Management Across Cultures Summary
Chapter 1: an introduction
The changing global landscape
- Changing global landscape = developing transformational leaders, building strategic
alliances, launching global product platforms, leveraging technological breakthroughs, first-
mover advantages, global venturing, outsourcing, sustainable supply chains, and, most of all,
making money.
- The changing global landscape:
Current global economy Changing global landscape Future global economy
Broad mixture of local, - Towards continual Greater emphasis on
national, and global change global markets, networks,
markets and organizations - Towards increased and organizations over
interconnectedness local and national ones.
- Towards
multiculturalism
- Disadvantages of globalization:
o Endless conflicts with partners
o Continual misunderstandings with suppliers and distributors
o Mutual distrust
o Perpetual delays
o Ongoing cost overruns
o Political and economic risks and setbacks
o Personal stress
- Over 50% of international joint ventures fail within the first five years of operation, mostly
because of cultural differences and conflicts between partners.
From intermittent to continuous change
- Technology is largely held to be a principal driver of globalization and the key to national
economic development and competitiveness.
- Todays electronic technologies facilitate the transfer of information and make
communication through text, voice, and video simple and affordable.
- At the same time, globalization has resulted in an increase in the transfer and diffusion of
technological innovation across borders, as well as competition among nations to develop
and adopt advanced technologies.
From isolation to interconnectedness
- There is a swelling consumer demand for higher quality but lower-cost goods and services
that challenge most governments and corporations.
- In the new economy, globalization is not a debate; it is a reality.
From biculturalism to multiculturalism
- Todays managers must deal simultaneously with partners from perhaps a dozen or more
different cultures around the globe.
- This evolution from a bicultural to a multicultural or global environment presents managers
with at least three new challenges:
1. It is sometimes unclear to which culture we should adapt.
2. Many multicultural encounters occur at short notice, leaving little time to learn about the
other culture.
3. Multicultural meetings increasingly occur virtually, by way of Skype or video conferencing,
instead of through more traditional face-to-face interactions.
Multicultural competence and managerial success
- Globalization pressures represent a serious challenge facing businesses and the way in which
they conduct themselves in the global economy.
Chapter 1: an introduction
The changing global landscape
- Changing global landscape = developing transformational leaders, building strategic
alliances, launching global product platforms, leveraging technological breakthroughs, first-
mover advantages, global venturing, outsourcing, sustainable supply chains, and, most of all,
making money.
- The changing global landscape:
Current global economy Changing global landscape Future global economy
Broad mixture of local, - Towards continual Greater emphasis on
national, and global change global markets, networks,
markets and organizations - Towards increased and organizations over
interconnectedness local and national ones.
- Towards
multiculturalism
- Disadvantages of globalization:
o Endless conflicts with partners
o Continual misunderstandings with suppliers and distributors
o Mutual distrust
o Perpetual delays
o Ongoing cost overruns
o Political and economic risks and setbacks
o Personal stress
- Over 50% of international joint ventures fail within the first five years of operation, mostly
because of cultural differences and conflicts between partners.
From intermittent to continuous change
- Technology is largely held to be a principal driver of globalization and the key to national
economic development and competitiveness.
- Todays electronic technologies facilitate the transfer of information and make
communication through text, voice, and video simple and affordable.
- At the same time, globalization has resulted in an increase in the transfer and diffusion of
technological innovation across borders, as well as competition among nations to develop
and adopt advanced technologies.
From isolation to interconnectedness
- There is a swelling consumer demand for higher quality but lower-cost goods and services
that challenge most governments and corporations.
- In the new economy, globalization is not a debate; it is a reality.
From biculturalism to multiculturalism
- Todays managers must deal simultaneously with partners from perhaps a dozen or more
different cultures around the globe.
- This evolution from a bicultural to a multicultural or global environment presents managers
with at least three new challenges:
1. It is sometimes unclear to which culture we should adapt.
2. Many multicultural encounters occur at short notice, leaving little time to learn about the
other culture.
3. Multicultural meetings increasingly occur virtually, by way of Skype or video conferencing,
instead of through more traditional face-to-face interactions.
Multicultural competence and managerial success
- Globalization pressures represent a serious challenge facing businesses and the way in which
they conduct themselves in the global economy.
