for what jobs, who will marry his son or daughter, all revolve around family ties.

I’ve heard Kenyan’s say, with a certain amount of disdain, “Oh, he’s Luo, I don’t trust them.” Tribalism, maintaining business practices within the clan, is important in most parts of Africa. In China, Korea and Japan, lineage is so important that you can make or break a deal by not understanding the family tree. Even in Europe, name and location of family give clues on whether the person is from a family of prominence, a laborer or even a scoundrel.

So, the next time you are on the plane and someone gives you their card, or you’re at a party and meet a new client, inquire about their family. Ask them if their name is prominent in their country? Ask them what their name means? If you know the cultural dynamics of the country you may even inquire if their business is family owned and how far back can they trace that family business. By being interested in their family you may be touching the most important facet of their life. Not only will you make a friend, you might even be miles ahead in developing a strong business partnership.

Observations Of Kenya

2007-01-15T02:53:00.001-08:00

I recently returned from Kenya, a country where we lived for fourteen years from the mid ‘70’s through the ‘80’s. I readily admit that my experience with the business community is limited as most of my time there was focused on non-profit work. My reflections in this post, therefore, are more of an observer of culture than insights on business practices. But knowing the language, as well as the rules of how they play the game of life, gives me an advantage that many others do not have. My observations

Progress is a mixed bag. If one measures progress by how many new malls or supermarkets that have been built in the past fifteen years, you’d have to say Kenya is moving forward. Kenyans today do not suffer the shortages of flour, cooking oil and cement, as was the case when we lived in the country. The shelves are well stocked and variety, though still not extensive, is prevalent.

Communication is another great leap forward in Kenya. It’s hard to believe that the little town of Kitale, where we use to live, has moved from “trunk calls” (making a reservation with the local operator for in-country and overseas calls) to cell phones. Internet, however, is another matter. Whether in Kitale, Nairobi or Mombassa, I found it nearly impossible to access my email. If one is diligent it can be done, but when you have to exercise the virtue of patience just to read your mail, you realize that the country still has away to go before being truly integrated into the rest of the world.

The shift of economic power is slowly shifting. In the “old days,” all of the economic control rested in the hands of the Gujarati businessmen from India. Though the Asian population still holds significant economic clout, there is a steady increase in Kenyan owned business. Of course this is a positive development, though it has its negatives due to the great bane of the society…corruption.

Every society has corruption and probably the corruption in Kenya is not as great as in other African countries. Corruption, in my opinion, is a result of two factors: lack of resources and ethnic discrimination. When a country is “emerging,” it means that economic growth is on the rise, but does not mean everyone is enjoying the fruits of expansion. Unfortunately, those who do possess the power or privileges exploit it for further gain. Financial aid from other countries does make a positive impact for the country, but by the time the funds “funnel down,” to the general population it is so diminished that progress moves at a snails pace. Corruption reaps corruption. Because the Shillings are few, everyone from policeman, headmasters and church leaders use their positions as leverage for self-promotion rather than societal development. What I observed in Kenya is that the rich are indeed doing well, the poor remain the same and there is virtually no middle class.

Ethnic discrimination is a universal dilemma. In India it’s caste, in America and Europe it’s race, in Kenya it’s tribalism. In was interesting, as well as disheartening, to hear my friends, when talking about others, say, “Yeah, but he’s Kikuyu,” (or Luo, Pokot or Nandi). Every district is dominated by ruling tribes and outsiders from other tribes are blocked from even doing good things because “they are not one of us.” A nation cannot advance when there is a culture of ethnic discrimination.

What Kenya has going for it is that it still is a democracy. The political system is less than perfect and I realize that corruption and ethnic discrimination has the potential of ushering in a strongman to right the wrongs where the government is failing. But, I believe Kenya is still a country of great potential and, therefore, still worth investing in their future.

Five To One

2007-01-01T12:05:00.000-08:00

Daniel, my Korean friend who works for Samsung, picked me up at the airport last week and we talked about doing business in India. He made an interesting observation on the differences of the two countries.

