Blog Entry #4

 

Corruption inside a government can be observed in any form of government in almost any country. Though some scandals are more suppressed and or popularized by the media than others, some take the world stage as the world watches the traitor go to trial. Why is it that those who have the means want more? One would think world leaders and high ranking executives would have a more civic and moral duty to those less fortunate and do right by them. Many questions arise as we watch corruption unfold. On another note, some officials and executives are known to engage in rotten business practices yet people know about it but nothing is done. A highly perceived corrupted country, Brazil is ranked high on the corruption scale.

 

Brazil is known for many great things and unfortunately, corruption is one of them. This beautiful country joined democracy not too long ago. According to thebalance.com, “military regime ruled the country from 1822 to 1985. In 1985, it became democratic…Only slightly smaller in size than the United States, it is the largest country in South America” (Amadeo, 2019). As a young democracy, many have seized the opportunity to fool the young country into electing corrupted officials. As an emerging and upcoming new democratic country that is thriving it has lost some momentum to take care of internal political issues like that of scandals among environmental and humanitarian concerns.

 

A BBC article paints a grim timeline of what exactly has happened to the country of Brazil and the scandals it has encountered. In an operation named Car Wash the operation aimed at uncovering a scandal under investigation but it has found more. The article further says,

 

The operation began in March 2014 as an investigation into allegations that executives at the state oil company Petrobras had accepted bribes from construction firms…Among those accused in the scandal were dozens of politicians, and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva – the country’s extremely popular former president was found guilty…The attorney general has charged current President Michel Temer as well…there are the separate allegations which saw his predecessor Dilma Rousseff also involved in misappropriation of funds and were later impeached (Brazil Corrution, 2018)

 

The country of Brazil has faced much hardship, these being one of the hardest since it involved one of its beloved presidents, Lula. Those severely affected are the ones who do not have a voice; the poor and unrepresented. In an intense battle to rid the country of corrupt politicians, the country is still moving forward. Though the country has seen growth the question of what it could have been like for the people had Brazilian politicians had the people in mind. As mentioned before the civic and moral duty of those entrusted of running a country has left many wondering who else in government has a hidden agenda.

 

To tie the readings of the class the word leadership is important, and missing, in this scenario. The presumed leaders have left a sour taste in the mouths f many. Leaders need to be trusted, especially when it involves the livelihood and future opportunities of its citizens. For the Brazilian people to trust those leading the country it will take much more than promises.

 

 

 

Sources

Amadeo, K. (2019, July 4). How to Ruin an Emerging Market Success Story. Retrieved April 21, 2020, from https://www.thebalance.com/brazil-s-economy-3306343

Brazil corruption scandals: All you need to know. (2018, April 8). Retrieved April 21, 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35810578

 

 

Each corner of the world has developed their own culture that may be very different and sometimes similar to adjacent nations. Some however; are extremely different though there are not far apart. For example China and India in sectors like business, leadership styles, social structure and many other areas. China and India, two very distinct countries, appear to have more distinction than similarities in some of the mentioned sectors. The dissimilarities between China and India include social and individualism vs collectivism, language, celebration, wars between the two countries and their leadership styles.

 

 

The social structure of China is very different than ours here in America and other nations. When talking about leadership and how social structure relates to China and their own structure, one would be surprised while doing business if no preparations were done prior to doing business with China. Writer Rebecca Graf who is a seasoned writer with multiple degrees in history notes, In China, the social structure is formal and hierarchical…there is no crossing into other areas…there are very few lines that socially are not allowed to be crossed. This can cause problems in business relationships if the visiting culture is unaware of it” (Graf, 2019). The Chinese do things very differently and when doing business one has to ensure to not accidently insult them. What may seem normal to a specific culture may be offensive or perceived as something different than intended. The Chinese also see individualism very different than the west world.

