Part 1
write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear and use examples to reinforce your ideas.
Consider an organization you work for, have worked for, or would like to work for. Then, identify a country in which they do business or might do business outside of the United States. You also may select a company in contemporary business news that conducts business globally.
Discuss the key differences in cultural variables between the United States and the country that are important when conducting business in the selected country. What are the implications of these differences for the practice of business? Consider political, economic, legal, educational, and social systems of the selected country. Refer to Intellipath, MUSE, and Beyond the Book references in creating your response. Include a response to the following questions in your discussion writing at least one paragraph for each bullet point:
Describe globalization and its benefits to business operations.
What kind of management orientation style would you use to be most effective given the cultural attributes of the country (choose one other than the United States)?
How would you overcome the anticipated barriers to communication? Provide specific examples.
Part 2 500-700 words
You are in the role of project manager for a coffee franchise global expansion project. You plan to expand into two different countries. The magnitude of the project requires you to prepare for the project kickoff meeting and business negotiations with the project team who are potential partners from Mexico and China. You understand that these cultures are vastly different. They have different business customs, social protocols, and languages, so conducting business with each country requires a customized approach.
To prepare for your first outreach effort with each country, analyze the cultural similarities and differences that exist between the countries and the United States using Geert Hofstede’s Six Cultural Dimensions (link here and below) as discussed in the assignment notes, chats, etc. Note that the two countries are characterized by collectivism while the United States has an individualist culture.
Once you have done your research, compare and contrast each country according to your findings. Discuss the implications of the relative cultural dimensions based on what you read related to Hofsteds from the web site. How might they impact managing the global expansion project? Remember that you are adapting your approach from a United States point of view. (400-600 words).
This assignment lays the foundation for IP4, where you will apply your findings to forming an effective global team.
Step One:
Visit Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions
Step Two:
Create a country comparison using the United States in first dropdown menu box to see the values for the six cultural dimensions. After selecting the United States, a second country can be chosen in the second dropdown menu box. Keep the United States in the first box and then repeat for each country (Mexico and China) involved in the fast food expansion project to see a comparison of their scores.
Step Three:
Using your findings:
Explain Hofstede’s cultural dimensions.
Using the United States as a basis for comparison, evaluate each country’s similarities and differences relative to the franchise business deployment.
Discuss the implications for your initial communications within each country. For example, what is the impact of collectivism relative to individualism regarding management communication? Use Intellipath, MUSE, Beyond the Book. Live Chats and the CTU Library to help identify cultural characteristics that will be important during your first project meeting with each country.
Part 3
write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive clear and use examples to reinforce your ideas.
Idea:
In preparing to launch the coffee franchises in China and Mexico you are planning to visit each country to interview potential global team members. You know it is important to be aware of the value differences and social customs in each country to develop trusting relationships to avoid potential conflicts. Compare and contrast your approach to doing business and building relationships among the global team members. Apply the readings, Intellipath, and library resources to respond to the following:
Discuss collectivism and how it applies to China and Mexico. Explain the role of relationship building in China and Mexico compared to the United States.
Video on Collectivism versus Individualism
Explain the cultural value differences in time (monochronic versus polychronic cultures video link), approaches to decision making (objective or subjective approach), and individualism that could potentially occur during global operations.
What are some of the nonverbal behavior differences among the countries such as silence, eye contact, body movements, proxemics or interruptions that may affect doing business with your global team?
Your coffee franchise cleared for business in both countries (Mexico, and China). You now have to develop your global franchise team and start construction of your restaurants. . You invite all of the players to the headquarters in the United States for a big meeting to explain the project and get to know one another since they represent the global division of your company.
You are concerned with the following two issues. Substantively address each in a two-part paper, applying Beyond the Book, MUSE, Intellipath and library resources to support your reasoning
Part 1: Effective communication with participants
What are the implications of the cultural variables for your communication with the team representative from each country in the face to face meeting?
Address Hall’s high and low context regarding verbal and non-verbal communication. The United States is a low context culture, while each country is high context.
Tip: Write at least one substantive paragraph for each country
Part 2: Effective communication among participants
What are examples of barriers and biases in cross-cultural business communications that may impact the effectiveness of communication among the meeting participants and in potential negotiations?
What are some of the issues you should be concerned about regarding verbal and nonverbal communication for this group to avoid misinterpretations and barriers to communication?
Part 5 400-500 Words
Social media provides many advantages and opportunities for multi-national businesses to connect with their customers. In responding to the following, reflect on the use of social media to develop the coffee franchises in each country. Write at least 3 paragraphs on the following:
Describe the main driving factors (such as purposes of using social media, how open the culture is to sharing information online (privacy and security), online purchasing behavior, languages other than English being used, and number and types of social media users among the total population) that determine the choice of platforms and content that your franchises should focus on when using social media to communicate with customers in Mexico and China.
Explain some of the etiquette factors that should be taken into consideration in each country when using social media to conduct business, which is essential for business professionals. Business etiquette and activities make a good impression while using social media. Etiquette is essential for business professionals, and student may address cultural factors that affect social media or common-sense rules of behavior will enhance interactions online.
Discuss how global technology has changed the way businesses, in this case the franchises, communicate because of the accessibility of Web sites, social media, e-mail, and other forms of technology.
Sample Solution