“In Korea,” he said, “employees do everything as it relates to a service project. If it’s a television or washing machine, the employee writes the contract, sets up the operation of the product, receives the payment and writes the receipt. Here it seems that it takes five people to do the same the work.”

I told him I thought that part of the reason is a throwback from the caste system. I remember many years ago a director of school was building a dormitory. Pressed for time, he asked the carpenters who were hanging the doors, to paint them as well and he would gladly pay them extra.

“Oh we can’t possibly do that,” they replied. “You will have to find painters to do that job.”

I realize that caste is not all of the reasons why it takes five people to do a job that one person in Korea does. However, in societies where it is highly bureaucratic, such as Communism in the days of the Soviet Union, the distribution of labor is indeed community based. Family businesses in India, labor unions in France, are all systems to “guarantee” employment. It’s not an issue of efficiency as much as it is a social responsibility. Older people in Bulgaria pine for the days of Communistic rule where everybody was assured employment and the all-important pension when they retired. It didn’t matter that the economy was in shambles, community shared equally, even though under that system everyone was equally poor.

Individualism, free-market economy, is the survival of the fittest system. Competition is the name of the game, even in the corporate world. India is changing and those companies that are emerging as leaders are those who are throwing off the structures of hierarchy for a more collective but competitive approach. Can a company become efficient without destroying the community consciousness as well? Time will tell. But until that time comes, those working in countries that are emerging must learn the rules of the culture and not be too critical of those who see the TASK secondary to the RELATIONSHIP of the community.

Innovation Versus Status Quo

2006-12-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

Clash of culture in business is always a matter values. Whether collectively or at an individual level, it’s in the trenches of values that determine cross-cultural or multicultural cooperation. One value that often causes friction is that of risk and innovation.

Risk, by definition, is to place something valued in a position or situation where it could be damaged or lost, or exposed to damage or loss…to incur the chance of harm or loss by taking an action.

North Americans love risk takers. We thrive on risk; it’s our heritage. Our forefathers left their countries of birth and took voyages of danger to an unknown land with the faith that their risk would lead to greater opportunity. Much of the accomplishments of our society are due to risk takers who we now celebrate as innovators.

Kouzes and Posner in their book on leadership state,

"Studies on innovative research and development teams, for example, show that the work climate for success is characterized by two things: an equitable reward system that recognizes excellence and a willingness to take risk and experiment with innovative ideas."

Why are Americans such great risk takers? One is our social structure of individualism. Individualistic societies have the luxury of taking risks because if the venture succeeds or fails only the individual feels the repercussions.

Risk averse societies are those who are collective, concerned about the group. They will not, cannot, take risks easily as it affects the extended family or society at large. Innovation may be valued among freewheeling individualism, but it's seen as irresponsible, even selfish, in high group cultures.

In Risk and Blame, British anthropologist Mary Douglas comments,

[Individualism] "is why risk is such an important subject for America...[its] away from protecting the community and in favor of protecting the individual...the only banner that will rally support: protection of the individual. The new dialogue about risks normally does not protect the collective good."

While risk aversion is common in high grid/high group cultures like China, Japan and India, most of Europe still value the collective mode of operation.

"The European lives a mentality like those who suffered the Great Depression in the United States, but to a much greater extent than we can easily imagine…They not only can't change careers so easily in Europe, most people don't even think of it. Mainly, the European becomes tired at the very idea of risk. He wants security. He gets no big thrill from freedom, opportunity, energy, and change, the way we do." (Stuart Miller – Understanding Europeans)

It’s true that politics and class is also a factor in risk taking. As Walter Anderson writes,

Planning ahead is a measure of class. The degree to which you can control your future makes you aware of how much power you have. Rich people plan for three generations; poor people for Saturday night.

Innovation is a great thing and needed in every business context. However, the value of risk and innovation is seen differently in every culture. If one understands this conflict of risk it will go along way in comprehending and coping with cross-cultural expectations.