 

Americans and other countries see individualism as a gateway to become better and is pushed forward in a positive way. In china the culture is to look beyond oneself and ensure actions are not affecting others. Graf notes in her articles that, “a person from China is more prone to look at how their acts affect the whole instead of how it affects them personally. They are more willing to give up and sacrifice for the greater good” (Graf, 2019). The Chinese culture dictates one should look towards the greater good and ensure actions do not affect others or if it does it does so in a positive manner. The people of China are seen as a more tranquil and forgiving people. One could argue America’s aggressive way of doing business has gotten us to the top if China is also a leader on the world stage and not having an aggressive approach while maintaining a collectivism approach.

 

When we think of India we generally tend to think of the vibrant culture and food like that of the traditional clothes and ways of the Indian people. The country of India is extensive in both the languages spoken and culture. According to LiveScience.com, India is among the world’s oldest civilizations… Different regions have their own distinct cultures, languages and religion…India has 28 states and seven territories but there is no official language as a country… Indian dance, music and theater traditions span back more than 2,000 years… societies outside of Europe or North America, or societies that did not follow the European or Western way of life, were considered primitive and culturally inferior” (Zimmermann, 2017). India has a very diverse and rich culture but a group majority of others see India as primitive. On the west side of the world we do not see the advancement of this nation but the ineffectiveness of government and the poorest of people. If given the chance to learn and understand India is also a powerhouse. In areas like leadership and people development China and India may be doing a better job than its counterparts.

 

Leaders in China view one another very differently than we do here in America or other countries. Chinese leaders see civic duty, respect and dignity as a way of life and is the way of their concept of leadership. While others drive their business practices with the thought that time is money leaders in China see to it their decisions are well planned. Barbara Wang, an expert in cross-cultural leadership at Ashridge Executive Education mentions, “Face has a much deeper meaning in China than in the West. Many Chinese will go to great lengths either to save face or to save someone else’s face. Face is about dignity and respect, and a person’s social role. It’s not just about feelings, but a key part of what holds society together… It’s an unwritten rule in China that if someone does not trust you, they are unlikely to do business with you” (Wang, 2018). Leaders in China are not as competitive as other leaders across the globe but show more respect and dignity towards others. When both parties want to do business Chinese leaders are not looking at the negative but the deal itself. Knowing that both parties are more apt to seeing if doing business with one another is best for both parties it focuses both parties on the contract rather than what the other might be up to. This is very similar to leaders in India who are taking more care of their employees than other leading nations.

 

India is making great strides in treating their employees right and making huge investments on its people. Leadership in countries where others may think there was a lack of leadership is paving the way for others to follow to see long term investments. In a research project that interviewed 98 of the largest Indian-based companies found a very common trend. In an article posted by the Harvard Business Review the authors noted, Indian leaders invest in people. Far more than their Western counterparts, these leaders and their organizations take a long-term, internally focused view. They work to create a sense of social mission that is served when the business succeeds. They make aggressive investments in employee development, despite tight labor markets and widespread job-hopping. And they strive for a high level of employee engagement and openness (Capelli et al., 2010). Leaders in India are invest far more than other leaders in other countries. They see their workforce as a gateway to profitability in the long run not the immediate future like most leaders do. There is not much worry about labor costs and other controllables when it comes to investing in its people.

 

Though there are what seems more differences between India and China business practices in these two countries have a different approach than that of other nations. These practices are viewed and practiced by all and has strong roots in their culture. If this way of doing business was adopted by companies here in the US it would not have the same effect since business practices here are different and our own culture and society rules makes us think otherwise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cappelli, Peter, et al. “Leadership Lessons from India.” Harvard Business Review, 8 July 2016, hbr.org/2010/03/leadership-lessons-from-india.

Graf, Rebecca. “13 Major Cultural Differences Between China and the United States.” Owlcation, 20 Mar. 2019, owlcation.com/social-sciences/10-Major-Cultural-Differences—China-and-the-United-States.

Wang, Barbara. “Chinese Leadership: 5 Critical Differences with the West.” IEDP, 1 Jan. 2018, www.iedp.com/articles/chinese-leadership-5-critical-differences-with-the-west/.

Zimmermann, Kim Ann. “Indian Culture: Traditions and Customs of India.” LiveScience, Purch, 21 July 2017, www.livescience.com/28634-indian-culture.html.

