Meyer (2015)

Question 1

What are the five principals in Meyer (2015) When culture doesn’t translate?

Answer 1

1. Identify the dimensions of difference
2. Give everyone a voice, practically
3. Protect the most creative units.
4. Teach key norms
5. Be heterogeneous everywhere

Question 2

Meyer (2015) When culture doesn’t translate?
What is meant with “give everyone a voice”

Answer 2

Ex.
- Conference calls, send the agenda well in advance, allow participants to prepare
- Use global english, slow and clear
- Check in with participants if they have any inputs

Question 3

Meyer (2015) When culture doesn’t translate?
What is meant with “protect your most creative units”

Answer 3

Identify units relying on creativity. Preserve ambigous communication, flexible job descriptions, less predefined meetings.

Question 4

Meyer (2015) When culture doesn’t translate?
What is meant with “train everyone in key norms”

Answer 4

Training local employees about key norms in the company, E.g. Loreals program “Managing Confrontation” about how to express disagreements in meetings

Question 5

Meyer (2015) When culture doesn’t translate?
What is meant with “be heterogeneous everywhere”

Answer 5

Ensure diversity in every location to avoid cultural clashes. E.g. New office in India, miscommunication between US manager who e-mail Indian employees directly, who don’t dare to answer without going via their Indian boss.

Question 6

Meyer (2015) When culture doesn’t translate?
What is meant with “identify the dimensions of difference”

Answer 6

Identify the differences in culture thats needs to be managed. Boss decides/consencus, structure/flexibility, “polite feedback(us)/harsch feedback(fr)