CHAPTER 5
Submitted by: GROUP 2
REQUIRED ADAPTION
Culture, including all its elements, profoundly affects management style and overall business systems. Culture not only establishes the criteria for day-to-day business behavior but also forms general patterns of values and motivations.
Various studies identify North Americans as individualists, Japanese as consensus oriented and committed to the group, and central and southern Europeans as elitists and rank conscious. Although these descriptions are stereotypical, they illustrate cultural differences that are often manifested in business behavior and practices.
A lack of empathy for and knowledge of foreign business practices can create insurmountable barriers to successful business relations. Enough differences exist to cause frustration, miscommunication, and, ultimately, failed business opportunities if these differences are not understood and responded to properly.
What international marketers can do to minimize the differences and to prevent failed business opportunities is the ability to adapt.
Adaptation is a key concept in international marketing and willingness to adapt is a crucial attitude. Affirmative acceptance is also required as it makes adaptation easier because empathy for another’s point of view naturally leads to ideas for meeting cultural differences.
Ten Basic Criteria in dealing with foreign individuals: 1. Open Tolerance 2. Flexibility 3. Humility 4. Justice/Fairness 5. Ability to adjust to varying tempos 6. Curiosity/Interest 7. Knowledge of the country 8. Liking for others 9. Ability to command respect 10. Ability to integrate oneself into the environment
DEGREE OF ADAPTATION Adaptation does not require business executives to forsake their ways and change to local customs; rather, executives must be aware of local customs and be willing to accommodate to