 

 

There are numerous concepts on leadership and the best approach on working with others in the workplace. Parts of our leadership style here in America come from social norms of the dos and don’ts we experience. This is the same for others in around the world, for example Saudi Arabia and others in the middle east. Our leadership and management style here in American and that of the middle east differs vastly due to the differences in culture, social beliefs and norms. Because of these differences both groups have a difference approach on how to lead and manage people. Because the two social groups differ the expectation on what one can expect from management tends to follow with their own culture. In other words, those that live here in America have a sense of what leadership style they want and need from a American manager or leader and may not necessarily work if lead by an eastern style way of managing and leading.

 

I have been part of management for the last decade. I have lead small and large groups of people in different capacities. The common theme I have seen is the need for my subordinates to feel included in my decisions and how it affects them all the while being a servant leader. Collaboration and teamwork has never been so important when managing a younger group of people. In an article posted by Tara Duggan who is a Project Management professional (PMP) who has 25 years of experience and specializes in knowledge management and instructional design says, “Leadership styles commonly used by business leaders in the United States include the directive, participative, empowering, charismatic and celebrity. According to Robert J. House of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, six culturally endorsed leadership dimensions contribute to leader effectiveness, including charismatic, team-oriented, participative, humane-oriented, self-protective and autonomous. Attributes include trustworthiness, motivational and excellence-oriented (Duggan, n.d.). These are all attributes of what would be considered a great leader here in America. Though these are all great attributes not all would work in a different cultural setting for example in the middle east. To better understand the middle east style of managing we need to first understand their way of life and how it differs from those here in America.

 

The buzz around the Islamic way of living has many untrue connotations which is not fair to the people of that region. It is becoming increasingly upsetting that those who are spreading hatred and malicious way of thinking about Islamic lifestyle and putting them all under one umbrella should be firmly dismissed and discredited. We all have our own thoughts on the matter and what we learned from the lesson is the Islamic way of living has religion in mind in all aspects of their way of life. We learn from the lesson that, “followers adhere to its teachings in a different way than other religions. Many Islamic teachings make their way into law, and several countries in the region have theocracies, governments that are run by religious authorities. Islamic teachings, therefore, become law… Islam guides many people’s lives in the Middle East. The word Islam translates to “giving one’s self to Allah/God,” so the teachings that are found in the Qur’an (or Koran) guide people’s daily lives. But like every other religion, there are various branches that interpret the words of the Qur’an differently” (PSU, n.d.). Just like Christianity there are many branches of religion so we cannot assume a person who practices the Islamic style of living is the same as others. Because culture and religion differ vastly in both American and Islam how managers act and react to certain situations will differ. Those that are being managed also have a certain perception on leadership and can anticipate what a leader’s reaction would be and their demeanor on certain situations.

 

The management style in the middle east differs in many ways from America style of leading and managing. Looking back at the lesson we learned their religion has a major influence in their daily lives. This means how managers and leaders act and react has the Islamic teachings in mind. This also means subordinates, for the most part, will also act and react in a certain way because they too practice the same faith. In article posted by Professor Yucelt of Penn State he writes, “Another study stated that Saudis do things at a leisurely pace and they are unmindful of interruptions: Westerners, however, set time standards and objectives for completion. In addition, the Middle Easterners are highly sensitive to face-to-face criticism and they place great value on hard work and personal friendship. These differences in behavior and motivation help to explain differences in management styles…Managers of the middle Eastern nations are considered authoritarian rather than democratic, and tend to discourage participatory decision-making in the workplace. They believe that authority will produce both higher morale and productivity (Yucelt, 1984). Because of their culture and beliefs this has created a certain type of management style that works for them but might not work, for example, here in America. In contrast certain facets of business may require a more authoritarian in both America and Middle East as well as servant leader. This is not to say one side only does one style but simple an observation of how most do what in each region.

 

 

 

Duggan, Tara. “What Are Differences & Similarities Between American Leadership Styles & Global Leadership Styles?” Small Business – Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/differences-similarities-between-american-leadership-styles-global-leadership-styles-55037.html. Accessed 04 March 2020.

