Attitudes Towards Cultural Differences
Attitudes towards Cultural Differences
Between the Company and the Foreign Cultures
Shadow (何莹影)
Student ID: 201030500489
School of Business Administration
South China University of Technology
Question 2:
Would you describe Green’s and Martin’s attitudes as being ethnocentric, polycentric, or geocentric? What factors do you think have influenced their attitudes?
Abstract
Hydro Generation (HG), a U.S. based company built the power plant in Uganda which was its first project in Africa. James Green, vice president of HG, employed Charles Martin for the preconstruction phase of the dam project. However, cultures are different between the company and the foreign cultures. At the same time, Green’s and Martin’s attitudes towards these were different. A series of factors have influenced their attitudes.
Introduction
U.S.-based Hydro Generation (HG) was a specialist in power plants. It had built plants in 16 countries and maintained an ownership in about half of them. But it was its first project in Africa. Its current CEO, Lawrence Lovell, who founded HG’s philosophy and values, believed strongly that business activities, although secular, should embody strong Christian values (Daniels, Radebaugh & Sullivan, 2009: 61).
Uganda, whose economic, political, and cultural are complex gained independence in 1962, has since had a series of misfortunes. It’s considered one of the most corrupt in the world (Daniels, Radebaugh & Sullivan, 2009: 63). Its economic growth was forecast at 6.4% in 2008 and 6.6% in 2009 (Uganda Outlook, 2008). It had about 32.7 million people in 2009 (World Population Nation Report, 2009). Uganda has English as its official language, but many people speak only another language. Although about two-thirds of Ugandans are Christians, there are large numbers of Muslims and people following animistic religions (Daniels, Radebaugh & Sullivan, 2009: 63). With a solution to the electricity shortages still a distant prospect, Uganda is
Between the Company and the Foreign Cultures
Shadow (何莹影)
Student ID: 201030500489
School of Business Administration
South China University of Technology
Question 2:
Would you describe Green’s and Martin’s attitudes as being ethnocentric, polycentric, or geocentric? What factors do you think have influenced their attitudes?
Abstract
Hydro Generation (HG), a U.S. based company built the power plant in Uganda which was its first project in Africa. James Green, vice president of HG, employed Charles Martin for the preconstruction phase of the dam project. However, cultures are different between the company and the foreign cultures. At the same time, Green’s and Martin’s attitudes towards these were different. A series of factors have influenced their attitudes.
Introduction
U.S.-based Hydro Generation (HG) was a specialist in power plants. It had built plants in 16 countries and maintained an ownership in about half of them. But it was its first project in Africa. Its current CEO, Lawrence Lovell, who founded HG’s philosophy and values, believed strongly that business activities, although secular, should embody strong Christian values (Daniels, Radebaugh & Sullivan, 2009: 61).
Uganda, whose economic, political, and cultural are complex gained independence in 1962, has since had a series of misfortunes. It’s considered one of the most corrupt in the world (Daniels, Radebaugh & Sullivan, 2009: 63). Its economic growth was forecast at 6.4% in 2008 and 6.6% in 2009 (Uganda Outlook, 2008). It had about 32.7 million people in 2009 (World Population Nation Report, 2009). Uganda has English as its official language, but many people speak only another language. Although about two-thirds of Ugandans are Christians, there are large numbers of Muslims and people following animistic religions (Daniels, Radebaugh & Sullivan, 2009: 63). With a solution to the electricity shortages still a distant prospect, Uganda is