Witchdoctors and Business Consultants

2006-11-27T08:25:00.000-08:00

FUNCTIONALISM is culture theory on how or why things work in society. If something in culture or business (family, religion, product) does not provide positive function it will cease to exist. In tribal societies one member of the community is the witchdoctor or shaman. (There is a difference between a sorcerer and a witchdoctor. The work of sorcerer is often meant to cause harm whereas the witchdoctor in animistic societies is meant to help the society and people.)

In the community of companies there are professional advisors called consultants. Their purpose is to help the tribal setting of an organization become more efficient. Functionally, a business consultant is very much like a witchdoctor. Here’s why:

1. A witchdoctor explains why things happen. In tribal societies the problem may be drought or sickness. People go to a witchdoctor, who may kill a goat and read its intestines and through this technique will interpret for people why things are not going well.

Companies secure the help of a business consultant to help explain why there are problems within their group, which may be a financial downturn or personnel problems. The consultant may use any number of analytical tools, give employees tests and from those analysis will explain what the problem is.

2. Witchdoctors function as tribal psychologists. Knowing the people in the village he is familiar with the personalities – those who are troublemakers, cheats and of ill temper. He also knows what people fear, what brings them peace and often works from that knowledge to prescribe a cure.

Using analytical tools the business consultant functions as a village psychologist. Along with personal interviews, the consultant’s job is to find out who may be causing the problem between co-workers and clients. From his position as an outsider he/she recommends steps for a cure.

3. Witchdoctors are seen as a mediator between the evil and sacred. If the spirits of the wind are unhappy and cause problems for the tribe, the witchdoctor is called in to mediate between man and spirit. The witchdoctor is not seen as sacred within himself, but acts as a go-between the spiritual and human domain.

Many problems in a company are because of a divide between the labor and management (depending on which side of the divide you are will determine if you are a part of the evil and sacred). If labor and management are not talking to one another they call in the business consultant to mediate. Business consultants don’t like unions because it takes away part of their function as mediators.

4. The shaman is a broker to bring about equilibrium, i.e. follow these steps and enjoy peace and forgiveness. Find the tail of a hawk and put it under your bed for three days; kill a goat and sprinkle its blood on the gate of your compound; smear cow-dung on your head and wear it for two weeks and you will have peace, prosperity and happiness.

For the business consultant, he/she gives action steps to follow: recommend terminating department or person; suggests the company restructure if they want to prosper or achieve of company cohesiveness.

5. Witchdoctors operate in emotionally charged situations. No one seeks a witchdoctor until there is a problem. It’s when a child is sick; the neighboring enemy tribe is near that people seek for help from the witchdoctor. No one invites the witchdoctor until there is a crisis.

Likewise, companies rarely seek outside help from a consultant until there is financial or personnel crisis. By the time the consultant is called in the problem is so dire that a consultant is brought in as a last resort. Like the witchdoctor, this works to the consultants advantage: (a) It keeps him/her in business and (b) they have little to lose if he/she fails but gains quite a bit if they can pull the company out of crisis,

6. Witchdoctors are seen as a positive function among tribal because they help people take action. Delays in making decisions can be both stressful and ineffective. Divination allows a person actually to make a decision and this, in itself, is valuable.

Business consultants are helpful in that they mobilize management and labor into action. Making hard decisions is often avoided, but by bringing in an outsider to tell people what they need to do is seen as a welcome contribution.

7. Witchdoctor fees are high. I observed a witchdoctor under a tree with a woman as he divined her problem by throwing sandals in the air. Tied to the tree was a goat, which was payment for services rendered. A goat in that society was the equivalent of a month’s wages.

Hiring a business consultant is not cheap and what some of them charge for their advice are greater than the average worker will make in a month or more. However, given their function, contributing to the bottom line or making the company work more effective, a consultant may be an investment that is worthwhile.

As an anthropologist, I am not making a value judgment of witchdoctors or business consultants. Functionally they are the same, for better or worse.

Coaching The Business Family

2006-11-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

In reading a PhD dissertation recently on the importance of training international companies, the author stated that nearly 50% of American expatriates fail to complete the full length of their overseas assignment. Adding to this staggering figure is the fact that nearly 25% of American expatriates returning to their US organizations leave within one year.

