Charles Martin in Uganda
Case study 2-Charles Martin in Uganda 1) Describe Ugandan cultural attributes that might affect operations of a foreign company operating there?
Uganda is a country of lacking infrastructure and lots of bureaucratic hoops to jump through. Governmental and Political corruption make it hard to do business without handing out bribes. The native language of Swahili, and few speak English. The many religions of Uganda also make foreign company’s respect them in order to avoid discrimination in the workplace. 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?
HG as an American company is secular by nature, but its activities retain Christian values. Green is a high level manager and his attitude was geocentric, choosing to associate with other Americans and lived in the upper middle class neighborhoods. Martin on the other hand had a more polycentric attitude, taking in all of Uganda’s offerings and culture…which helped in doing business in Uganda.
3) Who was right, Green or Martin, about the controversial actions Martin took in the Ugandan operation? What might have been the results if he had not taken those actions?
Martin was right about the actions he took. He was hired because of his expertise in African studies, as well as international business. Martin completed the operation, and probably made the Ugandan people see HG in a good way. If Martin did things by the book, HG’s business operation would have moved slowly, over budget, and without respect of the natives. 4) In HG’s next phase, the dam construction, should it employ some one whose main function is to be a liaison between HG’s corporate culture and the culture of Uganda? If so, should Martin be the person for the job?
Yes, indeed. Charles Martin has captured the trust in the Ugandan people. HG should rethink their guidelines that mirror U.S. law and corporate policy to
Uganda is a country of lacking infrastructure and lots of bureaucratic hoops to jump through. Governmental and Political corruption make it hard to do business without handing out bribes. The native language of Swahili, and few speak English. The many religions of Uganda also make foreign company’s respect them in order to avoid discrimination in the workplace. 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?
HG as an American company is secular by nature, but its activities retain Christian values. Green is a high level manager and his attitude was geocentric, choosing to associate with other Americans and lived in the upper middle class neighborhoods. Martin on the other hand had a more polycentric attitude, taking in all of Uganda’s offerings and culture…which helped in doing business in Uganda.
3) Who was right, Green or Martin, about the controversial actions Martin took in the Ugandan operation? What might have been the results if he had not taken those actions?
Martin was right about the actions he took. He was hired because of his expertise in African studies, as well as international business. Martin completed the operation, and probably made the Ugandan people see HG in a good way. If Martin did things by the book, HG’s business operation would have moved slowly, over budget, and without respect of the natives. 4) In HG’s next phase, the dam construction, should it employ some one whose main function is to be a liaison between HG’s corporate culture and the culture of Uganda? If so, should Martin be the person for the job?
Yes, indeed. Charles Martin has captured the trust in the Ugandan people. HG should rethink their guidelines that mirror U.S. law and corporate policy to