Module 4: Business in the Western World Flashcards
— Asians have a tendency to use non-verbal clues as opposed to stating something directly, as in the USA
— use of lips to point directions = Filipinos
— use of thumbs up = not acceptable for Greece and Afghanistan
— They use subtle inferences, thus a person must read between the lines instead of taking what is said at face value
— Disagreement will be expressed non-verbally also, as they don’t like to tell someone no
— Pay attention to these clues to grasp the full meaning of any communication
Differences in Communication
— If you’ve ever done business in China, you know that eastern individuals feel they cannot conduct business with others until they have established a relationship
— “pakikisama” is a very Eastern culture
— They don’t wish to work with strangers, and they don’t form relationships easily
— However, once a relationship has been established, it tends to last for an extended period of time
— Eastern individuals focus on the group (as opposed to the individual) and work to preserve harmony for the group
— Individuals who primarily do business in the West have a completely different
viewpoint. They rely more on written agreements than established relationships
— As a result, any relationship that is formed tends to be superficial and will likely last for a short period of time.
— Individual achievements are highly regarded among these individuals, unlike their eastern counterparts
— In the East, instead of keeping relationships strictly professional, personal sharing and the development of closer long-term bonds is favored and encouraged
— There is a desire to form relationships with colleagues, something which requires time and trust to create, and individuals can often feel offended or shamed if others do not reciprocate
— Efforts to develop these relationships are commonplace. In Japan, for example, activities such as karaoke are a perfect example of after-work engagement between colleagues
— In comparison to the West, corporate Asia tends to be less strict on hiring from the outset, and is generally more lenient to any under-performers on staff
— Employees are loyal to their employers, and there is a societal expectation that employers will take care of their employees
— People don’t wish to work with strangers, and they don’t form relationships easily. That said, when a relationship has been established, it can often last for a lifetime
The Business Mentality: Eastern
— In the West people tend to prefer formal meetings in which to engage in business activities
— While you’re at work, you’re working, and it’s fairly common for employees to
avoid building close relationships with each other
— That said, the occasional office get-together provides the opportunity to bond through any mutual embarrassment that may ensue
— In terms of the employee’s relationships with the company they work for,
Western societies have lesser expectations as to whether corporations take
care of their workers (beyond what is required by law)
— The majority of Westerners likely wouldn’t be surprised by a company
terminating their contract as a result of poor performance
— Similarly, employees have no issue leaving their current employment to greener pastures if the opportunity comes up
The Business Mentality: Western
— In the West, calling people out on their mistakes is pretty standard
— In fact, it’s often seen as an important part of developing a strong and effective team
— Tackling problems head-on and letting colleagues know about their shortfalls or errors is totally acceptable, though the way you do so may vary between territories
— A joke about a problem might be an effective approach in the UK, but it may be seen as offensive in Germany, where people might prefer to receive only the bare facts related to their error and nothing more
— Similarly, a polite email would do the job in the US. No matter the approach, the fact is, in the West problems are flagged and fingers are pointed at those responsible
— Furthermore, the related anger, frustration, and other applicable emotions may be on display
Criticism in the West
— Individuals from the West tend to think in linear patterns and look for cause and effect, as they want to know the relationship between the two
— Business in the west is based on rules and regulations. In contrast, individuals doing business in the east find that each situation is examined on its own
— In the West, they look at the situation and the context to determine what should take place in that given situation. Rules, regulations, and guidelines aren’t as important in the East
— situation = problem
— context = influence
— humans are viewed as equals and all are expected to contribute their share to society
— privacy is of great importance to Westerns
— meetings are expected to start on time with minimal fuss
— a good example of this is the German business culture, where punctuality plays an important role
Thinking Patterns of the West
— Eastern individuals, however, tend to use non-linear patterns, and this difference must be remembered at all times
— A hierarchy remains in the east. Most countries in the region, for example India, still have a class system in place, and all members of society are expected to adhere to the system
— Those engaged in business in Eastern countries find harmony is of great importance, thus this hierarchy must be maintained
— Privacy is not really important
— Anyone doing business in the East should be aware that secrets are not welcome
Thinking Patterns of the East
— a process of thought following known cycles or step-by-step progression where a response to a step must be elicited before another step is taken
— example:
→ cause and effect situations
— more analytical and logical
— dominant left brain
Linear Thinking
— human thought characterized by expansion in multiple directions, rather than in one direction, and based on the concept that there are multiple starting points from which one can apply logic to a problem
— more creative
— dominant right brain
Non-Linear Thinking
— In the East, the higher and more powerful a person’s position is, the less important it is that they are prompt. It is totally acceptable for management to be late to a meeting but less so for workers with lower ranks.
— Nevertheless, arriving late to the office or to a meeting in Asia may well pass without comment. There is an assumption that you had a good reason, so expect to be queried on what that reason was once the meeting is over
— Additionally, meetings in the East might begin with some unofficial socializing and “warming up” between those in attendance. As we discovered earlier, relationships are important in Eastern business cultures, so diving straight in would be considered a bit odd
Punctuality in the East
— In the West asking questions is regarded as standard practice, in fact it’s expected that lower-ranking employees show their initiative by seeking to expand their understanding of key topics by asking about them
— Employees are encouraged to ask questions, even if these may be challenging to the ideas and actions of their superiors. It’s not that, as an employee, you are necessarily challenging ideas, but rather simply trying to get your head around them and understand motives and processes better
— Employers value this sort of thing, as it shows that the individual asking the questions is eager to learn more in order to become a bigger asset to the company. Leaders in the West, after all, are just another member of the team
Asking Questions in the West
— In the East, employees would likely feel intimidated by the idea of asking questions. There is a fear that superiors might see questions as threatening, since they would have to clarify their position on a given subject
— Far more emphasis is given to the importance of politeness and not openly discussing opinions, disagreements, or pointing out flaws. Leadership in the East is just that, and should not be questioned
Asking Questions in the East
— In the West, hierarchies tend to be relatively flat. You should feel comfortable talking to your manager, and even the CEO of a company, without issue
— Chances are you can even call them by their first name. People in higher positions will generally try to help their subordinates feel that there is a sense of equality amongst the team (on the surface, at least)
— Each person’s opinion is valid, and all ideas are welcome. decisions are based on the team’s input, and nobody with anything simply for the sake of it
— Furthermore, criticism of employees in front of each other is commonplace
— You’re just hashing out ideas, so it’s probably fine to shut down un-constructive input
Authority in the West
