In a global setting, having cultural synergy is a must for businesses. Working in a global setting myself, I have seen the importance of having a team that has a cultural emphasis. In this chapter, the subject of improving performance through team culture is covered.
“Organization’s culture emphasizes employee participation through team management, the group microcultures are likely to reflect that system’s macroculture” (Moran,Abramson,Moran, pp. 271). I fully agree with this statement. The company I am a part of focuses on getting product team members to learn from one another. While learning from one another we also focus on learning more from our international counterparts. Working with our international office we have been working to achieve synergy.
According to the chapter, “synergy occurs when the members listen to each other and enter into the private worlds of the others” (Moran, Abramson, Moran, pp.271). Working with our international teams and suppliers I have seen the effects of how the evolution of microcultures reflect the macrocultures.
This is especially evident when it comes to working with suppliers. Expressing the company goals amongst the team helps to build the microculture. Then projecting these goal onto our suppliers builds this culture within the collective group. During this process, we build upon the companies macroculture.
Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). Oxford: Routledge
mxs1204 says
Hello John,
I can completely identify with this issues around global synergy. In the past most of my positions had me dealing with domestic entities rather than global ones. This made business easy, we had one set policy and set of internal controls. We all understood both the corporate and business language without a problem. Recently, however, I took on a position with a company whose headquarters are in Europe. We also have large global footprints with companies all over the world. This has made it rather challenging to communicate simple systems across all entities.
While one country may view business culture as important, another country may feel that it is not necessary to focus on it. Policies in different countries vary making synergy very difficult to attain. You make a good point when you say, “According to the chapter, “synergy occurs when the members listen to each other and enter into the private worlds of the others” (Moran, Abramson, Moran, pp.271). One of the issues we are facing is that people from the different countries feel that their way of conducting business is the “best” way. Because of this, they are not as open to listening to other perspectives adding to the challenge of attaining synergy among all groups.
I am in the process of trying to create a vision and strategy for the global group so that we can in fact, create this much needed synergy.
Stefan Slavkovic says
The idea of cultural synergy in a global setting is one that has been thought about thoroughly. As countries begin to trade globally more and more, they have a way of creating synergy. Like the EU, as we are currently discussing, countries create rules that allow them to trade freely and move within one another. It is a perfect example of cultural synergy. The EU is a “single market” allowing goods and people to move around, basically as if the member states were one country” (Wheeler).
“One country” like the US. Where countries are able to unite to trade, move, and establish laws that govern them as one. Although the cultures of each individual country may be different, they grow more and more similar as they begin to follow the same rules.
The EU gives them an opportunity to connect with one another and create cultural synergy by sharing what they believe and do.
Sources;
Wheeler, A. H. (2017, July 13). Brexit: All you need to know about the UK leaving the EU. Retrieved July 23, 2017, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32810887