Visiting:
| If you are invited to somebody's house, are you expected to bring a gift? If so, what? Should you dress formally? Should you offer to clear the table/wash up? Should you return the hospitality/send a note of thanks?
|
Eating:
| Is it rude to decline certain food or drink? Should women accept alcohol? May you eat with your fingers? May you ask for 'seconds'? Is it acceptable to eat with your elbows resting on the table? Should you leave directly after the meal?
|
Tipping:
| Should you tip taxi drivers, porters, doormen, barbers, government employees, bus drivers, petrol (gas) station attendants, others? How much?
|
Conversing:
| Are there any subjects which are taboo? What is considered more important, diplomacy or frankness? How important is it to have a sense of humour? How acceptable is it to tell 'rude' jokes or jokes about racial minorities? Is it considered impolite to discuss somebody's age, weight or personal habits?
|
Gestures and non-verbal communication:
| How close should you stand when conversing? How acceptable is it to touch? How important is eye contact? Are there any gestures you should avoid using?
|
Dress:
| Is it OK to wear shorts to work, sleeveless dresses in the street, hats in-doors, nothing on the beach?
|
Dates:
| Who asks for the date, the man or the woman? Who pays? Is kissing in public acceptable? How significant is a date for a future relationship?
|
|
2 Now carry out the following role play.
Imagine you are taking part in a weekend training session to prepare personnel for a forthcoming overseas assignment. Each member of the group in turn will play the role of instructor while the other members of the group play the role of assignees. The instructor must:
choose one of the cultural differences which the group has listed
explain why it may be problematic and how best to deal with it
answer any questions the assignees may have.
|
3.2.D
Discussion
| A business report
You have recently been appointed as Personnel and Training Manager of an American multinational corporation. Looking through the files you notice that a large number of your expatriate personnel were recalled from their overseas assignment earlier than planned, and of those who completed their assignment many felt that they would have done a better job if they had been better prepared.
Write a report to your CEO. The objectives of your report are as follows:
to describe the problem
to explain the gravity of the problem
to outline a plan for dealing with it
to convince your CEO that your plan should be adopted.
The report should not exceed two pages and, if possible should be typewritten, double spaced, with 2.5cm margins.
|
| Junior manager
| Middle manager
| Head of function
| Head of division
|
Country
| Gross pay
£
| Buying power
£
| Gross pay
£
| Buying power
£
| Gross pay
£
| Buying power
£
| Gross pay
£
| Buying power
£
|
Hong Kong
United States
Switzerland
Germany (West)
Canada
| 18,682
25,779
35,385
28,497
22,823
| 18,267
23,048
22,805
18,800
18,806
| 29,480
35,326
46,885
39,091
31,255
| 27,536
29,672
28,722
25,774
24,074
| 42,635
48,888
65,219
55,463
45,095
| 39,824
39,165
37,420
35,594
32,186
| 63,610
68,978
90,079
82,339
60,014
| 59,415
52,736
48,735
49,176
40,570
|
France
Spain
Italy
United Kingdom
Belgium
| 22,084
21,938
23,216
18,758
24,933
| 16,931
15,750
14,898
15,015
16,141
| 30,829
31,186
32,681
25,017
34,983
| 22,773
21,466
20,115
19,603
20,139
| 44,037
44,577
47,026
35,027
49,900
| 30,579
28,668
27,275
26,163
25,532
| 61,846
64,659
67,708
48,280
71,216
| 41,157
37,483
37,510
34,115
32,624
|
Netherlands
Australia
South Africa
Ireland
New Zealand
| 21,775
18,545
12,335
18,993
13,524
| 15,992
15,118
12,966
13,275
10,827
| 30,274
25,455
16,366
25,545
17,988
| 20,302
18,928
16,238
16,323
14,078
| 42,875
33,383
22,804
34,182
24,059
| 25,553
22,746
21,336
20,235
18,498
| 57,775
45,980
31,511
45,315
32,312
| 31,761
29,608
28,229
25,229
24,509
|
Finland
Denmark
Greece
Norway
Sweden
| 22,970
25,289
11,657
18,954
20,151
| 12,156
12,149
9,678
11,669
10,544
| 30,202
32,143
16,272
25,122
27,560
| 14,608
13,888
12,794
14,055
13,294
| 40,480
43,302
23,906
33,627
37,566
| 18,041
16,538
18,144
16,987
17,009
| 53,975
64,799
32,294
43,496
49,695
| 21,998
21,641
23,546
20,390
21,511
|
In small groups, discuss the information which emerges from this table. Which countries do you think use money as an incentive to get to the top?