This weeks lesson felt particularly relevant because the company that I work for is rapidly expanding globally. Because I work in Human Resources, we are the first stop in getting teams assembled in those countries and getting feedback from those teams and other advisers regarding benefits, compensation, etc. Because in doing so, I work directly with our HR lead in those countries, its particularly important that we establish and maintain global synergy. That being said, we don’t always maintain that and it can be a struggle finding common ground in lieu of our cultural differences. In looking for ways to do so, I found a few helpful tips:
– be culturally aware: It may sound obviously but taking the time to learn the fine nuances of the culture that are working with makes all the difference. In doing so, it helps to understand where your counterpart is coming from plus gives yo a competitive edge in terms of cross cultural knowledge.
– take the idea of “win-win” to heart: keep in mind that there doesn’t have to be one “winner’; both sides can win without sacrificing who the are.
– retain your own identity: lastly, be flexible but also be sure to preserve your own identity and ideas. After all, your experiences and social norms are one of the pieces that you bring to the table from your “group”. Make sure that you are thoughtful and know compromise but maintain your own identity.
By incorporating some of these ideas into our collaborations with other HR professionals in our sister countries, I believe that our business will be stronger if we are able to utilize these tips when doing so and maintaining an overall sense of cultural synergy.
Citation:
Dealing with Cultural Differences in International Business
http://tamkjournal-en.tamk.fi/dealing-with-cultural-differences-in-international-business/
Globalization is definitely a common subject in every lesson we have learned so far in the close. All the concepts are interrelated and tie back to globalization. I especially like that you discussed the importance of retaining your identity. I think most of us get so focused on adapting our ways to other cultures to be able to communicate properly and conduct business with other cultures, that we forget to appreciate our own level of knowledge. We want to make sure that we also share our own experiences with other cultures. That is the entire point of globalization! What benefits would their be to giving up our own beliefs to satisfy the needs of other cultures? Maintaining identity is important. It also ties in the “win-win” concept. One culture is not necessarily more important than another. They may be different, but by embracing them all, an organization is open to cross-cultural diversity and business practices. Great job.