 

Penn State University. (n.d.). Module Lesson 7: Islamic Life OLEAD 410, 001 Spring Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2041071/modules/items/27977820

 

Yucelt, U. (1984). Management Styles in the Middle East A Case Example. Management Decision, 22(5), 24-35.

The culture shock that came from moving to America at the age of eight was much more different than that to my sister’s. Though we both still have deep roots in our Peruvian culture much has receded and we have acclimated more to the American way of life. Though there is a sense of pride to say where I am from there is a sense of ambiguity as to which I feel more connected to. Taking a deeper look of how culture and values are defined and combined with my experience of moving to a different country there is much to say about culture differences and how values play a role in my connection to my culture.

When I was told we were moving to America my young mind did not conceive the idea I would not see my relatives or walk the familiar streets of Comas, Peru until almost a half a decade later nor that I would not visit 15 years after that. For a young child it seemed like an adventure but looking back and thinking of the challenges that came from acclimating to the a new culture I value my Peruvian culture of family and time. These were values that were instilled at a young age. To better understand what I mean lesson 2 defines culture as, Culture is the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another… Culture consists in patterned ways of thinking, feeling and reacting, acquired and transmitted mainly by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiments of artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional” (PSU, n.d.). Though I left Peru at a young age there are remanence of the culture I left behind. What has remained is the way of thinking and what I tend to value more. Because I have lived here for a good portion of my life I have both cultural patterns that sometimes are at conflict with one another. One of them being way of thinking.

Growing up education was highly valued and how you react in public and amongst friends and family matters a great deal. To add context to this idea, I myself have been in school for the past 10 years and do not see myself stopping until I get my degree. Because I needed to work and hit some roadblocks along the way it has taken me a while but the need to continue comes from how I was brought up. We value what we have and stay humble once we obtain it. Though we did not have much growing up family time and meals spent as a family were cherished. Coming to American time was seen as something you did not have and meals because something you do on the go.

I remember Sundays always being an event. Almost everything was closed and everyone was eager to play soccer or watch the match. Here in America the sense time was almost never on your side. In an article from business insider that compares the American style of working to other countries it says, “In France, Spain, Greece, and other countries, lunch breaks can last an hour or more and rarely take place in front of a computer screen” (Abadi, 2017). I myself rarely take longer than 10 minutes to eat at work and always eat while looking at emails. I long for my days off where I can eat without stressing about something else and sometimes wish I did not move here on my most stressful days. The values that were ingrained in me as a young child puts me in conflict with what I should do.

To better understand values and their meaning the lesson describes values as, Values tend to be formed in the beginning of life… values also tend to be unconscious, meaning we don’t typically think about them, but they determine our behavior… influence of culture can come into play in all three stages. During the imprint stage, an individual’s learning of good and bad from their caregivers would be highly influenced by culture, as the caregivers are part of the culture (PSU, n.d.). What I was learning at an early age and the change of culture for myself and my parents who also needed to acclimate, there was an inner-conflict for all of us. The style of living there compared to how it is here changed so therefore the thought process of working harder and the value that was put on family and time changed. As a child I was given social cues to spend time with family and value the time. The infusion of a new culture I have both cultural values which are at constant conflict. I want to work less and spend time with family but I also want to be better at work so therefore I work harder and sacrifice time and family. The style of how we work here is not the same as it is in other countries so what we value is different than what I was brought up with.

Being part of both cultures has had its drawbacks and advantages. We have stronger sense of financial security but at the expense of spending less time with family. Being part of both cultures has given me an advantage where I see the areas I need to improve on for better work-life quality which is something I do not see others take part in. When I see myself being too far from family I real myself back in and take the time to see them or be part of their lives. This is something my siblings do as well. After we come together we continue where we left off. Though I do spend time with family I simply wish I could spend more time instead of feeling like I am always on the go.

 

Abadi, M. (2017, November 17). 6 American work habits people in other countries think are

ridiculous. Retrieved February 11, 2020, from

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/american-work-habits-us-countries-job-styles-hours-hoilday-a8060616.html

 

Penn State University. (n.d.). Module Lesson 2: Introduction to Culture OLEAD 410, 001 Spring

2020. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2041071/modules/items/27977820