Reasons for expatriate failure cited was (a) inability of the spouse to adjust, (b) manager’s inability to adjust, (c) other family reasons, (d) manager’s personal or emotional maturity (e) inability to cope with the larger overseas responsibility. This study confirms what a group of businessmen I met with last week told me over breakfast. One guy stated that his greatest challenge living overseas was keeping his wife and kids happy. One lady, whose husband works for the American Embassy, told my wife, “I hate it here and can’t wait to leave.”

The old adage that “If Momma isn’t happy, no one is happy,” is not just an off the cuff comment, it’s a real issue that needs to be addressed when talking about coaching or preparing people for an overseas assignment. Here are some suggestions I give to people and companies preparing to live overseas.

Family Training - Since the company is going to the expense to relocate the whole family, it’s reasonable to include the whole family in preparing them to live overseas, not just the employee. Apart from the technical side of the business, husbands, wives and even children, should have a strong course on issues of culture shock, culture etiquette, communication and worldview. True the family is not a part of the company team, but the family goes to the field as a unit. Success is measured by the whole, not the parts. If the family is only a half or third prepared (or however many kids are involved), the company risks the whole coming off the field.

It is at this juncture that one-on-coaching is invaluable. I have counseled many people to revaluate their overseas assignment because the wife, husband or children were resistant to living in a foreign country. It’s not a great idea for children who are teen-agers to send them overseas. If there are marital problems or the kids are not well adjusted in the their home country, living overseas won’t solve the problem, it will just exasperate it. An experienced coach can easily spot potential family problems.

Timing – If at all possible, send people for assignment when the weather is at its best, not its worse. I knew of a family who arrived in Russia in January, when the daylight hours were short and snow was ten feet high. They lasted three months. I wouldn’t send anyone to India in May or June (the hottest months of the year) or Chile in August, the coldest time of the year. Adjustment is tough enough without battling the elements.

Family Involvement – The employee must be encouraged to get their family involved in the local culture. Learning language, being introduced to community activities, giving the spouse a position as a volunteer, either in the company or with some NGO program, allows the husband or wife to have meaning. A company who provides the spouse with just a good apartment, maid and driver is not meeting the needs of family. Everybody needs a reason to belong.

Take a Break - Instruct your workaholic employee to mind the family as well as the business. Weekends to the coast, going to a concert, sightseeing is good for the employee, it’s good for the family, it's good for business.

Carry On - What does the spouse enjoy doing in their home country -- painting, playing golf, singing, watching movies? These activities should not be discontinued just because they are overseas. I know a lady who has a marvelous voice and who has joined an international choir in the city. Another spouse loves animals and finds her outlet through interaction with dog lovers. Children also adjust when they are involved in art and local sports programs. Transfer hobbies and interest overseas.

Living overseas, interacting with culture is not easy. Stress is compounded if the family doesn’t adjust. Training/coaching won’t solve all the answers, but it could be a key component in making an overseas assignment a success, and that contributes to the bottom line.

Personal Coach

2006-11-13T15:00:00.000-08:00

One of the new professions in the business world is that of Personal Coach. Sometimes they are called a Life Coach. Not sure I'd want to take on that responsibility, or would trust someone else to be my life coach. (I relate too much to the lyrics of Sunshine..."He can't run his own life, I'll be damned if he'll run mine.") The reason the Personal Coach is sought in our highly individualized society is because we have personal consultants giving advice on how to get-in-touch with our inner self, diet, finances, golf, and dating. Having a coach to help in management, leadership and communications skills is not surprising. Here are some startup questions as it relates to the subject.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF PERSONAL COACH?

1. To analyze the needs of a person and organization. Sometimes outsiders can see things more clearly than those inside.

2. Give suggestions on how a person or group can be more effective.

3. Give critical evaluation. What he/she/they need to do in leadership and management.

4. Teach principles and concepts.

WHAT A PERSONAL COACH IS NOT?

