CrossCultural Differences Michael Gregson Manfred Hlina Matt Holt

Cross-Cultural Differences Michael Gregson Manfred Hlina Matt Holt Georg Klampfer Randi Roberts

Marino

JAPAN n n n Name: Marino Toyokura Language: Japanese Role of women in the workforce: • Payment is almost equal because of a law • Still discrimination Hiring: sometimes they don’t even ask women when they are applying for a job n Strong discrimination in government and the police not many female police officers and politicians n

JAPAN • In small villages thinking is very traditional, that seems like discrimination; “women has to bring the tea to the men” • Pregnancy: 1 to 3 month period of rest (it depends on the company) n Usually just 1 month n • In higher positions there are still more male managers, just a few women • But it’s changing now; there will be more and more female high positions

JAPAN n Benefits provided to employees: • Vacations n One week a year plus every month one day extra • Working hours: Usually from 8 a. m. – 5 p. m. during the week n On Saturdays only from 8 a. m. – 12. p. m. n

Japan n How managers treat their employees: Treatment is still traditional Japanese: still one boss who decides everything; insured workers sit beside their working station, even if they are not able to work

Japan n General management practices: Distance/respect between younger and older people is very high

JAPAN What were your greatest difficulties in adapting to this (US) culture? • First of all the language • Bathing culture in Japan is different than in USA (first washing, than bathing for relaxing) • There is no public transportation in the U. S. ; In Japan public transportation is everywhere (fast and cheap)

JAPAN • It’s hard to get liquor here und you have to show your ID; in Japan you are allowed to drink alcohol starting when you’re 20 years old • AC is too much here; in Japan there are intelligent ventilation systems

JAPAN n Marketing Management Advice: • Very important to know the culture (it’s very important to exchange the business cards: you give them with both hands and take them with both hands) • More distance; they don’t like to touch each other; more privacy • Friendship between workers is very important • Younger generations love western culture and style (celebrating the wedding in a church (usually there are Zen-Buddhists))

JAPAN n n n Japanese are not very proud of their culture; they are ignorant (because of the island) Japanese think that western states have more and better technology But there are things that would never work: Wal-Mart and Ikea (because of the sizes)

JAPAN n Education: • Public universities are cheaper than here n But it’s very difficult to get in these universities • It’s easier to get in private universities, but they are more expensive than here in the US n At least $ 10, 000, - a year • You also have to pay for High School About $ 300 - For one semester n Private Schools are more expensive n

JAPAN • Not many scholarships for universities • But most people go there • Parents have to pay for everything • When you apply for a private School you have to pay $ 2000, otherwise you are not allowed to take the application test; also when you fail

Jean-Philippe is single: 870 -275 -3673

FRANCE n n n Name: Jean-Philippe Ravart Language: French Role of women in the workforce: • More and more women with key positions Still most of these positions are taken by men; e. g. CEOs n French government: 3 female and 20 male politicians n

FRANCE n Benefits provided to employees: • There a lot of benefits: 5 weeks of holidays n 35 hours / week n Lots of help: Christmas, Travelling, and Weddings n

FRANCE n How managers treat their employees: • Very high power-distance between managers and employees (on the top of Hofstede’s list of distances between managers and employees) n Also in a university you don’t talk to your professors like here

FRANCE n General management practices: • Management is more vertical than horizontal; there are more levels of management for decisions • Everything you do will be controlled by a manager above you • French are kind of arrogant: “we like the power” • Not often teamwork, when there is teamwork, they try to eliminate the team members • French do not like to be proud, but they are

FRANCE n What were your greatest difficulties in adapting to this (US) culture? • Language • In France everything is more formal You have to wear perfect suites in business n Everybody looks at you and judges you n • Food is much better in variety and taste

FRANCE n Marketing Management Advice: • Image of the brand is very important • Image is power for the product’s owner • The brand is more important than the product itself • People always complain about products Customer service is much more difficult n Take care what you advertise, because they will judge it when they see it n • It’s hard to do research because there are so many different customer groups n But when you have divided the groups it’s easy to target

FRANCE n Education: • Everything is free • No student limits on university • Poor students get between $ 500 -1000 every month for living when they are studying

ARGENTINA n n Name: Mariano Balcarce Language: Lunfardo (mix Italian and Spanish)

ARGENTINA n Culture of the workforce: • Argentina is a very European country. Their working laws are similar to those of Italy (35% of Argentina’s population), Spain (20% of population), German (20% of population), and French laws.

ARGENTINA n General management practices: • Unions are very strong, so once you’ve hired someone, it is very hard to fire that person. If you hire someone and they pass the 3 -month period, you must keep that person for 2 years or pay double compensation.

ARGENTINA n What were your greatest difficulties in adapting to this (US) culture? • None in the Northern U. S.

ARGENTINA n Marketing Management Advice: • Do business with an open minded perspective

ARGENTINA n Education: • Education in Argentina is free, howevery degree is seven years which is equivalent to a bachelors and masters in the United States.

THE END