EGT1 Task 4 China
There are many advantages to expanding your business to China. Not only is
China considered one of the largest economies in the world, it also has a vast emerging market that is still growing (Startup Overseas). Although China has embraced many
Western Business ethics and practices, there are still numerous cross-cultural differences that can make it difficult to succeed without sufficient research and knowledge of the culture. Examples of these cross cultural differences include the
Chinese’ attitude toward work and workplace, the labor laws, and how Chinese businesses collaborate with other organizations. More differences include how we market and sell a product, and how pricing differs between our two countries. Perhaps the most important differences are those of ethical positions, such as child labor and sexism. A Chinese worker’s attitude toward the job and the workplace depends on what position they have in an organization. China is considered a collectivist society, which means the majority of people within the society act in the interests of the group and not necessarily themselves (Geert Hofstede, 2010). The United States is considered an individualistic society and emphasizes the importance of the individual. This also applies to the way these countries do business. A collectivist business may have a team of workers contributing to satisfy all the customers, whereas an individualistic business may have several individual representatives who each have their own client list.
Another difference in the workplace is how large an organization’s Power
Distance is. Power distance is the acceptance that all individuals in the society are not equal (Geert Hofstede, 2010). China has a very large power distance, which means its’ workers accept the fact that there is a hierarchy within the organization, and they know their place within that organization. They expect power within the business to be distributed unequally. The United States has a lower Power Distance
China considered one of the largest economies in the world, it also has a vast emerging market that is still growing (Startup Overseas). Although China has embraced many
Western Business ethics and practices, there are still numerous cross-cultural differences that can make it difficult to succeed without sufficient research and knowledge of the culture. Examples of these cross cultural differences include the
Chinese’ attitude toward work and workplace, the labor laws, and how Chinese businesses collaborate with other organizations. More differences include how we market and sell a product, and how pricing differs between our two countries. Perhaps the most important differences are those of ethical positions, such as child labor and sexism. A Chinese worker’s attitude toward the job and the workplace depends on what position they have in an organization. China is considered a collectivist society, which means the majority of people within the society act in the interests of the group and not necessarily themselves (Geert Hofstede, 2010). The United States is considered an individualistic society and emphasizes the importance of the individual. This also applies to the way these countries do business. A collectivist business may have a team of workers contributing to satisfy all the customers, whereas an individualistic business may have several individual representatives who each have their own client list.
Another difference in the workplace is how large an organization’s Power
Distance is. Power distance is the acceptance that all individuals in the society are not equal (Geert Hofstede, 2010). China has a very large power distance, which means its’ workers accept the fact that there is a hierarchy within the organization, and they know their place within that organization. They expect power within the business to be distributed unequally. The United States has a lower Power Distance
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