1. People with line authority. They can’t make anyone do anything…they don’t have that power.

2. Your new best friend, or they shouldn’t be. If a person or company is not prepared for critical evaluation, don’t hire a coach.

3. A hired gun to solve the leaderships problems. A coach can tell what needs to be done, but it’s the management/leadership which must make the changes.

WHO CAN BE A COACH?

1. People with enough experience to be legitimate.

2. Someone who has a history of having applied the principles, not just talk about it.

3. Cares more about the success of the company beyond time and expenses.

In the coming weeks I will dissect these categories, and more, in finding the right coach for culture and companies.

Now That's Funny...Or Is It?

2006-11-06T01:45:00.000-08:00

Did you hear the one about the mother-in-law and her homely daughter?

WAIT! Before you tell that joke, do you understand the issues of culture and joking? Are you aware that in some cultures they have strict guidelines for joking relationships? Are you conscious that what may be hilarious to you means nothing to someone else and indeed may be offensive? Do you know that there are whole classes on the anthropology of humor?

Every culture has humor. Laughter is one of God’s gifts. Like the old preacher said, “God has a sense of humor because He made the monkey and a lot of funny looking people.” (That’s a joke - you might get it, many will not). In every social context there are also rules for humor. Is it crude, rude, light, vulgar, clean, political, religious or pejorative? As Bob Hope knew (who is he?), timing is everything. And the most crucial time element in telling a joke is being familiar with your cultural setting. Here are some simple guidelines in telling jokes.

1. Before you tell a joke, get a read on your host. Is he/she gregarious or serious? If they aren’t slapping you on the back and laughing, neither should you. Speaking of “back slapping…”

2. Don’t grab, hug, slap or even touch your host, unless you know them very well. And never…

3. Touch someone of the opposite sex or tell them a joke unless they are lifelong friends.

4. Until you have spent considerable time in the host culture don’t make jokes about politicians, gods or religious symbols. (Which includes using “Jesus Christ” as an expletive.)

5. Never tell ethnic jokes or use ethnic slurs.

6. Stay away from jokes that may only relate to your culture. Not all people understand jokes about blondes, lawyers or Rednecks.

7. In some cultures it is unacceptable for a younger to tell a joke to an elder.

Sometimes people tell jokes because they are nervous, unsure or just as icebreakers. That’s okay, once you know the rules of joking in the culture. Unless you are paid to be a comedian, be friendly but don’t try to be the life of the party.

Did you hear about the mother-in-law and the homely daughter? Well let me tell you, in some countries mother-in-laws are highly revered, and a “homely” girl is one who is warm hearted, domestic and highly sought after. Think about it before you tell your joke.

Diversity or Cutlure Awareness?

2006-10-31T06:45:00.000-08:00

I must admit, I dislike the word “diversity” when linked with “management” or “training.” Diversity training has an ugly sound to it, a bit like racism or prejudice. For an employee required to take diversity training is like being taken to the woodshed or to the concentration camp for re-education. Who wants to sit in a classroom for eight hours being scolded for being ethnically insensitive? How about making training positive instead of negative?

Perhaps a better phrase would be “cultural management/training.” To understand culture is to be aware that every person is framed by a worldview in which they were born. Whether they are brown or black, Protestant or Buddhist, male or female, rich or poor, we all begin the same way, only in a different context.

My dad, now over 86 years old, grew up poor on a farm in Arkansas. His generation went through the Great Depression and World War II. His values, outlook on life, liberty and sense of justice is different, in many ways, from his three sons and seven grandkids. Is his worldview wrong? Some of it is, some of it isn’t. But more than anything else, it’s just different, just like your and my worldview. To understand my father’s generation, or the worldview of Mexican’s, Vietnamese, Germans or the white middle class, we need less diversity training and more cultural awareness training.

Culture is not God’s ugly creation. In fact, culture is like a mountainside where fall leaves of deep orange, red, brown and yellow dot the hillside. Culture is God’s mosaic of people throughout the world. Culture is what brings stunning contrast and magnificence to our world. Rather than look at cultures as something to overcome or adopt, people need to understand the core of culture. When one understands why people see the world the way they do the process of communication, identifying values, and behavior will take place.

It’s true, we live in a world of diversity, but culture awareness focuses on the sameness within different context. It’s not me against them, nor is it me learning to be more like them. Culture awareness is about me learning the positive side of difference so we can work and live together more effectively.

Ethnocentrism in Business

2006-10-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

“These people are so dirty.”

“No wonder this country is third-world, they’re so lazy.”

“If stupid is as stupid does, then this nation is full of stupid people.”

You can call such talk as racial slurs, national prejudice or just plain bigotry. In anthropological circles it’s called ETHNOCENTRISM.

To be ethnocentric is to hold a belief that your culture, your ethnicity is superior to others. Early explorers, anthropologists and missionaries, seeing new people in newly discovered lands often talked about the natives being primitive. By what standards were others labeled primal? By the lifestyle and behavior of 17th century Europe. People who wore little or no clothing, lived in the forest, couldn’t read or write were considered savages as they just didn’t measure up to the behavior standard of England, France, Spain and Portugal.

No doubt ethnocentrism was in place long before days of Columbus, Simon Bolivar, the East Indian Trading Company or African slave traders, but ethnocentrism is as prevalent today as it was three hundred years ago.

Ethnocentrism is not confined to any one nation or people. I have seen the feeling of superiority displayed among Koreans, Germans, Americans, Russians, Kenyans and Guatemalans. We no longer use the term “primitive” or “third-world” but now use the term emerging nations or cultures. But no matter how we label people for political correctness, the attitude of ethnocentrism remains.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being proud of your heritage, ethnicity or country. I am very comfortable with being a white, middle-class, American male, in spite of all those who tell me I should be ashamed. Everyone should be proud of who they are, but not at the expense or degradation of others. There is a fine line between ethnic pride and ethnocentrism.

What does this have to do with culture and business? Plenty. I once observed a European businessman yell at a group of Asians calling them stupid and referring to one as “pie-face.” I’ve heard businessmen having a drink after work, refer to their clients as idiots, and much worse that I don’t care to post on this blog.

Here’s the deal. Ethnocentrism will eventually hurt your business. You can’t degrade people and expect to build a relationship with them. It doesn’t work in marriage; it won’t work in business either.

Most importantly, ethnocentrism will hurt you. I have never seen anyone who had a superior attitude toward another human being that was truly happy. Ethnocentrism is just a façade of someone who is unsure of him/herself. If you don’t understand people of other cultures, think they do weird things and have strange habits, remember, they aren’t less than you, they are just different. That’s the way God made us. Since He is too wise to do wrong and too good to make a mistake, then learn to appreciate others as you do yourself.

How Does Business Cultures Work?

2006-10-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

I tell my students that all human beings operate on a set of assumptions. Our assumptions are usually framed by our worldview, which is framed by culture. This is true in business as well. How a business is ordered will determine how it functions, its values and its expectations. Here is a set of questions to test your business assumptions:

1. What is more important (a) the TASK or (b) the RELATIONSHIP in your work environment?

2. Do you or your employees find satisfaction with (a) the TIME put into the job or (b) just BEING a part of the job?

3. Would you think your employees work more on (a) the PIECE of the product (and take pride in it) or find satisfaction in (b) the COMPLETED product?

4. Would you say your organization is geared more toward (a) INDIVIUAL risk or (b) COLLECTIVE risk?

Generally, if your answers lean toward the first answer your company assumptions are based on an individualism, which I call “franchisers.” Those who see their company through the lens of the second answer is more group oriented, which I describe as “kingdoms.”

Western businesses are typically “franchisers. “ They operate, even in a highly structured work environment, with self-interest, i.e. their job, their pay, their sense of well-being. To them the work they do is a specific task (hopefully well), which means they put in their time, concentrate on their piece of the project or product and will take risk if it meets their individual goals.

Non-Western companies typically function with a group “kingdom” mentality. Think of the Saudi royal family, the Indian extended family or the Japanese corporate family and you will have a sense of companies that function with a high group structure. All the “b” categories -- relationships, being a part of the team, taking pride in the final product (holism), never taking risk that would jeopardize the company for personal gain and you have a high group business environment.

So what are the implications? First, understanding different assumptions, Western companies and non-Western companies alike, will reveal the tensions of working cross-culturally. Non-Western companies want the same as Western companies, to make a profit, to contribute to the bottom line. However, non-Western companies will take risks collectively. Western businessmen get frustrated with the speed (or the lack thereof) with non-Western decision-making process because it takes longer to build consensus. Why do they move so slowly? Because they operate with a group mentality, not as a "franchiser."

Second, though Western businesses like to talk up the concept, real “teams” are in high group social environments. Companies in China or Thailand truly to ascribe to the motto if the business fails we fail together, whereas those in the U.S. the mentality is that if my business fails then I will look for another job. If we succeed, I will get a bonus.

Culture and business is intertwined. Those who study business cultures will be more effective in this world of globalization, whether they are “franchisers,” or “kingdoms.”

Culture and Decision Making

2006-09-25T04:17:00.000-07:00

One of the most common errors that business leaders make is to take North American sound bites into a different culture. While some the dynamics of corporate culture are universal, many times it is not.

An example is that of the popular western approach to self-directed management. In the U.S. the culture is generally individualistic, resistant to restraints and the desire for everyone to feel like they are their own bosses, even if their job is at the bottom of the company hierarchy.

In many countries of Asia, Eastern Europe and much of Western Europe, hierarchical management drives the corporation. “Self” is not only discouraged, it is condemned.

A U.S. corporate coach outlined the differences between a coaching culture (inefficient and ineffective, in his estimation versus non-coaching culture (which he deemed superior).

In a non-coaching culture:

* Leaders tell others what to do and how to do it.

* Companies establish rules, structures and procedures to maintain control.

* Managers delegate responsibility with specific instructions and expectations.

* Bosses make decisions to be carried out by employees.

* Supervisors are judged by how much they know.

* Employees are expected to perform their work without question or feedback.

In a coaching culture:

* Leaders create visions, engage in dialogue and empower people to think critically, take risks and come up with their own solutions.

* Companies establish rules, structures and procedures through collaboration to enhance productivity.

* Managers allow freedom and creativity in carrying out assignments, with workers accountable for results, not the way they achieve those results.

* Bosses and workers make decisions together to attain goals in both the short term and the long term.

* Supervisors are judged by how effective their teams are.

* Employees are valued and encouraged to participate in the process, strategize and find solutions.

So which is better? One can make an argument for both sides, but that’s not the point. The issue is that corporation’s work differently based on their cultural rules. If a business does tries to impose their standard of operation on others they will fail every time. Learning culture means understanding how their systems work and make it better within their social work environment. Not to make them like us.

Anthropology and Business

2006-09-18T05:06:00.000-07:00

The word on the street is understand corporate culture. What does that mean? What is culture and why is it important in business?

Culture is a combination of things: Language, Behavior, Values and Symbols. Every organization talks a certain language (not English or Japanese but language that is particular to the specialty of that company). Did you know that the same behavior greeting that is honorable in Korea is an offense in Russia? In Texas a company may value efficiency above relationships, whereas in Cambodia there is no higher value than interpersonal harmony. Man is a walking symbol and every business defines what are the appropriate (and inappropriate) symbols.

Anthropology is the study of man. Physical anthropologist dig up bones, cultural anthropologist dig up behavior. So what role does a cultural anthropologist have in business? Ask Microsoft, which has, at last count, seven on payroll. Intel, Pitney Bowes Inc., also have anthropologist on staff.

In cross-cultural studies not only does the anthropologist analyze corporate behavior, they help companies talk to other cultures. Most companies have a host of cross-cultural issues both inside their own business and certainly when dealing with other companies in a different country. The key to success is two fold: (1) Learn corporate culture, (2) Communicate cross-culturally.